DAVID NIVEN - STYLE ICON - TOP 10 STYLE & LIFE TIPS FROM THE QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLISH GENTLEMAN

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  • čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
  • In this video we explore the remarkable life of David Niven, one of the greatest movie stars of his era, as well as being a patriot, war hero and classically elegant chap.
    We have distilled the life-journey of David into 10 top-tips that are worth considering if you seek sartorial and personal nirvana.
    Learn more about the life of David Niven by reading his autobiography: amzn.to/2NYMrQO
    ......................................................................................................................................................
    Videos related to this topic you may also enjoy:
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    Looking Sharp - The Military Way: • MILITARY STYLE TIPS - ...
    Gent's Accessories - The Devil in the Detail: • GENTLEMAN'S ACCESSORIE...
    ........................................................................................................................................................
    Learn more about your host (Ash) here: www.chapsguide.uk/about-ash/45...
    I am open to receive trial items for review on this channel for future inclusion in videos - please make contact via the 'Contact' page above.
    Equipment used in this filming of this video (Amazon links):
    Camera - Canon Eos 250D: amzn.to/3bFaY7F
    Lens - Cannon EFS 24mm f/2.8 STM: amzn.to/3aFT0kd
    Tripod - K & F Incept Tripod: amzn.to/3eR5BEy
    GorillaPod - Joby: amzn.to/35cJW5d
    Shotgun microphone - Rode Video Mic Pro: amzn.to/3aKoSEw
    Lavalier microphone: amzn.to/3cOEuYM
    Studio lights - Neewer dimmable 2-pack LED studio lights: amzn.to/2Y6BsLB
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Komentáře • 110

  • @lordcharfield4529
    @lordcharfield4529 Před 2 lety +26

    I’m 56. David Niven inspired me to say to my mum, (when in my teens) that I wanted to become a “gentleman” as my age developed. A massive style icon and for me, the ultimate!

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 2 lety +4

      He is a giant among the best of them..... salute!!

  • @francisgiordanella7998
    @francisgiordanella7998 Před rokem +5

    Outstanding! David Niven a true British icon 👌🥂

  • @robertopohl4007
    @robertopohl4007 Před 2 lety +25

    It was a wonderful surprise to see that there are still people who value attitudes and good principles. My grandfather had just been released from a hospital where he has spent weeks recovering from surgery. Frail as he was, his very first appointment upon returning home was to have a great shave and a decent hair cut at his favorite barber shop.
    Really a great inspiring video. Congratulations!

    • @johnclaybaugh9536
      @johnclaybaugh9536 Před rokem +1

      I had a haircut in 2021. Haircuts aren't actually important.
      What's important is how I treat people.

  • @robdavies8254
    @robdavies8254 Před 3 lety +25

    A very nice homage to one of the greatest chaps of all time, on screen or off. A true gentleman.

  • @paulthomas511
    @paulthomas511 Před 2 lety +17

    Excellent tribute to David Niven.
    I was working in the south of France a few years ago and went on a pilgrimage of sorts to see his house in Cap Ferrat.
    I also made a point of walking the coastal path around the peninsula which he was also known to do.
    At 46 I still consider David Niven the gold standard for style and good manners.
    I enjoy your channel immensely. Thank you.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 2 lety +2

      HAs like has not been seen since his passing. Perhaps it will never be seen again.

  • @RyanPatrickOwens
    @RyanPatrickOwens Před rokem +3

    David really was extraordinary. Stylish in all manner of speaking, he was.

  • @arslongavitabrevis5136
    @arslongavitabrevis5136 Před rokem +3

    Thank you for such a beautiful tribute to David Niven. I was born in 1959, in Argentina, and my childhood memories are full of great classical British and American films from 1930 to 1960. I used to spend the weekends watching them and David Niven became a hero and a role model; obviously I had an instinctive love for fine clothes and smartness; however, it was the kind of characters that he portrayed that make me admired him; he was the archetypical British gentleman. When I see David Niven, I see my dad. I was blessed with a father who was his counterpart in real life, my dad embodied all those virtues that some fools think they are the monopoly of a certain social class or country. Thank you for those lovely memories.

