For those of you new to Tradsville, this website was born from a summer 2008 story I did for Ralph Lauren Magazine about Miles Davis getting outfitted by Charlie Davidson of The Andover Shop in 1954 . I was so fascinated by the multifacted stories behind the Ivy League Look that I decided to launch a new web project about it. The site became a hit, and here we are more than 12 years later.
As a result of that first story about Miles Davis and the other musicians who got hip to Ivy during the heyday (including Roy Haynes, whom I got to interview, and later watched perform at the Newport Jazz Festival with none other than Charlie), Ivy Style has always sought to feature African Americans who appreciate this particular genre of dress, as well as everybody else. And posts here as well as in our Facebook group show that it wasn’t just the jazz guys who embraced buttondowns, loafers, and natural-shouldered jackets, but many students at Historically Black Colleges during the Ivy heyday as well.
On this 19th of June Ivy Style salutes America’s truly original art form — brought to us by those who’d been brought here against their will — with Miles Davis in 1960 doing a song called “June Night.” — CHRISTIAN CHENSVOLD
The thought occurred that Miles’s Charlie Davidson-dressed days would have coincided with the period when many of his adoring fans would have come under the category of…..beatniks! And when was the last time you read that word on these pages, or any other pages, come to that?
And congrats, CC. Well earned, man. If you began wearing a beret and shades with that beard, a beatnik revival would surely follow.
To all new readers – stick with this site. It’s intelligent and thought provoking, and while I often disagree with many of the viewpoints shared here, particularly in the comments, it is consistently a forum of (mostly) well thought out arguments made by knowledgeable people.
I love that large Glen/PoW check jacket, but I can’t get my head around what trousers I’d wear with it. Your standard grey flannels or worsteds would be insipid I’d think, with too much blend and too little contrast. Navy would clash with all the black, and so would brown. That leaves khaki, perhaps? What would you do, Christian?
In 1967 this lad got few opportunities to see American jazz legends. Impecuniousness had me picking ’em very judiciously. Yet at the Hammersmith Odeon in London I saw and heard – boy did I hear – the greatest jazz group on the planet. And who were this fabled group? Well Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, of course, all playing at the height of their powers at that time. At the first note of Miles’s trumpet I understood what the word spellbinding meant.
As for what they wore, dark suits, I vaguely remember. I was far too distracted by the incredible music they were producing to pay much attention.
Tried to understand what this thing called “jazz” was/is, but all I heard was a bunch of improvisation, i.e., fooling around on the keyboard, the bass, and worst of all, the drums.
Variations(?) on a non-existent melody.
As far as “awowen”‘s comment question is concerned, the answer is solid black trousers.
Black in the Ivy league tradition was confined to tuxedos and maybe a knit tie. A really hip jivey ivy guy might own a black cashmere sweater, but black trousers?…….no.
Re: avowen’s question, I agree it’s a great looking sport coat on Miles Davis there. As for me, I’d pair it with dark charcoal, khaki, or cream colored trousers. I am guessing that unless it was a suit, he was probably wearing one of those. Maybe others on here have more ideas. Davis’s approach to clothing shifted into new territory in 1969, which is when I’m sure this site’s appreciation for his style abruptly ends. But as for me, I think he pulled off those more outlandish looks perfectly and in a way only he could.
Congrats on the record web traffic.
I especially like the notion of recasting trad/Ivy as a quintessentially American approach to dress (rather than WASPy), which it really is.
The thought occurred that Miles’s Charlie Davidson-dressed days would have coincided with the period when many of his adoring fans would have come under the category of…..beatniks! And when was the last time you read that word on these pages, or any other pages, come to that?
And congrats, CC. Well earned, man. If you began wearing a beret and shades with that beard, a beatnik revival would surely follow.
Miles Ahead by Miles Davis and Gil Evans is playing while I’m reading this.
To all new readers – stick with this site. It’s intelligent and thought provoking, and while I often disagree with many of the viewpoints shared here, particularly in the comments, it is consistently a forum of (mostly) well thought out arguments made by knowledgeable people.
I love that large Glen/PoW check jacket, but I can’t get my head around what trousers I’d wear with it. Your standard grey flannels or worsteds would be insipid I’d think, with too much blend and too little contrast. Navy would clash with all the black, and so would brown. That leaves khaki, perhaps? What would you do, Christian?
In 1967 this lad got few opportunities to see American jazz legends. Impecuniousness had me picking ’em very judiciously. Yet at the Hammersmith Odeon in London I saw and heard – boy did I hear – the greatest jazz group on the planet. And who were this fabled group? Well Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, of course, all playing at the height of their powers at that time. At the first note of Miles’s trumpet I understood what the word spellbinding meant.
As for what they wore, dark suits, I vaguely remember. I was far too distracted by the incredible music they were producing to pay much attention.
Tried to understand what this thing called “jazz” was/is, but all I heard was a bunch of improvisation, i.e., fooling around on the keyboard, the bass, and worst of all, the drums.
Variations(?) on a non-existent melody.
As far as “awowen”‘s comment question is concerned, the answer is solid black trousers.
Black in the Ivy league tradition was confined to tuxedos and maybe a knit tie. A really hip jivey ivy guy might own a black cashmere sweater, but black trousers?…….no.
Yes, Michael Brady, black flannel trousers.
Happy Father’s Day gentleman.
Will
Re: avowen’s question, I agree it’s a great looking sport coat on Miles Davis there. As for me, I’d pair it with dark charcoal, khaki, or cream colored trousers. I am guessing that unless it was a suit, he was probably wearing one of those. Maybe others on here have more ideas. Davis’s approach to clothing shifted into new territory in 1969, which is when I’m sure this site’s appreciation for his style abruptly ends. But as for me, I think he pulled off those more outlandish looks perfectly and in a way only he could.
Great post. Thank you for this.