For centuries, walking canes were commonplace for gentlemen when stepping outside. Today, walking around town with a walking cane firmly puts you into the realm of period dressing, and so they’ve pretty much disappeared in public. So, what sticking points caused them to fall out of favor with gentlemen?
Walking Stick vs. Walking Cane
Before we explore the answer to that question, what exactly is the difference between a walking stick and a walking cane? Walking sticks—sometimes also known as hiking poles, trekking poles, or hiking sticks—are mainly for athletic purposes.
They’re used to maintain footing on difficult terrain and counteract tiredness on a long hike or walk, but even in England, I’ve seen people using things like a shepherd’s crook, which had more purposes than just using it like a walking stick.
Today, the use of canes is mostly reserved for mobility devices or aids—basically to help people to improve balance and to allow them to go out and about when, maybe, without a cane, there would be a higher risk of falling. Because of that, they’re sometimes also referred to as “medical canes,” and they come in many ways, shapes, and forms.
We focus on Canes
As an accessory
We’re the Gentleman’s Gazette, so in this guide, we talk about the cane as a fashion accessory, as a stylish accoutrement to your outfit. Frankly, modern terminology is not very distinct. Sometimes, they’re referred to as “canes,” sometimes as “sticks.” So, we’ll use them interchangeably.
Historically, there was a difference. A walking stick was a pole accessory that aided in walking, even though it might have had a decorative function. On the other hand, a cane was a very specific walking stick that was made out of segmented grasses. Just think of bamboo, ratans like Malacca, or cane, hence the term “cane.”
Walking sticks have been around to help people walk for millennia, but they didn’t really become popular as a fashion accessory until the 17th century, and everything started fading in the 20th century.
During their heyday, canes were so popular that not everyone could just freely use them. For example, in London in 1702, a gentleman was required to have a license to carry a cane in public. Canes as a fashion accessory probably reached their peak popularity during the Victorian Era.
At that time, it was an integral part of a gentleman’s outfit. It really served to represent your status in society, your wealth, and the power you carried. Even ladies sometimes ditched their umbrellas and used canes instead—one of the most prominent women was probably Queen Victoria herself.
Reasons Why Canes Fall Out of Favor
1. Less Extensive Walking
So, how on Earth did a status symbol that was so prevalent in society become literally extinct? Well, the first reason is that, on average, men today walk less than 100 or 200 years ago.
Back then, walking was a primary means of transportation, and so having a cane was simply useful. Shifting your weight off of your joints onto the stick was more comfortable and helped your balance, and it wasn’t just something that people who couldn’t afford a different way of transportation did; even more wealthy gentlemen walked more.
For example, American President Thomas Jefferson could have easily afforded to ride all the time in a carriage; nevertheless, he really enjoyed his walks, sometimes walking up to 15 miles per day. You don’t need to be the Sage of Monticello to understand the benefits of a cane in those circumstances.
2. Ostentatious Accessory
The second reason the walking stick probably fell out of favor is because it was an ostentatious accessory. Utility aside, from the late-17th century and early-18th century onwards, gentlemen of means wanted to distinguish themselves with their cane. So, some had them custom-made, others had more decorative items just so they could be unique and stand out from the crowd.
It was also a socially acceptable way to show off your wealth and status. That means they used different materials—not just wood, canes, or segmented grasses, but things like ivory, horn, precious metals like silver, gold, mother of pearl, and so forth.
Some were elaborately decorated with a coat-of-arms, the family crest, or simply their initials. Others were intricately carved; handles were sometimes cast with animal figureheads and just imaginative symbols and anything you could imagine. Sometimes, they even used decorative jewels and precious stones in their canes.
By the end of the 19th century, some went even further and they started to customize canes so they would serve your needs or hobbies. These were called “gadget canes” or “system sticks.”
