The Chap movement

[Alan Eardley]

I think you may be amused by this advertisement for a magazine called 'The Chap' that has a cult following in the UK. See if you pass the quiz. Extra points given for knowing what a 'chav' is and where the word comes from.

These guys (chaps) are trying to restore old-fashioned style and manly values. They meet regular at the Sheridan Club in London to plan dissident activities. These include demonstrations agains globalism (and modernism)modelled on the G8 protests, in which they create chaos by going into The Gap and asking to see the Head Tailor and Burger King where they insist on ordering kedgeree prepared by the Head Chef. They are invariably asked to leave. They have a charity called Children in Tweed (a parody of UK charity Children in Need) which tries to pursuade sub-teens to give up their hoodies and baseball caps for smartly tailored sports jackets and five panel caps.

See http://www.thechap.net for more.

Alan

 

[Raffles]

That's where my avatar comes from. Have been a reader for a long time.

 

[Angelicious]

Marvellous stuff! And they sell monocles!

How do you find the quiz?

They remind me a little of ALF's Imperial Army...

 

[Phog Allen]

Hello Alan. I've seen the "Chap" site before. Quite amuzing really. I do like it that we're not swimming alone in the quest for better manners. I'm not as into this retro dressing as most here but applaud it LOUDLY. I do love hats but haven't worn them regularly. Now that I know about long ovals and other things, mayhaps more hats are in my future? My mother always said that when you dres s nicely, even if just chinos and shirt with buttons all the way down the front(as opposed to the ubiquitous three button "golf" shirt), you just act more mannerly and manly. I wholeheartedly agree.

Todd

 

[Sefton]

I say fellow, rather well done! Hooray and all that. :cool2:

 

[Veronica Parra]

What these chaps have (and what most Americans lack) is a well-honed sense of irony. They are laughing at themselves even as they go about their chappy 'crusade'.

Wearing dead people's rags and thinking any era to have been 'golden' -- what's not to laugh at? Especially when we're so deadly earnest about it.

 

[nightandthecity]

I still remember my excitement at first finding the Chap magazine and realizing I WAS NOT ALONE!

Yes Veronica, there is that element of irony and self parody, but that has always been present in British dandyism...Beau Brummell was a master of it 200 years ago.

And yes again, the mid-20th century was not "THE golden age". I would certainly argue it was A golden age in certain areas (like film, clothes and above all Music) but too many people were getting incinerated, (Auschwitz, London, Warsaw, Dresden, Hiroshima, at 30,000ft in B-17s and Lancasters) for it to seriously qualify as "THE Golden Age" for anyone who actually lived through it.

"Give three Piece a Chance"
"All Proper tea is best"

 

[Sefton]

All fine and well if you're a Chap,but...

what if you're a Bloke? Where's the website dedicated to preserving the sartorial splendor of your average 8 panel cap wearing, pint of lager drinking, dart playing Bloke? The working Bloke of today could stand to learn a thing or too about how to dress for the job. No hoodies and sideways ball-caps allowed on this work site if you please

 

[nightandthecity]

well, personally I do bloke as well as chap which probably comes of my socially schizoid upbringing (working class father/ lended gentry mother; working class upbringing/ higher education). And I also do guy and hepcat, because of the schizoid nature of British society (we remain distinctively British but quietly absorb all of modern American popular culture as well). Maybe I should start a cloth cap and hobnail boot lounge.

P.S. A bloke NEVER ever drinks lager! Lager is the drink of cropheaded and baseball capped yoof. A bloke drinks honest British Ale and Beer - mild, bitter, stout, porter, black and tan (mild and bitter mix) halfanhalf (beer and whisky chaser) or if he wants a convenient weapon to hand, bottled Pale or brown Ale.

 

[jaw1993]

I have been reading the chap for a couple of months know and its the best magazine Ive ever read. It was also nice to know Im not alone

 

[Hereward]

My wife and I went with a friend to their Olympics last year. It was a great deal of fun. The sight of men (and ladies) seriously competing in the cucumber sandwich discus will live with me forever.

I have a book they issued and have seen their latest issue which contains some great humour and even an article on the Great Beast, Aleister Crowley, and scandalous goings on with MP Tom Driberg and so on. Recommended.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"There are simply oodles of Chapishness on You tube"

[YOUTUBE]CAGpzK_iupA[/YOUTUBE]

"I used to get the Chap magazine (sent in a discreet brown paper wrapping ) from Ariel book Shop in Paddington, Sydney, Australia, but they dont stock it any more!"

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I am proud to say I write for the Chap and am on the cover of the cuurent issue!

 

[sproily]

Great Scott I must attend the next one!

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Looks alright. I would buy it.

The video reminds me of "upper class twit of the year" though. Watching too much Monty Python makes it hard to take things serious. Freemasons would be another example. :eusa_doh: lol

 

[Tiller]

I always thought the Chap magazine was a group of Situationist who were making fun of the old Young Fogey movement.

 

[Widebrim]

I am proud to say I write for the Chap and am on the cover of the cuurent issue!

And looking good at it, Fleur...

 

[David Conwill]

I am proud to say I write for the Chap and am on the cover of the cuurent issue!

Well done! :eusa_clap

-Dave

 

[grundie]

'Tis tremendous fun indeed. I used to attend the meetings a few years ago when I lived in England, but since moving to Ireland I've been less involved.

I still go to the yearly punting jaunts to Oxford. You can see pictures on the clubs flickr page. I'm the one with the baby holding a beer bottle (it was empty!).

These jaunts are more fun than you could possibly imagine.

 

[David Conwill]

These jaunts are more fun than you could possibly imagine.

I'll bet! I wish I had friends who would drink beer with me whilst wearing boaters and suits.

Maybe I'll try to start a new Independence Day tradition...

-Dave