Fred Astaire Style

"American 'cool' started with Astaire's fine art of understatement." "Astaire wore white ties and tails as though they were pajamas, and a tuxedo as though it were a part of his everyday routine, rather than borrowed from some Prussian general. It wasn't supposed to look perfect; it was supposed to look natural. It worked then, and it works now. It's what genius and style are all about." Fred Astaire Style is a beautifully-written memoire by one of my favorite authors G. Bruce Boyer, and it would be a great addition to your coffee table book collection. G. Bruce Boyer specifically explained the style icon’s rise to stardom through film and dance, but most importantly, his impeccable, elegant style. This book is a great example of using the written word to further clarify an individual’s character through pictures.

 This memoire about Astaire is brief, yet comprehensive. Between dancing, acting, singing, and inspiring many of us through dress, Astaire was easily a jack of all trades. Rudolf Nureyev declared him “the greatest American dancer in American history” along with Irving Berlin, considered one of the most successful songwriters of the twentieth century, proudly boasting about how “he’d rather have Astaire sing his songs than anyone else.” Through all the praise, Astaire continued to show great humility…a trait we can all use more of. Boyer explains: “A dozen films later, he was still telling beautiful women—in this case, Rita Hayworth in You Were Never Lovelier (1942)—that he was just ‘a plain, ordinary guy from Omaha, Nebraska.”

 “A symbol of prewar democratization, this charming dandy also replaced pomp and circumstance with nonchalance for practical reasons: being a dancer, Astaire’s clothes had to be comfortable, they had to move with him.” — G. Bruce Boyer

 Frederick Austerlitz—the name Astaire was born with—was an influential figure who continues to inspire many…myself included (he was my style hero). G. Bruce Boyer has done all of us a great deed of highlighting a portion of Astaire’s story and numerous talents. Don’t let your guests leave your presence without them being aware of the forever wonderful Fred Astaire.