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Beau Brummell: The Ultimate Man of Style
"If people turn to look at you in the street, you are not well dressed, but either too stiff, too tight, or too fashionable."
-- Beau Brummell
Long before tabloids and television, Beau Brummell was the first person famous for being famous, the male socialite of his time, the first metrosexual -- 200 years before the word was conceived. His name has become synonymous with wit, profligacy, fine tailoring, and fashion. A style pundit, Brummell was singly responsible for changing forever the way men dress -- inventing, in effect, the suit.
Brummell cut a dramatic swath through British society, from his early years as a favorite of the Prince of Wales and an arbiter of taste in the Age of Elegance, to his precipitous fall into poverty, incarceration, and madness. Brummell created the blueprint for celebrity crash and burn, falling dramatically out of favor and spending his last years in a hellish asylum. For nearly two decades, Brummell ruled over the tastes and pursuits of the well heeled and influential, and for almost as long, lived in penury and exile.
With vivid prose, critically acclaimed biographer Ian Kelly unlocks the glittering, turbulent world of late-eighteenth/early-nineteenth-century London -- the first truly modern venal, fashion-and-celebrity obsessed, self-centered and self-doubting -- through the life of one of its greatest heroes and most tragic victims. Brummell personified London's West End, where a new style of masculinity and modern men's fashion were first defined.
Brummell was the leading Casanova and elusive bachelor of his time, appealing to both men and women of his society. The man Lord Byron once claimed was more important than Napoleon, Brummell was the ultimate cosmopolitan man. "Toyboy" to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and leader of playboys including the eventual king of England, Brummell inspired Pushkin to write Eugene Onegin , and Byron to write Don Juan , and he influenced others from Oscar Wilde to Coco Chanel.
Through love letters, historical records, and poems, Kelly reveals the man inside the suit, unlocking the scandalous behavior of London's high society while illuminating Brummell's enigmatic life in the colorful, tumultuous West End. A rare rendering of an era filled with excess, scandal, promiscuity, opulence, and luxury, Beau Brummell is the first comprehensive view of an elegant and ultimately tragic figure whose influence continues to this day.
-- Beau Brummell
Long before tabloids and television, Beau Brummell was the first person famous for being famous, the male socialite of his time, the first metrosexual -- 200 years before the word was conceived. His name has become synonymous with wit, profligacy, fine tailoring, and fashion. A style pundit, Brummell was singly responsible for changing forever the way men dress -- inventing, in effect, the suit.
Brummell cut a dramatic swath through British society, from his early years as a favorite of the Prince of Wales and an arbiter of taste in the Age of Elegance, to his precipitous fall into poverty, incarceration, and madness. Brummell created the blueprint for celebrity crash and burn, falling dramatically out of favor and spending his last years in a hellish asylum. For nearly two decades, Brummell ruled over the tastes and pursuits of the well heeled and influential, and for almost as long, lived in penury and exile.
With vivid prose, critically acclaimed biographer Ian Kelly unlocks the glittering, turbulent world of late-eighteenth/early-nineteenth-century London -- the first truly modern venal, fashion-and-celebrity obsessed, self-centered and self-doubting -- through the life of one of its greatest heroes and most tragic victims. Brummell personified London's West End, where a new style of masculinity and modern men's fashion were first defined.
Brummell was the leading Casanova and elusive bachelor of his time, appealing to both men and women of his society. The man Lord Byron once claimed was more important than Napoleon, Brummell was the ultimate cosmopolitan man. "Toyboy" to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and leader of playboys including the eventual king of England, Brummell inspired Pushkin to write Eugene Onegin , and Byron to write Don Juan , and he influenced others from Oscar Wilde to Coco Chanel.
Through love letters, historical records, and poems, Kelly reveals the man inside the suit, unlocking the scandalous behavior of London's high society while illuminating Brummell's enigmatic life in the colorful, tumultuous West End. A rare rendering of an era filled with excess, scandal, promiscuity, opulence, and luxury, Beau Brummell is the first comprehensive view of an elegant and ultimately tragic figure whose influence continues to this day.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2005
29 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
Ian Kelly
40 books31 followersIan Kelly is a multi-award-nominated actor, writer and presenter of TV documentaries. He is the Sunday Times Biographer of the Year 2008-9 (Casanova). He is currently filming the last of the Harry Potter films as Hermione's father, he transfers in the National Theatre's production of The Pitmen Painters to Broadway in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 9, 2019
This biography of George "Beau" Brummel, is well-planned and elegantly written, and I believe tells you everything you need to know about the abiter elegantarium of the Regency, the first of the dandies, the inventor of the modern men's suit, and precursor of today's metrosexual. It begins with his early years, with an emphasis on Eton and the Prince's Dragoons (the uniforms of both influenced the Beau's sartorial creations) and ends with his final years as a French exile, chronicling in painful detail his decline into penury and tertiary syphilis.
