You often see new models are grabbing dandy’s style nowadays, they dress like dandies and they are following dandyism in fashion.
So, the question is, is it the modern style that is trending now? or does it has any history. In this post, you will get to know everything about dandyism and dandy style.
Also, if you are fond of dandyism then in this article you will get to know how to dress like the dandy’s style in the modern era.
Dandy Meaning
There were lots of adjectives and nouns you will find on any translator when you search for dandy meaning one web.
Like; Dandy meaning
Adjective
Fancy, beauteous, stylish, elegant, Fashion monger and my favourite tiptop etc.
Noun
Beau, dresser, swaggerer, dude etc.
But there are few, which will tell you the actual meaning of dandy.
Dandy is an ancient word that has rarely been used currently by our generation. Rather than using the word ‘dandy’ we used words like stylish, dude, swaggerer etc.
As I discussed above. In our new generation, there are various meanings of dandy but it will be used differently, depending on circumstances.
If we take dandy as a Fashion wear man then-
Dandy is a man who is fond of wearing stylish clothes. A man whose priority is always his apparel and appearance. One who takes care of his clothes and appearance wherever he goes.
A dandy always keeps himself hygienic and his clothes clean. So basically a dandy is one whose life starts with his outfits and appearance and end with his apparel and his looks.
If we take dandy as a style-
It is a type of men’s fashion wear or style of wearing an outfit, which a dandy used to wear in any particular place. Dandies are very conscious about their fashion.
He knows better than how to wear an outfit. Dandy style is turned into a new type of outfit style that a dandy was used to wear, and which modern men are following.
History of Dandyism
Dandyism is a type of fashion culture. Wearing dresses like dandies and following dandies are the terms we can sum up in one word ‘dandyism’.
Dandyism is not a new fashion style or men’s wear that is trending nowadays, nor it is the 20th century’s word.
Word ‘dandyism’ has a very old historical connection. It was started in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in different countries.
Different dandy models were arising from different countries. They all are dressed in dandy style, they loved fashion and their improved appearance at that time.
The first dandy model in Britain from British society was George Bryan Brummell
Some of us know him as ‘Beau Brummell’.
He started dandyism in Britain in the 18th century. He was the man who loved to place his particular importance upon physique, appearance, leisurely hobby, defined language etc.
Brummell was not from an aristocratic background; indeed, his greatness was “based on nothing at all,” as J.A. Barbey d’Aurevilly observed in 1845.
Never unpowdered or unperfumed, immaculately bathed and shaved, and dressed in a plain dark blue coat, he was always perfectly brushed, perfectly fitted, showing much perfectly starched linen, all freshly laundered, and composed with an elaborately knotted cravat. From the mid-1790s, Beau Brummell was the early incarnation of “the celebrity”, a man chiefly famous for being famous.
Like him, different models spread dandy style all over the world. After this, at the end of the 19th century in America, The man who used to follow dandy style and dandyism were called dudes. From that country, the model named Evander Berry Wall was called as ‘king of the dandyism’. After the invention of the word ‘dudes’, we were started using this word and other similar words instead of a dandy. But dandy is the actual word and dandy style is now again in trend.
Types of Dandy Style
When we talk about dandy style it comes to fashion wear or a whole outfit instead of a man & dandyism. So basically dandy is also a type of unique fashion wear but has also varieties because of different countries.
Different countries make changes according to their comfort in dandyism and made their type of dandy style. But here we will talk only about some famous dandy styles.
African dandy style
A dandy style that is currently not in trend, you can find some models which would follow that African dandy style. New people are afraid of this style because it is something weird and exaggerated, that’s why it is a dated fashion.
It is a BAROQUE style in which extra colours are there in outfits. A man is generally afraid of wearing too many light colours in his outfit.
In the african dandy style, it is the important characteristic that they have colourful outfits, which a man have to wear if he serves African dandy style.
Essential features of the African dandy style
Hat
Normally a hat is an essential accessory for every flower of dandyism. But in the African dandy style, they wear a completely different and exaggerated coloured hat.
A colourful hat on the head without any colour matching with outfit sounds terrible, but, indeed, African Dandyism was never afraid to wear this type of hat.
Boots
You have seen many times before that a man or woman is wearing colourful shoes like; sports shoes, sneakers etc., but have you ever seen any guy who was wearing colourful boots.
We know only 2 or 3 colours of boots like; black, brown red-brown etc. and mostly we used to wear one of these color of boots.
But in the african dandy style, they are not commonly used African dandies wears boots according to their outfit and as I say above they wear exaggerated outfit mostly, that’s why they’ve to wear exaggerated boots also.
They wear boots in various colours like; pink, dark red, green, blue etc.
On the other hand, they used various colours of polish for their boots.
Cigar
African dandies were fond of cigars or cigarettes. At that time the cigarettes were a little bit bigger than our modern cigarettes.
In the African dandy style, those cigars were used as a fashion accessory in the 19th century. You can say that a cigar in the mouth of a man is the icon of African dandyism.
Something in a mouth of a man who is following African dandyism is like a trend at that time. They always used cigars when they were up for photoshoots.
Men’s blazer
A men’s suit is common in any official or formal wear and similarly, it is common for dandyism also. So, what is the difference between African dandy style suits?
