Shadow of great britain

Although stories like "Millions of Pounds" are just novels, if it really happened that a poor boy turned into a millionaire, then if he asked an authentic old Londoner for help: how to dress up like a real A gentleman who lives in high society.

An authentic old London gentleman would probably suggest that he go to Regent Street or Jermyn Street not far from Regent Street.

Regent Street, built in 1811, was ordered by the late King George IV during his tenure as regent. Although George IV had various shortcomings, he had to admit that during his tenure as regent and king, he had great influence on the businesses in the West End of London. He played a major role in the development of the street.

The design and planning of Regent Street swept away the chaos and narrowness caused by various fires, floods and large-scale disorderly expansion in London over the centuries. Since its completion in 1821, this spacious and bright street has become one of the most iconic places in London. The most shining shopping district in this commercial city.

Here, you can see dignitaries and dignitaries going shopping with their servants everywhere, and among the bustling crowds, you can see countless middle-class gentlemen and ladies who want to imitate the lifestyle of the upper class and plan to spend money to buy themselves a decent outfit. them.

Of course, there are also some more staid old Londoners who are still unwilling to admit Regent Street's status as a new fashion center. They still stubbornly insist that Regent Street is just a place for women to pick out new dresses and small jewelry, while real London gentlemen You should go to Jermyn Street, which is just across the street from Regent Street, to order clothes and buy pipe tobacco.

Jermyn Street, founded in 1664, has a unique status in the minds of old London gentlemen. As a well-known men's street in London, you can find everything a man needs in the 19th century on this street that is only three to four hundred meters long. Things, of course, I mean besides women.

Of course, in recent years, it is true that Jermyn Street's status as a men's sanctuary has been strongly challenged by Savile Row, but the two have gradually developed their own characteristics in the past ten years of confrontation.

Savile Row is famous for its morning coats, dinner suits, jackets and smoking jackets, while Jermyn Street has firmly defended its position as the highest standard in men's shirts, hats and leather shoes.

Arthur stood at the intersection of Jermyn Street and Regent Street with a pipe in his mouth, listening to Mr. Disraeli, the defeated theater actor and editor-in-chief of "The British", introducing the history of the two men's streets in detail. Pulling the pipe down, he flicked the ash inside with his fingertips.

Seeing this, Disraeli just frowned slightly: "Arthur, you have to pay attention to how you clean up the ashes. Also, look at your outfit. Who is the genius who told you that you should run here wearing a uniform?" Are you here? I don’t ask you to dress up as fashionably as Beau Brummell, the royal clothing consultant, but you must at least get a suit of clothes that fit you well. With all your royalties, you can’t keep them all in the bank, right?”

Arthur looked down at his tuxedo jacket and white gloves, then raised his arms, and then nodded firmly and said, "I think this suit fits me well. It won't restrict my movements or affect me." To deal with special situations. On the contrary, the clothes I wear specially for attending banquets are really uncomfortable. After a jab, my shoulder has to be cracked before the enemy falls. "

When Disraeli heard this, he just shook his head in disgust and said: "That's because you didn't choose a suitable one. Anyway, there is nothing to do today. I will take you to choose a suitable casual jacket first. Otherwise, you I wouldn’t have the guts to take you on a tour of the nearby streets wearing this.”

"But I don't have much money with me today."

"If you don't bring any money, I'll help you with it first. Next time when you settle the royalties and profit sharing, I'll deduct it directly from your share."

After saying this, Disraeli didn't care whether Arthur was happy or not, he pushed his back and pushed him all the way into the clothing store on the street.

Not long after, the door of the clothing store was pushed open again. The police officer Arthur just seemed to disappear out of thin air. What reappeared in front of everyone was a man wearing a top hat, a half-tailed black coat, and a simple black horse underneath. A London banker wearing a buttonless white shirt, beige tight breeches, and carrying a small cane.

Disraeli followed Arthur, admiring with satisfaction the masterpiece he had carefully selected in front of him. He knocked on the shop window glass at Arthur and said, "Look, Arthur, you Wearing this will make walking on Regent Street much more convenient.”

Arthur looked at the reflection on the window glass, bent down and smoothed his hair, and then looked around twice more.

Seeing him like this, Disraeli couldn't help but look around. As he searched, he asked: "What are you looking at? Is there any beauty anywhere?"

Arthur just replied: "Where's the street light? I still need a rope."

Disraeli just laughed when he heard this, and he patted Arthur's chest with the back of his hand: "What? You also think that you are so handsome that you will hang yourself now? But don't worry, Arthur, before you hang yourself , the ladies have taken up all the street lamps, you might as well go jump in the Thames."

When Arthur heard this, he just shrugged and said: "Thames? The seats there are also full. Maybe Alexander will be in there at this time."

"Alexander drowned?" Disraeli was startled: "He hasn't handed in his manuscript for next month yet!"

Arthur said calmly: "No, don't be nervous, Benjamin. If Alexander drowned, it would indeed be a tragedy. But if he did not drown, it would be a disaster. And I believe that with Alexander's size, even if he fell into It will probably float in the Thames. So, instead of caring about him, you might as well tell me more about the perfume shop on Regent Street."

When Disraeli heard this, he finally realized that Arthur was joking. He said happily: "Don't let Alexander hear what you said. I heard that he recently bought a good gun, and he even made a special trip two days ago. He came to show off to me. You hurt him like this and made him angry. He might come to you for a duel."

"Isn't that great?" Arthur took out the empty tobacco box in his pocket and glanced at it: "If he comes to me for a duel, the good gun will be mine."

Disraeli also saw Arthur's empty tobacco box: "The tobacco is gone? How about we go find a shop that sells tobacco first? I know there is a good one on Jermyn Street. After Elder left, You can’t even get the authentic smuggled goods from within the Royal Navy, right?”

