British Dandies: Engendering Scandal and Fashioning a Nation

Dandies in Britain from the 17th to the 20th century were a controversial type of celebrity who provoked fascination and horror. This book explores their social and cultural history through a focus on the macaroni, the dandy, and the aesthete, who were pioneers of new ways of displaying and performing gender.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 18 March 2022
Publisher: Bodleian Library

Dressy men, as a distinct type of celebrity, have played a notable role in the cultural and political life of Britain over centuries. Unlike the modern-day hipster, the dandies of the British past elicited intense fascination and horror in their homeland and played a significant role in British society from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. This captivating book, adorned with contemporary prints, portraits, and caricatures, delves into that social and cultural history, focusing on the macaroni, the dandy, and the aesthete. The first was renowned for his flamboyance, the second for his austere perfectionism, and the third for his sexual perversity. All three figures were highly controversial in their time, pioneering new ways of displaying and performing gender, as exemplified by the impact of notable figures such as Lord Hervey, George 'Beau Brummell, and Oscar Wilde. This groundbreaking study unveils the scandalous tale of fashionable men and their attire as a reflection of evolving attitudes towards style, gender, and sexuality.

Weight: 652g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781851245598