Prince Charles' Style: Like or Dis-Like?

[HungaryTom]

I wish I had his silhouette when I turn his age.
....Exercise exercise exercise exer...
He aged well.
He is elegant -also in his suits- and that is what I expect from a King.

 

[Selvaggio]

Camilla and Charlie are okay folks.




On the counter point. Looks great!
I hope he didn't feel too costumed wearing that. Overall it's all a good hot weather combo.

Yet i still don't like those lapels.

What I find interesting, as an Australian, is that when he is here he often goes with the cream/linen touring-the-colonies look - all he needs to complete it is a pith helmet.

As has been pointed out, these outfits are really suited to our climate - but they always make me feel a bit like he's not taking things seriously, almost as if he is on vacation (though this may just be my inner republican coming out). This effect is exacerbated by the fact that our local notables remain fixed in their uniform of solid coloured charcoal and navy business suits. I venture that one would almost never see an Australian politician dressed like Charles in this photograph.

So we have this slightly ironic situation that the next King of Australia (as he will be known here), by his choice of clothes, looks simultaneously utterly appropriate and very foreign. It grates to be shown, during his sporadic visits to this country, a better way of dressing for Australian conditions by someone who is regarded by many here as being totally out of touch with Australia.

 

[Lokar]

Uniforms and ritual dress do not count.

... a gray morning suit is just so boring!

So the clothes he has to wear reasonably regularly are excluded, plus the only acceptable colour of a morning suit, which is a very common level of formality for HRH, is boring?

Take in mind that life the royalty today is very different to when all the more fashionable royals you're discussing were around. A hundred years ago, royalty were allowed and to a possible degree, expected to be fashionable and were looked at for fashion ideas. If the crown prince today were to be fashionable, it would be seen as extreme and silly.

 

[Djupis]

If the crown prince today were to be fashionable, it would be seen as extreme and silly.

Indeed. And as for asking Where is Charles?, perhaps he doesn't want to show Charles? Showing Prince of Wales being more than enough for him [huh]

 

[Feraud]

If the crown prince today were to be fashionable, it would be seen as extreme and silly.

Agreed. We fashionistas would have a field day with the poor guy if he ever showed up in something stylish like a pair of jeans and a black leather jacket. See the many threads we have griping about how politicians dress.
Most of us prefer he wear something outlandish..almost cartoonish to prove his sense of individual style.

A sense of style seems to not be what the Prince prefers but what we prefer for him. Kind of ironic..

 

[BellyTank]

I don't mean to be impolite, but Charles has short, stubby fingers, like sausages. That pinky ring doesn't help matters either.

Yes indeed, any self-respecting Royal would have had his fingers lengthened.

Do American sausages actually have fingers..? Eeuw!

Look at his Dad's sausages, like fat, wrinkly finger-ish things.


B
T

 

[BellyTank]

This DB suit is very nice, I think and it works for him.
Classic Colonial visit duds.
He's "abroad" and not a politician, so no need for the navy/grey default.

But then- it's easier to look good, standing next to someone who's
flipping at least two different/CLASHing abstract prints.


B
T

 

[Edward]

To my eye he dresses well, but wears it poorly. Perhaps as a result of his much publicised, screwed-up upbringing, perhaps as a reaction to the dumbfounding arrogance of his father, who can say.... but he always looks to me to be an odd combination of a man with a great sense of entitlement about himself, and yet simultaneously uncomfortably apologetic about his presence in public. How terribly British.

 

[Tomasso]

I love this photo:

"Royals spot Evan Everhart wearing his latest riding outfit." REUTERS



j/k

 

[RobStC]

I love this photo:

"Royals spot Evan Everhart wearing his latest riding outfit." REUTERS



j/k

lol lol lol Tres piquant, Tomasso!

Seriously, I think Charles has to tread a very fine line in his position and multitude of roles, and his manner of dress works well for this the vast majority of the time. He's found what works for him, and hey, you can't please all the people all the time..... and we on the FL are by our very nature a bit more individualistic (and eccentric in the nicest possible way!) than the average man in the street. So I think he's doing fine, by and large.

