Dear Anglophiles:  If we wish to set ourselves apart from the crowd, to shine brighter than the masses, there is no better or easier way to do so than to use exceedingly good manners.  The British are renown for their courteousness, though, even in Britain, many claim the art form is dying a fast death.  As Anglophiles, I believe we all should do our best, wherever we reside, to uphold this fine British tradition.  We are, after all, a distinctive lot! 

In this day and age, when we are in a situation that requires the nearly lost art of "small talk," we tend to whip out our cell phones and bury our noses in them, as though some pressing matter has captured our attention.  An exercise I suggest we all try the next time we're in an awkward social situation is to keep our cell phones in our pockets, look the human being(s) we are with in the eye, and force ourselves to make pleasant conversation.  And remember: "pleasant conversation" is generally not defined as talking about ourselves; it's generally construed as talking about the weather or other innocuous topics or showing an interest in the other person.  This exercise may sound scary, but we're Anglophiles, and I believe we can master this!

In a book I purchased at Twinning Tea, in London, entitled The Etiquette of Politeness, Good Sense and Good Manners, one section is dedicated to conversation.  The book suggests these pointers when conversing with others:

• Moderate you voice (speaking neither too loudly or too softly).

• Do not introduce a topic suddenly; allow the previous subject to be completed, allowing others to express their opinions.  (And men should remember to be attentive listeners to women, which is sometimes not the case.)

• Do not display narrow-mindedness, nor make general statements (e.g., all lawyers/doctors are bad), which may cause controversy.

• Do not deliver long monologues; doing so will label you a Bore.

• Engage in story-telling judiciously.  And if you're on the receiving end of injudicious story-telling, try to use "Christian forbearance."

If you would like to learn more about British etiquette, the links below are for you!

• To read Ask Men's Etiquette of a Gentleman (The True Marks of a Gentleman), click HERE

• To read The Perfect Gentleman's A Gentlemanly Approach to Business and Networking, click HERE

• To read Culture Question's About the Manners of Gentlemen in Britain, click HERE

Courteous behavior, alone, is enough to make one rise to the top of the pack, but when we couple nice manners with nice dress, we achieve a true mark of distinction.  To get ideas about sartorial choices, check out GQ's Photo Gallery of Britain's "Best Dressed Men" HERE

British etiquette expert William Hanson has special words of advice for women.  To read his article in The Telegraph, entitled Five Ways to be a "Lady" in the 21st Century, click HERE

I recently saw Glamour UK's list of "Best Dressed Women" and was not amused with the photo of the winner, Kristen Stewart, in a dress that rendered her nearly nude.  The dress looked expensive, but it made her look cheap.  For a real style icon. . .for one that exudes fine taste. . .I believe we should study the sartorial choices of our beloved Kate Middleton, aka Duchess of Cambridge.  To see StyleList's Photo Gallery of Kate Middleton's  clothing, click HERE

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Dear Anglophiles: Today's guest post is written by Kristen Hurst.  Enjoy!

HOW TO DRESS A ROYAL BUMP:
MATERNITY WEAR FIT FOR A QUEEN
by
KRISTEN HURST

Yes, truth be told, I’m a bit of an Anglophile.  Actually it’s more than a bit, but ‘bit’ sounds more English, like ‘Fancy a bit of sugar in that?’   Not that I use Briticisms often, well, I try to, but I receive odd looks from the stressed-out barista at the local Starbucks when I order a ‘cuppa’.  Bollocks to those wankers! 

Anyway, back to my love affair with all things English.  My lifelong penchant probably had origins from those charming Peter Rabbit stories, (the ones with the little animals donned to the Ts in English ensembles), forever etching their indelible stamp upon my childhood.  Even my own parents couldn’t understand my obsession with servants, serving trays, silverware, fox hunts, teatime and were often irritated with my desire to have ‘roasted pheasant and Yorkshire pudding’ brought into the ‘drawing room,’ which of course, we didn’t have. 

But my British love affair has never ebbed; as a matter of fact, it’s even stronger today than ever before as I enjoy my latest and greatest British indulgence: Downton Abbey.  (No! Not Lady Sybil – How could it be, we hardly knew you? And Matthew? What can we say about that? Except, Blimey, the whole world’s gone daft!)