The answer is the same again like shoes and hats, that it is also exaggerated according to colour. The African dandies were used to wear different colours of men’s blazers and contrasting colour trousers. Like as; pink, light green, orange etc.
These all colours sounds weird when it comes to a man, isn’t it? It is but that’s the fact which you can’t refuse the African dandyism used to wear these types of men’s blazers.
Korean dandy style
It is a more casual style than formal. Korean dandyism is about casual fashion with a little bit of formal mixup.
A Korean dandy style is growing in modern fashion. They made a lot of changes in their dresses and accessories another dandy style.
The other dandy style is stuck in their old-time fashion but Korean dandyism is increasing rapidly by improving their style and dresses according to modern fashion. Korean dandy style has an accent dressing style.
Essential features of Korean dandy style.
Colourful shoes
A dandy most often wear boot. Boots are essential featured wear for a dandy. But Korean dandies are not more stuck on boot yet.
They used to wear different types of shoes according to their outfit for a better combination.
Korean dandyism is pro to wear something much more than a boot in their footwear. They are improving their fashion along with time, and that’s why they improved their footwear also.
They used to wear different types of colour shoes like; sneakers, loafers, high ankle etc. These types of shoes are the trend in men’s fashion and they all are used in Korean dandyism.
Decreased use of Hats
As you know that hat was like a splendour for old dandies. But korean dandy style the new dandy style has decreased the usage of hats in their outfit.
I’m not saying that hat culture is completely ended in Korean dandy style. I’m just saying that Korean dandyism is breaking the rule and making their own rule in their dandies style. That’s why they do not usually wear hats in their dandy’s outfit.
Ankle length pant
Chinos pants are used by every fashion-conscious man when he has to wear formal. But you know what’s the best part of this, the best part of Korean dandy style that they started to wear chinos type trousers with any type of upper wear.
Korean dandyism is the first who started wearing chinos pants in such a way. Maybe, chinos pants were originated from elsewhere but the spread of this fashion wear was started by Korean dandies. They tend to wear this type of pants in their dandyism fashion in casual style.
Modern dandy style
The old dandy style which I was talked about above is a unique and little bit fearful for new models. Because the old dandies are not afraid to wear those type of fashion wear which is we thought weird.
That’s why the old dandyism is extinct. But not completely they are many Dandies who are still there who dare to follow those old type dandy style’s rules.
Alon with extinct of old dandyism, yet there is newly upgraded dandyism is created, my new models.
Yes, there are lots of new models who are following this dandy style like shion wear trends. The new fashion-conscious are wearing their outfit similarly dandy style and uploading pic of those outfits on their social media.
The new models wear dandies outfits in their dandy style, which we called a modern dandy style. If we talk about a difference that takes place in modern dandy style from old is in their outfit colour.
The colors which were used by old dandies are exaggerated but in the new dandy style there are few colours which are often used in their outfits, or you can say that they are dark colours like; black, grey, brown, maroon etc.
Features of modern dandy style.
Check-type blazers
The dandyism wear is based on their types of blazers. There are different types of blazers were used by dandies.
The type of men’s blazer which is used in modern dandy style is a check type blazer. The modern dandies loved to wear a check blazer in their outfit.
They often wear dark colours suits like; black, brown, grey, maroon etc. Their blazer is well-tailored and well-fit, according to their physique.
Umbrella or stick
The modern dandies used to carry an umbrella or a stick often whenever they are dressed in dandy style for a photoshoot also have seen that in the modern dandy model’s pic.
As the old type of dandyism, the trend of that time was a cigar similarly the modern dandyism hand accessory trend is a stick or umbrella.
Why does a model carry an umbrella or stick for dandyism photography?
I don’t know the exact answer to that question but what I thought was that…
That gives them an old type fashion cultural look.
That shows that the man is very conscious about their outfit that’s why he carries an umbrella with him.
It is just a trend that everyone is following like other fashion trends.
Long coat
A long dark colour coat is also featured wear of modern dandyism, you can say that It is a replacement of check suit.
A model also loves to wear that long type of coat instead of the check suit. Modern Dandies used to wear this fashion wear to show off their sense of style in the fashion field. If we talk about colours, as I discussed above dark colours long coats are mostly used by modern Dandies.
Scarf or tie
A scarf or you can call it a muffler are used by modern dandies in winters.
A muffler is often used as winter protecting equipment by modern dandy. It gives them a manly look that it worked as a classy winter accessory.
In summers the dandyism falls into a tie. Not only in summer but in any season it is used for giving an outfit a classy formal loom. In every century of dandyism history, the tie had been used as featured accessory wear by Dandies.
A dandy loved to wear a suit or coat and a tie giving them both a stylish look.
Hat
The hat plays roles in every type of dandy style with some differences. The uniqueness of modern hats is they are dark in colours some dandies used to wear a hat also in check pattern.
If a model wears a long coat of modern dandy style then a hat is perfect for him. Pair of long coats and a hat increases a dandy’s style level.
Conclusion
In this post, I have described Dandyism and dandy style as fashion wear. The fashion wear which an old or new dandy’s model used to wear. By seeing their ancient photos I’ve described what an old dandy style was. By seeing the new pic of new models who are posting their dandy style outfit wear pics I’ve described what is modern dandy style and how a new model can grab this style as fashion wear.
