Some great submissions, thought I would organize them here and see if there are any more.
- Mitchell wrote about the Fun Shirt, but I think that IS in the canon, yeah?
- Elder Prep suggested cargo pants. This is a great suggestion. Utilitarian. For years they were all I wore in the winter on jobs. And do not gasp, but you get a tie, a vest, a wool sportcoat and the right boots, and cargo pants look great.
(Dowager Prep, in response gave a long list of no’s and then asked this, submitted for your consideration: “An off topic question for your readers: I see pincord suits all over the deep South down here where I live. But I never see them mentioned alongside seersucker in the acceptable canon of trad/ivywear. Curious, why is that?
Cheers!)
3. Bopper suggested two things. Vintage Wing Tips (I would have thought those are in the canon anyway…?) and these:
4. Michael Powell dropped back and threw deep with the Greek Fisherman’s Cap. ” I vote yay for the Greek fisherman’s cap. Snazzier than a baseball cap. Not as stuffy as a fedora.”
5. Whiskydent (Someday I am getting the origin of that name) writes, ” I’m thinking flannel shirts, wool field jackets and boots. Stuff that goes with your LL Bean duck boots, which I consider Ivy. Filson and Orvis sell the kind of stuff I’m talking about. Could this be where Ivy ends and Trad begins?” I have llllooonnnggg made the argument that if duck boots are Ivy, then these are too:
That right there is the Filson Uplander Chukka. Sadly not made anymore but if you can find a pair, by all means.
6. Roger Sack proposes Oxford Cloth Pajamas. You listening, Classic Fella? Yep.
7. David Sullivan stole my thunder but it is my fault because I didn’t post this article I wrote first. He says, “The adopting of technology into the traditional, for example I wear a watch (traditional mechanical) on my left, non-dominant wrist and an Apple Watch on my right, it allows me to access information on my phone without having to remove said device all the time.” I do the same with a Whoop (BECAUSE I GO TO THE GYM HOW ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH IS THAT NOT IVY YOU DO KNOW JFK SWAM EVERY DAY?!?). I have a whole post almost ready to go on tech pieces that should be acceptable, but until then, Mr. Sullivan, bravo.
8. Hardbopper suggested Spectator Shoes with a Seersucker suit. I couldn’t pull it off but that doesn’t mean it’s not a thing. Here:
9. Finally, McBindle votes for the Goretex jacket. Which one? He does make a great point about frugality and regional authenticity though.
Ok, your turn.
Love this idea of the evolution of Ivy.
Really relevant given how post Covid the world has changed and with it what’s acceptable
Is there a danger though that items that are just classic or even ubiquitous get included? Such as cargo shorts.
Also is there a fine line that shouldn’t be crossed? For example, sweatshirts Ivy, Hoodie not.
Being a Brit I would also add to the list certain Paraboot shoes and a bit of French workwear.
A chore jacket and OBCD go together very nicely
I don’t know if sweatshirts are Ivy, really. Are there probably a few pictured in “Take Ivy”? Sure. But it’s just work out gear. Certainly a Champion cotton sweatshirt is “more Ivy” than some Under Armour polyester travesty. But if it is Ivy, then I think the hooded sweatshirt is the same. Floppy, flimsy zip-up hoodies? No. Heavy weight cotton sweatshirts with a hood? Yes. But really, no for all of them.
Grey fleece vests.
This item has been co-opted by finance bros on the East coast and tech bros on the West coast.
Long before they became popular with Midtown bond traders, the grey fleece vest was a staple among Ivy League elites.
COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
Thanks, John.
I just got an email from the Billy Reid company.
They include suede (denim?) shirts and leather jackets as part of their “Southern Ivy” fall collection.
Their website also sells bandanas and trucker caps (“Make Cornbread, Not War”) under the rubric of Southern Ivy.
My mother gave me a Greek fisherman’s cap for my big fat Greek birthday a few years back. She was more of an Anthony Quinn fan than a WFB Jr. fan, but either way, I’m in. For Buckley, I would recommend a sombrero y bandana. Is that a sunburn or windburn? Ouch!
Ray-Bans we’re “Very Ralph” during the 80’s preppy, “French-Ivy”, “Stetson” days.
How about cargo shorts and Persol folding sunglasses as worn by Steve McQueen…and dive watch worn on a NATO strap…
Self serving? Yes!