In between, though, comes the glory of the book. Kelly organizes it according to the diurnal cycle of the dandy: morning (dressing, shopping for clothes), afternoon (riding in the park, gambling at the clubs), evening (the theatre, the opera, Almack's fashionable dance hall, and the equally fashionable but less respectable balls of the "Cyprians", the most admired courtesans of the age.) When you have concluded this account of the dandaical day, you will know much about the enigmatic Brummel and even more about the glittering Regency circle that thrived on superficial elegance and mastered--perhaps more than any other age--the fine art of social exclusion.
Byron, Baudelaire, Huysman, Wilde--they all make more sense when you know something about Brummel. Those interested in the decadents and the fiction of Jane Austen will both find much that is illuminating here.
November 17, 2019
Who knew the life story of a fribble could provide the material for a great biography? George "Beau" Brummell was an early celebrity, famous for his looks and his clothing (though in the Enlightenment of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, there had to be more to him than that, and he was also noted for his witty repartee). He came from a parvenu family--his grandfather was a valet--but his father's money got him into Eton and his own audacity made him a popular companion to the aristocracy and even royalty, when in his late teens he became the best friend of the Prince of Wales.
After a stint in the prince's cavalry unit, Brummell settled in London and turned himself into a cult figure and fashion icon. Aristocratic men would crowd into his house Every morning for a chance at the privilege of watching him dress and hearing his strictures on what made a gentleman look and act like a gentleman. He created the personal style and demeanor of an age. The author, Ian Kelly, is eloquent in elucidating the significance of such a career path, the meaning and context of Brummell's self-creation.
But Brummell's story is much more than his early and improbable stardom. Throughout his life he kept faith with his roots in the demimonde, helping to integrate the scandalous women he knew in his youth into not only his life but also the fabric of society. He appears to have been a true friend, and was genuinely loved in return. And inevitably, in building the structure of his fame on inadequate foundations (of breeding and fortune alike) he overshot his mark and suffered a spectacular fall from grace. The second half of his life was tragic and humiliating and filled with suffering.
In Ian Kelly's hands, this life of a guy who lived on the "fake it till you make it" principle becomes both a window onto an age and a rich portrait of humanity. This is what biography ought to be and it should be interesting to any fan of biographies as well as those with a specific interest in the era known broadly as the Regency.
After a stint in the prince's cavalry unit, Brummell settled in London and turned himself into a cult figure and fashion icon. Aristocratic men would crowd into his house Every morning for a chance at the privilege of watching him dress and hearing his strictures on what made a gentleman look and act like a gentleman. He created the personal style and demeanor of an age. The author, Ian Kelly, is eloquent in elucidating the significance of such a career path, the meaning and context of Brummell's self-creation.
But Brummell's story is much more than his early and improbable stardom. Throughout his life he kept faith with his roots in the demimonde, helping to integrate the scandalous women he knew in his youth into not only his life but also the fabric of society. He appears to have been a true friend, and was genuinely loved in return. And inevitably, in building the structure of his fame on inadequate foundations (of breeding and fortune alike) he overshot his mark and suffered a spectacular fall from grace. The second half of his life was tragic and humiliating and filled with suffering.
In Ian Kelly's hands, this life of a guy who lived on the "fake it till you make it" principle becomes both a window onto an age and a rich portrait of humanity. This is what biography ought to be and it should be interesting to any fan of biographies as well as those with a specific interest in the era known broadly as the Regency.
August 18, 2011
An engaging biography of the Beau, the famous fashion arbiter of Regency England, and the man responsible for the modern men's suit. He's the reason that men are considered most formally dressed in a black tuxedo and a white tie.
The writing is shaky in the early chapters, when the author is relating what little is known about Brummell's youth, but the narrative becomes more confident when Brummell enters society. At this point the book assumes an interesting structure: the story of Brummell's 15 years at the center of the ton in London is broken up into Morning, Afternoon and Evening, detailing how he would have spent this time each day. Namely, elaborate dressing and grooming (fashionable people would come to admire the process) and shopping for clothes; then riding in the park and hanging out at his clubs; and finally attending the theatre, and afterwards bawdy parties hosted by courtesans.
It's all fun and games until he contracts syphilis, gambles away his fortune, and falls out of favor with the Prince Regent.
The last section of the book follows Brummell as he flees from England, "persecuted" by his creditors, and takes up residence in France, where he methodically spends his way into bankruptcy again. His syphilis eventually enters the tertiary stage, destroying his health and sanity. The end of his life is quite sad.
The book includes some illustrations, although only cameos and sketches of the Beau himself as he never sat for a full length portrait. The author spends a little time discussing the changes in the tailoring of men's clothing, but there are few pertinent illustrations and it's not made clear exactly what men were wearing just before Brummell came on the scene.
