The phenomenon of dandyism
Dandyism aesthetes a fashion procedure and lifestyle that had its acme during the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Becoming deliberately self-referential with a high degree of importance on physical appearance, staying fashionable, well-groomed and over the top dressed up. Dandies were extremely conscious of how they were perceived by society, distilling their mannerism, body language, and voice to maintain a nonchalant demeanour. They strived to become more aristocratic than their stature with their terminology, lifestyle, and values of dressing impeccably. Dandy culture included designers, writers, poets, artists, and fashion icons. An Irish poet and author Oscar Wilde was a well-known dandy of the late 18th century. He profoundly quoted “ one should either be a work of Art or wear a work of Art”. Dandy culture was a symbol of gigantic clichè to satirize a man influencing an exaggerated fastidiousness in dress, speech, and very detailed about what is aesthetically ‘good form’ hence lengthened to an exquisite, a dandy, a projection.
