An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List
459. The Suit, Savile Row, and Smartly Dressed Men
June 09, 2024
Description
Books Referenced
Author: P.G. Wodehouse
Context:
Referenced at the opening of the episode as the 1916 story in which Bertie Wooster and Jeeves first meet, used to illustrate the dynamic around suit-wearing and fashion standards.
Author: David Kuchter
Context:
Explicitly described as 'the brilliantly named book' when discussing Charles II's invention of the suit as 'a royalist appropriation of Republican opposition to fashion.'
Author: George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith
Context:
Described as 'that brilliant comic novel' about Mr. Pooter, a clerk who lives in Holloway, used to illustrate the tension between traditional frock coat wearers and those adopting the newer lounge suit style.
Author: James Shepard
Context:
Explicitly mentioned as 'a brilliant book' that the speaker read while researching, providing information about the early history of Savile Row including that it was initially occupied by doctors.
Author: Lance Richardson
Context:
Explicitly described as 'a brilliant book' about Tommy Nutter, quoted to describe Nutter's limited technical tailoring skills and the revolutionary style of Nutters of Savile Row.
Author: Jules Verne
Context:
Referenced when discussing Savile Row's global reputation, noting that the fictional character Phileas Fogg lives at seven Savile Row.