The writing is shaky in the early chapters, when the author is relating what little is known about Brummell's youth, but the narrative becomes more confident when Brummell enters society. At this point the book assumes an interesting structure: the story of Brummell's 15 years at the center of the ton in London is broken up into Morning, Afternoon and Evening, detailing how he would have spent this time each day. Namely, elaborate dressing and grooming (fashionable people would come to admire the process) and shopping for clothes; then riding in the park and hanging out at his clubs; and finally attending the theatre, and afterwards bawdy parties hosted by courtesans.
It's all fun and games until he contracts syphilis, gambles away his fortune, and falls out of favor with the Prince Regent.
The last section of the book follows Brummell as he flees from England, "persecuted" by his creditors, and takes up residence in France, where he methodically spends his way into bankruptcy again. His syphilis eventually enters the tertiary stage, destroying his health and sanity. The end of his life is quite sad.
The book includes some illustrations, although only cameos and sketches of the Beau himself as he never sat for a full length portrait. The author spends a little time discussing the changes in the tailoring of men's clothing, but there are few pertinent illustrations and it's not made clear exactly what men were wearing just before Brummell came on the scene.
September 8, 2016
An exceedingly well-researched biography on Brummel, where the proportions felt right to his influence on Regency society and fashion, well, forever. Kelly never pulls any punches in description and I can safely say that dying of tertiary syphilis sounds like about the most horrible thing ever.
December 13, 2025
Beau Brummell was a fascinating and influential character in Regency England but sadly ended up in prison and then in an asylum in France. However, his fame lived on and his friends rallied to his cause even at the end.
This is a brilliant biography of the man, beginning with his rise to dandyism from a relatively wealthy background. He was known as 'Buck' Brummell at Eton, rather than the George with which he was christened; thankfully this later became the more fashionable 'Beau'.
He quickly established himself in society and his dress code became the fashion of the day. He spent well and this eventually led to his downfall and flight to France, where he became a consular official for some time before losing his post due to government cuts.
Established in a hotel, his syphilific disease took over and he eventually had to reside in the Bon Sauveur asylum where he degenerated badly.
However, his influence lived on long after his death and his like has been protrayed in novels over the years from Bulwer Lytton's 'Pelham' through to Anthony Burgess' 'Clockwork Orange'.
This book captures his life and times extremely well and was an absolute pleasure to read.
This is a brilliant biography of the man, beginning with his rise to dandyism from a relatively wealthy background. He was known as 'Buck' Brummell at Eton, rather than the George with which he was christened; thankfully this later became the more fashionable 'Beau'.
He quickly established himself in society and his dress code became the fashion of the day. He spent well and this eventually led to his downfall and flight to France, where he became a consular official for some time before losing his post due to government cuts.
Established in a hotel, his syphilific disease took over and he eventually had to reside in the Bon Sauveur asylum where he degenerated badly.
However, his influence lived on long after his death and his like has been protrayed in novels over the years from Bulwer Lytton's 'Pelham' through to Anthony Burgess' 'Clockwork Orange'.
This book captures his life and times extremely well and was an absolute pleasure to read.
July 23, 2011
First: Do not be frightened by the apparent length of this biography. Nearly 100 pages are citations and indexes. In my edition, the actual biography clocked in at 312 pages.
This is probably the most complete biography of Beau Brummell -- the first celebrity famous for being famous and for dressing really really well. Of course, Brummell was more than that - he actually created modern dress for men, ruled the British social scene for a few short years, and his wit was as sharp as his dress sense.
The format of the biography is somewhat unusual. The beginning and end of Brummell's life are written basically chronologically, but the years during the height of Brummell's popularity in London, instead of being split into years, are split into Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. Basically, these chapters break down how Brummell would have spent his typical mornings, afternoons, and evenings during those years, punctuated with specific and often amusing anecdotes. This is a clever way getting insight into Brummell's life without being stuck reading list after list of Brummell's debts and shopping sprees in chronological order.
I felt that the beginning (Brummell's childhood and military years) started slowly, the middle (Brummell's ton years) became interesting, and the ending (Brummell's exile) remained intriguing, if incredibly tragic. I also felt that Ian Kelly worked hard to present the possibilities of the more enigmatic aspects of Brummell's life (such as his sexuality) without jumping to conclusions or taking too much stock in too little evidence.
The only thing I felt was missing -- and I've had a hard time finding it anywhere else -- is a clear delineation of what clothing was like before and after Beau Brummell. Paintings of typical male clothing from two time periods would have been helpful. It's hard to appreciate the impact Beau had on fashion when one can't visualize it.