  • @teenoso4069
    @teenoso4069 Před rokem +5

    Enjoyable video. David Niven reminds me of Clark Gable. They were good friends from the 1930s, often described as gentleman, style icons, faced bereavement of a spouse and both gave up Hollywood careers to enter WW2. MGM tried to block Gable from active duty and Hitler offered a reward for him unscathed.

  • @judylucas6493
    @judylucas6493 Před rokem +4

    David Niven was all you said and more! He was a intelligent man with a great wit. He is still my hero.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před rokem +1

      No finer gentleman has yet to walk this Earth.

  • @jonham8469
    @jonham8469 Před rokem +4

    David Niven has been one of my favorite actors since I was a kid. And in my 20s I became convinced that he, Cary Grant, and Fred Astaire were best-dressed men in Hollywood. Later I saw him in action movies like "The Guns of Navarone," but as I got older my favorite Niven roles were in "The Bishop's Wife" and "Bachelor Mother." His comedic timing is impeccable. And no one else I know of can move his hairline to react to another's line. Watch him versus Grant in "The Bishop's Wife" to see this talent in many instances. "The Moon's a Balloon" and "Bring on the Empty Horses" are maybe the best Hollywood memoirs out there, and certainly the funniest. It's amazing that he survived his years as Erroll Flynn's roommate, but I'm glad he did.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před rokem

      He was one class act. His like will never be seen again

  • @MonteChristo2112
    @MonteChristo2112 Před rokem +4

    As another gent in his early fifties I concur entirely with your assessment. Niven came across as the quintessential English gentleman . Great tribute well done.

  • @kenneth7826
    @kenneth7826 Před rokem +3

    Excellent information........it is fair to say Mr. DAVID NIVEN was an inspiration..his style....manners..his name will live on forever......peace

  • @selwynlazarus1989
    @selwynlazarus1989 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Sophisticated Gentleman extrordinaire.

  • @rajatkhanna3648
    @rajatkhanna3648 Před rokem +2

    Edward Fox .....another English gentleman......never ever steps out of the house without a jacket and tie or perhaps a cravat ......my style icon.

  • @MrVorpalsword
    @MrVorpalsword Před 2 lety +4

    2 of the best raconteurs Niven and possibly the even more consummate chat show guest, Ustinov. Thanks for the little programme, my ploy is to always dress one degree smarter than the occasion demands, you certainly gather gratifying comments that way.
    And like a few of us in our 50s, I started dressing smartly as a 'casual' football supporter in the 1980s, same with anyone else on here?

  • @carolynkeiser5545
    @carolynkeiser5545 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Thank you, I have always enjoyed David Niven movies and this was a wonderful tribute to him.

  • @thenicklas615
    @thenicklas615 Před 2 lety +6

    I really enjoy watching your channel mate, cheers! Always liked David Niven a classy bloke. What a cast: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Roger Moore, Anthony Quinn.

  • @Christoph.500
    @Christoph.500 Před 2 lety +6

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on David Niven as a true icon of style. You have made a great video, Ash, and also, I must say, you decided for a very appropriate suit (once again).

  • @dorianphilotheates3769
    @dorianphilotheates3769 Před 9 měsíci +2

    Chaps like David Niven were of another age - Requiescat Semper In Pace.

  • @kathleenclark5877
    @kathleenclark5877 Před rokem +1

    A perfect example of Niven’s poise and bearing occurred during the Academy Awards in the early seventies. He was standing at the podium introducing an upcoming award when behind him a man ran across the stage streaking stark naked. The audience started to laugh and as Niven turned, without batting an eyelash said something to the effect of, “ Well there’s a man who doesn’t mind displaying his shortcomings”. And then he continued with his presentation. Epically brilliant!

