The London Lounge

As prompted by Mr. Xu here follow some notes on hands and face in masculine fashion in the Western tradition.
Two were the ways for a man to live beyond his days. Word and sword. Hence the sword and the pen. There are many discussions on the subject of which of the two is more important. Inevitably the authors, writing for the Crown Princes, adviced the sword. One of these dialogues took place in "Don Quixote". But what is Hamlet but a discussion on word and action won by action? Fortinbras snatches the Kingdom from the legitimate blood line because Hamlet jr. doubts too much.
The right hand then is critical. The garment is not. Very much like in the Japanese theater where helping hands dress in black not to be seen by anybody, masculine gear at the end of the Middle Ages tended to be black to offer, unhindered, the vision of both hand and face. To underline these two critical features, a little white lace was added. A kind of frame. This is a supreme example. This is Castiglione´s approach to the subject. Ever the sublime dandy. How about the face?
It was considered the soul´s mirror. I enclose, clumsily translated, the legal text on the abolition of branding in the 7 Partidas (XIIIth Century) due to the talent of Alfonse Xth the Wise.
"And there are punishments that may not be given to any man, whatever the mistake he might have committed such as burning him in the face with fire or cutting his nose or emptying his eyes or any other punishment that makes him branded. And this is because God made man´s face to his image. Therefore no judge shall punish in the face, even more, we forbid him to do it. "
Then came Rocroi (1648) where France overcame Spain. Here you have the two countries face to face. No need to tell you who is who . The victor´s idea was that man´s apparel expressed the guy´s personality. From this moment on black and white won a secure if minimal niche in man´s wardrobe for solemn occassions (Roetzel dixit) and the rest is history.
This is my best shot at why hand and face are to be shown.

Castiglione,

That is an invigorating observation about dualisms (word & sword, priest & warrior, vita contemplativa & vita activa). I haven't looked upon the El Greco portraits of noblemen that way before. It made me think of the following 19th Century portrait of Hans Christian Andersen:



As you suggest all this stress the importance collar and cuffs, these components, which frame - dress! - face and hands

(probably) Don Ferdinand Nino de Guevara, Grand Inquisitor and Archbishop of Seville
Eyes and hands define the attitude of the Spanish Inquisition: short-sighted, looking away, claw-handed. Hands speak volumes!
That didn't win El Greco much sympathy...

Well, dear Costi. El Greco lived a life of luxury and privilege, portrait or not. Agreed his hand´s treatment is glorious. You see, all this began when Mr. Xu told me I should not show my hands when wearing a changshang at home. In confucian culture hands are not supposed to be seen. My reply is that in the Western culture hands are to be shown for they are the instruments of this immortality of sorts that are the sword and the pen. I learned it in my O levels, no big deal. It seems that this black and white approach survives in the smoking and the white tie. Or so claims Roetzel. Masculin gravitas. But, you see, face and hands are not incompatible with unconventional haircut. Here you have the portrait of a high nobility guy who passed away at age 30 due to a horse´s fall. Duke of Pastrana- a Beatles´harbinger.