Wednesday 23 April 2014

Godfrey Blount's attire and Artistic Dress

Some time ago I was contacted by Robyne Erica who was writing a PhD on artistic dress.  She was interested in the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union and Dress Review journals that I had looked at at the Women's Library back in 2011, and posted on here for example where I had identified Godfrey and Ethel Blount as serving on the General Committee of the Healthy and Artistic Dress Union from c.1904-1906.

Erica teaches at Glasgow School of Art, and has recently posted a video on her Artistic Dress blog examining mens artistic dress called "Artistic Dress and the Styling of Masculine Identity" which covers the period from the mid-1800s to early 1900s.  I found her overview of the men's artistic dress movement very enlightening, and I believe that many of her insights are relevant to Godfrey Blount in particular, who in her words may be described as "floppy but manly"(!).  It is well worth a look.

I wonder what colours there are in Godfrey Blount's cravat in this, my favourite photograph?  And also what colour his shirt is?    I expect that he was standing out from the crowd and expressing his artistic sensibilities.

Godfrey Blount,
reproduced from a photograph courtesy of
The Dartford Warbler

4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the link. I have just watched Robyn Erica`s video in full. Blount was definitely following the artistic fashion of his time in this photo!

    Do you have a photo of the later pastel portrait of him that we have at home? If not, I`ll send one to you. In it, Blount is much older ( 1930) but still sports an artistic moustache and a turquoise blue cravat. The colour of his shirt collar seems to be the same turquoise blue. Superficially he looks neat and conventional, but the cravat and its bright colour gives him away as the once Floppy but Manly artist of his youth!

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I've just checked my 'records' and I can't see that I've got a copy of that painting, but I do remember it, and there being a blueness to it.

    I had no idea that there could be so many insights into outfits until I saw Robyn Erica's video, very interesting!

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  3. I`ll get a photo of the pastel portrait e mailed to you. Don`t give up if it doesn`t arrive quickly. We have a family wedding in a few days and there`s a lot going on here!

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  4. Great thank you! Enjoy the wedding.

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