So you can imagine, with the wedding of William and Kate Middleton, my Victorian-lensed eyes feasted on their uber-glamorous wedding, one that didn’t fall short of my strict English expectations; an event steeped in royal tradition, regalia, gilded coaches, and be-hatted opulence.  And now, the much-anticipated pregnancy and impending birth of the newest royal has the entire globe holding its collective breath.  In the meantime, the always fashion-savvy Duchess of Cambridge continues to impress with her sophisticated taste, reflected in her choice of clean lines and chic pieces.  

If you are a misplaced Englishwoman and would like to include stylish pieces in your own maternity wardrobe, then take a look below.

• Style. Let’s face it: Kate’s looks consistently adhere to clean lines, elegance and sophistication.  She appears to prefer subtlety over brash and frills, and vibrant blocks of color over prints and pattern.  If you would like something similar, take a look at these maternity clothes.  The clothes are very affordable, timeless and classic (another very English trait).

• Accessories. What’s more British than crumpets or watercress? If I had to guess, I would  say hats.  The crowning piece on any God-fearing, Anglo wardrobe.  And for those of us who watched the royal nuptials, we were treated to ‘piece,’ not really a hat.  But for a quintessential British look, a hat definitely pulls the look together.  As a matter of fact, you are hard pressed to find photos of the Duchess of Cambridge without a hat. 

• Shoes. Well, of course, with all her busy royal duties, the Duchess must consider sensible footwear to accomplish her numerous tasks.  Fashionable and functional is essential not only for the amount of time spent on those royal feet but also for someone who is expecting.  This might be difficult  because her past look included higher-heeled shoes, but no doubt, if anyone can pull off a finished look, Ms. Middleton can. 

Like her deceased mother-in-law, Diana, the Duchess seems destined to be a trendsetter and a fashion icon with many admirers.  She handles her public role with the same poise and class as Diana; a legacy that once seemed impossible to replace, yet, Kate has struck a similar chord with the public.  She manages her obligations with a regal air of efficiency and is the personification of manners, class and dignity.

I do not think we need to worry about Britain’s future with this Duke and Duchess at the helm.  Instead, we can focus our efforts on whether we will be greeting a prince or a princess. 

GUEST WRITER:  Kristen Hurst is a stay-at-home mother of three who enjoys blogging.  She received her bachelor's degree in fashion marketing, and writes often about nursing clothes.  When she's not juggling the lives of Casey, Austin and Ben, she enjoys painting and catching up with a great Jane Austen novel.  You can find her on G+

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NOTICE: Dear Anglophiles, I am currently working on a large writing project and will be unable to blog for a while . . . however, I won't leave you hanging!  Each day I receive scores of interesting emails about Britain and British news, so my future blog posts, until I finish my writing project, will consist of links to some of these wonderful tidbits about Britain or videos that I find particularly interesting.  I hope you enjoy these nuggets!  (I also encourage readers to contact me about writing guest posts.)  Thank you so much for reading Anglophiles United!

BRITISH CLOTHING TERMS TRANSLATED

BRITISH CLOTHING NEWS

• America's wildly popular clothier J Crew is opening in London!  The new shop will locate on Regent Street in November.  To read a Guardian article about J Crew opening in Britain and the company's quirky president and creative director, click HERE
  

• British fashion commentator and media personality Lauren Laverne discusses "rules of dressing,"  To read her article in the Guardian, click HERE
  

• The cycle of fashion: We love it today, we despise it tomorrow, and we buy it again 30 years later in a "vintage clothing store."  You know it's true!  James Laver, Britain's famed costume historian and former "Keeper of the Robes" at the Victoria and Albert Museum, coined Laver's Law to describe this phenomenon.  To read Laver's Law, click HERE
  

• How can I dress like an English girl? . . . You've been wondering, right?  To read a fun essay, in which an American in London tell us how, click HERE

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Dear Anglophiles: I read some interesting fashion news that I must share.  Virgin Atlantic Airways has asked Vivienne Westwood to redesign its flight attendants’ uniforms.  What a brilliant pairing!  Virgin Atlantic, the hippest airline on earth, and Vivienne Westwood, the hippest fashion designer on earth.  Well done, Sir Richard Branson! 