    • @jbean530
      @jbean530 Před 5 měsíci

      Sounds staged to be honest. No accidents In Hollywood.

  • @HungryH1951
    @HungryH1951 Před rokem +1

    I always liked David Niven in pictures. One of my favorite pictures of his is Around the World in 80 Days. It just sets well with me and I enjoy it a great deal. I already have the charcoal suit and white shirt and just ordered the silver tie with pocket square. If it's good enough for David Niven then it's for me. My style icon? I admire Fred Astaire's taste in dress. Always sharp from head to foot. At least in the movies.

  • @SilverVoxMusic
    @SilverVoxMusic Před 6 měsíci

    A wonderfully constructed and presented mini documentary Ash. You should be on TV instead of the many amateurs that we see today. More of the same please.

  • @canadafree2087
    @canadafree2087 Před rokem +2

    What an emotional video. Well done.

  • @johnmulvey5121
    @johnmulvey5121 Před 2 lety +2

    David Niven yes! Also Fred Astaire and Cary Grant.

  • @COLDMKULTRA
    @COLDMKULTRA Před 2 lety +12

    Style is everything ... 'fashion" Is vacuous nonsense ( Evident from the fact that style has always prevailed, and always will )

  • @MisterBurtonshaw
    @MisterBurtonshaw Před 4 lety +6

    Excellent 'write up' ... most enjoyable. Thanks.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 4 lety +1

      Glad you enjoyed it

    • @ulfricthorsson8347
      @ulfricthorsson8347 Před 4 lety +1

      He was an amazing actor. The first movie I remember seeing him in, was "Murder by death" (I believe that was the title) with Peter Falk

  • @steelcityshoeshine_service
    @steelcityshoeshine_service Před 2 měsíci

    I have an exact replica of David Nivens POW suit in the picture from 1939 that you showed chap .. There is still one or two available at Chester Cordite online.. Stuarts suits are absolutely beautifully made in England for around £750 .. He also has action back, which are the epitome of elegance .

  • @johnfranciscwikla2611
    @johnfranciscwikla2611 Před 3 lety +4

    Hello Mr. Chap’s Guide. I have enjoyed quite a few of your videos and I believe this one is your best. I didn’t know much about David Niven even though I am 62. You did a wonderful job with your 10 Tips. Mr. Niven is very inspiring. Thank you.

  • @guitarplayer5611
    @guitarplayer5611 Před 2 lety +3

    Excellent video. I think I will read his memoir.

  • @supersonique001
    @supersonique001 Před 2 lety +1

    Have to say when he played the part of a French gentleman in 'Bonjour tristesse' he was grand !

  • @murrayeldred3563
    @murrayeldred3563 Před 7 měsíci

    Having attended RMAS and read The Moons A Balloon while working in an open pit mine I do remember someone telling me that David was an Honourary Colonel of the 4th Kerala Rifles ( Trivandrums Own).

  • @grimjim100
    @grimjim100 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks boyo well done isnit. Our esteemed Prime Minister should see this and learn a thing or two.

  • @Paul-J-001
    @Paul-J-001 Před 3 lety +6

    Hi Ash. I'm subscribed to several 'men's style' channels and have just subscribed to yours after finding it by accident. I'm working my way through your videos. It's nice to have a British viewpoint.
    Having just bought both volumes of David Niven's biography ('The Moon's A Balloon' and 'Bring On the Empty Horses'), I was interested to see your take on Niven.
    Good luck with the channel and growing your following. I'm sure it takes time, but you'll get there.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 3 lety

      As you can guess, I'm quite a fan of Niven, who has sadly been almost totally forgotten in the modern era. A hero and a gentleman indeed. I enjoyed both his books, although his 'Dancing Horses' book has been somewhat maligned, as apparently he made up several of the stories, or borrowed the content from friends rather than his own experiences. Good read anyhow. All the best - Ash

    • @michaelpaulsmith4619
      @michaelpaulsmith4619 Před 2 lety

      @@TheChapsGuide I believe, Sir, that the follow-up to 'The Moon's a Balloon' is 'Bring on the Empty Horses'. Truth or half truth, it's still very much worth seeking out. But the general thrust of your argument holds true: David Niven was a true gentleman in the very best sense of those words. I knew someone years ago now who knew him and said, 'You could sit him beside your least favourite aunt and both would have a wonderful time'. And what's not to be forgotten is that he was a wonderful actor, too. This is my first visit to your channel. It certainly won't be my last. Thank you.

