Francis Bown - The Ten Commandments
Hello everyone. As I said, I'm in Madrid and I'm probably drinking vermouth somewhere. But, as promised, we bring you some special articles from guest Francis Bown.
Francis Bown's Rules on Dress
Some of you may already know the name. But for those who don't, let's first introduce his rules on dress and good manners - the Bown Commandments.Francis Bown's Ten Commandments
- Thou shalt wear bespoke.
- Thou shalt walk only in leather.
- Thou shalt wear a collar and tie.
- Thou shalt have a parting.
- Thou shalt wear cuff-links.
- Thou shalt wear braces.
- Thou shalt not wear unpolished shoes.
- Thou shalt not wear unfastened cuff buttons.
- Thou shalt not use a portable telephone in a public place.
- Thou shalt not chew gum.
What are your thoughts on the commandments? Any favourites? Do you sometimes need to take a fundamentalist stance on cufflinks to elicit positive change? Do you have any rules of your own?
I have read Mr. Bown's site (Bown's Bespoke) with interest and amusement. He is clearly very knowledgeable but I cannot help but come to the conclusion that his persona is a caricature of an English Gentleman which has never or could never exist without such contrivance as to make it artificial in the extreme.Clearly he is free to spend his own money on whatever he wants but I am sure that I read somewhere that a true gentleman must resist the urge to play the peacock at all costs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon. Where would the world be without the peacocks? Can a gentleman wear flip-flops? I think Francis is trying to spread a message and set a benchmark. This isn't a pose on his part. He adheres to his commandments. Perhaps it says more about the standards of dress we expect today that this can come across as mannered. Best wishes, Tweedy
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