Four Famous Dandies Paper Dolls
I recently fell in love with a delightful book called Four Famous Dandies, a colorful little amusement which spotlights the style of Beau Brummell, Oscar Wilde, Duke of Windsor and Patrick McDonald.Created by illustrator Jim Howard for Paper Studio Press, it's actually a paper doll book! Most paper doll books feature women, but this one is quite rare not only because the paper dolls are male, but because one of the subjects is still living Patrick McDonald.Known as The New York Dandy, Patrick is an unforgettable presence on the international fashion scene, but especially in New York where he s often seen at the best parties and fashion shows. He recently gained national notoriety with TV audiences, who enjoyed watching him battle it out with designer Roberto De Villacis on Bravo s Launch My Line.Few people on earth have ever been as passionate about clothing as he, and he s proud to admit it. He recently told the Chronicle, What's wrong with vanity? We should present ourselves as best we can. I d rather wear a caftan and slippers than camouflage cargo shorts.This book, with its colorful illustrations and whimsical subject matter, probably won't inspire any men to give up cargo shorts for caftans, but it is sure to become a fashionista collector's item! --Damion Matthews, San Francisco Luxury LivingIf the proliferation of men's-wear blogs and dapper new clothing lines are any indication, the boys are beginning to preen again. But the real peacock of fashion has always been the dandy. Though Beau Brummell would get his cravat in a knot at the idea being the poster boy for male frippery he actually advocated a restrained, gentlemanly glamour he has become the poster boy for flamboyant dressing and a life devoted to aesthetics.It is to this perception of Beau and Co. that a whimsical new book, Four Famous Dandies, pays tribute, albeit in paper-doll form.The book features Beau and his brothers in scandal, Oscar Wilde and the Duke of Windsor, as well as the only present-day peacock to make the cut, the legendary king of the eyebrow, Patrick McDonald.When asked if McDonald recalls the first time he heard the word dandy, he exclaimed, Oh, of course I remember! I was watching James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, and I just loved the theatrical clothes. The checks, plaids and stripes just stuck in my head. I was a kid at the time and thought, That's me!Drawn by the old-school fashion illustrator Jim Howard, the book is a sartorial explosion of color, prints and swish. So how was it to illustrate these decadent dons? It was such fun to do the research! Howard said. Believe it or not, it was hard to find a variety of clothing options for Oscar since he really didn't dress in many different ways. But Patrick's variety of poses and looks nearly crashed my computer when I Googled him. Duh. --Cator Sparks, New York Times Style MagazineIf the proliferation of men's-wear blogs and dapper new clothing lines are any indication, the boys are beginning to preen again. But the real peacock of fashion has always been the dandy. Though Beau Brummell would get his cravat in a knot at the idea being the poster boy for male frippery he actually advocated a restrained, gentlemanly glamour he has become the poster boy for flamboyant dressing and a life devoted to aesthetics.It is to this perception of Beau and Co. that a whimsical new book, Four Famous Dandies, pays tribute, albeit in paper-doll form.The book features Beau and his brothers in scandal, Oscar Wilde and the Duke of Windsor, as well as the only present-day peacock to make the cut, the legendary king of the eyebrow, Patrick McDonald.When asked if McDonald recalls the first time he heard the word dandy, he exclaimed, Oh, of course I remember! I was watching Ja --Cat --Cator Sparks, New York Times Style MagazineIf the proliferation of men's-wear blogs and dapper new clothing lines are any indication, the boys are beginning to preen again. But the real peacock of fashion has always been the dandy. Though Beau Brummell would get his cravat in a knot at the idea being the poster boy for male frippery he actually advocated a restrained, gentlemanly glamour he has become the poster boy for flamboyant dressing and a life devoted to aesthetics.It is to this perception of Beau and Co. that a whimsical new book, Four Famous Dandies, pays tribute, albeit in paper-doll form.The book features Beau and his brothers in scandal, Oscar Wilde and the Duke of Windsor, as well as the only present-day peacock to make the cut, the legendary king of the eyebrow, Patrick McDonald.When asked if McDonald recalls the first time he heard the word dandy, he exclaimed, Oh, of course I remember! I was watching James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, and I just loved the theatrical clothes. The checks, plaids and stripes just stuck in my head. I was a kid at the time and thought, That's me!Drawn by the old-school fashion illustrator Jim Howard, the book is a sartorial explosion of color, prints and swish. So how was it to illustrate these decadent dons? It was such fun to do the research! Howard said. Believe it or not, it was hard to find a variety of clothing options for Oscar since he really didn't dress in many different ways. But Patrick's variety of poses and looks nearly crashed my computer when I Googled him. Duh. --Cator Sparks, New York Times Style Magazine