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Dandyism

By Joe Hall • 4th August 2009 03:19pm • Posted in Misc

Riding or racing a bicycle has, for many, a romantic aura. When the first precursor to the lightweights we now ride appeared, Baron Karl von Drais’ ‘Laufmaschine’, it was regarded as an eccentric accessory for the romantic gentleman or ‘dandy’ and thus dubbed the Dandy Horse. The ‘dandy’ may today be used as a derogatory slur for an 'overdressed fop', but figures such as George ‘Beau’ Brummell showed the self-made, non-aristocratic male how to pursue leisurely hobbies and embrace refinement and high society. Contraptions such as this newly invented Velocipide were facets of the high-brow culture of dandyism.

The cravat wearing Brummell strived to perfect the forms of appearance with understated and subtle beauty. He is credited with establishing the modern man’s suit, something which Rapha and Timothy Everset recently made innovations in for the modern cyclist. And modern is the word. Whilst the dandy of the 18th and 19th centuries dressed in an aristocratic style, his habits of dress and fashion broke with past traditions. Dandyism can be associated with living in style and the sartorial cyclist can be seen as a contemporary dandy, a man of refined taste and gallant progression.

(Of course there also exists the female dandy, historically termed the quaintrelle).

Comments

Jamie Freeman

4th August 2009 05:08pm

Don't you ever, don't you ever, stop being dandy, showing me you're handsome…

Gavin Campbell

5th August 2009 05:23pm

Brilliant, such a great term. I almost called my blog 'the dandy horse' but alas I succumbed to the goodness that is Spinwell.

Joe Hall

5th August 2009 05:54pm

I always enjoy referring to my bike as my 'dandy horse'. The 'horse that eats no hay' etc. Quite a dandyish thing to do…

Steve Seamark

5th August 2009 10:09pm

I certainly like the idea of being a 'Dandy highwayman' on my fixie commute to work, as Jamie hints at. The dashing silk scarf is a must adornment, just need to work on my twizzly mustache.

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