DeepSummary
In this episode, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the history and evolution of the suit, tracing its origins from the 14th century to modern times. They discuss how the suit emerged as a symbol of status and ideology, with its sober style initially representing a rejection of extravagant courtly fashion during the English Civil War. The suit's development is traced through influential figures like Beau Brummell, the rise of Savile Row, and the impact of mass production.
The hosts delve into the suit's role as a marker of masculinity and its contrast with women's fashion, examining how it became a uniform for the elite and a symbol of British patriotism. They analyze the suit's association with restraint and inconspicuous consumption, as well as instances of rebellion against these norms through movements like the Macaronis and the embrace of flamboyance by pirates and highwaymen.
The episode also explores the evolution of Savile Row and its iconic tailors, such as Anderson & Sheppard and Tommy Nutter's revolutionary shop in the 1960s. The influence of individuals like Edward VII and the adoption of the suit as a symbol of respectability and business attire are examined, leading to a discussion of the suit's potential future in an era of casual dress.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The suit originated as a symbol of status and ideology during the English Civil War, representing a rejection of extravagant courtly fashion.
- The suit's development was influenced by figures like Beau Brummell, who popularized understated elegance, and John Wesley's Methodist teachings on sober dress.
- Savile Row became the epicenter of British tailoring, with iconic shops like Anderson & Sheppard and Tommy Nutter's revolutionary boutique shaping the suit's evolution.
- The suit became a marker of masculinity, British patriotism, and respectability, contrasting with the more flamboyant styles of women's fashion.
- The suit's future remains uncertain as casual dress becomes more prevalent, but its association with business attire and inconspicuous consumption may ensure its endurance.
- The suit has served as a canvas for both rebellion and conformity, with movements like the Macaronis embracing flamboyance while others adhered to sober styles.
- Mass production and technological advancements have influenced the suit's accessibility and democratization, while high-end tailors like those on Savile Row continue to cater to a niche market.
- The suit's evolution has been shaped by cultural, political, and ideological forces, reflecting societal attitudes towards masculinity, class, and propriety.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “His clothes seemed to melt into each other with the perfection of their cut and the quiet harmony of their colour. Without a single point of emphasis, everything was distinguished.“ by Virginia Woolf
- “Buy no velvets, no silks, no fine linen, no superfluities, no mere ornaments, though ever so much in fashion. Wear nothing, though you have it already, which is of a glaring colour or which is any kind, gay, glistening, showy, nothing made in the very height of fashion, nothing to attract the eyes of the bystanders.“ by John Wesley
- “It is ridiculous that they go on turning out clothes that make men look like characters from PG Wodehouse. I'm terribly bored with their styling, say, behind the times, they really should pay attention to the fashion produced by the young mods.“ by Cecil Beaton
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Episode Information
The Rest Is History
Goalhanger Podcasts
6/9/24
"His clothes seemed to melt into each other with the perfection of their cut and the quiet harmony of their colour. Without a single point of emphasis, everything was distinguished"
The suit has long served as the official attire of men in Britain, Europe and the Western World. Traditionally the uniform of the elites and an indicator of class, its purpose and design has evolved over time. Notably, in the great sweep of clothing throughout human history - from the Roman toga to the ancient Egyptian shendyt - the suit is unusual for the way that it hugs the body, rather than hanging off it. What then is the origin of this most venerable of fashions? And why has it conventionally been so much more constrained and less flamboyant than women’s clothing? The genesis of the suit dates back to 14th century Latin Christendom, a period of rapid innovation and evolution in clothing, though in England its symbolic resonance emerged during the Civil War, when the style of one’s dress became emblematic of ideology. Remarkably, however, the exact moment of its invention is recorded when, in the wake of the Great Fire of London, fears for God’s wrath and the economy, saw Charles I announce the introduction of a new design for his nobles. From this moment onwards the suit has been woven into some of the great ideological movements, moments, and characters of history.
Join Tom and Dominic as they travel through the glamorous, colourful and often adventurous history of the suit. From Chaucer’s England and the Black Death, fashion feuds between Kings, through the Napoleonic Wars, into the Highwaymen and Pirates of the 18th century; Beau Brummell and the rise of the dandy, the macaronis and the fop, right into the illustrious origins of Savile Row, and some of the suit’s famous contemporary champions…
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*The Rest Is History LIVE in 2024*
Tom and Dominic are back onstage this summer, at Hampton Court Palace in London!
Buy your tickets here: therestishistory.com
Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook
Producer: Theo Young-Smith
Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett
Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor
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