Noblesse Oblige

I find it extraordinary that the Duke of Windsor elicits such fanatical smearing, from some people. It's at the level of iGentry/GOP gibberish that I expect from the late, unlamented Mantoni (and mini-Manton, when he gets going). Even the National Enquirer would never stoop to repeating such shameless, unthinking nonsense.

Why is the Duke hated so much?

Because he quit his job to marry the woman he loved?

It should be noted, that at the time he abdicated, most Brits were supportive of him, or at least accepting of his choices, but it was the entrenched elites, including some of the Royals and of course the Archbishop, who engineered the abdication by cornering him. He was poorly, indeed treacherously, served by his private secretary, Lascelles, who advised him one way while advising his younger brother and government another way (and who then went on to poison the Margaret/Townshend affair using the same combination of duplicity and animosity).

Maybe he is hated so much because he was more stylish and appealing than any of his detractors, modern and contemporary, can ever hope to be? Is that the key to this?

Ah yes, "drape" that was a word so elusive, yet so distinctively right for his sartorial art. The best I could come up with was "baggy", oh well, I do like Madness.  Indeed, you are correct, why are we judging his style - literally - and in a present day context, when we don't judge Lord Byron by modern day readings of his poetry (which don't stand up, I can assure you) yet we are inspired by his legend.  The essence - reinterpreted, emulated and redefined, is his relevance and influence to the sartorial here and now.

Last edited by The Ace Face (2009-05-15 14:36:42)

I want to add that i think most men suffer from anxiety with clothes which is why it's such a uniform and especially in the case of suits a traditional one. There's some sort of pull between elements of a triangle which could be labelled along its sides "Propriety" "Dandyism" and "Sexuality".

Depending on which side of the triangle is longest it will determine what kind of dresser you are.

Of course each basic side covers a multitude of sub mixes that contribute to the length of a side. For example, Propriety includes such elements as cleanliness, decency, control by the state, interest in the status quo, concern with affluence and class, going along with the group, solidity of character, dignity, gravitas, authoritas etc, etc.. and so on.

Now the Duke's Dandy side probably was quite long in relation to his other sides partially because he was secure or really didnt care, which is actually what people admire, not the physical manifestation of his every clothes choice.