Beau Brummell

Davva is?

7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840

Educated at Eton and Oriel college Oxford, George Bryan 'Beau' Brummell rose to the rank of Captain in the Tenth Light Dragoons before leaving the army when he was stationed in Manchester, he didn't like the rain and bread and dripping made him feel bilious, the final straw came when was sounded out for a guest appearance on the Coronation St penny opera as Betty Turpin's fancy man, he hated low-drama and wrote to Granada declining the role, saying he "wouldn't put even my cane up her hot pot", the role eventually went to a young Paul Shane, he didn't mind a bit of rise n' shine in the name of entertainment. 

Brummell returned south and set himself up in Mayfair, initially he lived within the means he had inherited from his father who died in 1794, but the lifestyle of his flash mates began to turn his head and he started living in an increasingly extravagant fashion. Soon he was spending all day at Ye Olde Gamblery, betting on cock fights whilst eating larks tongue pasties and drinking fine port from a crystal goblet he had kept for him behind the counter. His evenings were spent with the Prince Regent and the architect John Nash, drinking and womanising. Nash was particularly well endowed and had a scandalous reputation as a cad, 'nashing lasses' was a popular and highly competitive pastime among the group.

Noted for his understated dress and meticulous attention to personal grooming, Brummell established the mode of men wearing fitted, tailored clothes; favouring dark suits and full-length trousers. He bathed daily, fastidiously brushed his teeth and shaved his whiskers. This sense of style soon caught on among his wealthy friends in Mayfair. 

Circumstances changed for Brummell in 1811 when he called the Prince Regent a "lardy get" after he snubbed him at a house party Brummell co-hosted with his fellow Mayfair dandies Cuthbert Kid n' Forbes Play. This was a key event in Brummell's story as he immediately lost favour with Prince George and by extension his social circle. He became something of an outcast and was forced to spend more time in the areas surrounding Mayfair, his reputation and appearance ensured he wasn't ostracised from society completely, however, and he soon attracted a new crowd around him.

His acolytes became known as 'Brummers', they dressed in the same fashion and hung around the same parts of town. This term gradually came to describe the men-about-town who socialised in the same drinking dens, but as the term grew in popularity it gave rise to the mondegreen 'bummers' which attracted a whole different element to Brummel's new patch; Soho has never been the same since, with its pink pavements, salad bars and proliferation of YMCAs.

In 1816, tired of having his signature look aped and being pestered by his debtors, Brummell nicked off to France. Here he completely reinvented himself, not only learning how to pronounce 'onion' properly but also developing his Continental look: a combination of Rockport boots, tracker bots tucked into white socks and stripey jumpers, inventing each item specifically for the ensemble. He also took to smoking with his Gauloises inside his hand, the 'invisible technique' - this was soon adopted by the gentlemen thugs of the time, on hearing this Brummell responded by switching to snuff, a decision that would cost him a fortune in hankies.

Brummell died in France having spent his final years in debtor's prison and an asylum for the insane, his interest in fashion had long since waned and his personal hygiene had gone the same way. The French, man. France.

So, was he the ultimate Dandy? Personally I think that was the one where Desperate Dan got his name after thoroughly irrigating Korky the Cat's colon whilst eating a cow pie off his back? LOL. Brummell did popularise the wearing of ties and trousers, we might still be wearing knee-high britches if it wasn't for him, no wonder there's a statue of him in Jermyn St, think of all that extra tailoring he's responsible for. Then again, fancy wearing a pair of britches to work tomorrow? Didn't think so. Just remember that next time you're complaining about the price of Woo Woos down on Old Compton St.


Status: Dead
Lookalike: Liam McGough (Big Brother 8)
In Three Words: Champagne boot polish