In the 2011 BBC production of Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations,” the protagonist Pip, who is newly risen from poverty by an anonymous benefactor, is told by an admiring peer that he “cuts a dash.” And indeed he does. Portrayed by actor Douglas Booth, Pip’s impression of energized elegance comes down to a certain set of qualities, all of which require the blessings of Providence. In brief, to properly cut a dashing figure in civilized society, one needs to be:
• Young
• Handsome
• Tall
• Slender
• Rich, or fortified by credit
An enormous swath of 19th-century literature is centered around young men, often from the provinces, who go to the metropolis in search of fortune and romance. Often these characters adopt dandy airs as a means of helping reach their goals. Never are the heroes of these novels:
• Old
• Ugly
• Short
• Fat
• Perpetually broke
So Pip, Pip hooray, and may you count yourself among the fortunate ones. For a more detailed analysis of the defining characteristics, see our “Anatomy of the Dandy.” — CHRISTIAN CHENSVOLD
The most important quality is attitude of mind. If you are fortunate to have a good, bespoke tailor all well and good. A gentleman of taste can still haunt the thrift shops of any medium-sized city and by his subsequent appearance and demeanor still get admiring glances and spoken comments. If a gentleman is stout (“A man of importance is a man of much belly” – Sicilian proverb) he can flaunt it with extravagent waistcoats. Remember Xavier Cugat?Above all, mes confreres, have fun!
Now that you mentioned it, it’s true that the typical 19th century hero often came from the provinces.