This is probably the most complete biography of Beau Brummell -- the first celebrity famous for being famous and for dressing really really well. Of course, Brummell was more than that - he actually created modern dress for men, ruled the British social scene for a few short years, and his wit was as sharp as his dress sense.
The format of the biography is somewhat unusual. The beginning and end of Brummell's life are written basically chronologically, but the years during the height of Brummell's popularity in London, instead of being split into years, are split into Morning, Afternoon, and Evening. Basically, these chapters break down how Brummell would have spent his typical mornings, afternoons, and evenings during those years, punctuated with specific and often amusing anecdotes. This is a clever way getting insight into Brummell's life without being stuck reading list after list of Brummell's debts and shopping sprees in chronological order.
I felt that the beginning (Brummell's childhood and military years) started slowly, the middle (Brummell's ton years) became interesting, and the ending (Brummell's exile) remained intriguing, if incredibly tragic. I also felt that Ian Kelly worked hard to present the possibilities of the more enigmatic aspects of Brummell's life (such as his sexuality) without jumping to conclusions or taking too much stock in too little evidence.
The only thing I felt was missing -- and I've had a hard time finding it anywhere else -- is a clear delineation of what clothing was like before and after Beau Brummell. Paintings of typical male clothing from two time periods would have been helpful. It's hard to appreciate the impact Beau had on fashion when one can't visualize it.
July 26, 2011
Oh, I loved this book! It's nearly impossible to put down, it has great descriptions of places, everyday life, food, morals and people who were shown with great compassion and, ultimately, as much less shallow and uncaring than they seemed - not only the hero of the book, but also his friends and acquaintances, well maybe except the prince regent.
I didn't know a whole lot about Beau Brummell, apart from the fact that he was the real arbiter elegantiarum of Regency England and that his rise and fall were closely connected to his being a personal friend of the heir to the throne, who was famously unpopular. The thing I liked the most was that Brummell wasn't even a member of the aristocracy, and yet the whole London trembled before his judgment, because he was cruel and merciless and he understood fashion deeper than anyone. I liked him for being nasty to the Upper Ten, and for not taking anything seriously, including himself. I also liked the speculations about his sexuality, and the descriptions of sexual mores of the time, it was fascinating. (I'm not very interested in fashion though.)
So, Beau Brummell who was able to make people tremble for fear that their boots might not shine enough or that there was something wrong with their cravat, Beau Brummell may look like an awfully shallow and idiotic person, fully deserving to be ridiculed and hated... but no. He seemed to also be considerate, sensitive and above all, a great companion and an interesting person.
It is true that he had to run away from his debts, and quite possibly - some of his biographers hint at this - caused the ruin of many shopkeepers and other people who were dependent on him or whom he owed money, much like the case with Thackeray's Becky Sharp after her downfall. Ian Kelly doesn't have any examples, and he only cities Brummell's contemporaries on this, but it's of course entirely possible.
Yet I think that Brummell paid in full for whatever he did. When he left London, he lived the rest of his life as an immigrant in Calais, then as a British consul in Caen, then as a prisoner, and finally as an inmate of the mental hospital. He was seriously ill, often cold and hungry, and at the end he suffered terribly, dying of tertiary syphilis, which also means that he had periods of relative lucidity and he must have been conscious at moments and aware of what was happening to him. So I felt really sorry for him, especially seeing that he actually refused to feel very sorry for himself, and I'll remember that he liked cats and that when he was arrested for debts, his first action was to ask his friends to pay off his poor washerwoman who was going to starve otherwise.
I didn't know a whole lot about Beau Brummell, apart from the fact that he was the real arbiter elegantiarum of Regency England and that his rise and fall were closely connected to his being a personal friend of the heir to the throne, who was famously unpopular. The thing I liked the most was that Brummell wasn't even a member of the aristocracy, and yet the whole London trembled before his judgment, because he was cruel and merciless and he understood fashion deeper than anyone. I liked him for being nasty to the Upper Ten, and for not taking anything seriously, including himself. I also liked the speculations about his sexuality, and the descriptions of sexual mores of the time, it was fascinating. (I'm not very interested in fashion though.)
So, Beau Brummell who was able to make people tremble for fear that their boots might not shine enough or that there was something wrong with their cravat, Beau Brummell may look like an awfully shallow and idiotic person, fully deserving to be ridiculed and hated... but no. He seemed to also be considerate, sensitive and above all, a great companion and an interesting person.
It is true that he had to run away from his debts, and quite possibly - some of his biographers hint at this - caused the ruin of many shopkeepers and other people who were dependent on him or whom he owed money, much like the case with Thackeray's Becky Sharp after her downfall. Ian Kelly doesn't have any examples, and he only cities Brummell's contemporaries on this, but it's of course entirely possible.
