A few notes, make of them what you will. First, a word about the dialogue in the profile of Evan and about editing comments in general. I made a note in a comment on that profile, because the comment was stupid. Really stupid. There is a way to constructively criticize, and that lifts us all up. There is a way not to, and that way is stupid. Stupid gets curated. Also, so you know, there is a software applied to this blog because of its size, called Akismet. It does a great job of not exposing you all to 322 Viagra ads a day. And occasionally it nicks a comment that it shouldn’t. I run through them every day, but after the first few dozen “You can have a 12 hour whatever” ads I gloss over, so I may miss something. Just email me at John_Burton@Ivy-Style.com and let me know. I assure you it isn’t personal.
Got a lot of feedback in emails (some people are reluctant to post comments because of the abovementioned, which is being remedied right the you-know-what now) about the What Next? piece – and what should be next? We get it, Trad is back (the unindoctrinated call it Preppy, which is fine too I guess) and the tie lives on and so forth. So what’s the next step? We have to consider expanding the canon. By just a few items. For background, here is something I posted in the FB group yesterday:
I’ve noticed something, see if you agree with me. There is a knack to Ivy – as important as knowing what to add is knowing what not to add. Piling one Ivy element on top of another might make for a thicker Ivy sandwich but not necessarily a better one. The Ivy aesthetic is value-based, and the idea is to reflect an appreciation for the classics while interpreting them. Simply layering pattern on pattern and then geometrically expanding your efforts, even if they don’t clash, or throwing a few Ivy staples over whatever else you have on – I am not sure that is Ivy. In fact, I am pretty sure it is not. For all its nuance Ivy is essentially pretty simple. Classic, traditional fashion interpreted through your own lens, with a respect for what made the elements classic to begin with. And it isn’t hey-kids-get-off-my-lawn thinking to practice reservation, either. One can be a thin chef. The “If you don’t like what I am wearing you don’t think Ivy can expand” mantra is the acid reflux of the insecure. A few Ivy items, smartly organized, and then YOU make the statement.
That said, what to add so that we can add a few colors to the wheel here? Two things, for your consideration:
The 1/4 zip pullover. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, and give me a paragraph here. First, we have to accept that it has already received a nod not just from Brooks (I wrote Mr. Bastian last night for the first time proposing an interview), but from some of the niche smaller brands that fill out the Ivy approved vendor list. I get that this might be an accommodation to the market, but sometimes you gotta let the market tell you what your house is worth, right? It is also to be noted that it has not been welcomed by some of the other anchors. But the argument is threefold:
- You have one in your closet anyway. You aren’t going to admit it here, but we both know you do.
- The 1/4 zip pullover does solve a lot of problems. It gives you a V if you want to demonstrate a tie (and please do). It is less formal but formal enough (yes Trad is coming back but not without concessions). It comes up on the back of the neck which offers a better line if you aren’t going to work on your posture. It introduces textures (oh hello, Cable) that otherwise fall by the wayside to some. You can run a Tee underneath it (gray, please, preferably alma mater) if you are running out for weekend coffee. And so forth.
- The reemergence of Trad is a handshake where both parties have to extend. This is the least intrusive extension.
My second candidate is the blue jean. The argument is threefold:
- You have jeans in your closet anyway. You aren’t going to admit it here, but we both know you do.
- I used to get beat up by Heydayers about blue jeans, until I made submitted the following geometrical proof. You wore wheat jeans. Wheat jeans are jeans. Wheat jeans are the color of wheat. You wear white oxfords. You also wear blue oxfords. Blue oxfords are the same color as blue jeans. If it is okay to wear blue oxfords, it is okay to wear blue jeans. That quieted them down.
- Jeans are a gateway drug, so you have to be careful. There are a ton of sub-rules. Probably a post unto its own, but for the purposes of this piece, just think classic. If it doesn’t feel classic, it ain’t. Let that be your guide until I can get the other post up.
A few more notes before the weekend:
If you haven’t subscribed, do so. Why? Because advertisers are going to offer things to Ivy-Style members, but they can’t if they don’t know who you are. A site redesign is coming, and so is another piece by Zoe, probably next week or so. I also have a great piece about jazz and Ivy (I swear, it isn’t what you’ve read before) that got submitted.
Alright – have a great weekend – JB
Calm before the storm.
1. The 1/4 Zip Pullover: Used to have one. Half an hour after putting it on, usually changed it for a V-neck (lambswool – no shetland – this is the European continental variation on your theme, at least in France and Belgium). All the advantages you mention are correct however! Saw (former) Prince Harry wearing one on a TV doc about the British Royals the other day. No, …, sorry.
