alden wrote: The knotting of an ascot, the sweep of a stroller, the cut of a hat could have meant a good marriage as opposed to a mediocre one, the favors or disdain of a lovely lady. The more things change...
Or, for the young or merely gentle rather than noble, whether they were admitted to Lady X's soirée or the patronage of Lord Y; or received a safe parliamentary seat, commission in a fashionable regiment, or clerical living at his disposal; or nominated for membership at White's.
A wonderful view of all this (from a very young man who often puts his foot awry) appears in James Boswell's (later of the
Life of Johnson)
London Journal. Boswell has come to town rebelling against his father's plan for him to read for the Scottish bar, seeking fame and advancement in the great city. HIs relative outlays on clothing, food, and lodging are telling, as is his conscious attempt to develop a proper "address." At one point he tests his address by ordering a sword on credit, having no references. When the shop owner freely offers him credit, Boswell returns to lecture the man for his imprudence!
A short book and hilarious, somewhat self-serving (it was composed as letters dispatched at intervals to a friend back in Scotland) but with an unusually detailed glimpse of a young bachelor's domestic arrangements and habits. Boswell, of course, failed miserably in his attempt to win a Guards commission.
I mention this to raise the perennial debate topic of whether men properly dress for women or other men. The answer is both, of course (and yes, themselves first) and with a variety of ends in mind. But as alden has said elsewhere, the elegant man will not be
seen to be excessively preoccupied with his dress. That's why "lounge" is an apt name for this forum; it suggests the respectable pursuit of a shared interest in a reserved space--a club, if you will--rather than a public obsession or performance.
Long may it prosper.
