Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester was a stylish dude. It’s no wonder Elizabeth I admired him so much with his graceful height (6ft – tall for people back then), fine boned dark looks (they called him a ‘gypsy’) and his flair for fashion (often wore his cap jauntily to the side, a predesseor to the ‘jaunty bakers boy cap’). He’s also my unlikely style inspiration as when I clapped my eyes on this Derek Lam jacket, I immediately thought ‘That is SO Robert Dudley!’ (yes, that is the way my mind works – it harks back to times long ago).
The jacket actually might as well be a 16th century genuine find seeing as it was designed especially for the new site 20 Ltd, which offers limited edition objects from designers like Bless, Pucci and Bill Blass. There may only be 5 of something and in the case of this puff sleeved anorak jacket by Mr Lam, there’s 20 in all, costing a pretty ¬£990. With nothing but a pair of opaque tights, a jauntily tipped hat and a sword if I can lay my hands on one, and of course this beauty of a jacket, I want to have my day of channeling the dashing Dudley.
I love this and I can’t explain why. It’s obviously got that Elizabethan touch–it makes me think of Vermeer.
And definitely with tights and maybe some bright patent shoes.
i love it. so many nice things here. the shape,the chunkyness combined with romanticness. nice.
oh i love the connection! dudley was so suave and dashing, well fitting for a style icon – maybe a coat of arms broach or somesuch frippery would look quite cute pinned on the odd little pocket on the jacket 😀
They are having an exhibit at the NY Public Library called “A Rakish History of Men’s Wear.” Reading this post made me want to see this exhibit more. Love the Dudley comparison.
My mind thinks the same way as well…I recently bought a coat, simply on the basisi of…”it’s so Madame de Pompadour!”
Gorgeous coat.
Gorgeous, gorgeous. It looks like it belongs in the V&A.
I love this concept so much and hope it translates well when I finally open my boutique. That Derek Lam coat is so beautiful and over the top. I would love to snatch it up!