## Chapter 236: The Failed Politician, The Successful Fashion Icon (4K)
Though stories like “The Million Pound Bank Note” were just fiction, if such a thing as a poor boy suddenly becoming a millionaire were to actually happen, and if he were to ask a true old Londoner for advice on how to dress like a true gentleman who frequented high society, the old Londoner would likely suggest he visit Regent Street or Jermyn Street, just a short distance away.
Regent Street, built in 1811, was commissioned by King George IV during his regency. While George IV had his fair share of flaws, it must be acknowledged that during his regency and reign, he played a significant role in developing the commercial streets of London’s West End.
The design and planning of Regent Street swept away the chaos and narrowness that had plagued London for centuries due to fires, floods, and large-scale, disorderly expansion. This wide, bright street, upon its completion in 1821, quickly became the most dazzling shopping district in the commercial city of London.
Here, you could see dignitaries and nobles shopping with their servants, and amidst the bustling crowds, countless middle-class gentlemen and ladies who wanted to emulate the lifestyle of the upper class, willing to spend a fortune to buy themselves a decent outfit.
Of course, some old-fashioned Londoners still refused to acknowledge Regent Street’s position as the new center of fashion. They stubbornly insisted that Regent Street was just a place for women to pick out new dresses and trinkets, while true London gentlemen should go to Jermyn Street, just a block away, to tailor their clothes and buy pipes and tobacco.
Jermyn Street, founded in 1664, held a unique place in the hearts of old London gentlemen. As London’s renowned “Men’s Street,” you could find everything a 19th-century man needed on this street, no more than a few hundred meters long. Well, except for women, of course.
Indeed, in recent years, Jermyn Street’s status as a men’s sanctuary has been challenged by Savile Row, but in the past decade, the two have gradually developed their own distinct characteristics.
Savile Row is known for its morning coats, dinner jackets, frock coats, and smoking jackets, while Jermyn Street firmly defends its position as the highest standard for men’s shirts, hats, and shoes.
Arthur, pipe in mouth, stood at the intersection of Jermyn Street and Regent Street, listening to Mr. Disraeli, the defeated theatrical politician and editor of “The Englishman,” recount the history of the two men’s streets with great detail. He simply tapped his pipe down, flicking the ash with his fingertips.
Disraeli, upon seeing this, frowned slightly: “Arthur, you need to pay attention to your ash-cleaning posture. And look at your attire! Who told you to wear a uniform to this place? I don’t ask you to dress as stylishly as Beau Brummell, the Royal Clothing Advisor, but at least get yourself some decent fitting clothes. You have so much money from your writing, you can’t just put it all in the bank!”
Arthur looked down at his tailcoat and white gloves, then raised his arm, finally nodding in agreement: “I think this outfit is quite comfortable. It doesn’t restrict movement and doesn’t affect my ability to handle special situations. On the other hand, my formal attire for attending banquets is really uncomfortable. One jab and the enemy hasn’t fallen, but my shoulder might be dislocated.”
Disraeli, upon hearing this, simply shook his head in disapproval: “That’s because you haven’t chosen a suitable outfit. Never mind, we have nothing else to do today, so let me take you to pick out a decent casual jacket. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare take you for a stroll around the neighborhood with you dressed like that.”
“But I don’t have much money on me today.”
“No money? I’ll pay for you first, and I’ll deduct it from your share when we settle your writing fees and profits next time.”
Without waiting for Arthur’s response, Disraeli pushed him towards a clothing store on the side of the street.
Before long, the door of the clothing store was pushed open again. The police officer Arthur, just moments ago, had seemingly vanished. In his place, a London banker emerged, wearing a top hat, a black half-tailcoat, a simple black waistcoat and buttonless white shirt, beige tight-fitting breeches, and carrying a walking stick.
Disraeli followed behind Arthur, admiring the masterpiece he had carefully chosen. He tapped on the shop window with his hand, saying: “Look, Arthur, you’ll be much more comfortable walking around Regent Street in this outfit.”
Arthur gazed at his reflection in the shop window, smoothed his hair, then looked around.
Disraeli, seeing this, couldn’t help but look around as well. As he searched, he asked: “What are you looking at? Is there a beauty there?”
Arthur simply replied: “Where’s the lamppost? I need a rope.”
Disraeli, hearing this, couldn’t help but laugh. He patted Arthur on the chest: “What? You think you’re so handsome you need to hang yourself? But don’t worry, Arthur, before you hang yourself, the ladies will have taken all the lampposts. You might as well jump into the Thames.”
Arthur, hearing this, just shrugged: “The Thames? That’s full too. Maybe Alexander is in there right now.”
“Alexander drowned?” Disraeli was startled: “His next month’s article isn’t finished yet!”
Arthur calmly said: “No, don’t worry, Benjamin. If Alexander drowned, it would be a tragedy. But if he didn’t drown, it would be a disaster. And I believe that with Alexander’s size, even if he fell into the Thames, he would most likely float. So, you might as well worry about him later and introduce me to some perfume shops on Regent Street.”
Disraeli finally realized Arthur was joking and laughed: “Don’t let Alexander hear you say that. I heard he recently bought a good gun and showed it off to me the other day. You’re so mean to him, you might provoke him into challenging you to a duel.”
“That’s not bad, is it?” Arthur took out his empty tobacco pouch and glanced at it: “He comes to duel me, then the good gun is mine.”
Disraeli also saw Arthur’s empty pouch: “No tobacco? Why don’t we go find a tobacco shop? I know a good one on Jermyn Street. After Eld disappeared, you haven’t been able to get the real smuggled goods from the Royal Navy, have you?”