Branson, who founded Virgin Atlantic, said the airline wanted to work with a team who shared “our spirit of adventure, who believes in challenging the status quo and creating something truly memorable.”  He added: “Our current uniform has been around for more than ten years, and we have seen other airlines start to copy it.”  (Cheeky, right?!)

Westwood, who rose to fame for designing punk clothing, has created a uniform design that combines a futuristic look with classic tailoring and 40’s French couture cutting techniques.  The uniforms begin a trial period this July, when a limited number of attendants will test them, and have an official debut in 2014.  Female attendants’ uniforms will include pencil skirts and flattering jackets, and males’ uniforms will be Savile Row-inspired three piece suits.  While such descriptions sound very status quo, we can rest assured that Westwood will add her signature touches of edginess! 

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“I’m a Savile Row tailor.”  Now, that is a statement that commands respect.  Savile Row tailors are the best of the best!  

As Anglophiles, it’s important to know about Savile Row because of its prominence in British fashion history.  For the uninitiated, Savile Row is a street in London where the very best “bespoke tailoring” shops reside.  (A “bespoke tailoring” shop means the shop sells only individual, customized suits rather than mass-market ones.  Some 20 to 30 bodily measurements are taken for a typical bespoke suit.  The term arose from fabrics that the customers chose for their suits being set aside, thus "bespoke.")

Today's prices for Savile Row suits run between $4,600 to $7,000, with most in the $5,300 to $5,900 range.  A suit generally takes six to twelve weeks to produce,  requiring 80 to 100 man-hours and three or four fittings with the customer.   

Nearly all the Savile Row tailors are actually located on Savile Row, but a few are located on adjoining streets, such as Old Burlington St.  Savile Row owes its existence to the third Earl of Burlington.  In the 1730's, when he developed his estate, situated in the Mayfair section of London, a new street was constructed, and the Earl named it "Savile Row " after his wife, Lady Dorothy Savile.  Eventually, a few tailors popped up on the street, and when several famous dandies began frequenting them, the rest is history, as they say.  Since those days, Savile Row has whipped up custom-made suits for many of the world’s top celebrities and world leaders.  The Beatles, Winston Churchill, Napoleon, Cary Grant, the Royals (of course)—and the list goes on and on.

Here is a list of Savile Row's top players, ranked by shop's founding date:

• Gieves & Hawkes (1771)   1 Savile Row
  

• Henry Poole & Co (1806)   15 Savile Row
  

• Norton & Sons (1821)   16 Savile Row
  

• H. Huntsman & Sons (1849)   11 Savile Row

• Dege & Skinner (1865)   10 Savile Row

• Kilgour (1882)   8 Savile Row

• Anderson and Sheppard (1906)   32 Old Burlington St.

• Meyer & Mortimer (1920)   6 Sackville St.

• Hardy Amies (1946)   14 Savile Row

• Chittleborough & Morgan (1969)   12 Savile Row

• Richard James (1992)   29 Savile Row & 19 Clifford Street

The video below features Prince Charles at Anderson & Sheppard, visiting the shop's apprentice tailors--wearing a natty Anderson & Sheppard suit.  This famous house (A&S), founded in 1906, is known for constructing garments that follow a natural body line and allow the body to move easily.  Certainly a suit that a lean, fit prince who engages in much arm waving to the masses would want, right?

I mention Anderson & Sheppard because--in addition to dressing Royals--it offers a tailoring apprenticeship program.  Needless to say, getting accepted to the program is a shining nugget for one’s resume!  The shop also publishes a fascinating web blog called The Notebook. It features articles by Anderson & Sheppard apprentices in which they talk about tailoring, how they became tailors, and how they snagged an A & S apprenticeship.

To read The Notebook blog posts, click HERE  

To read The Notebook's "How I Got Into Tailoring," click HERE  

As this New York Times article points out....not all Savile Row customers are the high and mighty.  Some are folks who buy only one (or a few) nice suits in their lifetime.  

Video of Prince Charles visiting Anderson & Sheppard apprentices

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Purchase: Anna Ben-Yusuf's famous book, Edwardian Hats: The Art of Millinery HERE 

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