2. Blue jeans: Fine. Am regularly wearing sky blue 501’s for the last 3 decades.
Think RRedford look in 3 Days of the Condor, and a dark blue one to the office half of the working days (with jacket and tie or bow tie).
Bartholomew
Hi Bartholomew – apologies I just saw this and for some algorithmic reason it required approval??? Weird. Man, I knew Prince Harry was gonna take one in the teeth in here. 🙂 – JB
Agree 100% with regard to the 1/4 zip up and jeans. I possess 1 of each, both sold by Brooks.
And you are a brave man for going first. Respect. – JB
I’ll always and forever be the curmudgeonly dinosaur “standing athwart history, yelling ‘Stop!'”, but I admire and (mostly) appreciate what JB is doing with this site. In this strange postmodernism moment, when/where all ideas and opinions and lifestyles are deemed equal, the maintainers of orthodoxies are the real-life rebels. It’s essential that purists have uprisings– to rebuke and resist: Burke need the French Revolution in order to be fully, well, Burkean. If you know what I mean.
Now, having said all that– the zip front sweater is a no-go. Wool ragg crewneck–all the way.
Hi S.E. and thanks! I hear you – Ali – Frazier. I come at it a little different, think of it as if Frazier showed up when Ali was on life support. Great writing man, ready to do a post? – JB
OCBD, Shetland sweater, jeans and topsiders – what’s not to like?
As far as those quarter-zips, these seem to have taken the place of the traditional offerings (such as V-neck lambswool and crew-neck Shetland sweaters) of, say, Orvis and LL Bean, whose fall catalogs are often “here are the 10 different kinds of quarter-zips we’re offering this season.”
But yes, they’re here to stay and I’m going to admit that I have three of them in my closet.
I respect your admission. Um, I have three too. – JB
Quarter zips. They are everywhere at the moment, and I just don’t get the attraction. They seem gimmicky. What purpose do they serve that can’t be fulfilled by a crew-neck, or v-neck if you want to show a bit of tie? I don’t like them, and haven’t possessed one since my mother made me wear one in the 1970s.
Hi Brian! The purpose – you get to slide the V up and down. Who doesn’t want flexibility? Not to mention the line – some people (like me) look better in them. – JB
There are certain things we resist (dislike) for reasons that transcend the purely utilitarian–because of what they represent–subjectively. This is a more ‘sacramental’ (if I may– well, I guess I did) understanding of ‘stuff,’ including clothes. For me, the quarter zips feel Trump-Biden era aging-but-I-want-look-young/cool Yuppie. The guy down the street who insists on a latte with six ingredients … who also drives a new (leased) Audi … who also boasts of knowing the best sushi spots–
–that’s the quarter zip sweater guy.
Especially if it’s cashmere.
That guy.
Ok. I hear you. Except that they were around when I was in like, 8th grade. But you make a point about the guy with the latte in the Audi. They wear them too. So we welcome them, and slowly, gradually with dignity and yet firmness, tell them leasing and cashmere, and latte even straight up for that matter – are things we can grow out of. And a year later, our neighbor comes out of the front door and waves, multi-use travel mug with home made coffee in his hand, and heads to his Volvo. Or Woodie, if he owns a boat. And his 1/4 zip is now wool, his ocbd is white, and his tie was thrifted and is old Brooks. Hope springs eternal! – JB
I agree jeans and the quarter zip are Ivy when the proper ones (cut,color and quality) are worn in the correct setting. The cable knit quarter zip shown in the article paired with a good cut jeans an ocbd, and weejuns is a solid look when worn in the appropriate setting. Given that it’s casual Friday at work, that’s what I’ll wear today: qtr zip, ocbd,jeans, weejuns. Styles evolve; roll with it. Speaking of evolution, a future review might include the company logo vest. That should really be interesting, in both the review and comments.
I am so on the company logo vest thing – great idea. I am assuming you don’t mean the manufacturer or the retailer, more like Smith Barney? – JB
I own a few 1/4 zips, and jeans…Levi 501s, in wheat, and in blue. To me, the 1/4 zip is casual, worn with aforementioned grey t-shirt, or an OCBD, sans tie, and with jeans. I have a couple from the alma mater, so for weekends I think they work well casually. I don’t wear them with jacket and tie, and don’t consider them to be in the Ivy canon, but, in the proper context, I think they can be Ivy adjacent.
