Half Mandrill, Half Mandela

twentypercentcooler:

bigredrobot:

scenesfromaboredmind:

The producers of Power Rangers consider this an accurate depiction of Britain

Seems legit.

I assume the lady dropped her tea before the clip started.

Is he holding his umbrella like a telephone in an attempt to block his face?

putthison:

Side-Creased Trousers and King George V

I’ve been reading bits and pieces of the book “Savile Row: An Illustrated History” for the past few days and it’s full of wonderful little stories about tailors and their clients. 

One particular story I found amusing to learn was the topic of creases on one’s trousers. Currently, almost every dress trouser available comes creased down the center of the leg and just about the only pants that aren’t creased in this manner are for casual wear, like denim or work chinos. 

But I was a bit surprised to find this wasn’t always the case. As it turns out, King George V actually made a bit of a fashion statement at least as far back as 1922 as the Chicago Tribune reported:

SIDE CREASES IN TROUSERS

LONDON, June 9 — Trousers creased down the sides instead of the front are a sartorial innovation to be introduced by King George at the Ascot races. The late King Edward occasionally wore side-creased trousers, and Admiral Beatty is seen with them. 

On Ascot Day the King will wear a gray worsted morning jacket with broad, single-breasted lapels, three-buttoned front and an outside pocket. HIs Majesty’s tie will be white or a combination of his racing colors slipped through an old-fashioned gold ring. He will wear white gloves with black stitching.

You can see King George V’s side-creased trousers above (he’s on the right) as he stands next to his first cousin, Tsar Nicholas II. 

But the love of side-creased trousers didn’t exactly stay in the family. His son, the rebellious Prince of Wales, Edward VIII, wasn’t fond of the look. According to “Savile Row”:

Davies made the royal pants with old-fashioned side creases, so the Prince ordered extra trousers with each suit; then he could switch to front creases when beyond his father’s reach. 

I do wonder if side-creased trousers will ever return and can’t think of a modern advocate for them. Perhaps an adventurous bespoke customer will have an extra pair made with their next suit. It’d be interesting, to say the least. 

-Kiyoshi

This is interesting, it really is, but I just never stop being CREEPED THE FUCK OUT by pictures of those two next two each other.

My wife once said that she never understood why WWI happened until she saw such a picture.

I never, ever, ever thought I could feel sympathy for a privileged 19th/20th century English royal who later became a fucking Nazi. But Vanished Kingdoms has really made me feel for poor Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Sounds like all the shmendrick ever did was what the English royals wanted him to do, and then they fucked him for it.

Good job, Norman Davies.

milstil:

Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), that wonderful bisexual, adulterous, substance dependendent bon-vivant. We owe the ‘Kent style’ double breasted to this man, the four button double breasted suit, of which you only do up the last button. I for one think he was much more stylish than his overhyped brother David, better known as the Duke of Windsor. George’s style was as subdued and understated as his bedroom exploits were on the edge. Click to enlarge, look ‘n’ learn.

“Yeah, my baby’s cute and all, but you’ll get yours, cameraman.”

fyeah-history:

Milkman during the Blitz, 1940

“Oh, hey there. Don’t mind me, I’m just being the embodiment of Englishness. No, you carry on.”