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 Grand Regency Ball at Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, in an extensive interview. Other dandies encountered are the fabulously dressed guests at this October’s Grand Silver Jubilee Ball.
Another chap who shares his sartorial wisdom is Tim Garner, a musician from the Band of the Scots Guards who single-handedly uplifted the dress standards of his band members, eventually receiving the highest accolade from his Colonel – his name in the Guards’ sartorial guide book. Another kind of clothing expert we meet in this issue is Ernest Camilleri, who was costume stylist on the recent Netflix series Ripley as well as Rupert Everett’s Oscar Wilde tale The Happy Prince.
The unlikely pairing of Charles Hawtrey and Elvis Presley takes place in our book pages, where the tragic life and curtailed career of the former is surveyed, while the latter’s wild and varied wardrobe, ever since he was at high school, is given the once-over via a new book Elvis, the King of Fashion. We also learn about John F. Kennedy’s distaste for wearing hats, and how his attitude brought about a swift decline in men’s headwear during his term as president.
Who was the first vamp in Hollywood and how does a lady bring this vampiric style into her wardrobe? We delve into the life of Theda Bara (above) and the cinematic vamps who succeeded her to find out. This investigation takes us into the realm of the occult, where Fortean Times comes in. The news editor of ‘the world’s weirdest magazine’ provides us with a brief history of the magazine founded in the early 20th century by Charles Fort (below), gathering every eccentric conspiracy theorist into its folds along the way.
Journeys taken within this edition remain close to British shores: we take a plunge into the north Devon resort created by Victorian swimming instructors, and visit the shores of the Scottish lake where Donald Campbell met his high-speed end while trying to break the world water-speed record aboard the ill-fated Bluebird K7.
All this plus gentlemanly phobias (eg watching others eat in public and taking physical exercise), Leslie Charteris’ affinity with his creation The Saint, Angelo Litrico, tailor to Italian heartthrob Rossano Brazzi, Stanley Bigg’s recreation of The 39 Steps with chunky knitwear, and the continued sartorial assessments of Am I Chap?
CHAP Winter 24 is available from 29th November. Take advantage of our Gift Subscription offer and secure this issue plus the next three for just £12, one third off the usual price. Simply use code XMAS24 on our Subscriptions Page
