"He had style. His clothes were always very
casual, and terribly, extremely elegant,
because he had such taste." Audrey Hepburn
He floated across the dance floor as if gravity had no affect on him. A top hat and tails was the signature style of this exceptional dancer, who seemed to have requisitioned elegance for his own exclusive use. Ironically, Fred Astaire put absolutely no stock in his stage appearance. This American legend was in fact the master of the exquisitely casual. Away from his shows and films, and later also during them, Astaire, born in 1899 as Frederick Austerlitz, the son of ari Austrian father and an American mother of German descent, preferred casual clothing. By no means did this mean ‘ the entertainer abandoned sophistication or a snappy wardrobe. Astaire preferred day suits, slacks, and sports coats, all custom made on Savile Row (mainly at Anderson and Shepherd). The minimal shoulder padding on his tapered clothing, as well as the small, high-set armholes of his ackets, gave him maximum freedom of movement. In general, Astaire permitted his clothes to neither constrain nor intimidate him. It is said that when he picked up his suits from the tailor, he would hurl them against a wall to show the clothing (and presumably also his tailor) just who was the boss. And Astaire was just as confident reinter preting styles according to his own taste.
“The higher up you go, the more mistakes you
are allowed. Right at the top, if you make
enough of them, it’s considered to he your
Style.}, Fred Astaire
He frequently mixed strictly traditional
British tailoring with unexpected details.
Brightly colored socks, impeccably tied
cravats (gaily colored and patterned), and
fedora hats formed the core of a typical Astaire
ensemble. And one can’t fail to mention the
legendary trademark of the dancer: colorful,
patterned neckties worn as belts.
Until his death in 1987, Fred Astaire
remained faithful to show business and to his style.
This article is written for AHFASHION.COM. July 2011 Any Distribution, copying and posting it to your site is infringement of the copyright law and will be prosecuted.
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