  • @madonnaujmajuridze6466

    What a great video about a great gentleman. Thanks!

  • @williamkazak469
    @williamkazak469 Před 2 lety +1

    Remember John Gilbert, who discovered Greta Garbo? He was my favorite stylish gentleman. Garbo is my favorite beautiful woman of all time. Thank you for your video discussions.

  • @murrayeldred3563
    @murrayeldred3563 Před 7 měsíci

    Ashe your speaking style is like a '' Fireside chate ''.= even if I am not spell bound by an episode I tend to keep listening just because of your speaking style.

  • @billperry7549
    @billperry7549 Před 2 lety +1

    Really enjoyable Ash, good research and delivery, thank you.

  • @arslongavitabrevis5136
    @arslongavitabrevis5136 Před rokem +1

    I forgot to mention three fantastic performances by David Niven: (1) His role as Major Pollock in "Separate Tables" (1958) for which he won an Oscar (2) His role as the British ambassador in "55 Days at Pekin" (1963) (3) His role as the vilified war-hero in "Carrington VC" (1954)

  • @butchdetrey5911
    @butchdetrey5911 Před rokem

    Very enjoyable video thank you Ash.

  • @kenneth7826
    @kenneth7826 Před rokem

    Good morning Ash..men during the golden era of Hollywood dressed beautifully..Bravo!!!!! I will name a few
    1..humphrey bogrt
    2..cary grant
    3..gary cooper
    4..gregory peck
    5..fred astair
    6..clark gable
    7..the list is endless

  • @Paul-fq9pj
    @Paul-fq9pj Před rokem

    He was in my Fathers Regiment the HLI the Highland Light infantry .

  • @grafiek
    @grafiek Před 2 lety +1

    A great video Ash

  • @dringytube
    @dringytube Před 2 lety

    Good reflections of a great life x

  • @Rohilla313
    @Rohilla313 Před 2 lety

    Thanks for that informative clip. I’ve always looked up to Sean Connery.

  • @chilledvortex
    @chilledvortex Před 2 lety +3

    Excellent tips.
    Thanks for taking the time to present, and share.
    Wonderful subject and exquisitely stated.
    Many thanks

  • @richardsmegma5081
    @richardsmegma5081 Před 2 měsíci

    Good stuff! Got any more of these icon presentations coming up?

  • @MrJamescord
    @MrJamescord Před 2 lety +1

    Tip 8 on weight is what I will focus on. I have clothes I love but no longer fit into. Goal is to lose 25 pounds and be able to get into my suits again

  • @markbriggs5531
    @markbriggs5531 Před rokem

    What a lovely and inspirational gentleman. Stylish and kind. I try to achieve the formal but mostly I try to achieve the later. "Here lies a kind man" is the epitaph to which I aspire. I like the way he didn't take him self too seriously and had a tremendous sense of fun. He reminds me of Roger Moore - perhaps an idea for a follow on feature?

  • @cynthiaennis3107
    @cynthiaennis3107 Před rokem

    This guy has missed a good Dick Cavett interview with David Niven! Either CZcams took out the words or TV bleeped the words as he was quoting. One time, David Niven was story telling again & bleeped himself at his own insistence. He was definitely a gentleman. He really did love a remarkable life & his style is timeless! He’s surely missed.
    Thank you for the stories! This was a delight & very informative.

