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Style Cycles: Golf

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Bobby Jones and fellow golfers found at Black Watch

This summer of sport has seen a heightened interest in many activities that would ordinarily go unnoticed by my sport-loathing self. But the sartorial semiotics of sporting attire do interest me, and I’ve always had a soft spot for plus fours. So naturally the Bompas and Parr crazy golf course currently residing on the roof of Selfridges piqued my interest. Designed by jellymongers and food architects Sam Bompas and Harry Parr, the 9-hole golf course revisits Selfridges’ first introduction of mini golf on its roof back in the 1930s (that Gordon Selfridge loved a bit of frivolity) and the course has been designed to look like a giant display of cakes, one for each hole, representing famous London landmarks. Believe it or not, crazy golf has been hitting the headlines recently as pointed out by The Guardian; the seeming innocuity of novelty golf has the power to shock when coupled with the controversial artwork of the Chapman Brothers.

Golf has a long history of attracting natty dressers, and obvs I was keen to live up to this formidable reputation. And so there were a number of people I turned to when looking for inspiration. Bobby Jones was an American amateur golfer throughout the 1920s whose standards of fair play combined with his sporting prowess have seen him go down in history as an archetype of great sportsmanship and sartorial flair. A lawyer by profession, he competed successfully against the world’s top professional golfers and he dominated competitions to become the most successful amateur golfer ever. Bobby was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

Bobby Jones found at 42nd Black Watch

But even more than Bobby Jones, it was the Duke of Windsor that was on my mind when dressing for the big day. Despite the Duke of Windsor’s ambiguous politics he was undeniably a sartorial heavyweight and helped to popularise a number of checked designs as well as argyle which became a Pringle of Scotland staple from the 1920s. It’s believed that argyle initially hails from the tartan of Clan Campbell in Argyll, western Scotland, and has been used for kilts, plaids and patterned socks since the 17th century. Read more about the Duke of Windsor’s sporting style at Black Watch.

Edward, Prince of Wales by Sir William Orpen (1927); Prince of Wales, c. 1925 from the Library of Congress; Prince of Wales rust Harris tweed golfing suit (1924), jacket by Scholte of London, plus fours by Forster & Sons. Found at Black Watch.

Yet another golfing hero has to be the golfer-turned-magician Gloria Minoprio who scandalised society by being the first woman golfer to play in trousers, flouting the rules of the Ladies’ Golf Union. She was not only unconventional in her dress, she also used a single golf club to play across all terrain. In later years she even travelled to India to perform her magic acts for the Maharajahs.

Gloria Minoprio by Bassano, 1936, at the National Portrait Gallery; and in her trousers that caused such a stir in October 1933 from Getty Images

Luckily enough, one of my FAVE outfits is a plus four set in dogtooth check custom made by my friend Amechi. I coupled it with a golf cap from Francois who runs Vintage King in Camden (it’s new stock bought in to accompany items just like my plus four set). My choice of heeled brogues was also inspired by the GhilliesKiltiesWing Tips and Saddle Oxfords traditionally worn to play golf in. More on the history of golf shoes here. Not bad, but next time I’ll definitely try to remedy the lack of argyle.

My inspirations: California’s I Magnin’s culottes (1936) found at The Painted Woman; jockey outfit; myself, ready for Crazy Golf

The history of golf is closely aligned with Scotland (see argyle, above) which is why it’s also associated with tartans and checks. Rob Flowers, my golfing date, wore Royal Stewart Tartan trousers, which also happens to be the personal tartan of Her Madge.

Harpers found at Shelley Davies; checked golfers found at The Golf StarRob Flowers

The female golfer was a favorite image for advertisers in the 1920s and 30s as the sport gained in popularity among women players (more at The Painted Woman). While my own predilection for plus fours is certainly not waning, here are some of the best alternative golfing outfits I came across in my travels.

Bonwit Teller Sports catalogue (1925) found at Fuzzy Lizzie; Vichy golf poster found at Shelley Davies; Bonwit Teller Sports catalogue (1925) found at Fuzzy Lizzie
1920s illustration; Royal of California ad (1949) found at Fuzzy Lizzie; Gossard ad (1924) found at Fuzzy Lizzie
Jean Harlow found at The Painted Woman; Max Factor ad (1959) found at Fuzzy Lizzie; Macy’s ‘Swing in gray (1936) found at The Painted Woman
Serbin golf clothing advert featuring Jane Russell (1949) found here; Pepsi ad (1957) found at Lost Toronto; The American Golfer (1951) found at Fuzzy Lizzie

Golfing in action!

Crazy golf, Bomaps and Parr-style!

For more you can visit the British Golf Museum in St Andrews, especially their clothing collection; and you can check out Fuzzy Lizzie for a comprehensive history of women’s golf attire in the States. Tickets for Bompas and Parr crazy golf are available throughout September. BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE.


Tagged: Bompas and Parr, Crazy Golf, Golf, Plus Fours, Prince of Wales, Rob Flowers, Selfridges, Tartan

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