Hi Steve! – JB
Speaking of Michael Bastian, he is featured in an Esquire piece about making Brooks Brothers more American, classic, yet contemporary. “Brooksier” as he put it:
https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a38082190/michael-bastian-brooks-brothers-creative-director-interview/
Saw this and wrote Mr. Bastian last night. I have some thoughts. – JB
I’m a big supporter of adding jeans into the mix but that’s also because I’m a bit of a “denimhead” and own a handful of great quality pairs. I will say though that my support only extends so far. Raw, selvedged denim has a huge place in American clothing history, always looks classic, and is almost always made with natural fibers. Stretch jeans from H&M, however, fall into my “nope” category.
Hi Laura (and thanks)! – JB
I had a quarter-zip sweater for a short time before I parted with it. I tried, but it just never worked for me. I don’t think they’re interesting enough articles of clothing to inspire, well, articles. But that chunkier-knit ochre-wheat example from Brooks pictured above actually looks promising. Perhaps it’s more about the gauge and texture of the knit than anything. You don’t see a lot of smooth, lightweight knits in ivy unless they’re layered under a sport coat or suit jacket.
As for jeans, obviously nothing bedazzled or pre-distressed or whatever the hell is going on in the picture above (I almost did a spit-take with my morning coffee as I scrolled past that), and in a straight or semi-tapered fit with a mid to higher rise. Plain old Levi’s 501s or 505s might be a good jumping off point. Denim freaks might scoff, but they’re probably not on this blog. Then again, they might know of some even more ivy-ish options without knowing it.
Bravo man. Bravo. – JB
I never argue about taste. Whether it’s clothes, movies or what have you. I may not agree but I do not dictate. We all have our preferences.
I do not own a 1/4 zip. Why? Because for one thing, I don’t need one. I have acquired so many top quality, bullet proof shetland crew necks and lambswool V necks that buying a 1/4 zip now would be superfluous, unneeded and a waste of money. If the elbows wear out I have elbow patches sewn on. And I have to say, I don’t find 1/4 zips all that appealing anyway. Probably has something to do with my aversion to motorcycle jackets riddled with ornamental zippers.
As for blue jeans, whether some people consider them ivy or not, they are classic. And they last and last.
I subscribe to dressing appropriately for the situation at hand. I believe jeans are preferable to flannels, or khakis even, when riding a horse or a Triumph 500. Flannels are usually better for dinner at eight. Especially if your date is wearing “her perfect little black cocktail dress” And so forth.
Well said! – JB
Here I go commenting that denim freaks wouldn’t be reading this blog, having missed the comment immediately preceding mine from a self-professed denimhead. I meant nothing derisive by the “freaks” moniker Laura, and stand humbly (and instantly) corrected.
Almost never comment here, although I will admit to suffering from the Facebook plague.
Be that as it may, my feeling is that certain jeans worked the way into “canonical” status during the great 1960s upheaval. Along with loner hair and certain rock music, classic jeans made the jump into the wardrobe catalog.
However, the quarter zip, in my mind, harkens back to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers with the feathered hair that were my fraternity’s nemesis. Therefore, mais non.
You make a strong case for both. – JB
I’m in on both for a variety of reasons. 1. I own one (1) quarter-zip pullover. It’s 100% cotton made and sold in the 90’s by Harold Powell and extremely comfortable. It’s essentially a heavy, quality sweatshirt with a zipper. I don’t want another one, wouldn’t wear it with a tie or in any “dressed-up” way, but it’s great on an autumn day with jeans and a tee.
2. Denim jeans are ubiquitous to the point that arguing the point is ridiculous. 100% cotton, ring-spun denim. Cut with a rise suitable for an adult. (They do exist.) I have owned a LOT of denim since my graduation many decades ago. All denim is definitely not equal. The best quality may not be the highest price, but when you find it, you know it.
3. Adding to the Ivy canon
is inevitable and, done in moderation, it’s healthy. Ivy style isn’t just something precious to be placed in a box and carefully guarded.
It’s a living, breathing concept that can be embraced and emulated by those who are inspired by it.
It’s also something that can be inclusive of new ideas from it’s adherents as long as they acknowledge that there are bedrock principles and standards which should always exist and be acknowledged.
Hey Barry! Good notes. – JB
I believe jeans are long-overdue and, as long as they’re in a classic style and not torn to shreds, can be dressed up significantly. I’ve always been a fan of 1/4 zips because of their utility; you can show off your tie when the zipper is down but if it starts getting chilly the zipper goes up and you’re all set.
