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I would like to start a thread specifically for the discussion of (European) aristocratic style.
Not just England, and not just high nobility and royal families. Rather your next-door aristocrats who own a small castle and 1000 or so hectares of land.
I live in Germany and I have noticed that the following is common among the aristocracy, from the landed gentry to HRH Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.
- Polka dot ties, worn both with full business suits and with blazers. Also patterned ties but less than in the UK.
- Blazers, pullovers and pants in earthly colors, e.g. some sort of green, beige, yellow, orange, sometimes bordeaux; bright blue is rather seldom found except in ties
- Double-breasted jackets are very common
- Striped shirts
- No or toned down pocket squares, except in younger nobles who have picked it up
- Clothing somewhat influenced by hunting style - Barbour and Burberry jackets (there is a similar German brand called Lodenfrey)
- Bavarian-style closed-collar jackets (Trachtenjanker) especially in the south, but never with Lederhosen. Usually worn open so that you can see a tie. Never full folk costume, but regional/folk influences on business suits. High-end German brands produce Trachtenjanker cut like business suits or blazers specifically for this clientele. In fact they are called "Trachtensakko" ("Sakko" means "blazer/jacket") due to their hybrid nature. In Austria they are part of police, fire and military uniforms. In fact the "Trachtensakko" is somewhat reminiscent of Austro-Hungarian uniforms from the early 20th century.
- Overall, nothing flashy or too modern, everything has taste and class, no excesses whatsoever. Very calm yet elevated style.
Gentlemen from non-noble old money families (by "old money" I mean really old dynasties going back to the 19th century or earlier) share a similar style.
It does share similarities with British aristocracy, but you can notice that it is specifically German, it is somewhat stricter with different cuts. A tad bit of military influence.
Examples:
HRH Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia († 1994) with HRH Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia as a teenager
HRH Prince Bernhard of Baden in front of the famous Salem boarding school. Note the brown blazer or sportcoat under the modest jacket.
Liberal politician HH Prince (Fürst) Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe
Conservative politician Alexander Gauland. Not a nobleman but very similar, with English and Trad influence. He bought his famous dog tie in Britain. Considered one of the few, if not the only, well-dressed MP in the Bundestag.
HH Prince (Fürst) Alexander of Fugger-Babenhausen. The Fugger dynasty descends from Europe's richest man during the medieval era, Jakob Fugger, and was later ennobled.
P.S.: If you believe that I start too many threads, please tell me and I will calm down.
Not just England, and not just high nobility and royal families. Rather your next-door aristocrats who own a small castle and 1000 or so hectares of land.
I live in Germany and I have noticed that the following is common among the aristocracy, from the landed gentry to HRH Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.
- Polka dot ties, worn both with full business suits and with blazers. Also patterned ties but less than in the UK.
- Blazers, pullovers and pants in earthly colors, e.g. some sort of green, beige, yellow, orange, sometimes bordeaux; bright blue is rather seldom found except in ties
- Double-breasted jackets are very common
- Striped shirts
- No or toned down pocket squares, except in younger nobles who have picked it up
- Clothing somewhat influenced by hunting style - Barbour and Burberry jackets (there is a similar German brand called Lodenfrey)
- Bavarian-style closed-collar jackets (Trachtenjanker) especially in the south, but never with Lederhosen. Usually worn open so that you can see a tie. Never full folk costume, but regional/folk influences on business suits. High-end German brands produce Trachtenjanker cut like business suits or blazers specifically for this clientele. In fact they are called "Trachtensakko" ("Sakko" means "blazer/jacket") due to their hybrid nature. In Austria they are part of police, fire and military uniforms. In fact the "Trachtensakko" is somewhat reminiscent of Austro-Hungarian uniforms from the early 20th century.
- Overall, nothing flashy or too modern, everything has taste and class, no excesses whatsoever. Very calm yet elevated style.
Gentlemen from non-noble old money families (by "old money" I mean really old dynasties going back to the 19th century or earlier) share a similar style.
It does share similarities with British aristocracy, but you can notice that it is specifically German, it is somewhat stricter with different cuts. A tad bit of military influence.
Examples:
HRH Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia († 1994) with HRH Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia as a teenager
HRH Prince Bernhard of Baden in front of the famous Salem boarding school. Note the brown blazer or sportcoat under the modest jacket.
Liberal politician HH Prince (Fürst) Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe
Conservative politician Alexander Gauland. Not a nobleman but very similar, with English and Trad influence. He bought his famous dog tie in Britain. Considered one of the few, if not the only, well-dressed MP in the Bundestag.
HH Prince (Fürst) Alexander of Fugger-Babenhausen. The Fugger dynasty descends from Europe's richest man during the medieval era, Jakob Fugger, and was later ennobled.
P.S.: If you believe that I start too many threads, please tell me and I will calm down.
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