Arthur nodded slightly: “I can still get some from the West India Docks occasionally, but the taste isn’t as strong as Eld’s. Since you recommend it, let’s go to Jermyn Street. I remember there should be a perfume shop there as well.”
“No, no, no.” Disraeli corrected as he led the way: “Jermyn Street only sells men’s cologne. For women’s perfumes, like the old London brands Floris, Creed, or the French Guerlain, you have to go to Regent Street.”
Walking through the bustling streets, Arthur pushed up his monocle, which held no remaining value, and asked:
“Why are you so familiar with all this? I know you’re a writer, and you’re also a lawyer. I didn’t expect you to be so knowledgeable about the fashion world.”
Disraeli, hearing this, merely twisted his collar with pride: “Arthur, you don’t know. Whether it’s a writer or a lawyer, it all comes down to dealing with people. I’m a fashion novelist, and to write good fashion novels, I naturally have to understand the latest fashion trends.
As for lawyers, even though I’m not doing it anymore, a truly capable lawyer’s value doesn’t just lie in winning cases, but also in whether you can get a steady stream of cases. Without expanding your social circle and becoming the center of attention at parties, you won’t be able to go far in the legal profession.”
Arthur nodded slightly: “That makes some sense. So, how’s your social circle expansion plan going?”
Disraeli, as if he had been waiting for this question, proudly pulled out a crumpled newspaper from his pocket and unfolded it in front of Arthur: “Look, Arthur, look, tell me what it says.”
Arthur bent down and glanced at it, reading it word for word: “Today’s outfit recommendation comes from fashion newcomer Benjamin Disraeli, who will share his insights on wearing a frock coat for the first time in this newspaper: a bright orange waistcoat, red trousers, and a short frock coat, this is the most fashionable casual gentleman’s attire this year. As we all know, frock coats are becoming a new favorite among London gentlemen, and the reason my frock coat looks so unique is that I’ve adopted a new pleating method at the waist, creating a perfectly smooth curve at the waist. Here are my pleating insights…”
Disraeli, hearing this, smiled even wider. His pride and arrogance were evident even to the horse tied to the lamppost eating oats.
“Arthur, how’s that? Didn’t expect it, did you? I’m becoming a leading figure in the London fashion scene, just like Mr. Brummell.”
Arthur, hearing this, simply looked at Disraeli and slowly shook his head: “Whether you become a leading figure or not is not that important, but I think you should be honest with your readers.”
“Honest?” Disraeli looked displeased: “Where am I not honest? I’ve shared all the methods of pleating with my readers without reservation.”
“Of course, but that’s not what I’m talking about.” Arthur pointed at Disraeli’s slender waist: “I’m talking about this, your waist has nothing to do with how you pleat. For a man’s waist to be so thin, I seriously doubt you’re wearing ladies’ corsets.”
Disraeli, hearing this, instantly became like a rat with its tail stepped on. His face flushed red, and he muttered: “Damn it! Arthur, how did you figure it out?”
Arthur, of course, wouldn’t say he got the inspiration from Victor Hugo from France. He simply replied: “Benjamin, don’t forget, I’m a policeman, and I’m also a detective. I can tell what you’ve done at a glance. But…”
Arthur reached out and pulled on Disraeli’s collar. A snap sounded as the elastic band snapped against Disraeli’s shoulder blades, causing him to almost cry out in pain.
Arthur was surprised: “You really are wearing it?”
“What else?” Disraeli was furious: “Alright, you know, I know, no one else can know.”
“Not even God?”
“Of course not. If he knew, he would punish me!”
“If you truly respected God, you wouldn’t do this.”
“Shut up! Arthur!”
Arthur and Disraeli argued and bickered all the way, causing passersby to glance at them.
However, this attention didn’t last long, as everyone thought it was just a banker arguing with his partner over a financial dispute, something not uncommon in London, and not worth making a fuss over.
The two of them, arguing and bickering, walked into a small shop on Jermyn Street with a sign that read “Men Only, Ladies Forbidden.” As soon as they pushed the door open, they heard the sound of a pleasant bell.
The clerk standing at the front door, responsible for guarding against thieves, first examined their attire, then recognized Disraeli’s familiar face, and smiled politely: “Mr. Disraeli, you’re a regular customer. I won’t explain anything unnecessary, just pick what you want. If you have any requests, just ask me or the other clerks.”
As soon as he entered the store, Disraeli shed his noisy demeanor, his stern and serious expression making him look like a true London gentleman.
“Thanks. I’m here to pick up some tobacco and cologne for my friend. My friend is a bit of a connoisseur, used to smoking the real goods from the West Indies. Do you have any authentic stuff from Santo Domingo? Don’t try to fool us, we’ll know if it’s real or not just by tasting it.”
The clerk, hearing this, simply smiled: “Mr. Disraeli, what are you saying? Although our things are a bit more expensive than outside, the quality is top-notch. It seems the regular items on the first floor won’t satisfy you today. Go directly to the second floor with your friend. Pick whatever you want there. If you can taste any fake, you can return it to us anytime.”
Disraeli asked again: “What about the cologne?”
The clerk smiled and said: “You’re lucky today. We have a new perfume blender in our store. After you and your friend have chosen your tobacco, you can go to the perfume room behind and ask for a custom blend. Any raw materials, any fragrance, just tell us, and we’ll finish it on the spot and deliver it on the spot. With this kind of production method, we wouldn’t dare to fake it in front of you, would we?”
(End of Chapter)