There were canes with pill boxes or hidden compartments, or for wine lovers, you could find canes with a corkscrew. There were canes with snuff boxes or canes with lipstick compartments for the ladies. You had canes with fragrance bottles or fragrance dispensers. You had flask canes in case you wanted a drink on the go. You had watch canes, canes with a shaving kit that contained a little mirror, a little brush, soap, and, in fact, the razor, so all you needed was water. You could also have canes with opera glasses or even a violin cane for the musically inclined. Some even built guns into their canes.
Even though those system sticks or gadget canes were quite practical, over time, people lost interest in them, and it became more or less an item that was purely a fashion accessory without much practical use. In the early 19th century, people started to make fun of canes because of that. Obviously, they were lampooning the foppish natures of walking sticks as something that was merely for vanity.
VIEWING RECOMMENDATION
The Gilded Age
Raphael especially enjoys how canes are depicted as props of the upper echelon of society in the HBO show The Gilded Age. You can see the gentlemen who carried canes, the types they preferred, and how it displayed their wealth and their overall status.
Also, with the introduction of mass transit in the late 19th century and the automobile in the 20th century, there was really no more necessity for a walking cane; even though you might have worn it as a fashion accessory, it’s quite impractical in a car. Just think about it. The car was also one of the reasons why men stopped wearing hats, and if you’re interested in all the other reasons, check out our post on the decline of hat-wearing among men.
In the 20th century, a cane was now only associated with very formal outfits, but even back then, things had gotten more casual. Yes, the lounge suit back then—even though today, a suit might be the most formal thing you can wear, back then, the lounge suit was the equivalent of today’s tracksuit. If you’re curious about the history of the suit in general, we’ve got a great guide for you.
History of the Suit: The Evolution of Menswear from 1800 to Today
Also, I think, over time, the ostentatious display of wealth became not really aligned with classic style anymore, and so it’s understandable why more and more men decided not even to own a walking stick.
3. Class Associations
Of course, strong class associations remain. In fact, by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, wealthy aristocrats were pretty much the only men who still carried walking sticks. They probably viewed them as emblems of their station. Some may have even considered the walking cane a contemporary equivalent of a sword or a scepter. It was a symbol of authority, chivalry, and noble pedigree.
Canes were seen As
Classist and snobbish
In a society that grew less overtly class-conscious as the 20th century moved on, this may have been enough to deter men from wearing them at the time. Canes are often associated with a brand of snobbery and aristocratic privilege, therefore adding additional baggage.
I mean, in the 19th century, you can see that men wanted to be very different and defined by their class. That was even shown in the way they fought with each other, or if they fought at all; if a member of the social elite would want to have a fight with someone else from the social elite, they had a duel, but when feuding with someone of a perceived lower class, they would not offer to engage in a duel; instead, they might resort to beating the other person with a cane. It was likely inspired by the convention of punishing children with a cane, known as “caning.”
In American history, the most famous example of caning occurred in 1856. It was Representative Preston Brooks from South Carolina who beat Charles Sumner from Massachusetts on the Senate floor with a cane. Sumner was perceived to have insulted one of Brooks’ relations in a speech about opposing slavery.
As a wealthy planter, Brooks became the poster child of the snobbish, white, entitled men using his cane as a weapon. Really, it made the cane seem to be a brutish emblem of backward elites rather than the common man.
The negative associations with canes would reappear again in the public conscience in 1963. It was then that wealthy socialite William Zanzinger killed a black barmaid in Baltimore, Maryland, with a cane. It inspired the Bob Dylan song “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.” Ironically, the cane Zanzinger used was a toy, so he was literally playing at being a gentleman with this heinous act.
4. Violent Connotations
Even if the cane doesn’t contain a hidden sword, it’s not difficult for most people to see how it could be used as a weapon. Because of that, during the late 19th century, a special form of martial arts involving canes was developed called “Bartitsu.” It seems like it was primarily meant as a method of using a walking stick for self-defense.
So, who knows, maybe more people will use canes again because of it.
A NEW MARTIAL ART
Kung Fu with A Cane: Cane Fu
The practice of defending oneself with a cane has been recently revived and popularized by the martial artist Joseph Bruno. It’s particularly targeted at seniors and labeled as “cane fu.”
“The cane is a sign of weakness, but in that deception alone lies its great strength.”
