"His clothes seemed to melt into each other with the perfection of their cut and the quiet harmony of their colour. Without a single point of emphasis, everything was distinguished"
The suit has long served as the official attire of men in Britain, Europe and the Western World. Traditionally the uniform of the elites and an indicator of class, its purpose an ... Show More
Aug 23
699. The Troubles: Return of the IRA (Part 3)
What was the Provisional IRA, and why did they return to the fray at the high point of The Troubles in Northern Ireland? How did a series of bloody battles, including the Short Strand Battle, brutally intensify tensions between the British Army and Catholic communities? And, how ... Show More
1h 23m
Jan 2025
The Suit - Form, Function and Style by Christopher Breward
In today's talk, we discuss "The Suit - Form, Function and Style by Christopher Breward" and unpick the story of the suit, the most familiar menswear garment, from its emergence in Western Europe at the end of the seventeenth century to current days. Suit-wearing individuals, suc ... Show More
48m 22s
Dec 2024
Men's Style - The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress by Russell Smith
In today's podcast we exploe "Men's Style - The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress" by Russell Smith, a complex interplay between men's fashion, social class, and personal expression. We examine historical and contemporary perspectives on menswear, tracing the evolution of conventions ... Show More
14m 1s
Aug 2025
Zoot suits, mashers & New Romantics: the evolution of the dandy
From zoot suiters and mods, to mashers and Congolese sapeurs, since the early 19th century, fashionable male subcultures have popped up across the globe. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Peter Andersson examines how the idea of the 'dandy' has evolved over time, and argues that the i ... Show More
29m 8s
May 2020
Suits: Articles of Interest #10
<p>Menswear can seem boring. If you look at any award show, most of the men are dressed in black pants and black jackets. This uniform design can be traced back to American Revolution, classical statuary, and one particular bloke bopping around downtown London way back in the 177 ... Show More
32m 30s
Dec 2022
Ep.7: The Three-Piece Suit
Jacket, waistcoat and trousers: these are the three pieces that make up the suit. Isabella Rossellini guides us to discover its history and its dual nature, because, today, it is worn by both men and women. Guido Bonsaver, a professor at the University of Oxford, tells how this l ... Show More
24m 8s
Jun 2024
Episode 177: Dressed for Success
In this episode, we look at clothing and fashion in the Elizabethan era, and we examine the connection between clothing, custom and language. We also examine Shakespeare’s plays about the lives of Julius Caesar and Henry V of England. Along the way, we also explore how Elizabetha ... Show More
1h 24m
Jun 2022
The rise and fall of fancy men
We can learn a lot about what a culture thinks is important through its fashion. These days, most men don’t wear makeup to work, or lace collars, or powdered wigs, but that wasn’t always the case! Joy and co-host Max go on a journey to the history spa, where they get a 1770s make ... Show More
29m 59s