  • @dnorfed
    @dnorfed Před 2 lety +3

    If only these introductions were to have read the moons a balloon, they would have got ALL the facts correct, it’s not rocket science old chap, as mr Niven would have said, oh by the way, read the biography “the moons a balloon”, the best biography ever written by England’s finest gentleman

  • @probyperson1
    @probyperson1 Před 3 lety +5

    Good video but a few facts were wrong...his grandfather killed in Zululand was a captain not a general (his grandfather’s brother was a Lt Col in the same 24th Regt)...Casino Royale came out in ‘67 not ‘57.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 3 lety +1

      Well spotted and thanks for the corrections. Glad to keep it as accurate as possible.

    • @probyperson1
      @probyperson1 Před 3 lety +2

      @@TheChapsGuide no problem...I should also point out that he did reveal quite a bit about his wartime service in his books - he left the HLI for America in the late 20s/early 30s; he struggled to find a posting on his return from America but ended up in the Commandos and then in Phantom (which was involved in Operation Fortitude - the deception tactics employed to deceive the Germans in the run up to D-Day). This was how he met Fleming (and he was actually one of the templates for Bond as a result of his wartime work)...this also involved some involvement with ME Clifton James who became Monty’s double and who’s story was told in “I Was Monty’s Double”.

    • @donferrando4119
      @donferrando4119 Před 2 lety

      Another correction: Bastogne is in Belgium, not France

  • @ianarn
    @ianarn Před 4 lety +3

    Nice video! Probably Carey Grant springs to mind but he’s probably an obvious one.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 4 lety +1

      Thanks Ian - I have Mr Grant on my list, probably next in fact. Ash

    • @michaelpaulsmith4619
      @michaelpaulsmith4619 Před 2 lety

      But Carey Grant never gave an interview so we really didn't get any impression of what he was like as a man. He famously said, 'Everyone wants to be Carey Grant. Even I want to be Carey Grant!'

  • @metrobiz
    @metrobiz Před 3 lety +3

    + A merge of Niven & McQueen would be something, wouldn't it - two versions of near ultimate cool. | + The close-ups of Niven & Hunter near the end of "A Matter of Life & Death" (1946, or thereabouts) is terrifically classic, & lovely.

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 3 lety

      Amen - possibly the most effortless gent of all time.

  • @Mpayne1472
    @Mpayne1472 Před 2 lety +1

    If you’re ever at Stowe School his school chair has his name engraved on it

  • @DIEMLtdTV
    @DIEMLtdTV Před 2 lety +2

    What a chap Niven was. He featured in this brilliant BBC Documentary "Castle Commandos" czcams.com/video/WrGo1bxestU/video.html

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 2 lety +1

      Many thanks, I'll look forward to watching that one.

  • @richardgill9484
    @richardgill9484 Před rokem

    Ian Carmichael wouldn’t be a bad chap to take a style cue from. A man cut from a similar cloth (Pun intended) as Mr Niven, and who’s type are sadly missing from today’s society.
    I thoroughly enjoyed this episode too, as such chaps must not be lost to time.

  • @b-dogswings8019
    @b-dogswings8019 Před 3 lety

    The fictitious Boris Lermontov in the Red Shoes.

  • @renkenner
    @renkenner Před rokem

    Wow. Did not know his father was killed at Gallipoli or that his grandfather fought in the Zulu wars.

  • @lorddaver5729
    @lorddaver5729 Před 2 lety

    Dr No was not the first Bond novel (although it was the first Bond film). The first novel was Casino Royale.

  • @Evertubo
    @Evertubo Před rokem

    Come see his house in st jean cap ferrat

  • @rovercoupe7104
    @rovercoupe7104 Před rokem

    What do you mean by ‘nail’, as in “… nail the classic look.”? M.

  • @bigprettyman3795
    @bigprettyman3795 Před 3 lety +3

    Sebastian Cabot

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 3 lety

      Not a name I am intimately familiar with - I'm intrigued to find out more now - thank you

    • @bigprettyman3795
      @bigprettyman3795 Před 3 lety

      @@TheChapsGuide Family Affair. Mr French.