This is pretty perfect. Send pics?
General Mac perfected the Ray Ban look. Need to rub off the Ray Ban logo with a copper penny. Prefer the lobsterman cap by Quaker Marine with plenty of wear/tear vs Greek Cap for street cred.
My Persols:
Different from the Steve McQueen model, I think.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/624522673335899841/
Yes to aviators but no (“hard pass”) to Ray Bans. Yes to Randolph Engineering. I like the Concorde but the classic aviator is a Made-in-the-U.S.A. (yes, I did.) WINNER.
This old Ivy snob presents Henry Fonda for an undisputed three-fer. Cannot beat his worn out “bucket hat,” nor his RIP LLBean tattersall shirt, with white crew underneath. [Guaranteed rumpled khakis for pants.] If I knew what that sweater/vest was, I’d list that too. No attention screaming glasses, just fade away spectacles. Old Ivy for the win.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9a/4d/d6/9a4dd645303c23ba2eeb59ac2d0ec309.jpg
If we’re doing “athleisure” (and, well, we are–accept it), then for FGS keep it Ivy: classic coaches ballcap (100% wool, felt letter, steeped front, short brim), old school sneakers (think Adidas Sambas– black w/ white stripes; black spot-bilt’s if you can find them), old school (I like navy) hoodie, old-fashioned, full-fitting heathered gray sweatpants. You’ll insult a lot of people simultaneously with this combo, especially the bicyclists (goood lord) and lulu lululemon crowd. Accessorize with clipboard, unlit (chewed) cigar and aviators for full sideline coach-is-a-badass effect.
I suspect I’ll get some pushback against this suggestion: https://www.tecovas.com/products/the-earl?variant=40092083126467&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhanOvqTmgAMVO1N_AB35jwliEAQYASABEgLG1PD_BwE&color=scotch-goat
I hear Yes and No on my white LaCoste leather sneakers. Worn without socks. Next year, there will be Bucks.
For what it’s worth, I too wear (muted) spectator shoes with a seersucker suit on warm days during August and early September once the semester kicks in. And I’m in the wilds of Mid-Michigan. I know. I know.
Kind Regards,
H-U
H-UVB,
With WOCBD, medium or navy blue paisley bow-tie, and navy blue socks, I assume? White pocket hanky?
I know we’ve talked about red Converse sneakers before, but I’d like to nominate Vans sneakers (the canvas lace-ups in off-white and in blue) for Ivy status. Dirty white vans give dirty white bucks vibes to me. At least they did where I went to high school and college.
SE said
“Yes to aviators but no (“hard pass”) to Ray Bans. Yes to Randolph Engineering. I like the Concorde but the classic aviator is a Made-in-the-U.S.A. (yes, I did.) WINNER.”
Randolph makes great aviators, but the originals were Ray Ban made by Bausch & Lomb beginning in 1936. The originals were like the Ray Ban Outdoorsman in the image above, only the brow pad was different.
Who knew there was a Randolph, Mass.? I always thought the name came from the West Point of the Air.
Randolph can be had with bayonet temple tips. Ray-Bans with cable temples. Both have their advantages.
I lived at Randolph Air Force Base kindergarten-3rd grade.
Also, I think Ray-Ban made bayonet temple shades at some point. That’s what my admittedly hazy memory of my dad’s shades is telling me. They made the straight arms so a pilot could easily remove them or put them on while wearing a helmet and flying the plane.
I own a couple R Fellows drawings published in the pages of Life Magazine…if he drew it, then I think it should be included…
Therefore Spectator Shoes are in, and I’m now on the hunt for a pair.
Hi John I tried to email the pic you requested but your email came back undeliverable…
JohnBurton@Ivy-StyleMediaGroup.com THANKS
Randolph is a Gov’t supplier. I have a pair of Randolph bi-focal sun glasses. Well made frames, but two sizes too small. Army lab ground the lenses wrong. They placed the near vision grind where the far vision grind should be and vice-versa, then sent you the bill. FUBAR as usual.
Good Morning Bop,
Typically, a Madras necktie (one of three or four in the rotation), but navy or mid-blue OTC socks and a white linen pocket square. Might just need to add a bow tie to the combination though.
FUBAR is such a great term by the way (as is SNAFU).
Kind Regards,
H-U