Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0011125, Mon, 28 Feb 2005 10:12:43 -0800

Subject
Fwd: Re: Ada's weatherproof attire? Burberry
Date
Body


----- Forwarded message from greg.mackinnon@btopenworld.com -----
Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 15:51:11 +0000 (GMT)
From: GREG MACKINNON <greg.mackinnon@btopenworld.com>
Reply-To: GREG MACKINNON <greg.mackinnon@btopenworld.com>
Subject: Re: Ada's weatherproof attire? Burberry
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Very amusing!

In Britain these days, Burberry-wear is now de rigueur among the "lower orders"
(I insert nervous quotation marks lest I am accused of class bigotry). 'Chavs'
in England and 'Neds' in Scotland all proudly sport this attire, as they
drunkenly search for hapless humans to slaughter on a Saturday night. The
famous chequer-pattern adorning a hat or shirt has, paradoxically, become the
ultimate escutcheon of antidisestablishmentarianism on British shores, the mark
of a social predator which sends other mammals scurrying for cover. Or merely
the chosen attire of the disenfranchised orphans of the system. I'll leave that
to the clever social critics to decide. I'll have to re-read 'Ada or Ardor' to
see if Ada indulges in any anti-social behaviour while wearing this gear.

I wonder if the soon-to-be HRH Duchess of Cornwall has any Burberry among her
toiletry...

Best,
Greg MacKinnon



"Donald B. Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu> wrote:
Dear Don and List...


Since we seem to be casting the net so wide, I'm encouraged to mention the
famous Burberry brand of weatherproof leisure wear, favoured by the upper
levels of the English caste hierarchy when trudging rainswept moors in
search of blaeberries to pick or hapless mammals to slaughter.

Regards
Tom (Rymour)

----- End forwarded message -----

----- End forwarded message -----
Attachment