Take Six Boutique

John Krill, a paper conservator in Washington, D.C., bought this Mod-style Regency revival suit from the Take Six Boutique within days of arrival in London from the U.S. in the late 1960s. Looking back on the personal significance of this suit, Krill muses:

It was very trendy-but not common.

It was outlandish-but with reserve.

I felt alive, bright and exhilarated wearing it.

It was versatile. It accentuated the wildness of dancing in clubs. It could be worn to formal black tie events. It felt otherworldly when walking in gardens with friends.

It was worn by characters illustrated in Pierce Egan's Life in London, 1821, and was a strong and direct link to another vibrant time in London.

I remember dancing the Charleston in it on the steps of the Frick Collection, New York, after an evening lecture.