I heart this.

I came across this magazine around a year ago while routing through Borders for something interesting. It is the best. I love the manifesto. Its a magazine against the modern way and believes a return of the gentleman is desperately needed... "The Chap believes that a society without courteous behaviour and proper headwear is a society on the brink of moral and sartorial collapse, and it seeks to reinstate such outmoded but indispensable gestures as hat doffing, giving up one's seat to a lady and regularly using a trouser press."

http://thechap.net/index.html

The Chap Manifesto:

1. THOU SHALT ALWAYS WEAR TWEED. No other fabric says so defiantly: I am a man of panache, savoir-faire and devil-may-care, and I will not be served Continental lager beer under any circumstances.

2 THOU SHALT NEVER NOT SMOKE. Health and Safety "executives" and jobsworth medical practitioners keep trying to convince us that smoking is bad for the lungs/heart/skin/eyebrows, but we all know that smoking a bent apple billiard full of rich Cavendish tobacco raises one's general sense of well-being to levels unimaginable by the aforementioned spoilsports.

3 THOU SHALT ALWAYS BE COURTEOUS TO THE LADIES. A gentleman is never truly seated on an omnibus or railway carriage: he is merely keeping the seat warm for when a lady might need it. Those who take offence at being offered a seat are not really Ladies.

4 THOU SHALT NEVER, EVER, WEAR PANTALOONS DE NIMES. When you have progressed beyond fondling girls in the back seats of cinemas, you can stop wearing jeans. Wear fabrics appropriate to your age, and, who knows, you might even get a quick fumble in your box at the opera.

5 THOU SHALT ALWAYS DOFF ONE'S HAT. Alright, so you own a couple of trilbies. Good for you - but it's hardly going to change the world. Once you start actually lifting them off your head when greeting, departing or simply saluting passers-by, then the revolution will really begin.

6 THOU SHALT NEVER FASTEN THE LOWEST BUTTON ON THY WESKIT. Look, we don't make the rules, we simply try to keep them going. This one dates back to Edward VII, sufficient reason in itself to observe it.

7 THOU SHALT ALWAYS SPEAK PROPERLY. It's quite simple really. Instead of saying "Yo, wassup?", say "How do you do?"

8 THOU SHALT NEVER WEAR PLIMSOLLS WHEN NOT DOING SPORT. Nor even when doing sport. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway. Except cricket.

9 THOU SHALT ALWAYS WORSHIP AT THE TROUSER PRESS. At the end of each day, your trousers should be placed in one of Mr. Corby's magical contraptions, and by the next morning your creases will be so sharp that they will start a riot on the high street.

10 THOU SHALT ALWAYS CULTIVATE INTERESTING FACIAL HAIR. By interesting we mean moustaches, not beards.

The Chap

Cravat please.

On the streets

Various street shots from different visits... My faves.

Mod

Love the satchel avec rope strap.

Chap.

80's geek mix

We are the Mods, We are the Mods, We are the Mods

Le Beat Bespoke

Weekend Mod festival.

Held at 229 The Venue, Portland Street 'Le beat bespoke' has become an international event for Mods. I went along last year as part of my Final Major Project. Mods of all nationalities and ages come together for the festival lasting 3 days and nights over the Easter bank holiday weekend. It included DJ sets and live bands in the evening with vintage markets and other happenings during the day.

The mods here were all clearly 60's inspired but there was more to it than just throwing on some vintage apparel, they all had something about them that gave the impression of youthfulness. The girls all had a petite look about them with blouses or little cotton tops tucked into mini-skirts that sat on the waist, or simplistic shift cut dresses with bold prints and blocked colour. The boys wore buttoned up shirts tucked into their straight leg trousers or jeans with a tailored jacket or Fred Perry v-neck sweater accompanied by a cravat.

Lola

Nostalgic for days of decadence?

Prohibition, Feb 09'

The Arches, Shoreditch

I had some good old fashioned fun at the now famous 1920's event 'Prohibition' last February. It was like stepping back in time, I sipped on cocktails hidden in tea cups and made an attempt at the Charleston while DJs worked the gramophones. My favorite part of the evening had to be the live piano room and gambling tables! Truly beautiful costumes worn by all.

Feathered headbands at the ready...