I like his general look, especially some of the paler, more summery looking suits, but I do wish he'd go for just slightly less spread collars. It's really the only thing that rankles with me.

He's a man who certainly knows his own mind and has strong opinions on a lot of things, but his position doesn't allow him to express all that through his attire. It is indeed a 'terribly British' thing to dress so that those around you are comfortable, and not to impose too strong a look that some might be uncomfortable with. It's a bit like good manners - they are there mostly for others, not for oneself.....

Rob St.C

 

[Edward]

I do wish he'd go for just slightly less spread collars. It's really the only thing that rankles with me.

That style of shirt collar has really come to dominate mainstream enswear here in the UK. It's not my favourite, either, to the point where despite my very pronounced preference for a double cuff, I do wear quite a few button-cuff shirts simply because anywhere selling men's shirts for sub-GBP60 these days (and even many above that) simple stock no shirts whatever that have both the double cuff and anything others that a severely wide-splayed collar. My personal theory is that this is a reaction to the fashion for very stiff, broad neckties, tied with a knot the size of the wearer's head (think: David Beckham). The wdie splay of the collar accomodates the comically large tieknot. Hopefully the prevailing fashion winds will swing the other way, causing a seachange in popular shirtcollars some season soon. As an aside, I wish ties would also get shorter soon - I have several ties, bought for me as presents and which I genuinely like, that are almost unwearble without either wrapping the tie around itself half a dozen times (thus risking a ridiculous knot), or putting up with the indignity of a necktie that hangs down below my crotch.

 

[cptjeff]

That style of shirt collar has really come to dominate mainstream enswear here in the UK. It's not my favourite, either, to the point where despite my very pronounced preference for a double cuff, I do wear quite a few button-cuff shirts simply because anywhere selling men's shirts for sub-GBP60 these days (and even many above that) simple stock no shirts whatever that have both the double cuff and anything others that a severely wide-splayed collar. My personal theory is that this is a reaction to the fashion for very stiff, broad neckties, tied with a knot the size of the wearer's head (think: David Beckham). The wdie splay of the collar accomodates the comically large tieknot. Hopefully the prevailing fashion winds will swing the other way, causing a seachange in popular shirtcollars some season soon. As an aside, I wish ties would also get shorter soon - I have several ties, bought for me as presents and which I genuinely like, that are almost unwearble without either wrapping the tie around itself half a dozen times (thus risking a ridiculous knot), or putting up with the indignity of a necktie that hangs down below my crotch.

Amen on both counts. I hate those collars, and as a short guy I have all sorts of issues with modern neckties.

 

[Cobden]

Amen on both counts. I hate those collars, and as a short guy I have all sorts of issues with modern neckties.

I quite like the spread collar with small four in hand look, though I can see why others don't.[huh]

Though on the necktie issue, as a short man myself, I entirely agree. I usually have to tuck the thin end into my shirt - something I dislike having to do.

On Charles' dress sense - it's timeless, fairly unique (double breasted suits not being all that common at the moment - I've heard 6x4 grey double breasted suits called "Prince Charles Suits"), very well tailored, he looks comfortable in it, and, most importantly, conveys dignity of office. He's also never inappropriately dressed.

And it's a damned site better then the boring "blue solid two button suit, white shirt and solid coloured tie" worn by every single dratted western world political leaders. Apart from variations in national cuts, you couldn't tell the difference between them based on their clothing

 

[Brummagem Joe]

While I agree on most points, I just cannot help finding his wardrobe so unutterably dull! Everything is gray, he shows none of the flare or panache of his fore-bearers. I find it so very strange....He is usually somewhat under-dressed in my opinion. He just doesn't carry himself with the same elegance and dignity as Albert, the Georges, or of Edward (though Edward was a deplorable person in his personal life). Eh, he just seems rather gray to me, neither here nor there. It could be worse though, he could dress like any of the last three American Presidents (current one included).

......You've already made plain elsewhere on this blog your complete disdain for the POW.....his personality......his dress sense.....etc etc.......having seen a few pics of yourself perhaps you could pick up a few pointers from HRH......I assume the generally provocative nature of your comments are more intended to attract attention to yourself than actually have a serious discussion but then this is America I suppose.