Also, I’m partial to my shawl collar sweaters. From O’Connells, they are beyond bullet proof and rather versatile . Can be worn with jeans or flannels.
The rules for what is Ivy and what is preppy and what is trad (and no, they aren’t the same thing), should never ever change. Non-changing rules are part of the appeal and once you open it up to changing rules then the rules can be changed to include anything. Having said that, jeans, whether wheat or Levies blue 501s, can be considered ivy as they were both worn by ivy league students at the height of ivy (50’s – 60’s). Quarter zip sweaters are neither ivy nor preppy but more on the trad side.
Disagreeing is not ‘dictating.’
Disagreeing (debate) can be stimulating — and even fun. And move an idea, assertion or argument forward.
If anything is worthy of argument for the sake of fun argument…
… it’s taste.
Lest tastelessness be permitted to prosper.
Yep. That’s it perfectly. – JB
I’m wearing Wrangler cowboy cut jeans, an Orvis safari shirt, and roper cowboy boots at this very moment. Yesterday, I had on an OCBD, khakis and AE Patriot pennies. Most on this blog would probably think the styles are dissociative. They might be downright horrified when I mix it up, as in khakis with boots. However, I see it all as unified under a banner of iconic, traditional American style.
They would be right, you would be right. And NOTHING is more comfortable than a pair of broken in cowboy boots. It’s weird and one wouldn’t think it, but it is true, right? – JB
great tie choice!
Haha no worries, Nevada! There are far more passionate denim fans than me out there who do view Levi’s as “beginner” denim, but I’d say the vast majority is in favor of their classic styles.
Quarter-zips are nearly a uniform for faculty and the professional and semi-professional staff around the local university in my town. The same goes for local doctors, lawyers (outside of court days or client meetings), architects, etc., but they are not for me.
I just can’t get away from the, admittedly irrational, feeling that zip-up sweaters look cheap. I have crew necks, v-necks, cardigans, and vests, but none of them zip. I feel the same way about fleece, which a company logo does nothing to improve. Wear it if you must, but it is most decidedly not for me. Sport coats are casual enough for casual Friday, but if I feel very informal I may substitute a Shetland crew neck and go tieless.
Jeans are also ubiquitous for faculty and staff at UVA and other local professionals. While I would not wear them to work under most circumstances (not being a Texan like our honorable friend Whiskeydent), I have no problem with jeans in the right context. I have been wearing some form of jeans since I was a pre-school tike, and still have standard blue 501s, plus white 501s for summer.
Are jeans “Heyday Ivy”? I think so. Although not as specifically Ivy as khakis, they are certainly pictured in Take Ivy. Down here, far from the actual Ivy League but kindred school spirits in style, there would not have been very many closets at W&L or UVA in the 80s that lacked at least one pair of jeans. The same was true for the young ladies’ closets at Sweet Briar, Hollins and Mary Baldwin.
So count me a qualified yes for 1 out of 2.
Much like the Play – Quality’s “the thing”.
Quarter zips, I dislike them from a style perspective but I also find a zipper around the neck not particularly cozy. The same sweater with buttons would be preferable aesthetically as well as practically, in my opinion.
“…but they are not for me.
I just can’t get away from the, admittedly irrational, feeling that zip-up sweaters look cheap.“
Yes to Charlottesville‘s comment.
Great article, with good insight into the work needed to manage the site, even with automated help.
I’ve worn jeans Into O’Connell’s and BOTH Andover shop stores. In fact, I’ve been measured for jackets in The Andover Shop while wearing jeans, and I was wearing jeans when I bought my last item (an off the rack linen/wool summer weight windowpane jacket) personally from Charlie before he retired. My heritage is southern Appalachian and I attended southern public schools from K through post graduate training, so I have no advantage there. My profession is an acceptable one in “Ivy circles”, and I do love jazz and know enough to have conversed with Charlie BRIEFLY about the subject, so that could be it.
Points to know about the jeans:
1. They fit, were clean, and you couldn’t see whether I was wearing a thong or boxers.
2. They were a traditional cut Levi, an undisputed staple of southern traditional dress for decades. I paired the jeans with a nice, lightly starched (but not new) Andover Shop button down.
3. I really didn’t care if anyone liked my jeans or not, but I was polite about it.
Yes. And come think of it, my jeans don’t even have zippers.
Most quarter zips can be zipped to afford more neck protection than v’s or crews.
I have many in cotton, wool and some cashmere. Put one under a cashmere sport coat and you will be toasty on a January night.
