May 2012

Bearded Sneaker-Wearing Brooklynites Take Over J. Press

News broke today that the brothers behind Ovadia & Sons have inked a deal with J. Press. The alarmist headline above was in jest, of course. While initial news on Twitter was that they were appointed creative directors, GQ says they are merely designing a special collection. “Our line will have a really cool, young


Zach Of Newton Street Vintage Joins Andover Shop

Erstwhile Ivy Style contributor Zachary DeLuca answered the recent want ad for The Andover Shop and was offered the job. Zach was able to negotiate his hours so he can continue his projects, including acting as a sales rep for a custom tailor and selling vintage Ivy duds through his business Newton Street Vintage. Zach


Preppy On Steroids: The Return Of Argyleculture

Yesterday Women’s Wear Daily reported that Russell Simmons is relaunching his clothing label Argyleculture, this time in partnership with the Joseph Abboud brand. Aimed at “urban graduates,” Simmons described the collection as “preppy on steroids.”


The John Cheever Centennial

Today would be the 100th birthday of John Cheever, who died in 1982. Two news reports you might want to check out are this one by the New York Daily News, and for an English perspective, this one from the Telegraph. I asked Bruce Boyer if he might have any particular insight on one of


Paul Fussell, 1924-2012

Paul Fussell, author of the mordantly hilarious “Class: A Guide Through The American Status System,” died Wednesday at the age of 88. “Class” includes an entire chapter devoted to the semiotics of dress, and he aims his wry wit at his own class as much as those above and below. Here’s an excerpt: Upper-middle clothes…


Image Drop: The Ivy Tumblrs

If you can’t get enough of images from the heyday of the Ivy League Look, there are several tumblr sites you need to check out. Above, The Weejun. Below, Traditional Natural Shoulder: And finally, The Ivy League Look: All great resources for documenting Ivy style from the past. — CC


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Great Gatsby Trailer Released

Yesterday the trailer was released for Baz Luhrmann’s “Great Gatsby” adaptation, due out this Christmas. And don’t forget, the theatrical version will be in 3-D. Will the glasses be shaped like the ones on Dr. Eckleburg’s billboard? — CC


Ivy Trendwatch: GQ’s Guide To Cambridge

In its June issue, GQ uses the term “Ivy League Look” in what I suspect is the first in a long time. The context is in a one-page guide to Cambridge. The magazine mentions J. Press, but neglects to mention The Andover Shop, opting instead for a place called Concepts, described as “part high-end skate


Shade of Grey: J. Press Silk-Linen Spring Sportcoat

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is the steamy new novel that has bored housewives all stirred up, but here’s a shade of grey for us guys. While browsing at J. Press recently, this jacket caught my eye from across the room. The reason was the color: a grayish olive that struck a resounding early ’60s note.


Online Encore: Introducing Country Club Prep

Yep, there’s another. No sooner had I begun preparing the announcement of Tuckernuck than another new online preppy retailer contacted Ivy Style HQ. Launched two months ago by two former lawyers schooled at the University of Virginia, Cornell and Washington & Lee, Country Club Prep is based in Atlanta and brings together small, preppy brands


Tuckernuck, New Online Preppy Retailer

Based in Georgetown and founded by young women from Brown and Penn, Tuckernuck is a new online  retailer that launched last week. The company is the preppier offshoot of Uscoop, a flash-sale site aimed at college students. According to a press release, the company draws inspiration from such WASPy destinations as Nantucket, Vail, Newport and


The $1,100 Vintage Madras Jacket

Last year we reported on a $1,200 Ralph Lauren madras sportcoat; the price struck us as a little steep, not by the standards of RL, but of the fabric. This year the headline stealer is this vintage patch madras jacket from Chipp, for which an eBay seller is asking $1,100. The seller’s rationale for the


Island Getaway: Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom

In his new film “Moonrise Kingdom,” which kicks off the Cannes film festival on May 16, writer-director Wes Anderson is stepping up the prep. Anderson has consistently shown a keen eye for style in his films, at times incorporating prep elements, such as the uniform of blazers, blue oxfords and rep ties at the eponymous


Preps Abroad: A Texas Trad In Japan

It’s always interesting to read interviews with the personalities of Tradsville, as it tends to reveal a surprisingly diverse lot — young and old, hip and square, slim fit and baggy, and of course liberal and conservative — all of whom share a common affinity for natural shoulders and oxford cloth. This week an interesting


Ivy Trendwatch: News From The UK

E-commerce site Mr. Porter has unveiled a new collection by Paul Smith in which the British designer draws inspiration from “Take Ivy.” According to the website’s announcement, Sir Paul, who has been at the forefront of British fashion for five decades, is well placed to explain how Ivy style first came to the UK from


Miles Away: An Update On Cheadle’s Davis Biopic

Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis film project is apparently climbing slowly but surely through the rings of development hell, though the light of day may be miles away. According to reports, the music rights have been secured and there’s a script that focuses on one 36-hour period of the jazz great’s life. Perhaps befitting a small