By Matthew Longcore “Navy blue. The new neutral, it is the automatic first choice for shoes, purses, suits, sweaters. It serves as the perfect foil for colors that do not exist in nature – shocking pink, poison green, brilliant yellow, Windex blue. Purple is not Preppy.” – The Official Preppy Handbook (1980) If there is …
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Matthew Longcore, Ph.D. Editor and publisher Matthew Longcore completed his Ph.D. in Humanities at Salve Regina University. His doctoral dissertation is titled “Dreaming Spires: Collegiate Gothic Architecture on American Campuses.” Matthew is a graduate of Trinity College and holds master’s degrees from Fairfield University, Harvard University, and Yale University. As an undergraduate, he majored in …
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Brooks Brothers is 202 this month. The UK-based website Fashion United has “Ivy League” in its headline about the anniversary, but strangely no article. We’ll file it under Ivy Trendwatch anyway. In other Ivy brand news, J. Press is helping fight the virus. Kudos to them. And speaking of the virus, a member of Ivy’s …
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By Andrew Hubert In case you haven’t heard, the United States has levied a 10% universal tariff and higher individualized tariffs on certain countries, including China and Japan. Even for traditional and ivy styles, much of the world’s clothing supply is manufactured and exported from Asia, particularly China. Many of our readers are gearing up …
By Matthew Longcore “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” – The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald Summer is definitely my season. Despite growing up in …
By James H. Grant The United Kingdom of Great Britain has many well-known clothiers and outfitters: Aquascutum, Barbour, Burberry, Harrod’s, Liberty of London, just to name a few. Although less heralded perhaps, the firm of J.C. Cording & Co., Ltd., at 19 Piccadilly, London, is one of the finest brands for traditional men’s and women’s …
By Anna Moore Although a far cry from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, The Kennedy Compound (as it was formally referred to) at Hyannis Port became quickly established as the ‘Summer White House’ for JFK and Jackie. Rose and Joseph Kennedy obtained the lavish property in 1928, evolving into a central hub and hideaway for their family …
By Dan Covell I realized I finally needed a new wallet. The one I had was at least 15 years old, and while still serviceable, was deeply worn and frayed. Luckily, I was in Andover, Massachusetts, and that meant I could go to The Andover Shop and see what they had in stock. Why was …
Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer, is celebrating the milestone 125th anniversary of the iconic button-down collar shirt with a giveaway in collaboration with the Preppy Handbook Fan Club. To mark the occasion, Brooks Brothers is giving away Ten (10) $125 Brooks Brothers Gift Cards. To enter the giveaway: Like the giveaway post on Instagram Follow @brooksbrothers …
By Matthew Longcore There is nothing quite like the beauty of a handcrafted, one of a kind item. My talented wife, an artist with a home based studio, has run her own business for the past five years. We live near the New England coast and spend a lot of time walking the beaches of …
By James H. Grant In the early 1970s, I knew a priest who served as the Catholic chaplain at Emory University in Atlanta. We occasionally conversed over a beer at Jagger’s, a local pizza restaurant. Father Genesse taught me the Latin expression: De gustibus non est disputandum. There are several nuanced translations of the phrase, …
By Matthew Longcore Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer, is celebrating the milestone 125th anniversary of the iconic button-down collar shirt – known today as the “Original Polo® Button-Down” – with a special campaign. The campaign features nine individuals including Lisa Birnbach, author of The Official Preppy Handbook. In 1900, Brooks Brothers changed the course of …
By Matthew Longcore He is the Father of His Country, the American Cincinnatus, the American Fabius, the Sage of Mount Vernon. George Washington – commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and first President of the United States – was born on this day nearly three centuries ago – on February 22, …