I like how a lot of Ivy, originally, was the adoption of casual items, sportswear, etc., but now, present day, a favorite of golfers who don’t dress like the late Payne Stewart — the quarter zip — is a pearl-clutching affront to some.
I’ve got a cashmere navy Donegal quarter zip. Feels just fine over an oxford.
I don’t own any quarter zips; I find the zipper uncomfortable against my neck. I do have two 3- button neck sweaters which I do wear, Ivy or not. I also find jeans uncomfortable for occasions best left for khakis or cords and only wear them for outdoor chores. I can give them an Ivy pass if well cut, well fitting and clean with casual shoes (boats or equal).
Jeans YES – college students have been wearing them consistently for over 50 years.
Quarter zip NO (but worth considering for the future) because it is still new/trendy.
It also reminds me of Axe from the TV show Billions.
(Of course I am wearing a BB quarter zip in blackwatch tartan as I write this, haha)
I have one pair of Levi 505s but I also wear DOD surplus ABU/UCP pants along with this-side-of-the-grave OCBDs and flannel shirts – but these are my “beater” clothes for working in the yard or on the cars. Outdoor footwear consists of military surplus boots or substantial hiking boots. Practical, utilitarian clothes. Quarter-zip pullovers? I do not own a single one, never have, and doubt that I ever will.
During college, we definitely wore Levis along with khakis in what would be described as a “preppy” or “collegiate” type of dress. I see no clash between blue jeans and “Ivy” if the jeans are of a traditional type/cut (Levis, Wrangler, etc). But blue jeans aren’t as comfortable as a pair of old khakis. Comfort becomes a consideration as we age. I am in complete agreement (yet again) with @whiskeydent in that blue jeans are iconic, traditional, American style.
I’ll comment on the jeans subject first. I know I’m giving away my age here, but in my first and second decade of life they were called dungarees, probably originating from the WWII crowd, mostly my USMC father. They were the deep blue stiff denim pants you wore to the plant, factory or barnyard. I still see them as work pants and I own several in various shades of blue. I also have two pairs of white 501’s both zip and button fly and look great with sockless weejuns and a crewneck. On the quarter-zip, matter I think I have one. Here’s why. With my declining scalp density pulling anything over my head is annoying. I’ll stop there. Hence my preference for cardigans and V-necks. However, as I love the crewneck look I put up with the pullover process because the final appearance is so valuable and desirable.
My parents called them dungarees, and you have them nailed perfectly. – JB
“…blue jeans aren’t as comfortable as a pair of old khakis..”
This.
I own a few quarter zips and never wear them, not because they are/aren’t Ivy, but because I think they look off in some way, like you kinda sorta popped a collar (and the collar itself usually has some odd waves to it). It doesn’t dress down an outfit, but it makes it look sloppy.
Jeans I assumed were Ivy as you see them on college kids from Ivy schools in the ’50s on / on kids who dressed Ivy back in its day. If not Ivy, then classic American and I’m all for “bringing them into the Ivy universe.”
S.E.,
…or a pair of new khakis, for that matter.
A really good, broken in, pair of 501s has been a staple of my life for quite a few decades. Buying them new and untouched by “acid wash” “gravel wash”, or similar, with the texture and flexibility normally associated with plywood, and the stiff cotton abrading the inner thigh like a rasp for the first dozen or so washes is an integral part of my generation’s experience. So YES to jeans.
Quarter zip….not so much. But not every cut and style works for everyone and it appears to be here to stay…so why deny its presence.
I agree on both. I have three Ralph Lauren quarter-zip sweaters, in gray, cream and red. And two pairs of J.Crew jeans, medium blue and dark blue. I’m not as Ivy orthodox as most here, favoring peaked lapels on my single-breasted jackets, for example, but I do respect what you’re after. And if you’ll permit a relative heretic to weigh in, I think you’re right to allow these two borderline areas into the canon.
Permitted, welcome, and encouraged. – JB
A pair of faded, beat-up jeans are like an old hound snoozing with his head resting on your leg while a pair of fraying, mysteriously stained khakis are like an ancient house cat curled up in your lap. They’re both pretty dang comfortable, but in a different way.
But quarter zips suck. But I have a sleeveless one.
I dunno about “suck.” Although it seems like you have invented something. The Trucker’s 1/4, we should call it. – JB
Yes… And come to think about it, my jeans don’t even have zippers.
