Velvet Revolver
Fashion cycles come and go, sometimes over centuries. Brioni has apparently raided the 1880s wardrobe of Oscar Wilde for inspiration. Its latest advertisement in Men’s Vogue features this Bunthornian velvet topcoat with shawl collar and embroidered button fastenings.
Of course, “Oscar Wilde Topcoat” is kind of a misnomer: “Bottomcoat” is more like it.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:51 am
My apologies, but if you’re grandmother could wear it passably as a housecoat without drawing remark from the other tenants of the old folks home, you are an aspiring douche not a dandy. Also, I humbly submit the combination of designer stubble with Late Victorian is unseemly. Some people have no idea. There is no shortage of stupidity.
September 25th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I only wonder if I’ll laugh or simply turn away when i see one of these coats on a person
September 25th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
You know, it’s definitely overdone, but if I were given a choice of what I had to see for evening wear; that, or what I normally see pass for evening wear, I’ll take the velvet. That having been said, I personally wouldn’t wear it.
I guess what I’m saying is, better affectation than slovenliness, it’s the lesser of the two evils.
September 25th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Gregory “wouldn’t wear it,” but he’ll wear that thing in the “Life’s Not Fair” post below.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
well, as it says in the article- I was at a fair. Costume wear is a whole different story.
And yes, I would wear the above outfit for a costume, I have worn worse
September 25th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I saw that coat in the latest issue and thought: “I want that!” I’m a pushover for frogging.
September 25th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Whaou! I want my man wears that coat!
September 26th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Wilde’s coat was much more inspired and flattering. He pulled it off a lot better than this guy.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Bob: I’m a sucker for frogging too. I’ve also seen them referred to as Chinese buttons.
That particular coat would look much better double-breasted and fastened (like Wilde’s).
September 26th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
You and me both ferrando. I saw it in some mag or another and said, “how f’n cool,” but then I think after another look it was the satin which I didn’t like and I decided it was a bit too much for moi. Still, I love velvet….
September 26th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Thirded, Robert and Sean. Robert got me hooked on frogging when I was in DC. Now I can’t get enough of the stuff.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:43 am
The coat is wonderful, but the stubble comment gets at the bigger issue. The model is not where near the type of man that can pull this off. Its just not a match. However, the coat is wonderful.
September 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
The man sports that thing as if it were a topcoat, and therein lies the problem. That pose has been used (and overused) by photographers trying to demonstrate what one wears to (and doffs at) a formal event. Hence the rugged look of the model and thus the reason why the whole picture is disorienting. Nothing about frogging should be ‘dynamic’, such a coat is meant to be worn indoors or in the garden.
September 28th, 2008 at 7:22 am
It probably looks great when worn by a dandy, on an average man it could not work.
October 25th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I agree with aRTie; it is an indoor coat meant to be worn in the evening while you’re reading in front of the fire, or during a cozy dinner at home. I’d like one in green please.
February 3rd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
personally you make me exactly what the great Oscar Wilde was wearing in that picture and i’ll wear it everyday of the year. Dude i’d cut my hair like his and everything and just walk down the street just to see the reaction I could get out of people.
That stupid picture with the dude wearing the modern….i don’t even know what you’d call that….well people just need to give it up. Either go in the knee breeches as well or just ditch the coat man. The knee breeches are what clearly make the outfit!!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Love it. End of story.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Nice coat, but ditch the modern tuxedo underneath. The tuxedo he’s wearing is incredibly boring, and complete with an ugly bow tie.
Anyway, I hate this ‘victorian flavour’ nonsense. go victorian all the way, or leave the frock at home and wear some boring tuxedo.
June 21st, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Not gonna lie, I definately love it.
January 9th, 2010 at 7:51 am
No doubt, i love it to.