I was unable to attend last week’s Brooks Brothers preview as I was battling a virus — a computer virus. So I’m falling back onto Women’s Wear Daily for the coverage.
Writes the paper:
At Brooks Brothers, Harris tweeds, soft tailoring that enables layering, an “into-the-woods” color palette and unorthodox pairings are some predominant messages for fall.
As the first U.S. retailer to sell Harris tweeds, starting in 1909, Brooks Brothers advanced the tradition by offering men’s accessories and footwear, including wing-tip sneakers and field boots, in Harris tweeds that matched up with the jackets.
The woodsy appeal is rooted in earth tones including an array of moss, loden and bright greens, and Harris tweeds in colors seen in camouflaging.
Well I never, BB again, but this time thanks to WWD. Call me a sceptical old scoundrel, but I suddenly find myself questioning what this site is actually about.
In addition to historical documents this site reports the news and lets each reader decide if the news is good or bad.
Honestly I don’t know what you’re crowing about (also I warned you in my last comment that there was more news to come). There were two essays that got a lot of comments, a cartoon (it arrived in my inbox that morning), and BB’s biannual preview happened to be last week.
BB and Ralph Lauren are the only two large/multinational retailers with links to the style discussed here. So it makes sense to cover them.
I’m still waiting for features on Cable Car, Eljo’s, and Ben Silver; I expect Christian is still waiting on the front office to approve his travel budget.
Taliesin – I’d love to see articles on those places as well. I wish I could afford the prices at Ben Silver on a regular basis, but it is a lovely shop, and Cable Car still carries the Ivy torch for the west coast, which would seem to be no easy task. Alas, Eljo’s, once the classic college-town men’s shop across the street from UVA, has moved out to a shopping mall. The last time I was there, a few years ago, they offered few items that I found especially interesting and little stock of tailored clothing, although Southwick 3/2 sacks were still available by special order. I should make a return visit; hopefully it was a temporary nadir rather than a steady state.
How about a feature on Clark Terry, the great jazz trumpeter who passed away over the weekend at age 94. If you google some pictures of him, you’ll find plenty of trad looks from the 60s.
I don’t know, I’ve been bothered by the quality factor with Brooks for a long time now, and this new collection looks particularly cheap. It’s a somewhat unfair judgment because it’s only a series of photos and I haven’t actually seen the clothes themselves. And the styling isn’t much better: there’s even a dinner jacket with a notched lapel. Just horrible! On a happier note, and picking up the comment by “Mark”, may I recommend the beautiful documentary film about Clark Terry, “Keep on Keepin’ On”. A very spiritually uplifting tribute to a great man.
Clark Terry, along with Art Farmer, will be remembered in jazz as one the greatest exponents of the flugelhorn.
But he was never a sporter of Ivy duds in the way Trane, Miles and many others were.
Happy New Near to you man! I would have to agree with you when you compare Clark with Miles and Trane, but I think you’ll agree there are some nice shots of him with Ivy duds in the 60s if you look hard enough. As I told you in an earlier post, My dad was a professional trumpet player. I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing Clark Terry three times (1970,1976, & 1981). I’m telling you, he was one of the greatest trumpet players I’ve ever heard. My dad played with the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra for 5 years, and he’ll even tell you that as great as Dizzy was, Clark Terry takes a backseat to no one!
Wondering about the world of “Ivy” fragrances in the contemporary. ASW has but a few recommendations. Basenotes, for its collective genius, is absent on guidance (but is an essential encyclopedia of knowledge). Anyway, with so many classics having been reformulated (e.g., Polo, Lagerfeld) and, as the saying goes, “not what they used to be,” I’m eager to follow a thread on everyone’s take on scents as an key element in wardrobe.
Sometimes I’ll have the kind of fuddy-duddy reader who says, if pressed, that he prefers Marcel Duchamp’s moustachioed version of the Mona Lisa to abstract art because at least the Duchamp defacing stunt is a recognizable thing.
And then I’ll have a guy who’ll reveal as an aside that his dad played with Dizzy Gillespie.
New Year greetings to you too, Mark. I’d never refute your dad; fellow musician’s know exactly who the guys with true chops are. Dizzy and Clark, giants both.
Hard as I’ve looked, can find just one album cover, “Happnin”, where he’s sporting what looks like a pale blue sack jacket. But in my opinion they all come up short, even Trane and Miles, compared to the old photo I’ve got of Bill Evans taken from across his piano: tweed sack over fully buttoned polo, tinted pantheon glasses, dangling cigarette. Incomparable.
Indeed, but what was interesting in the remark was that the Dada-distorted Mona Lisa was preferable to all non-representational art, because at least the Mona Lisa could still be recognized under the mustache.
Well I never, BB again, but this time thanks to WWD. Call me a sceptical old scoundrel, but I suddenly find myself questioning what this site is actually about.
In addition to historical documents this site reports the news and lets each reader decide if the news is good or bad.
Honestly I don’t know what you’re crowing about (also I warned you in my last comment that there was more news to come). There were two essays that got a lot of comments, a cartoon (it arrived in my inbox that morning), and BB’s biannual preview happened to be last week.