    • @lordcharfield4529
      @lordcharfield4529 Před 2 lety

      @@TheChapsGuide With respect, I’ll stick with David Niven as my aspirational sartorial and behavioural model 👍🏼

  • @grafiek
    @grafiek Před 2 lety +1

    Steve McQueen

  • @murrayeldred3563
    @murrayeldred3563 Před 7 měsíci

    My father who went through 6 years of WW2....= I never heard swear. I only heard my mother swear 1x. Sadly, I have not lived up to their standards.

  • @hanseekhoff1093
    @hanseekhoff1093 Před 2 lety

    Indeed a very stylish chap, although his clothing often left much to be desired style-wise; just look at his outfits on the Parkinson interviews....

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 2 lety

      Appropriate for the era I suspect.

    • @hanseekhoff1093
      @hanseekhoff1093 Před 2 lety

      Hardly. A tie in the same color as your shirt is not "stylish" at all...

    • @stephencarter744
      @stephencarter744 Před 2 lety +1

      @@hanseekhoff1093 You can't be serious.
      You've got to thoroughly understand the rules, in order to break them and get away with it. David Niven knew instinctively what he was doing when he wore e.g, _a sherbet tie with a sherbet shirt, lavender on lavender_ etc. Most men couldn't get away with that, because they have a _color by numbers_ sense of style; but DN had and inate sense of style.
      He definitely pulled it off.

  • @michaelgibson4705
    @michaelgibson4705 Před 2 lety

    Really admired David Niven in many ways .but did anyone wear a suit better than Cary Grant

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před 2 lety

      I recently read a biography on Cary Grant, very interesting indeed. He was a close friend of David Niven.

    • @esmeephillips5888
      @esmeephillips5888 Před 2 lety

      Fred Astaire did.

  • @badwolf7367
    @badwolf7367 Před 2 lety +3

    You failed to mentioned something that speaks volumes about David Niven's character and that after years of hard work building a career in Hollywood, he gave it all up when WW2 began and went back to Britain to fight. No British actor in Hollywood at the time did what he did.

    • @lovingsongs1762
      @lovingsongs1762 Před 2 lety

      Another Brit, whose name is I think Leslie Howard, couldn't wait until he finished his role as Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind so he could return to England to serve as a pilot to fight in the war. I believe he was killed when flying for the RAF. Please correct me if I am wrong.

  • @rovercoupe7104
    @rovercoupe7104 Před rokem

    I don’t agree about bad language. Using it makes it sound as if one has a poor vocabulary. M.

  • @johnclaybaugh9536
    @johnclaybaugh9536 Před rokem

    Being vain is just weird.
    Some people act like a certain appearance is the only thing that matters. I hate those people.

  • @urielmartinez6279
    @urielmartinez6279 Před rokem

    I wouldn’t call Niven patriotic when he went back to England to fight in WWII. The nazis during the blitz were an existential threat to his friends and family back home. This is not patriotism. This is a duty to those you love.
    And so I say, what makes a gentleman is not a wishy washy sense of patriotism, but duty.

  • @neil5568
    @neil5568 Před rokem

    David Niven's father was Scottish and his mother French. English gentleman?

    • @TheChapsGuide
      @TheChapsGuide  Před rokem

      Born in the middle of London - can't get more English than that!

  • @waltersickinger263
    @waltersickinger263 Před rokem

    A video should be visual not almost 26 minutes of talking head.

  • @iansoutryer3189
    @iansoutryer3189 Před 2 lety

    If I think of "gentleman" actors there are always two British actors of the second tier come to mind:
    WILFRED HYDE-WHITE: www.imdb.com/name/nm0405035/mediaviewer/rm4215451648/
    and JOHN WILLIAMS: www.imdb.com/name/nm0002369/mediaviewer/rm2768839936/?context=default
    The tale about the porters' wreath says a lot about David Niven.