 

[Brummagem Joe]

lol lol lol Tres piquant, Tomasso!

Seriously, I think Charles has to tread a very fine line in his position and multitude of roles, and his manner of dress works well for this the vast majority of the time. He's found what works for him, and hey, you can't please all the people all the time..... and we on the FL are by our very nature a bit more individualistic (and eccentric in the nicest possible way!) than the average man in the street. So I think he's doing fine, by and large.

I like his general look, especially some of the paler, more summery looking suits, but I do wish he'd go for just slightly less spread collars. It's really the only thing that rankles with me.

He's a man who certainly knows his own mind and has strong opinions on a lot of things, but his position doesn't allow him to express all that through his attire. It is indeed a 'terribly British' thing to dress so that those around you are comfortable, and not to impose too strong a look that some might be uncomfortable with. It's a bit like good manners - they are there mostly for others, not for oneself.....

Rob St.C

.......Sorry to disagree but the English semi spread collar is just about the best collar shape there is for most people of medium and upwards height and build.......sure if you are a bit broader in the beam you might want to go for the longer narrower collar but for most schmucks you can't beat the semi spread......I like the full spread too but it's an awfully formal look to anyone other than those who don't know the difference and really only works with the most formal of suits like morning dress, db stripe, etc.

 

[Brummagem Joe]

I quite like the spread collar with small four in hand look, though I can see why others don't.[huh]

Though on the necktie issue, as a short man myself, I entirely agree. I usually have to tuck the thin end into my shirt - something I dislike having to do.

On Charles' dress sense - it's timeless, fairly unique (double breasted suits not being all that common at the moment - I've heard 6x4 grey double breasted suits called "Prince Charles Suits"), very well tailored, he looks comfortable in it, and, most importantly, conveys dignity of office. He's also never inappropriately dressed.

And it's a damned site better then the boring "blue solid two button suit, white shirt and solid coloured tie" worn by every single dratted western world political leaders. Apart from variations in national cuts, you couldn't tell the difference between them based on their clothing

......Depends what you mean by small......I think it works best with the medium sized four in hand......I have literally hundreds of ties as my wife never ceases to remind me but rather late in life I'm starting to wonder whether six classics from Emma Willis which are superb (red birdseye, white spot on blue, silver and black houndstooth, blue/blue houndstooth, pink/blue houndstooth, black/silver shepherd's check) and which even more reliably than Charvet, Hilditch and Key, H&H, and Drakes always give you an absolutely perfect 4IH knot; and six of say Paul Stuarts or Drake's knits (which also give you a nice bulky knot that keeps its shape) are all you need to get through life.....ok I'd add my artillery tie......but that's all you need.....max.....it also make choosing a tie so much easier!!!!

 

[Viola]

Many men, especially men of his age, have a look. A look they wear essentially every day. One look for at work, one look for at home. Often a range of shirts in one particular style and perhaps as many as FOUR THRILLING COLOURS. lol

Charles comes across as a man who has his look and is fond of it, and his colour is grey. Grey looks well on him, and he never looks laughable or very rumpled. He is not what I would call a handsome man, but within his style he is well-dressed. And honestly I would find it far sillier if he was determined to make a statement everywhere he went with things in striking prints. Isn't the statement he's impossibly rich and he doesn't have to shriek about it like the guys in my neighborhood who can't leave home without at least three pieces of gold jewelry?

 

[Schofields]

I love this photo:

"Royals spot Evan Everhart wearing his latest riding outfit." REUTERS



j/k

lol lol

 

[Smithy]

I can't see a thing wrong with how he dresses. He's the next-in-line so has to be relatively conservative in what he chooses. It's also representative of his personality - he's not a screaming extrovert.

He's going to be our future King so I think his method of dress is appropriate. But then I'm a monarchist.

 

[Selvaggio]

One thing republicans and monarchists can agree on, Prince Charles is well dressed.

He is quite the advertisment for quality tailoring.