Monday 19 November 2012

Eton College Style - British Heritage that has Fashioned the Future


I love this red waist coat with skull and cross bones embellishment worn proudly by this Eton College pupil for Chapel. After choosing the colours and the theme the waist coat was designed by him as reward for winning an inter house competition and made up lovingly for him by his mother...
The Eton Scholar is defined by the black cloak that is worn with the traditional black suit, waistcoat and tails, note the famous Eton collar ....... 
By nature man is tribal, what we wear communicates which tribe we belong to.  Note the stylish tails and long trousers, bought deliberately long, the boys keep them for the duration of their time at the college and their growth is mapped by the eventual length...... 
Eton boys walking to watch 'The Wall Game' in stylish Scottish Tartan quilts. The Tartan was designed by 'Wilson's of Bannockburn' in the 18th Century. 

The house system is reflective of man's motivational need to compete and work as a team.
The house colours are the plumes worn with pride at inter house competitions. These boys are about to compete against a rival Eton College House in the historical Wall Game. 


A haka like display of unity and the boys are off to compete.

This pack mentality is reflected in all Sports many of which if not most were invented by the British....The Wall Game has not been adopted universally - though it probably was the seed that spawned Rugby....

Note the face paint, you go to any Football or Rugby match and the spectators adorn the same proud declaration of clan/tribe /team membership and support.

These stripes have been worn for over 250 years 



The opposition arrive over the Wall in their House colours







The Wall Game, the rival team in orange and purple house colours jump over the wall ready to compete

The house colours mix in as the different teams combine and compete...
Note the spectators stripy socks that reflect their house colours...
Shooting the Competition ! - Eton Rifles but in the form of a Camera ..

Eton College's historical setting...
Practical stylish winter jackets worn here by two sisters of Eton boys...

I really like this blue plaid coat dress worn with black drain pipe jeans and back zip leather boots...

His and her style, classic jeans and practical brown leather knee boots worn with a tweed jacket, hers is unaffected and effortlessly stylish

I didn't spot any Barbour jackets at Eton...this is because no one likes the jacket that has the logo emblazoned on the front, discreet is the order of the day...

His and her style.... I like her tweed jacket and the statement pocket detail at the front
I particularly liked the style of this young lady in the centre, her pleated print skirt worn with a belted cardigan and opaque tights and a black above knee coat looks great...

Love them or hate them the English Public school has had an enormous influence on Mens fashion for Centuries. It is a uniform and genre of fashion that is based on tradition and tribalism. The rest of the world admires and copies....
One may call it a form of elitism but it is in human nature to aspire and it is a need to compete that is the life blood that pumps through every ambitious generations veins.
Testament to this is the fact that the Luxury brand industry headed mainly at the moment by the French in the form of LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) and PPR ( Pinault Printemps Redoute) now the Kering Group is enjoying buoyant sales and share prices.
Our plumes or lack of them reflects our lifestyle, aspirations, status and tribe membership...

Copyright - Schelay McCarter
Words and Photographs Schelay McCarter - Pls credit