So coincidence rather than hobby horse. Okay, I’ll buy it. But never deny a chap a good old crow; it’s the very catnip of life.
Please tell me that the wing-tip sneakers aren’t from Peal.
I appreciate the Brooks commentary.
BB and Ralph Lauren are the only two large/multinational retailers with links to the style discussed here. So it makes sense to cover them.
I’m still waiting for features on Cable Car, Eljo’s, and Ben Silver; I expect Christian is still waiting on the front office to approve his travel budget.
For those who may not be familiar with the legendary Cable Car Clothiers in San Francisco, this link might be of interest:
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/60903/clothes-make-the-mensch-for-six-decades-pivnick-family-has-kept-san-francis/
And we ran this piece back in the early days:
http://www.ivy-style.com/the-cable-guys.html
Taliesin – I’d love to see articles on those places as well. I wish I could afford the prices at Ben Silver on a regular basis, but it is a lovely shop, and Cable Car still carries the Ivy torch for the west coast, which would seem to be no easy task. Alas, Eljo’s, once the classic college-town men’s shop across the street from UVA, has moved out to a shopping mall. The last time I was there, a few years ago, they offered few items that I found especially interesting and little stock of tailored clothing, although Southwick 3/2 sacks were still available by special order. I should make a return visit; hopefully it was a temporary nadir rather than a steady state.
Hey Christian
How about a feature on Clark Terry, the great jazz trumpeter who passed away over the weekend at age 94. If you google some pictures of him, you’ll find plenty of trad looks from the 60s.
A “Like” or “Agree/Disagrer” button would be a welcome addition to the comment section.
I don’t know, I’ve been bothered by the quality factor with Brooks for a long time now, and this new collection looks particularly cheap. It’s a somewhat unfair judgment because it’s only a series of photos and I haven’t actually seen the clothes themselves. And the styling isn’t much better: there’s even a dinner jacket with a notched lapel. Just horrible! On a happier note, and picking up the comment by “Mark”, may I recommend the beautiful documentary film about Clark Terry, “Keep on Keepin’ On”. A very spiritually uplifting tribute to a great man.
@Mark
Found a nice shot this morning for our Facebook page.
Spot on, Mr. Boyer. “particularly cheap.”
Clark Terry, along with Art Farmer, will be remembered in jazz as one the greatest exponents of the flugelhorn.
But he was never a sporter of Ivy duds in the way Trane, Miles and many others were.
Christian-
Thanks for responding. Could you post a link for your Facebook page? Thanks
Bags Groove-
Happy New Near to you man! I would have to agree with you when you compare Clark with Miles and Trane, but I think you’ll agree there are some nice shots of him with Ivy duds in the 60s if you look hard enough. As I told you in an earlier post, My dad was a professional trumpet player. I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing Clark Terry three times (1970,1976, & 1981). I’m telling you, he was one of the greatest trumpet players I’ve ever heard. My dad played with the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra for 5 years, and he’ll even tell you that as great as Dizzy was, Clark Terry takes a backseat to no one!
Wondering about the world of “Ivy” fragrances in the contemporary. ASW has but a few recommendations. Basenotes, for its collective genius, is absent on guidance (but is an essential encyclopedia of knowledge). Anyway, with so many classics having been reformulated (e.g., Polo, Lagerfeld) and, as the saying goes, “not what they used to be,” I’m eager to follow a thread on everyone’s take on scents as an key element in wardrobe.
Sometimes I’ll have the kind of fuddy-duddy reader who says, if pressed, that he prefers Marcel Duchamp’s moustachioed version of the Mona Lisa to abstract art because at least the Duchamp defacing stunt is a recognizable thing.
And then I’ll have a guy who’ll reveal as an aside that his dad played with Dizzy Gillespie.
Nice counterbalance.
Mr. Boyer knows from what he speaks. This ain’t your father’s BB; and so much the worse for it.
New Year greetings to you too, Mark. I’d never refute your dad; fellow musician’s know exactly who the guys with true chops are. Dizzy and Clark, giants both.
Hard as I’ve looked, can find just one album cover, “Happnin”, where he’s sporting what looks like a pale blue sack jacket. But in my opinion they all come up short, even Trane and Miles, compared to the old photo I’ve got of Bill Evans taken from across his piano: tweed sack over fully buttoned polo, tinted pantheon glasses, dangling cigarette. Incomparable.
Bags Groove-
Just found that photo of Bill Evans you mentioned. All I can say, in my dad’s words are “crazy”!!! (you know what I mean).
Christian, I don’t think fuddy-duddies, as a group, enjoy Dadaism.
Indeed, but what was interesting in the remark was that the Dada-distorted Mona Lisa was preferable to all non-representational art, because at least the Mona Lisa could still be recognized under the mustache.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNYcviXK4rg
Mark, this is the baby: http://www.listal.com/viewimage/205558
Coded parenthesis? Know what I mean? Cannonball Adderley with…..Bill Evans. Nice.