Butler Portrait
In a morning coat, before the mirror
About Butler Portrait
The Butler Portrait is a three-hour plan in which you wear a full morning coat from Queen's Butler The Studio and are photographed within the Manor. To the Standard plan it adds one costume and the butler's assistance with dressing, at ¥68,800 (tax inc.).
Three hours with one costume included, at ¥68,800
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration | Three hours (including dressing) |
| Guests | Up to six. Please tell us in advance how many will wear the costume |
| Costume | Morning coat, waistcoat, striped trousers, wing-collar shirt, tie, white gloves, top hat and shoes |
| Included | Everything in the Standard plan, plus one costume and the butler's assistance with dressing |
| Price | ¥68,800 (incl. tax) |
| Costume for a second guest | +¥12,800 |
| Extension | ¥16,800 per hour |
Prices include tax. For a quotation tailored to your requirements, please consult us through the enquiry form. The costume is a complete set, shoes included.
Sizing in advance means confirming the full set from your height, build and shoe size
| Height | As a guide, around 160–185 cm for men and 150–160 cm for women. Even within these ranges the fit varies with build and costume, so please consult us before booking. |
|---|---|
| Coat | We check the shoulders, chest and sleeve length, and ask whether you wish to be photographed with the coat fastened, standing open, or walking with the tails in view. |
| Trousers | Please tell us your usual clothing size and build. After dressing, we check before the mirror that standing, sitting and walking are comfortable. |
| Shirt and waistcoat | We check the collar, sleeve length and the ease of the waistcoat when fastened. If you wish to wear your own shirt or tie, please consult us in advance. |
| Leather shoes | As a guide, 24.0–27.5 cm. Please tell us your size including socks, so we can be sure walking the gallery for photographs is comfortable. |
| White gloves | We check that the fingertips are not loose and that holding the silver bell or a book is unhindered. For close-ups of the hands, we smooth the creases and set the fit before shooting. |
From arrival to farewell, five steps to prepare the costume and bearing
Arrival
The butler welcomes you at the door and takes your luggage and coat.
Dressing
The butler assists you into the shirt, tie, waistcoat, striped trousers and coat, in that order.
Before the mirror
The white gloves go on last; top hat in hand, you turn to the mirror.
The study and the dining room
In the study you take up the globe or a leather-bound book; in the dining room, you stand beside the table.
The gallery and the double doors
We photograph you from behind as you pass the hall clock, and with your hand upon the double doors.
A butler will teach you how a butler stands.
A butler's stance is not a stiffly straightened back, but a posture from which one can move to the next action without obstructing another. Before shooting, the Manor's butler explains the position of the hands, the line of sight, the length of stride and the way a door is opened. Face on, we check the height of the shoulders; in profile, the line of chin and back; from behind, the fall of the coat tails and the carriage of the feet.
The white gloves go on last. For photographs that include the fingertips, we compose each gesture one at a time, holding the silver bell, resting a hand on a cup or opening a book, so that the hands look natural and the furnishings come to no harm. Rather than rushing through the motions, the butler tells you where to pause for each frame.
We also welcome a photograph beside one of the Manor's butlers. Male and female butlers alike attend the Manor in the same essential dress and posture. Standing side by side, facing one another across a door, receiving a cup of tea: we decide together the distance at which you appear as one who serves the house.
The morning coat gives the stance and the hands an elegant line.
The morning coat is formal dress with a long line flowing from the front hem to the back. For this session, the coat, waistcoat, striped trousers, wing-collar shirt, tie, white gloves and top hat are worn as one set. Length and shoulders are checked before the mirror.
A portrait in butler's dress captures not only the costume but the bearing that suits it. Scene by scene, the butler shows you the fingertips, the gaze, how to hold the top hat and the angle at which a hand rests on a door.
White-gloved hands sit well with the Manor's small pieces, such as the silver bell and leather-bound books. The butler brings out each piece and shows you how to hold it and where to set it down. In the study you can be captured at work, in the dining room in the stillness before service, and at the double doors in the moment of welcome.
See the wardrobe scene
Included in the plan
- Three hours of photography in the Manor and one costume
- A full morning coat with white gloves and top hat
- Fitting and assistance with dressing by the butler
- The Manor's lighting equipment, furnishings and the arrangement of small pieces
- Assistance with photography on your own camera or smartphone
To be arranged separately
- Editing, retouching and delivery of photographic data
- Costumes for additional guests
- Dressing and photography beyond the booked hours
The mirror, the study, the gallery and the double doors each show a different role of the butler's dress
The wardrobe mirror
At the end of the fitting, you take up the top hat before the mirror. We capture the reflection and the profile together: the first expression after dressing.
Read more
The study and the suit of armour
Stand before the bookshelves and the globe, one hand on the leather-topped desk. With the armour in the doorway, the scene becomes a butler setting out on the day's work.
Read more
The gallery and the hall clock
Using the long tails and the depth of the gallery, we photograph you from behind as you pass the hall clock: one frame standing still, one in motion.
Read more
The double doors
The butler shows you the position of the hands and the footwork, and we capture the moment the French oak double doors open: face on, in profile, and through the doorway.
Read moreQMay a woman wear the butler's dress?
Yes. We have costumes that can be fitted for women. Female butlers are in residence at Queen's Butler and wear the same essential dress.
QMay I be photographed outside in the costume?
Photography outside the Manor in our costume requires prior consultation and the butler's accompaniment. Please tell us the location and content when booking. We confirm the handling of the costume and the conditions on the day before advising.
QMay I wear my own tailcoat or dinner jacket?
You are welcome to bring your own attire. Please send a photograph showing its colour and cut in advance, and tell us whether you wish to combine it with the Manor's costume. The fee follows the plan chosen and the number of guests wearing our costume.
QWhat if the size does not fit?
The butler selects a full set from the measurements you give when booking. On the day we check the shoulders, collar, sleeves and waist before the mirror and adjust within what the Manor has available.
QWhat should I bring?
Please bring the camera or smartphone you will use. The full costume, shoes included, is chosen at the Manor. If you wish to combine your own attire or accessories, sending photographs in advance makes the check easier.
QIs it all right if I have never worn butler's dress?
Yes. The butler explains the order and handling of each item and assists with dressing. During the session we arrange the hands, gaze and stride scene by scene, so no prior knowledge of the bearing is needed.
About the attire
- Sizes and styles are limited. Before booking, please tell us your height and usual clothing size
- Please ask about sizes other than those listed
About going out with a butler
- Available for stays of four hours or more
- Time spent outside counts towards your stay
- Please return at least one hour before the end of your stay
- If you would like a butler to accompany you, please tell us when you book
- Only some of our butlers are able to drive
- If you leave the Tokyo Waterfront area (Daiba, Aomi, Ariake), parking and similar expenses are charged at cost
- We do not go out late at night (after 11 pm)
About using The Studio
- The manor is never let unattended. A butler is present for every booking, and keys are not handed over
- You are welcome to bring your own food and drink. We do not provide meals
- Please use the antique furnishings under the butler's guidance. The armour, hall clock, porcelain and silver are handled by the butler
- Please consult us in advance about loud sound or the use of naked flames
- Prices shown include tax
You may also wish to read
From the moment the white gloves go on, the butler's hour begins.
Please tell us your height, build and shoe size. A butler will check the full set and await you.