Yet I think that Brummell paid in full for whatever he did. When he left London, he lived the rest of his life as an immigrant in Calais, then as a British consul in Caen, then as a prisoner, and finally as an inmate of the mental hospital. He was seriously ill, often cold and hungry, and at the end he suffered terribly, dying of tertiary syphilis, which also means that he had periods of relative lucidity and he must have been conscious at moments and aware of what was happening to him. So I felt really sorry for him, especially seeing that he actually refused to feel very sorry for himself, and I'll remember that he liked cats and that when he was arrested for debts, his first action was to ask his friends to pay off his poor washerwoman who was going to starve otherwise.
January 20, 2013
This impressive tomb is as every bit informative about the life of Beau Brummell as it is an entertaining story of the rise and fall of celebrity. It is stunning to see history repeat itself constantly after this man of fashion. Brummell, a style icon, ultimately a celebrity for no real reason is worshiped and then discarded like many stars today.
I found that this book was not just a story about Brummell's life, the beginning and end of which seemed most researched opposed to the height of his fame, but also gave me a great wealth of information and explanation of certain elements of the Regency period.
I found that this book was not just a story about Brummell's life, the beginning and end of which seemed most researched opposed to the height of his fame, but also gave me a great wealth of information and explanation of certain elements of the Regency period.
November 28, 2016
Beau Brummell was not just a man of fashion, he was the man of fashion, the man who more than any other created the male 'look' we know today. It is Brummell we have to thank for the concept of the suit, the limited palate of men's formal wear, of white shirts and black tie, the concept of the tuxedo, the very notion of trousers as opposed to knee breeches. Before Brummell men still dressed like peacocks - think of the wigs and lace and ruffles and diamonds in any caricature of the Prince Regent - and then think of every Pride and Prejudice adaptation you've ever seen, with Mr Darcy in trousers, waistcoat and cutaway coat of subdued colours. You have Brummell to thank for that.
What is so remarkable about Brummell's lasting influence on menswear and fashion is his ability to influence it at all. He was a commoner, of no birth or family, whose grandparents were from the London poor. His father earned his wealth from his role as clerk to important political figures and the resulting political graft and corruption. But Brummell was born nobody of importance, and his inherited wealth was substantial but by no means extravagant, so one can only attribute his ability to mingle in the highest social circles, his position as the ultimate arbiter of fashion and style and breeding, and his role as the fashion trendsetter to his own wit, charm, charisma, glamour and innate sense of style. Princes followed Brummell's lead, his very act of dressing in the mornings was attended by the great and good, entranced by Brummell's 'dandy' style and glamour. He was often imitated, not least by royalty itself, but never equalled.
Of course, in the manner of all great stories, it didn't last, as Ian Kelly charts in this sparkling biography. Brummell's fall from grace is generally attributed to his famous remark, when speaking of the Prince Regent at a masquerade ball, 'Who's your fat friend?' but in reality he was long living beyond his means, and his real downfall came through the dishonourable and ungentlemanly reneging on a debt between equals. Brummell fled to France to avoid his creditors, and ultimately died impoverished and riddled with syphilis in a French asylum. It was a sad end, a true tragic arc - and yet his influence has outlasted him and then some. Men still dress in a style Brummell would have recognised as his innovation.
As far as he can, Ian Kelly lets Brummell speak for himself through his own letters and the letters and memoirs of those who knew him - the aristocratic friends who included Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the Duchess of York, Sheridan and Charles Fox, and the famed courtesans Harriette Wilson and Julia Johnstone. One can read something of Brummell's wit and charm in these words, although at such a remove it is almost impossible to capture the real essence of a man who captivated Regency England with nothing more than his style and the force of personality. But Ian Kelly comes as close as anyone could, and both he and Brummell were eminently entertaining companions during this read.
What is so remarkable about Brummell's lasting influence on menswear and fashion is his ability to influence it at all. He was a commoner, of no birth or family, whose grandparents were from the London poor. His father earned his wealth from his role as clerk to important political figures and the resulting political graft and corruption. But Brummell was born nobody of importance, and his inherited wealth was substantial but by no means extravagant, so one can only attribute his ability to mingle in the highest social circles, his position as the ultimate arbiter of fashion and style and breeding, and his role as the fashion trendsetter to his own wit, charm, charisma, glamour and innate sense of style. Princes followed Brummell's lead, his very act of dressing in the mornings was attended by the great and good, entranced by Brummell's 'dandy' style and glamour. He was often imitated, not least by royalty itself, but never equalled.
Of course, in the manner of all great stories, it didn't last, as Ian Kelly charts in this sparkling biography. Brummell's fall from grace is generally attributed to his famous remark, when speaking of the Prince Regent at a masquerade ball, 'Who's your fat friend?' but in reality he was long living beyond his means, and his real downfall came through the dishonourable and ungentlemanly reneging on a debt between equals. Brummell fled to France to avoid his creditors, and ultimately died impoverished and riddled with syphilis in a French asylum. It was a sad end, a true tragic arc - and yet his influence has outlasted him and then some. Men still dress in a style Brummell would have recognised as his innovation.