Good one. – JB
S. E. and Dutch Uncle are correct. Khakis always more comfortable. My late father would not wear jeans when I was young. Said they were freezing in the winter and hot in the summer. But as an old man he started wearing them for some reason. Since college, am 60 now, have kept one pair of jeans in case a horse happens to trot by, but for no other reason. Actually, I like them with a striped button-down or a black sweater, but that is all. Here in Colorado jeans are such a cult like item, and people think khakis are dress slacks, that I avoid jeans totally.
If I were to wear them they’d be quite faded and loose fit. In my 30s I had a pair of Gap relaxed fit which were quite nice with a thick button down and under a barn coat.
Never understood the quarter-zip, as in why not just wear a sweater and avoid putting sharp objects over one’s head and hair. A zipper up there seems to be the worst of both worlds. Why cover up a nice roll collar, for instance. And if one is not covering a collar, but instead a wearing it over a T-shirt, one should not be going to the office like that anyway.
I own denim and Dickies and J.Press, O’Connell’s, BB, JosAB, and Polo. Some of my sweaters have round necks, some have v-necks, and some zip 1/4 (they are cashmere). I’m certain the way I wear these items, how I care for them, and mix them with blue, white, and mixed blue-white button downs makes me more Ivy/Trad than anything else. I have Pink and Green, so perhaps I am actually a Preppy, but I do not have a Labrador, so I’m probably not. Not that having a Labrador is a requirement to be trad/Ivy, but I’m pretty sure wearing pink and green, and owning a Labrador makes one a preppy.
I have worn duckhead khakis while piloting a Ford 1700 tractor, as well as Dickies and denim. I have worn an OCBD to clean my sailboat, while wearing flip flops. I write with a fountain pen, and always wear a bow-tie on Tuesday. I scored a great tie from Peter’s of Chagrin Falls this weekend at a 2nd hand store in Charleston, SC.
Until there is a genuine test one must pass to obtain their “Authentic Trad/Ivy Sartorial Private Club” card, then I am pretty much convinced that reading this blog, adding comments, and never considering the possibility of wearing orange hightop basketball shoes with my just purchased O’Connells 3/2 roll Navy suit makes me, and everyone else who’s doing what I do, “pretty much” Ivy Style, so while the vote is in, my after the fact vote is to “let them in.”
1/4 Zips are like a transom window – very practical in certain climates.
Denim and duck shoes on a sunny day are preppy, denim for chores that involve the possibility of stains and damage is practical and common sense, therefore Ivy.
I enjoy the site, but have no plans to join the Metaverse.
I bet that gauntlet does not have a zipper.
I like the direction that the site is heading, and great commentary from the gallery on the topic at hand. Regarding the 1/4 zip, I don’t have any and probably never will, simply because I have so many lambswool v-necks and shetland crew necks. I do have a full zip vest thing that was a gift from my girlfriend, purchased at the local trad shop before it closed (and then reopened! – The Claymore Shop in Birmingham, MI). Jeans… I have several and wear them often, almost exclusively with an OCBD, usually white/blue u-stripe. This time of year if it’s a casual occasion, I’ll add a repp tie, v-neck, and a tweed jacket. With oxblood weejuns, of course. I’m very particular about the jeans though – only 501XX, USA made. I know that there are some who think that jeans with a necktie and a jacket is heresy, but hey, it works for me!
JB, it was five bucks at Goodwill and burnt orange. A cheapskate Longhorn couldn’t pass it up. It’s really more of a sweatshirt than a sweater. I stand by sucks.
Hello S.E.,
I see your point. But I think you misunderstood mine. I do not equate disagreeing with dictating.
Perhaps the fault is in my writing. I could probably use an editor. Anyhow, “friendly argument”. Why not?
When I say, “I don’t argue taste” I’m saying I avoid a smackdown that inhibits someone else from sharing their thoughts. I enjoy hearing the opinions of others.
I’m also acknowledging how subjective taste is. You know, the whole “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” thing. .All the comments expressed testify to that.
And finally, I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings. There’s nothing in it for me or the other person who may or may not be tasteless.
And from what I’ve read here about 1/4 zips I see we share the same distaste for them. So, we have that going for us.
I once heard the quarter zip referred to as the sweater for those of us who are are the wrong side of 25, who don’t workout as much as we’d like, exaggerate our talents on the golf course, and drink a little more than we probably should.
I have always worn denim when the context was appropriate. Basically I say as long as the denim is dark without manufactured distressing and of decent quality it is very trad. Denim that is faded (as long as you earned those fades yourself) is perfectly acceptable if you’re working on the farm, building a shed, or winterizing the boat ect. Basically, wear denim if you want but try to look like an adult.