Victorian Style Clothing

Messing about in boaters

Though it’s unclear what will happen on the water on Wednesday when the Henley Royal Regatta begins, one thing is certain: on the banks of the Thames, cheering Pimm’s-drinking men in boaters will blossom like daffodils in Kensington Gardens. After all, from top hats and morning coats at Ascot to panamas and white linen trousers at Wimbledon , to blazers and boaters at Henley, “dressing the part” has long been integral to English sporting occasions. But why?

“We like to say we ‘dress up’ at sporting events,” says Thomas Fink, author of men’s wear style guide The Man’s Book . “But, in fact, the clothes associated with sports have remained frozen in time. Costume is at its best when associated with ritual. It is at these times that we can dress up with impunity. We wear what has long been worn, without consideration to currents of fashion.”

Trinny Woodall, a fashion adviser and television presenter, says: “England is about tradition, and many people feel the need to know it’s still there, hovering in the background to remind us of our heritage.” Sporting traditions simply provide the excuse. Indeed, Caroline Searle, a spokesperson for Henley, says the organisers want “to maintain the atmosphere of an English garden party of the Edwardian period”.

The boater was originally created for the military. According to James Lock & Co, the long-established London hatters, the hats were issued to midshipmen in the Royal Navy on tour in the Caribbean to provide protection from the tropical sun – something they didn’t do very well. “They were made of straw and coated in glue, which makes them hard to keep on,” says Lock & Co’s Nicholas Payne. “They are also not particularly good at keeping the sun off your face as the brims are too short. They are not very practical as a summer hat but they do look nice.”

Later, and despite the flaws, boaters were adopted as part of Victorian school uniform. According to Jack Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill’s Old Harrovian great-grandson, “boaters acted as a constant reminder that you were a representative of the school; this was particularly true on a windy day. We did use them as frisbees and coated them with Araldite [glue] to make them super-strong.”

Style commentator Nick Foulkes says the hats represent “the side of England with the most charm. They tried to kill it with white-hot technology, the swinging 1960s and ‘Cool Britannia’ but look at the royal wedding : Britain is still a very traditional culture. The only thing we have left is fancy dress.

Collectible Victorian Dolls

Largo is hopping with activities this weekend. There is something for everyone, from singles to families. Mark the end of your work week with events in and around Largo like an antique appraisal fair, swing dance party, summer swim party, jazz show, singles dance and murder mystery dinner theater.

Antique Appraisal Fair  (Saturday)– unearth your treasures and find out how much they’re worth. Presented by the Pinellas County Historical Society , this fundraising event will feature local experts who will appraise your antiques. Specialties include Oriental rugs, Victorian jewelry, rare and vintage books, guns and armor, clocks and pocket watches, collectible glass, furniture, musical stringed instruments, pre-1950 dolls and more.

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