Dandy Wellington - Harlem Rhythm

My good friend Dandy Wellington has just released his debut EP "Harlem Rhythm"!  The four tracks - three original compositions - are terrific toe tappers.  I especially love the title track which transports me to just the best party of my dreams.  What I've always loved about Dandy Wellington and His Band is that they create a mood where ever they go.  Their jazz seems to make the night a bit more adventurous, the light a bit more dreamy, the dancers a bit more romantic.   Now you can create that mood whenever you want - this technology thing is brilliant!



The debut of Harlem Rhythm was also an opportunity for me and Dandy to collaborate on a photo shoot.  Even though I've photographed him many times over the five years we've known each other, we hadn't done a "proper" shoot since we first met on the original Dandy Portraits shoot we did for Fine and Dandy Shop in 2010!  We did a few looks, but this amazing midnight blue white tie and tails was just perfect for the cover.

Ragged But Right - A Visit From McDermott & McGough and Barima

David McDermott and Peter McGough outside The Back Room, NYC, Nov 2014

Mike Haar (@mikewillcutyou) hosts a monthly DJ night at The Back Room, and this one was extra special because David McDermott was visiting from Ireland and dropped by with his longtime artistic partner Peter McGough.  If you aren't familiar with the legendary duo you must look up McDermott and McGough!  Their history, philosophy, and work are fascinating. And if that wasn't enough excitement, my friend and I am Dandy book subject Barima Owusu-Nyantekyi was visiting from London.  What a great meeting of worlds!  I hope you enjoy my documentation of the evening.

Peter McGough and Barima

Michael Haar

Darlene and Laura Kimsey

Dandy Wellington

Mister Burton finally gets to meet David McDermott

Matthew Karl Gale

Vanessa and Mr. Haar

As Mister Burton puts it, "A Ripper Street Moment"

Kelly Desmond Bray trying to scare us as we leave The Back Room

I am Dandy on CBS Sunday Morning!

I am beyond thrilled that journalist Serena Altschul loved I am Dandy enough to profile it, along with Dandy Wellington and Ed Hayes, on CBS Sunday Morning!



Happy Father's Day to all those dapper dads out there!

Dandy Wellington Video Portrait

You may have caught a glimpse of Dandy Wellington around the streets of New York, on stage with his band, or on sites such as Humans of New York, or, of course, The Dandy Portraits and the pages of I am Dandy.  Or you might be seeing him for the first time.   In this film made by Rarebit Productions, a collaboration between my husband, Kelly Desmond Bray, and I, we wanted to find out more about the man who calls himself Dandy.

His wardrobe is larger than life, and his boutonniere often precedes him entering a room.  But for Wellington, dressing is the truest of joys - for him "life is a reason to get dressed up".  It's an act of self-creation informed by being a native New Yorker - a place where people aren't afraid to "be bright, be bold".  All the world is a stage and he certainly doesn't "wanna get caught in sweatpants".  How true!

Special thanks to the band featuring Vinny Raniolo (guitar), Eric Wheeler (bass), Ricky Alexander (reed), and Mike Davis (trumpet).  They were recorded live at Hotel Chantelle performing "Lulu's Back in Town" by Al Dubin and Harry Warren, and "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" by Fred E. Ahlert and Joe Young.

I am Dandy - The Journey Begins

My advanced copy of I am Dandy, finally in my hands!

It's a bit obvious these days that I've been neglecting the meaty posts here on The Dandy Portraits.  But you can understand, what with THE BOOK just about to launch!  Very exciting times.  Most of the action is happening on my instagram these days - so head on over and take a look - I use #IamDandy for all the book related posts.  It's just so easy to use on the go - and the video function is pretty fun too!  I'm also posting to the facebook page for the book.

I'll be in London and Paris later this month, and you bet there will be a lot of documentation.

Here's the moment I actually unwrapped my copy of the book...well, it is big, you'll see!


The image below was posted by Marc Sifuentes of the first spotting of the book in Paris.  I don't even know him!




Dandy Wellington playing around with my advanced copy at Against Nature...



Doing a little time in front of the camera for Gestalten.tv for their upcoming video on the book.  I'm trying!  I feel the pain of all those who don't like the camera.




And as my advanced copy makes the rounds, I get to witness people experiencing the project for the first time, which gives me a whole new perspective on the work.  It brings up some damn good discussions, too!

Well Dressed Jazz

You'll find Dandy Wellington and His Band playing downtown, uptown - and classing up the joints all over town.  Even though people haven't been smoking in bars for years now, when the band plays, it almost feels like there's a bit more haze in the air, a bit more swing in the steps of passersby.   And the band, including trumpeter Mike Davis, are quite the dapper bunch.  The whole experience - this is what Wellington likes to call well dressed jazz.

This short was commissioned by Dandy Wellington and produced by Rarebit Productions (me and Kelly Desmond Bray)

If you are in NYC definitely check them out - it's a real good time!

Dandy International Press Alert!

