Friday, July 22nd, 2005
High fashion and history
by Warren
Leaders have asserted their dominance over lesser mortals throughout the ages, not just through accumulated wealth and gangs of armed and indentured thugs, but also through elaborate finery. “Dressed to Rule,” a new book reviewed in Washington Monthly, details how different leaders sashayed around in elaborate puffery to show they were the boss. Louis XIV stands out as the Fop of all Fops; apparently he wore red high heels that every other member of European nobility coveted, and took an average of 90 minutes to get dressed, with high officials jockeying for position to help him don his coat and settle his periwig. Suddenly wearing a simple business suit doesn’t seem quite so bad.