As far as he can, Ian Kelly lets Brummell speak for himself through his own letters and the letters and memoirs of those who knew him - the aristocratic friends who included Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, the Duchess of York, Sheridan and Charles Fox, and the famed courtesans Harriette Wilson and Julia Johnstone. One can read something of Brummell's wit and charm in these words, although at such a remove it is almost impossible to capture the real essence of a man who captivated Regency England with nothing more than his style and the force of personality. But Ian Kelly comes as close as anyone could, and both he and Brummell were eminently entertaining companions during this read.
January 27, 2025
Ian Kelly's Beau Brummell is a fantastic biography, painstakingly researched and dissected, but never entirely disconnected. Brummell is portrayed in a light that is alternately harsh and sympathetic. Though the novel praises his genius and wit in rising above his station to the very firmament of London society, it also censures his inability to live economically and his slavish devotion to his image, as well as his cruel little bon mots. It gives us an enchanting glimpse of the sparkling ballrooms of London, the intricate whirls and dances of society comportment and the lives of the rich and famous. Having read many books about this time period, it was delightful to see names that I've come across in fiction, not realizing they were real people after all (Lord Alvanley, for instance, and Lady Georgiana). It also shows this glittering beast's vast and rather disreputable underbelly, the world of Cyprians and gaming clubs, which together lead to Brummell's ultimate downfall.
I wonder, if Brummell had never burst into the scene with his impeccable taste, what would men be wearing today? Or women, for that matter? Would men still be wearing breeches and buckles, with flowery waistcoats and powdered wigs? Without Brummell to inspire Coco Chanel, would women never know the freedom of a good pair of trousers?
I've had this image in my head of Brummell ever since I first read about him in a Georgette Heyer novel (developed a bit of a crush on him, full disclosure), but I never read more than his Wikipedia page until now. He was, for all his faults, a rather remarkable man. I wish I could have half his eloquence and social ease, the way he effortlessly won everyone over even in France, where his fortunes had dwindled to practically nothing. I still wish men had even a fraction of his devotion to cleanliness and appearances, because good lord, will it kill them to dress up a little bit once in a while?
It's easy to dismiss Brummell as a fop, a fribble of a man who met an ignominious end, but when you realize much we owe this dandiest of dandies, not just in fashion but in literature and manners as well, it's pretty stunning to see how far reaching his influence was and continues to be.
I wonder, if Brummell had never burst into the scene with his impeccable taste, what would men be wearing today? Or women, for that matter? Would men still be wearing breeches and buckles, with flowery waistcoats and powdered wigs? Without Brummell to inspire Coco Chanel, would women never know the freedom of a good pair of trousers?
I've had this image in my head of Brummell ever since I first read about him in a Georgette Heyer novel (developed a bit of a crush on him, full disclosure), but I never read more than his Wikipedia page until now. He was, for all his faults, a rather remarkable man. I wish I could have half his eloquence and social ease, the way he effortlessly won everyone over even in France, where his fortunes had dwindled to practically nothing. I still wish men had even a fraction of his devotion to cleanliness and appearances, because good lord, will it kill them to dress up a little bit once in a while?
It's easy to dismiss Brummell as a fop, a fribble of a man who met an ignominious end, but when you realize much we owe this dandiest of dandies, not just in fashion but in literature and manners as well, it's pretty stunning to see how far reaching his influence was and continues to be.
October 1, 2020
so much fuss over a true wastrel, precursor to the vapid depraved trust-fund babies of our own day, a parasite from start to syphilitic end. After over 300 pages Kelly ends his writing -- a third of which is devoted to how he lives with syphilis (not much fun anymore, eh Brummell) -- precisely at the point of Brummel's death. I expected some sort of final chapter or epilogue on why Brummell mattered at all or what we might make of such a life. What's the take-away here?! What was the point of telling us his story?
July 30, 2012
If you're looking for an example of an exciting story which flow from lower-class origins to outrageous celebrity (in Regency London) to insanity... don't look here.
How Kelly manages to make Beau Brummell boring is a mystery of our age. Is it that he favors the most milquetoast of quotations, perhaps? Or simply that he lacks Brummell's own wit?
I can't even try to be nice about this one. Such a disappointment.
How Kelly manages to make Beau Brummell boring is a mystery of our age. Is it that he favors the most milquetoast of quotations, perhaps? Or simply that he lacks Brummell's own wit?
I can't even try to be nice about this one. Such a disappointment.