Arthur nodded slightly: "Occasionally I can get some from the West India Wharf, but the taste is really not as strong as Elder's. Since you recommend it, let's go to Jermyn Street first. I remember Jermyn There should be perfume sellers on Ming Street, right?"

"No, no, no." Disraeli corrected as he led the way: "Jermin Street only sells men's colognes. As for the perfumes used by women, such as Floris and Creed, the time-honored brands in London, and Or Bré de France, Guerlain, etc., you have to go to Regent Street to find them.”

Walking through the busy streets, Arthur pushed up the monocle with no remaining value in his eye socket and asked.

"Why are you so familiar with these things? I know that you are a writer and a lawyer at the same time. I didn't expect that you also have such research on the fashion industry."

When Disraeli heard this, he just twisted his collar proudly: "Arthur, you don't know something about this. Whether you are a writer or a lawyer, in the end you still have to deal with people. I am a fashion novelist, To write a good fashion novel, of course I have to know what the latest fashion is.

As for lawyers, although I have quit practicing a long time ago, the value of a truly capable lawyer is not only reflected in the ability to win cases, but also in whether you can continuously receive cases. If you don't expand your social circle and make yourself the center of attention at the banquet, you won't be able to go far in the lawyer profession. "

Arthur nodded slightly: "That seems to make sense. So how is your recent plan to expand your social circle going?"

Disraeli seemed to have been waiting for this. He proudly took out a crumpled newspaper from his pocket and unfolded it in front of Arthur: "Look, come on, Arthur, look. , tell me what’s written on it?”

Arthur leaned over and took a look, and read word by word: "Today's outfit recommendation comes from the rising fashion star Mr. Benjamin Disraeli. He will share his wearing experience on Flack's dress with this newspaper for the first time: one piece A bright orange vest, a pair of red trousers, and a short flack dress are the most fashionable casual gentleman outfits this year. As we all know, the flack dress is becoming the new favorite of London gentlemen, and my flack dress The key to making the dress look more unique is that I used a new pleating method at the waist of the dress to create a perfect and smooth curve from the slender waist of the body. The following is my My pleating experience..."

When Disraeli heard this, the corners of his mouth turned up even more. His pride and pride could even be seen by the horse that was tied to a lamppost on the roadside and was eating oats.

"Arthur, how are you? You didn't expect that I will now become as important a leader in the London fashion industry as Mr. Brummel."

When Arthur heard this, he just glanced at Disraeli, and then slowly shook his head: "I don't think it's that important whether you become a leading figure, but I think maybe you should be more honest with the readers."

"Honest?" Disraeli said with a displeased look on his face: "How could I be dishonest? I have given the readers the details of how to pleat without reservation."

"Of course, but that's not what I'm talking about." Arthur pointed to Disraeli's thin waist and said: "What I'm talking about is this. Your waist has nothing to do with how to pleat it. A man's waist is So if it's so detailed, I seriously suspect that you're wearing a ladies' bra."

When Disraeli heard this, he felt like a mouse whose tail had been stepped on. He blushed and cursed in a low voice: "Damn it! Arthur, how did you see that?"

Of course, Arthur would not say that he found inspiration from Mr. Vidocq in France. He just replied: "Benjamin, don't forget, I am a policeman and a detective. What on earth did you do? I will take a look at it." You can tell. But..."

Arthur reached out and clasped Disraeli's collar, only to hear a snap, and the elastic band bounced onto Disraeli's shoulder blades, causing him to almost scream in pain.

Arthur was surprised: "Are you really wearing it?"

"Otherwise?" Disraeli was furious: "Okay, you know this and I know it, and no one else can know anything else."

"Not even God?"

"Of course it won't work. If he knew about it, he would impose divine punishment!"

"If you were so godly, you shouldn't do such a thing."

"Shut up! Arthur!"

Arthur and Disraeli were noisy all the way, causing the gentlemen and ladies passing by to glance at them.

However, this attention did not last long, because everyone felt that this was probably a quarrel between a banker and a partner over a financial dispute. This kind of thing is not too uncommon in London and is not worth making a fuss about. of.

The two of them noisily walked into a small shop on Jermyn Street with a sign saying "Men only, ladies only". As soon as they opened the door, they heard a pleasant sound of bells.

The clerk who was standing in front of the store to be on guard against thieves first looked at their clothes, and then noticed Disraeli's familiar face, so he smiled politely and said: "Mr. Disraeli, you are a regular customer, nothing to worry about." I won’t introduce you more, you and your friends can choose for yourself. If you have any requirements, you can just ask me or other guys directly."

As soon as Disraeli entered the store, he calmed down his noisy face, and his serious and cold expression looked like an authentic London gentleman.

"Now that you're tired, I'll take my friend here to pick out some tobacco and cologne. This friend of mine is a bit picky. He used to smoke authentic products from West India. Do you have any from Saint-Domingue?" Authentic? Don’t try to fool us, we’ll know after just one taste.”

When the clerk heard this, he just smiled and said: "Mr. Disraeli, you see what you said. Although the things in our store are a bit more expensive than outside, the quality is first-class. It seems that today The regular goods on the second floor are not of interest to you, so just take your friends to the second floor. You can choose whatever you want there, and you can return it to us at any time if you can taste it."

Disraeli asked again: "The same with cologne?"

The clerk smiled and said, "You are lucky today. We have a new perfume blender in our store. After you and your friends finish picking out tobacco, you can go directly to the perfume room at the back and ask for a special perfume. All raw materials, what kind of fragrance, you name it, it will be completed and delivered on the spot. You said that with this kind of production method, we can't cheat under your nose, right?"