Joseph Bruno
Now, probably, the most iconic type of gadget cane and the one I’m most intrigued about is the so-called “sword cane” or “sword stick.”
In the early 17th century, men often still wore swords in everyday life. Swords weren’t just weapons; they were also a sort of fashion accessory.
By the 18th century, many men transitioned to canes, but some felt that they didn’t quite have something to defend themselves as they did with a sword, so the idea of combining the long slim sword with a long slim cane is rather obvious.
A Secret weapon?
The Sword Cane
With these modified canes, the wearer would still feel like they had a sword without carrying it in the open and being very old-fashioned.
Just think about you walking down a street, and someone tries to mug you, and you pull out the sword from your cane. How cool is that? Or maybe you just walk down the street, and you’re really appalled by the other person’s cologne; what wouldn’t make more sense to pull out your cane? Frankly, I’m not surprised the sword cane made an appearance in The King’s Man movie.
There are several varieties of sword canes. There are the ones that you pull out of your cane, and the blades can be different in shape. However, there are some that are more like a bayonet with a spring-loaded blade that springs out 6 inches or more when you twist the handle. Every once in a while, someone walks through the TSA at airport security with their sword cane, not knowing that their cane actually has a sword in it, and it’s perfectly believable if you look at those canes.
For example, if I show you these three canes, which one do you think is a sword cane? No, it is not the thickest. It is, in fact, those two thin bamboo ones that have one.
Why Sword Canes Are No Longer in Use Today
So, it may not surprise you that sword canes are no longer used today.
The simple answer is legal reasons.
Obviously, it is a concealed weapon, and as such, it is regulated in many places around the world. Even in the Land of the Free, they’re not legal in all states. Here in Minnesota, they are, and there are certain conditions.
So, before you buy random sword canes, check your local state and country regulations to see if it’s legal.
Sword canes aside, there’s even confusion about regular canes and whether they can be used as weapons and are therefore illegal and so forth. I’m not going to bore you with the details. That being said, if you have to fear the use of your medical cane may be interpreted as the use of a club, and it’s therefore illegal, you can see why you don’t want to go into these legal gray waters and simply decide to not carry a cane at all.
5. Antiquated Appearance
All that being said, canes definitely today have an antiquated appearance, and in a world where youthfulness is typically valued higher than being really, really old, you can see why people don’t want to be associated with a relic of the past. So, because of all these reasons, the walking cane or walking stick practically vanished from society, except for areas of movies and television shows.
Think of Hercule Poirot, who carefully walks with his finely groomed mustache and his walking cane. It sets him apart from his peers. The same is true with Fred Astaire, dancing in his movies in elegant morning and evening tailcoat ensembles; or you see it in outlandish characters like the Riddler or Willie Wonka or maybe a Tintin villain.
The implication of that is fashion walking canes are so outdated they can’t possibly be taken seriously.
6. Criminal Connotations
The other area where you still see walking canes being used is typically by men with criminal connections. I mean, what’s better for a thug to have a stylish accessory that can also be used to punish people physically? High-ranking mobsters or gangsters are often shown with a stick, or I mean, just think about Alfie Solomon from Peaky Blinders, for example.
Top 10 Stylish Gangster Movies
Apart from that, canes are also often associated with pimps, so it’s easy to see why the Average Joe doesn’t want to walk around town with a walking cane.
7. Implied Infirmity
Unfortunately, even today, some people might assume that people who carry a cane are weak. Cane fu shows that this predicament can actually be an advantage for the defendant. But, ultimately, it is just an assumption or a presumption and a prejudice.
Conversely, some people also feel that people who decide to carry a cane or walking stick are mocking or belittling those who need a medical aid cane. Because the cane is primarily seen as a medical aid device, it is hard to draw the line between who wants to be perceived as mocking people and who needs medical aid.
8. They’re Unwieldy
Last but not least, a cane is unwieldy. Similar to an umbrella, you have to leave it somewhere or carry it with you at all times, so it’s just annoying and bothersome, which is not something that most people aspire to in the 21st century.
