Issue 7 - How to dress like a New Romantic
Follow me down the rabbit hole.
Things I like: note, this week is all about a singular subject I can’t stop thinking about.
The Leigh Bowery exhibit I mentioned last week recently sent me down a rabbit hole of New Romantics, a British youth subculture that surfaced in the club scene of the late 70s and ended in the early 80s. It was like a mix of camp dandyism, glam rock androgyny, and seriously dressing up with pirate and Regency influences.
This 1981 photo of Bowery’s friends/artists Trojan and Mark Vaultier was in the show and it’s stuck in my head. (Notice Trojan’s ear; “he once tried to cut off his own ear, in an echo of Vincent van Gogh, because he was fed up with people copying his looks.”)
Here’s what I’ve learned since
The New Romantic movement developed in London and Birmingham at the same time. It emerged out of “David Bowie and Roxy Music themed nights, run during 1978” in a club called Billy’s.
Two stores are said to have propagated the style first: Helen Robinson and Steph Raynor’s PX in London, and Jane Kahn and Patti Bell’s Kahn & Bell in Birmingham.
In the beginning they called these yutes Blitz Kids, New Dandies, and Romantic Rebels.
Enter Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren—when Sid Vicious and Punk “died” in 1979, the two started to wonder what would come next. With New Romantics emerging and inspired by Douglas Botting’s The Pirates, they blended it all together in a new stylistic direction and brought it to the mainstream.
In 1984, John Galliano had his first ever runway collection, Les Incroyables. What American Apparel was to my generation was what looking swashbuckling was to Galliano’s. You know what I mean?
The movement was brief, but Vivienne Westwood referenced it periodically, most recently in her RTW Autumn 2021 collection (RIP The Queen Mother)—and so did many others.
How we got here
I was sitting on the subway this week looking for something to listen to when I remembered how good the Marie Antoinette soundtrack is. And well whaddya know!?
The playlist includes Adam & the Ants, Siouxsie and the Banshees, New Order, and Gang of Four, all of which provided the sound of the New Romantic era. So then I got into all of those bands and now I’m in even deeper.
Side note, it must suck to be one of the faces of a style you don’t claim lol.
Random but pertinent: I realized while writing this that Chappell Roan gives modern day New Romantic.
So what’s the point of this piece
…how can I incorporate the New Romantic into my wardrobe in a way that feels modern and wearable?
I recently bought these Vivienne Westwood Red Label pants (I believe the style is called ‘Alien pants’) that I paired with my Alex belt—I was feeling like a buccaneer.
This is where my New Romantic wardrobe begins, and if I could take it further with no budget limitations, this is where I’d go. Follow along.
How to dress like a New Romantic
Jackets
Starting off with this $17,250 feather cardigan and $15,310 coat, from the Loewe X Howl’s Moving Castle collab. A lot of people DIY’ed the charm coat on Tiktok and it seems like a fun and worthwhile project.
Stop being a coward and get yourself a Hussar jacket like this one with a fur trim, this original 19th century one, or this incredible all white one.
Tailcoats are a must, like this one from the 1930s. Here’s a Givenchy one for a good price. If you want to throw it all away (and by it, I mean your money) then this Comme des Garçons one is a good option.
Finally, something cloak-like seems to be a staple of the style. I’ll take this $2,910 silk cloak from The Row, please. This MM6 one works too.
Tops
Vivienne Westwood bustiers are an obvious choice, this one is pricey but you could find more affordable options on the secondary market; this painterly one is insane, and this kiss one is only $231. I also have a drunken shirt and I love it so much, they’re very flattering and come in tons of colors and patterns.
I would also need an extremely billowy blouse with matching bloomers for that Regency-person-in-their-underwear look.
I think this Alexandre Vaultier blouse is the ultimate dream (it’s couture, so dream on) but I found a few alternatives: another Vaultier one for $225, a Balenciaga one for $1,190, and a Ralphie one for $40.
Bottoms
These pants with exaggerated pleats from Sage Nation.
These Muller Of Yoshiokubo pants with built-in suspenders.
These trompe l’oeil trousers by JPG.
I like to think that Simone Rocha is somewhat of a modern day New Romantic. These bloomers are great for layering and this trapped carnation skirt is so pretty. All the pieces with trapped flowers are so deeply good. Here’s a really New Romantic dress on TRR for only $199, and a frilly skirt for $485.
Shoes
For footwear, I was thinking about the custom Manolo Blahnik’s made for that scene in Marie Antoinette…
…which then led me to discover this brand called American Duchess that makes 18th century style shoes. I’m freaking the fuck out. The buckle ones??!!
Even Simone Rocha is doing a Regency style heel now. Who knew?
Finally, Westwood pirate boots. Hear me out! I wasn’t crazy about them until I saw a really cool girl wearing them (she worked at the store in London) and I’m sold now. Here’s what the new ones look like, the older ones look like this or this. These size 5’s are only $188. An ancient pair for almost $4,000 anyone?
Accessories
Consider an absolutely massive hat with pins on it, like these from Anna Sui Spring 2007 RTW and Chanel Fall 2024.
Mark my words: one day I will have an extravagant brooch collection. I WILL have this 1,800 € Schiaparelli face brooch. Until then, there are a ton of dupes on Etsy. A touch of surrealism is very New Romantic.
This Tao Comme Des Garçons cotton cloth brooch is really cool (pin it to your enormous billowy blouse) and I actually have this Natan feather brooch in orange and pin it to my coat when I want something a little extra.
Finally, leg warmers are a big part of the layered and deconstructed vibe required for New Romantics. Isa Boulder makes some really cool pairs if you’re looking for something more intricate. As always, there’s a cheaper Free People dupe for that.
Wild card items:
FIN!
“What American Apparel was to my generation was what looking swashbuckling was to Galliano’s.” I screamed