The dandies professed to be unequivocally masculine, although many people found this difficult to believe, not least Jane Austen in Emma: ‘Emma’s very good opinion of Frank Churchill was a little shaken the following day, by hearing that he was gone off to London, merely to have his hair cut.’ This was a round trip of 32 miles, which took all day by horse and carriage. Miles Lambert, co-editor of Dandy Style and costume curator at Manchester Art Gallery, explained: “It’s about looking at what people have worn and why they’ve worn it. For 200 years the Grand Tour set the standard for western culture. In the 1700s and 1800s, it established forms of privileged travel and cultural tourism to Greece and Italy. Many western European artists took inspiration from classical antiquity. Ruins in idyllic landscapes, nymphs, and goddesses defined the classical fantasy as the pinnacle of taste. Himid’s portraits were certainly highlights of the exhibition. The ‘Dandy’ and the ‘Tailor’ were selected from a collection of five life-sized portraits originally commissioned by the Gallery of Costume at Platt Hall. Photo: Michael Pollard @ Manchester Art Gallery Photo: Michael Pollard @ Manchester Art Gallery

The dandy is alive and well, and on city streets around the world. But what does it mean to be a dandy these days? Celebrating 250 years of male self-expression, investigating the portraiture and wardrobe of the fashionable British man The display highlights Styles’ position as an essential personality in contemporary men’s fashion, with many of his outfits pushing against the gendered boundaries between ‘menswear’ and ‘womenswear’. When it comes to fit, a true Dandy’s clothes fit perfectly. Sleeves are never too long or too short, and clothes are never baggy or loose-fitting. Our slim-fit, 100% cotton Extreme Cutaway White Premium Weave Shirt works perfectly for the Dandy in quality and fit. Paying attention to fabric and tailoring is a must for dandy style, otherwise you’re doing it wrong. Skimping on quality is something a gentleman never does.

The exhibition will feature a wide selection from Manchester Art Gallery’s outstanding menswear and portraiture collections, and, unusually, will present fashion and fine art as equal participants. Dandy Style will showcase approximately 75 outfits and a similar number of portraits and photographs that show immaculate tailoring, sumptuous fabrics, ornate decoration and subcultural styles in rarely seen menswear. Not only part of the name of our store, Dandy is a term used to describe a man who pays great attention to how he dresses and who often dresses flamboyantly. The dandy man also invests in quality grooming products such as signature cologne, a good quality cream to keep his hands in tip-top shape, and facial serums or eye creams to preserve a fresh, youthful complexion. For a dandy, there is no such thing as being too invested in personal hygiene. And now, for all this perennial Martyrdom, and Poesy, and even Prophecy, what is it that the Dandy asks in return? Solely, we may say, that you would recognise his existence; would admit him to be a living object; or even failing this, a visual object, or thing that will reflect rays of light. [18]

This piece shown in Manchester Art Gallery was not formally worn or played a particular role in men’s fashion, but it’s really cool. Made by artist Sebastian Horsley, this painted suit – like many other suits painted by Horsley – was once undecorated. That was until Horsley got bored, and wore them as ‘painting overalls’, hence the paint stains here and there. The exhibition opened on 7 October and showcases a selection of costumes, fine art, and unseen pieces from the gallery’s own collection. There are also various loans from other museums and individuals on display.

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Dandy Style focuses on men’s fashion and image over the last 250 years. Drawing contrasts and comparisons between fashion, art and photography, and melding the historic with the contemporary, the provocative with the respectable, Dandy Style will consider key themes in the development of male style, image and identity. However, as seen in the picture above, it became more fashionable for these gowns to fit the body more tightly. What is most striking is the bright and fair colour of the gown. It is arguably rather feminine in comparison to today’s standards – we see muted colours taking trend, especially in men’s fashion. Beyond that, a Dandy invests in top quality grooming products. A signature cologne, hand cream and various serums to keep his scent fresh and his hands well looked-after. For him, personal hygiene is of utmost importance. Regardless, the Dandy Style Exhibition gives a glimpse of what societies in different time periods looked like. It’s not too late to give the Dandy Style Exhibition a look for yourself and delve into the wonders of men’s fashion. Photo: Amelia Cole @ The Mancunion