I still stop by and bang golf balls on the third floor at Brooks whenever I’m passing through Midtown.
Recently I spied two pairs of madras shorts that had a real heyday vibe, thanks to the color palettes of olive and burgundy. They certainly feel like they’d be more at home in the pages of “Take Ivy” than the eye-popping madras we’ve been seeing so much of lately.
In fact, the olive is actually darker, and therefore more vintage-looking, in person than in the web shot above with all-white background.
According to Brooks the shorts are made from real Indian madras, carry an 11-inch inseam, and are priced at $95.
Below, courtesy of powerHouse Books, are a few suggestions on how to style them. — CC
Totally ivy, not only the madras pattern, but the longer length. Boy would I love to see the BB archives.
The shorts are great, but I’m getting a heyday vibe from the 1960 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan on Nassau St.
Short length is tricky, especially as cusomers’ heights differ. Being only 5’10”, I find I prefer an 8″ or 9″ inseam on shorts. 11″ falls to almost mid-knee. LL Bean’s chino shorts come in 6″, 8″, or 10″ inseams (although the no-iron fabric leaves much to be desired). If Brooks offered these in 8″ or 9″ I’d buy a pair.
Agree with JT.
Whoa! I saw these Madras shorts and suddenly it was spring 1962 and I was watching Grand Prix Formula I races at Watkins Glen, New York As I recall, my date was also wearing the ladies version of Madras shorts (Peck and Peck?) and she looked absolutely terrific in them. We were both taking a break from exams at our nearby university.
@JT & @RJG – perhaps drop a few dimes on a hem at the tailor?
Great looking shorts. And I would absolutely love to find a 3/2 sack coat in the olive fabric. I have 2 madras sport coats. One has never fit quite properly (my fault for buying it), and the other (from J. Press) fits like an ultra-lightweight dream, but is a bit on the bright side. That olive madras looks perfect, and the burgundy, blue and gray is a close second.
Agree the olive would be a great jacket and also straight out of “Take Ivy,” where there are olive madras sportcoats.
Madras culottes. Fetching.
Now those I quite like, and I’m not easily pleased when it comes to shorts, being a dyed-in-the-wool khaki kinda guy. I sometimes feel sad for Brooks, but immediately cheered when I think about my best belt, in saddle leather, purchased in a Scottsdale outlet (I’d just worshipped at Taliesin West, I seem to remember) moons ago. Have to say, and it pains me to say it, but it has always had my next best, an inordinately fine Alden, rather well beaten.
Such is the way life goes in the slow lane.
@cam
You’re right, of course. I could take them to a tailor. And I love the look of the olive ones. But it’s also that they look too tight on the model, so much so that the belt sticks out as too thick. Check out the third and fourth pictures down. That’s the right fit, I think. The shorts on the guy in the fifth and last picture are embarrassing.
Needs a higher waist.
Low rise garbage imo. Cloth looks nice though.
Bills Khakis is a source
A childish look. Where’s the baseball cap? Must one be doughy to wear these, or does it just help along the look?