Conclusion
What can we conclude from all of these points? It doesn’t mean that walking sticks are simply too old to be worn ever. I mean, frankly, I would only wear them when I wear the most formal outfits—maybe like a morning coat with a top hat or an evening tailcoat with a top hat—to just top it off and finish off the entire look, and just feel what it must have been like a hundred years ago when gentlemen wore this stuff regularly.
Outside of that, I would certainly not feel comfortable walking around with canes unless, of course, I could use them to be filmed in a gentleman’s sword cane fight.
In a nutshell, the walking cane has fallen out of favor for many reasons. Sword canes, for example, are illegal. People may perceive you as mocking others. It may be perceived as being weak. It’s also something that’s highly impractical, and it simply makes you look more costume-y than well-dressed.
That being said, if you really want to carry a cane, then do so with confidence and carry yourself as if you are representing and expressing your personal style, and that is to be commended.
Outfit Rundown
In today’s outfit, I have a vintage sword cane with a nice rounded horn handle. It has some silver hardware, a little metal at the tip, and it’s made of bamboo. Also, if you look at that blade, it’s not really sharp on the ends, but it’s pointy in the front.
In line with this vintage men’s fashion accessory, I chose to wear a classic bowler hat. This is a vintage version from Vienna that has nice edge-curled brims, which is not something you find in modern bowler hats. I’m pairing it with a black peaked lapel, and jetted-pocket vintage jacket that could be part of a Stresemann suit or a stroller, which is basically the equivalent tuxedo when it comes to morning wear. If you want to learn more about that, we have more guides for you.
I’m wearing a white, French-cuffed dress shirt with vintage black and white art deco cufflinks that pick up that black, white, and gray tone of the outfit. The tie is from Fort Belvedere. It is a wedding tie in silver and black. The pocket square is plain white linen, also from Fort Belvedere, as is the white ixia boutonniere.
I’m wearing a vintage, Art Deco-inspired Bulova wristwatch. I could have also worn a pocket watch instead. My ring is also Victorian, from England. It’s a signet ring without a signet. Maybe I can get a Fort Belvedere crest engraved on it.
The vest is bright scarlet red, which really breaks up the monotony of white, black, and silver in this outfit. My trousers are likewise vintage. They’re cashmere stripes, which are typical for morning coats at Royal Ascot and with stroller suits.
To round out the vintage looks, there are no turn-ups or cuffs at the end of the pant legs, and I’m wearing black and white button boots. You can’t really see the socks, but I’m wearing two-tone solids from Fort Belvedere.
FAQ
What historical significance did walking sticks have for men?
Walking sticks, once a staple of men’s fashion, were not only functional tools but also symbols of social status and power. From the 17th to the early 20th centuries, a well-crafted cane was often associated with gentleman’s attire, indicating wealth and position in society.
When did walking sticks start to decline in popularity?
The decline of walking sticks began in the early 20th century. As societies moved towards more casual fashion norms and the automobile industry boomed, the necessity and desirability for such accessories lessened: they were viewed as antiquated and unnecessary as Western men tended to walk fewer places.
What caused men to stop carrying walking sticks?
Several factors contributed to the fall in popularity of walking sticks:
- Practicality: The rise of modern transportation made walking less common, reducing the need for canes.
- World Wars: During times of national unity and scarcity due to rationing, obvious class markers and indications of ostentatious spending were considered unpatriotic.
- Fashion Shifts: Casual wear became increasingly popular, making formal accessories like canes seem out of place.
- Medical Association: Canes became more associated with medical aids rather than fashion accessories, altering their perception as being comparable to a white cane or a walker.
Do some cultures still use walking sticks today?
Yes, walking sticks are still used in various cultures, both for practical purposes, like hiking and ceremonial reasons. In some societies, they continue to hold cultural significance.
Is there a current trend of walking sticks returning to fashion?
Although not mainstream, there is a niche resurgence of interest in bespoke walking sticks as a statement of individual style among people who appreciate vintage fashion or who participate in historical reenactments.
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