Louis Christou on how his attempt to join the O.T.O. led to an interest in artist, occultist, Thelemite, visionary and hermenaut Austin Osman Spare. In my late twenties, I briefly dabbled in the murky waters — or in Sigmund Freud’s words, the black tide of mud — of occultism. I read Colin Wilson’s tome on… … Keep Reading
Zack Pinsent has been around the Chap since he was 17 years old and, when he had just left school, and has now become a very successful maker of Regency clothing, as well as organiser and host of the Grand Regency Ball at Brighton’s Royal Pavilion. So here we are in your Brighton tailoring atelier,… … Keep Reading
Minerva Miller steps out into the Tuscan sun with a gaggle of Italian, British and French devotees to dandyism. On a visit to Rome in April of this year, the Queen joked that she and the King enjoyed ‘any excuse to be in Italy’, and after a visit to Tuscany you can see her point.… … Keep Reading
After six years in the Nissen Hut, the bicycles, briefcases, hobby horses and bowler hats are coming out to play again. Contestants observe the Chap Olympiad motto: Slower, Drunker, Better-dressed The Chap Olympiad began in 2005 and soon became one of the summer’s social fixtures in London. Growing from 25 people, two bottles of gin,… … Keep Reading
I still find the Eurostar really rather wonderful. You get on a train at St. Pancras and alight some two hours later at Le Gare Du Nord into a different world, where the attitudes, tastes, smells, people and culture are as different from London as sand is to salt. Undeniably, it is quite an anomalous… … Keep Reading
From the eleventh floor balcony of a hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the horizon flashing with lightning, brassy wisps of Mariachi music wafting up from somewhere through the heat of the night, was the sense that we were definitely in Mexico. It had taken nearly 20 hours to reach this moment of Mexican awareness, though… … Keep Reading
On a recent trip to Rajasthan, I discovered that not only does India possess its famous wealth of history and architecture, but it is also one of the most natural habitats for the travelling Chap. My journey took me first to Delhi, only nine hours away by plane but, as soon as you land, the… … Keep Reading
Gustav Temple treads in Bogie’s footsteps to be fitted with a Borsalino Fedora. “When your head says one thing and your whole life says another, your head always loses.”Humphrey Bogart’s line from Key Largo (1948) rang in my head as I mounted the steps to Burlington Arcade in London. I may have been a long…
Gustav Temple reviews the new documentary about the life of Humphrey Bogart. “I like people, yachts, chess, politics, a good drink, a good wife, nice kids. I had those.”Humphrey Bogart Hollywood’s ultimate man’s man, and his troubled relationship with alcohol and history of treating his many wives roughly, may not seem the ideal subject for…
Gustav Temple provides festive concoctions to get one through the holiday period. People often refer to Christmas as a ‘boozy’ or ‘over-indulgent’ period, then those same people, come the first of January, go all holly-and-ivier-than-thou, self-righteously placing a palm over their wine glass when offered a top up. What they don’t comprehend is that Christmas…
The new edition brings together vamps, Regency dandies, Saints, Victorian bathers and musical Guardsmen. CHAP Winter 24 heralds a new era for The Chap, looking at the next 25 years of dandyism, gentlemanliness and vintage style. Our cover star is Regency dandy Zack Pinsent, who discusses life as a costume tailor and host of the…