Some international press happening recently.  First, S MODA, a prominent Spanish newspaper, quoted me in a feature "The New Dandies", along with my friends Dandy Wellington, Massimiliano Mocchia di Coggiola, and Steven Hitchcock (photo by Anne Hugus):

Then Dandy Magazine in Paris asked me to send another set of portraits - this time to celebrate fall!  

Now I am getting together a selection of winter dandies... 

Dr. Keith Churchwell at Len Logsdail's in NYC 

Mickael Loir in Paris

Raymond Chu on Doyers Street, NYC 

Winston Chesterfield near his home in Westminster, London.

Dandy Wellington - Film Teaser

At last week's Dandy Talk we played this one minute teaser for the second short film for The Dandy Portraits produced by Rarebit Productions, my film company with Kelly Desmond Bray.  What a surprising treat it was to see it projected in front of an audience!

This time get a peek into the life and philosophy of Dandy Wellington, a man of many talents, and may bow ties.  We follow him from his home in Harlem, thru the streets of Manhattan, to the downtown speakeasies he frequently plays at with his vintage jazz band.

The first in the series on Sean Crowley can be viewed here.

Dandy Talk: Mise en Place

Thomas, Nathaniel, Matt, Dandy Wellington, and Enrique, NYC, Oct 2012

Last night we readied ourselves for the big Dandy Talk this Friday.  The National Arts Club is expecting a maximum capacity crowd (yipee!).  So we all hobnobbed about our take on dandyism, manners, personal style, and how it all connects.  As per usual Natty had some perfect quotes and historical references at the ready.  

The most serious I've ever seen Matt.  Deep in discussion about Beau Brummell, no doubt.

When we were saying goodbye, the variety of neckwear, color, and patterns struck my eye.

Just Dandy

Dandy Wellington after a show at Bishops and Barons, NYC, Aug 2012

Dandy Wellington and His Band will be performing after my Dandy Talk this Friday, October 5 at the National Arts Club.  What I love about his band is that they create a wonderful atmosphere where ever they play.  It feels classic and joyous and intimate.  I can't wait to see these well dressed men (and sometimes ladies!) perform in the grand National Arts Club!

Portraits de Dandys

Dandy Magazine, a French publication, recently did an article on me, and when I received the copy I was blown away at how beautiful it was printed.  Gorgeous.  Also, my name is on the cover (!) - yep, lower right.  Of course I immediately put the text thru google translate, which was hilarious.  Must learn French.  {UPDATE:  see Nathan's translation below!}

Soooo, they asked me to send over a few more portraits for the next issue also!  Look out for upcoming issues, which also include articles by my friend Hugo Jacomet of Parisian Gentleman.

Classic Summer

Michael R Davis, aka "The Kid", plays trumpet in Dandy Wellington's band

A dapper party-goer, Michael R. Davis, and Dandy Wellington at the Seersucker Social

We made our way down to Washington DC once again for the Seersucker Social put on by a purely social endeavor:  Dandies and Quaintrelles.  I don't think we have anything like this in NYC, do we?  It's not a club, not a business, but a social group that puts on events to get people to, well, socialize.

There have been a lot of summer activities and I've been getting out more than usual (yay!), so "Classic Summer" seems to be the theme here on The Dandy Portraits.  A bit of vintage, bit of dandy, bit of Americana - whatever you want to call it, the men I'm meeting strive to dress well no matter what the god awful heat.   By the way, why is a boater a summer hat?  They are so hot to wear!


This man with the great stripes came up to say hello to Wellington, and it turns out he is a fan of The Dandy Portraits!  Now if I could just remember his name.... Help me out if you know him please.

Time to Shine

Dandy Wellington at the Seersucker Social, Washington DC, June 2011

Well, I don't feel like we have earned our springtime this year, due to the absurdly mild winter, but it's here none the less - and that's a good enough reason to celebrate!  This set of bright and sunny shots are from the Seersucker Social in Washington DC at the Hillwood Estate last year.  I went down with journalist Nathaniel "Natty"Adams and Mr. Bray on assignment for the legendary UK magazine The Chap.  By a strange twist of fate the story ran in in depths of winter.  Now that the birds are chirping, it seems like the perfect time to finally give them their moment on the blog. 

Mr. Bray's pocket puff and boater

The official American correspondent for The Chap, Nathaniel "Natty" Adams, working hard in his lime green seersucker.


Natty did a costume change...into a three piece pink seersucker suit from Doyle Mueser.  The kind of suit that says, "I will conquer the DC heat with my mind alone!"



Just look at him...he was even more amazing than you see.   Lots of inspiration down in DC.

Vaudeville performer Izzy Aster's bow tie

A bit like old Calcutta

Eric Channing Brewer after the Seersucker Social, Washington DC, June 2011

Eric is the founder of Dandies and Quaintrelles, the DC group responsible for getting nine hundred people (yes, nine hundred), to wear seersucker...or at least support the wearing of seersucker.  Bravo!