November 22, 2013
This might be interesting reading for a fashion theorist or serious student of fashion history. I, however, found it utterly inane and terribly boring. I was expecting a more global picture; an analysis of the why of Beau Brummell in late Georgian and Regency London society. Instead I got repetitious extolment of Brummell’s fashion sense, his emulation by the idle moneyed class, and a view of a very narrow social milieu.
August 15, 2012
Wonderful stories of rakes, dandies, three bottle men and, most of all, the slender elegant figure of the Beau - which makes his ruin, physically and mentally, so much more tragic - from the Pavilion, with the fat, hateful, Regent, to a locked cabinet in the asylum outside Caen - earlier, greeting invisible guests in his hotel room, the servant standing on the stairs, introducing them ...
August 7, 2012
Loved this comprehensive bio and found Kelly's incorporation of the history & culture surrounding/informing Brummel's life & style fascinating. Anyone interested in what set the tone, line, dictates of men's and much of women's fashion for the past 200 plus years, will get a fine & fun education about the man who made it so - the Dandy of them all, Beau!
May 11, 2016
An arbiter of style and highly influential in the development of men's modern fashion, but a flawed person who spent an enormous amount of time developing his image and social connections.
Kelly's biography was an informative read which provided a look into the seedier world of Regency England only alluded to in Jane Austen novels.
Kelly's biography was an informative read which provided a look into the seedier world of Regency England only alluded to in Jane Austen novels.
August 11, 2008
Absolutely fantastic. Highly recommended. As an avid follower of The Sartorialist, I definitely was interested in someone known for their style 150 years ago.
April 25, 2014
Among the worst-written bios of all time. There must be an alternative biography of the man who invented fop.
August 7, 2022
Probably a great, well researched study but as reading for entertainment I found it pretty slow going. There are hundreds of snippets that tell you about not only the man but also his times and the attitudes then current. These often led me to further research on topics I had scarcely imagined. The downside I found was the speculation on topics with no supporting historic confirmation such as his motives or sexuality. I know why the author of a work like this has to do it, but it wasn't great holiday reading for me.
The conclusion I came to was that the upper class of the time was largely dysfunctional and a blight on society. The only reason England survived is that the other nations must have been as bad or worse. In this setting Brummell - a nasty b@#$% in many ways - shone. What I did find fascinating was his lasting effect on men's fashion, giving us the monochrome suit as a man's uniform that persists to this day. No-one since has had the vision or influence to divert us from that standard although I thank Michael Portillo (he of the pastel sports coat) for trying.
The conclusion I came to was that the upper class of the time was largely dysfunctional and a blight on society. The only reason England survived is that the other nations must have been as bad or worse. In this setting Brummell - a nasty b@#$% in many ways - shone. What I did find fascinating was his lasting effect on men's fashion, giving us the monochrome suit as a man's uniform that persists to this day. No-one since has had the vision or influence to divert us from that standard although I thank Michael Portillo (he of the pastel sports coat) for trying.
August 12, 2025
If you want to know about Beau Brummell and to shift the legend from the facts - and who wouldn't if you read any of the dreadful historical romances he appears in - but if you haven't read bad historical romances and care not a jot for fashion on this microscopic level then why would you read the 300+ pages of text plus notes and bibliographies? Reading about Beau Brummell instead of the Georgian period - remember these are the years of the French Revolution and Napoleon - is almost impossible to understand. Who cares about Brummell's witticism and ideas about cravats, shaving or men's suits. That he was such a pre-eminent fixture of London society says everything you need to know about it. That there was no similar figure in Paris, Berlin, Vienna or St. Petersburg says everything about his insignificance.
This is the best biography of this soap bubble but do you really want to spend time reading it? I regret the time wasted on it.
This is the best biography of this soap bubble but do you really want to spend time reading it? I regret the time wasted on it.
April 2, 2020
I would have liked a little more about the style, the cloth available and the more about the era in general but this is a book about Beau Brummell about which there is some but not enormous amounts known. It would also have been improved by more about the influence of Brummell that continues today. In some ways this is as much a book about the syphilis as it is about Brummell.
That said, I found it a good read and would absolutely recommend it.
And darn the man, one could wish he had fewer scruples and had written his own tell all!
That said, I found it a good read and would absolutely recommend it.
And darn the man, one could wish he had fewer scruples and had written his own tell all!
September 26, 2017
This was an incredibly interesting read for anyone interested in the fashion of Jane Austen's time and how it evolved. Of course this is mostly about men's fashion, but we can't always talk about gowns, now, can we? And of course it's also interesting to anyone interested in the history and people of the time, especially a lot of well-known characters in high society.
I felt really sorry for the Beau by the end, though. What a long, horrible death he had.
I felt really sorry for the Beau by the end, though. What a long, horrible death he had.
