© Photograph Judith Jamison/Barry Feinstein Photography, Inc. A new book shows that Steve McQueen could wear an undarted sack jacket and more than live up to his title as king of cool. Based on candids and stills from the movie “Bullitt” taken by friend Barry Feinstein, “Unseen McQueen” is due out next week from Reel …
Tonight at 9 PM is the premiere of a new JFK documentary on PBS. Here’s the description: Forever enshrined in myth by an assassin’s bullet, Kennedy’s presidency long defied objective appraisal. Recent assessments have revealed an administration long on promise and vigor, and somewhat lacking in tangible accomplishment. His proposals for a tax cut and …
In last month’s issue of GQ, the magazine managed to twice make an assertion that puzzled us here in Tradsville: namely, that a buttondown-collared shirt is not a dress shirt. The first instance occurs in question-and-answer format in Glenn O’Brien’s “Style Guy” column: Most of my dress shirts are buttondown- collar oxfords, but I recently …
Bass has returned to the state of Maine — indirectly, at least. Though it no longer operates a factory there, it has contracted with Rancourt & Co. to produce a new limited-edition “Made In Maine” shoe called the Fenmore Weejun. The beefroll-styled shoe, which is priced at $275, comes in four colors. Tan and loden …
Allen Edmonds has just contacted Ivy-Style.com with the news that it is being acquired by a private equity firm, with the announcement set to hit the newswire shortly. Those who’ve had their hearts broken at the acquisition of quintessential American brands by foreign companies will be pleased to hear that the new owners are American, …
Without preppy style — not to mention other WASP values — to act as a guiding beacon over mainstream American culture, bad things happen. People are chronically rude and selfish. They don’t exercise. They’re suckers for false, gaudy dreck. They become obsessed with celebrities and long to become one on reality TV. And their pants …
For the trad who can’t get enough rep stripe in his life, there are these striped boxer shorts from Sleepy Jones.
Starting tomorrow there will be a major change around here. Your browser will redirect you from Ivy-Style.com to our new home at Ivy-Aesthetic.com. After ridiculing the term for years, I’ve finally decided to embrace it. I believe the extra syllables of “aesthetic” will give this website a more contemporary identity, as well as confer upon …
Ivy-style tweed sports jackets and suits are often distinguished by detailed quarter-inch stitching from the edge of the lapels down the front of the jacket. This distinctive feature is usually echoed by lapped seams that run across the shoulder, down the back seam, and around the pocket flaps. But how did it get there? Everyone …
A couple years ago, when a guy at Brooks first mentioned they were considering a restaurant next door to the Madison Avenue Flagship, I thought it was a great idea. I still do. I mean, assuming there’s a bar, won’t it be the ultimate place to have a drink among fellow trads? And for guys …
Last week I spoke at “the dear old Temple Bar we love so well.” Mory’s, founded in 1863, moved from “the place where Louis dwelled” of “Whiffenpoof Song” fame to its currently shabby chic colonial quarters on York Street in 1912. Originally a private club, townies were never allowed on the premises unless they were …
We’ll conclude the recent batch of Kamakura-versus-Brooks discussion (aka the “buttondown showdown”) with a couple of photos snapped yesterday in the Madison Avenue store. The shop may be small, but it still has room for some newly arrived pocket squares and wool neckties, in addition to all the shirts.
Recently the comments section has been lively with discussion about Brooks Brothers shirts. Obsessing over them is practically an institution; as early as the mid-’60s George Frazier was writing, “What the hell’s happening to the roll on Brooks Brothers buttondowns?” There’s a reason men get so worked up about them: they have strong attachments to …
…. the Guggenheim Museum opened. One year later William Claxton took the above photo of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. A previous Ivy Style tribute to Coltrane (and the Claxton photo shoot) is here, while a post on striped sportcoats is here. As for posts on buttondown-collared shirts, Mr. Erik J. has weighed in on the …
Sperry Top-Sider recently announced it has revamped its collection of shoes and accessories called Gold Cup. Quality is promised to be higher, and of course prices are about double the usual, with boat shoes priced at $150. For that you get, in the company’s words, “premium hand-sewn leather uppers, butter-soft deerskin lining, and Sperry’s patented …
This morning Kamakura Shirts alerted us to this recently produced, 11-minute, English-language TV profile of the company. It’s very interesting for its business and manufacturing insight, and if you’ve already become a fan of Kamakura, I think you’ll enjoy learning more about the great value and attention to detail that goes into its shirts. — …
Yesterday J. Press sent out an email blast about its famous Shaggy Dog, everyone’s favorite Ivy sweater. The mailer neglected to mention, however, that the sweater is back in this dark green color that had been unavailable for a long time, according to a source at the company. It’s a fitting hue, since you’ll …
The latest issue of Japanese magazine Free & Easy is called “The Updated Ivy” issue and features scads of pages of every imaginable wacky twist on trad classics. In fact, one passage explicitly states that Tokyo Ivy is a lot “crazier” than New York Ivy.
