Mid-Week Movie – Kind Hearts and Coronets

This week has been busy, and as a break I treated myself to a glass of port and 1949′s Kind Hearts and Coronets.  Alec Guiness plays about 90% of the characters, and to great avail.  The film has a Wildean wit, with an Edwardian flair.  Needless to say, I enjoyed it.

One thing struck me as particularly interesting wardrobe wise – other than the multitude of garish frock coats of course.  During a scene in his St. James’s apartments, our anti-hero Louis Mazzini is lounging about in the wonderfully eccentric dressing gown pictured above.  Before the 1930s or so, the dressing gown usually had these broad peak lapels, although we are now used to the more elegant shawl collar.  Gentleman’s Gazette has a great article on this transformation here.  The moiré silk doesn’t do Signore Mazzini any favors in keeping things in good taste, but there you have it.

Well, if you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend it.  Enjoy the rest of the week, and best of luck until the weekend.