July 15, 2023
It's good to know some authors don't rake the easy route regarding historical biographies.avery good in depth read about the man,the only other info was via the biographical film starring Stewart Granger and Peter Ustinov.the rise and downfall of the man Brought about by his own arrogance and the petty mindedness of the Prince regent.the fashion sense and the bathroom habits still resonate today.
June 20, 2024
Really enjoyed it and way more varied and interesting than I expected, partly the subject, partly the writing. Had good period maps and illustrations but could have done with some diagrams of the clothing details.
June 12, 2017
So much more than beautiful clothes
Restraint and excess in the same man. A fascinating picture of Georgian life. The first modern style celebrity. A great read.
Restraint and excess in the same man. A fascinating picture of Georgian life. The first modern style celebrity. A great read.
December 30, 2019
The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Beau.
Thank you for the style you created.
Thank you for the style you created.
August 16, 2021
Excellent
October 30, 2021
Excellent piece of research that tells us so much about the man and his times.
December 19, 2021
Beau Brummell is the biography of a man whose position in history seems to be built on the thinnest of threads; famous for his poise, his wit and his immaculate fashion sense, he dictated the fashionable world of London, influenced the creation of modern West End tailoring and died penniless, raving and incontinent in an asylum in Normandy.
The biography itself is packed with detail, I’ve never learned so much about tailoring or the unpleasantries of tertiary syphilis and the book makes a really solid case for regarding Brummell as someone worth writing a biography about. His is a life that reflected and influenced fashion but also ideas of masculinity, gentility and celebrity. The book rattles along at a great pace, has all kinds of interesting elements and I enjoyed it very much.
October 7, 2020
Beau Brummell’s name is virtually synonymous with British Dandyism. His neo-classical tailoring and sartorial style can still be seen today not just on London’s Savile Row but in masculine formal dress and women’s tailoring all over the globe.
Ian Kelly’s biography goes further than merely documenting Brummell’s outstanding style and influence. Kelly brings to life Georgian Society, Regency London and France in the time of Lord Byron. Brummell’s lifestyle was fascinating in its extremities and Kelly makes the point that some of Brummell’s unwise choices could be directly attributed to the syphilis he acquired and tried to keep hidden. Brummell suffered depression most of his life, ‘my inveterate morning companions, the blue devils’. Kelly suggests that his depression was exacerbated both by Syphilis and the chemicals used for its treatment. Often the mercury, arsenic and iodine pills hid the disease’s symptoms but did not effect a cure.
Although not born an aristocrat, Brummell behaved like one. Utilizing his wicked wit, poise and style he was soon taken up by British aristocracy and given access to all the privileges it entailed. He affected a cool indifference and his cutting wit and cleverness created many problems especially with The Prince of Wales. Late in life he would be forced to seek exile in France.
As Chateaubriand wrote, ‘Nothing succeeds in London like insolence.’ Brummell wore a mask of superiority and it opened many doors in a society that was class-bound. He was an outsider with a theatrical presence and comedic style. Several writers appropriated his insolent style to create their fictional heroes.
Kelly maintains, ‘Brummell’s was a fractured personality, rebuilt in masquerade in the mirror of other people’s expectations of him… He was an utter original.’
This biography is a fascinating read not just in its analysis of Brummell but for its wonderfully sparkling and concise picture of Brummell’s era.
Ian Kelly’s biography goes further than merely documenting Brummell’s outstanding style and influence. Kelly brings to life Georgian Society, Regency London and France in the time of Lord Byron. Brummell’s lifestyle was fascinating in its extremities and Kelly makes the point that some of Brummell’s unwise choices could be directly attributed to the syphilis he acquired and tried to keep hidden. Brummell suffered depression most of his life, ‘my inveterate morning companions, the blue devils’. Kelly suggests that his depression was exacerbated both by Syphilis and the chemicals used for its treatment. Often the mercury, arsenic and iodine pills hid the disease’s symptoms but did not effect a cure.
Although not born an aristocrat, Brummell behaved like one. Utilizing his wicked wit, poise and style he was soon taken up by British aristocracy and given access to all the privileges it entailed. He affected a cool indifference and his cutting wit and cleverness created many problems especially with The Prince of Wales. Late in life he would be forced to seek exile in France.
As Chateaubriand wrote, ‘Nothing succeeds in London like insolence.’ Brummell wore a mask of superiority and it opened many doors in a society that was class-bound. He was an outsider with a theatrical presence and comedic style. Several writers appropriated his insolent style to create their fictional heroes.
Kelly maintains, ‘Brummell’s was a fractured personality, rebuilt in masquerade in the mirror of other people’s expectations of him… He was an utter original.’
This biography is a fascinating read not just in its analysis of Brummell but for its wonderfully sparkling and concise picture of Brummell’s era.
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