What's it like to be one?

To someone outside of the circle, being a victorian gentelman seems simple. A bit of mystery, a quiet composure and a rugged countenance.

The byronic hero of Jekyll and Hyde is described as...

"lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow loveable"

To the average man, this may seem easy. But to live a life of a victorian gentelman, you have to have discipline. Like Mr Utterson, even if you enjoy the theatre you must not dare to cross the doors of one.

That is not the victorian way.

To become one there is a dedication required, but there are many rewards to reap. That is, however, if you even fit the requirements.

The requirements...

• Aristocractic men have the right to be one at birth (but paradoxically that alone does not make someone one)
• If you're a new industrial or mercantile elite you have a chance (the aristocrats will disagree however...)
• Church of England Clergy
• British Army Officer
• A recipient of traditional liberal education in the elite public schools (Eton, Harrow, etc. )

If you're not one of the above, it's sadly said that you can not claim to be a true victorian gentelman. However, that's not to be said that embodying some of the traits won't help you out in your life.

The traits

In combination with the requirements, a gentelman must act a certain way to keep his status.

The author Ruskins, writes of the gentelman code...

"is what the word says, that he comes from a pure gens, or is perfectly bred. After that, gentleness and sympathy, or kind dispositionand fine imagination."

and...

"Gentlemen have to learn that it is no part of their duty of privilege to live on other people's toil"

Victorian Gentelmen should make their own way in life and act in every situation with the upmost honour and respect for those around them.

Fashion

Men's clothes should be formal and elegant - for both use during work hours and into leisure.

A Victorian Gentelmen should stay in line with the fashionable trends of the day, but of course not let into his ego or be excessively extravagent.

The trends of victorian fashion will be something we will go into in another article.

Keep your hair short, your beads pointed and your mustaches generous.

Stay tuned for more articles, and take the quiz, and earn your V-Card!

Listen into some more of our articles to truly understand whether you can be a victorian gentelman.

Then take the quiz and join the club.

The club is called the Victorian Gentelmen Club and in entering you will earn a personalised Victorian Gentelman Members Club Card (V-Card for short)