The Chap
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2015) |
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| Editor | Gustav Temple |
|---|---|
| Categories | Men's lifestyle |
| Frequency | Bi-monthly |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| Website | Official website |
The Chap is a British bi-monthly magazine and related books, founded in 1999 by Gustav Temple and Vic Darkwood, and still edited by Gustav Temple. Printed in B5 format the magazine proposes a return to a more dandified way of life, involving the wearing of tweed and fine clothes, proper head wear, pipe smoking, cultivating facial hair (especially moustaches), quality handmade shoes, and sharply pressed trousers.
The magazine is predominantly a mixture of articles on clothing, sport (mainly cricket and horse racing) and tobacco-related articles interspersed with humorous jokes and guidance on etiquette. The "Am I a Chap" section sees people send photos of themselves dressed in vintage attire which the magazine's editors often deride. Each magazine usually features an interview conducted by Michael Attree and feature articles on things related such as Bartitsu.[1] Earlier editions were often more-in-cheek with articles such as "A Year in Catford".[2]
While Chappism appreciates British culture and loves tradition, it is rooted in the Situationist strand of anarchism with more than the occasional nod to Dada.[3] It is also indebted to Monty Python, Peter Cook, Spike Milligan and Viv Stanshall as much as it is to the avant-garde.
Manifesto and protests
The Chap features a 10-point manifesto including the virtues of smoking, never wearing denim jeans, and the growing of facial hair. The magazine has organised several mock protests; against modern art installations;[4] and at the future children's wear outlet of Abercrombie and Fitch at No. 3 Savile Row.[5]
Avoiding closure
In May 2009, the magazine nearly closed due to financial issues arising from publishing a larger A4 format magazine. To keep going The Chap asked its readership and subscribers to donate funds. Additionally, Viz Magazine financially supported the magazine. It returned to its B5 format to reduce printing costs.[6]
Chap Olympiad
The Chap hosts an annual summer Chap Olympiad, normally held in Bedford Square Gardens, London.[7]
Books
| Title | Year | Type | Pages | Author |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking for Chaps | 2015 | drinks | 160 | Gustav Temple & Olly Smith |
| Cooking for Chaps | 2014 | recipes | 224 | Gustav Temple & Clare Gabbett-Mulhallen |
| Am I A Chap? | 2011 | compilation | 199 | Gustav Temple |
| The Best of The Chap | 2005 | compilation | 192 | Gustav Temple & Vic Darkwood |
| Around the World in Eighty Martinis: The Logbook of a Remarkable Voyage Undertaken | 2003 | travelogue | 144 | Gustav Temple & Vic Darkwood |
| The Chap Almanac: An Esoterick Yearbook for the Decadent Gentleman | 2002 | collection | 144 | Gustav Temple & Vic Darkwood |
| The Chap Manifesto: Revolutionary Etiquette For The Modern Gentleman | 2001 | treatise | 138 | Gustav Temple & Vic Darkwood |
Notable contributors
From 2003 to 2005, Miss Martindale, a prominent spokesperson of Aristasia, wrote the Ladies' Column.
References
- ^ http://www.bartitsu.org/index.php/2008/11/bartitsu-featured-in-the-chap-magazine/
- ^ Shortcuts, The Guardian, 9 October 2003
- ^ Isabel Taylor (2008). "Suits You, Sir: an Interview with Gustav Temple of The Chap". Albion Magazine Online. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ^ "The Tate Protest". The Chap. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ^ Shortcuts, The Guardian, 24 April 2012
- ^ "The Chap Saved by its Readers". The Chap Magazine. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
- ^ "Chap Olympiad 2013". The Guardian. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.