Time fo a Tradsville news roundup. First up is Rugby, which currently has buckle-back chinos on sale for forty bucks. We’ve previously written about these several times (most recently in Christopher Sharp’s piece on the h.i.s. brand, which has been largely credited with the buckle trend circa 1955), and I’ll admit to an inexplicable hankering for a pair.
I ended up getting the Rugby pants in all three colors, and here are some tips in case you’re thinking about them for yourself. First off, this is a “relaxed” chino, so the fit isn’t super-skinny. The “longer rise” simply means that the rise is more normal for a chino and not a low-rise for college-aged guys with 1 percent body fat. Regarding colors, the “green” is more of an olive (perfect for a “Take Ivy” look), but the charcoal is really faded black, so beware if you consider black a forbidden color.
Next up, you’ve probably heard that 2012 marks LL Bean’s 100th anniversary. Below is a promo video:
And if you’ve got an engine-turned belt buckle (ideally paired with an alligator strap), you can either hold your head high that you’ve got The Real Deal or cringe at the legions of imposters who’ll be running around aping the look by spending $50 instead of $1,000.
The February issue of GQ plugs J. Crew’s “slider belt,” which the company has been showing for several years now. A couple of pages later, a Regular Joe is wearing one in one of those before-and-after case studies that always drive home the transformative power of stylish clothing.
Penultimately, from the “Take Ivy” video edition of Japanese magazine Oily Boy, comes this tidbit about the demand for vintage-inspired Ivy garb in Japan, and begs the question why don’t we have this in the US. Seems Brooks Brothers has created a special 1960s-style Heritage Collection for the department store Isetan “based on the style of a jazz musician who dressed in Ivy clothing,” according to my translator. The collection features sportcoats made in the Southwick factory (a must for the authenticity-obsessed Japanese) that are priced at $1,500.
And finally, Paul Winston just informed me that he received a new shipment of grenadine neckties. The ties are made in Italy, carry the Chipp2 label, come in 11 colors, and at $47 are far cheaper than you’ll find anywhere else.
Have a great weekend, and remember: all you need is Ivy. — CHRISTIAN CHENSVOLD
“Oily Boy”: an excellent description of the guy in the photo.
Off topic, I was just watching the Bob Hope Classic. Bill Clinton was there… in Nantucket Reds.
Wow Oily Boy is being kind of… well.. a piss poor sport. The blue subtitle at the bottom caught my attention immediately, and it reads, “The only place in the world you can only by this BB (Brooks Brothers) [item (dropped as is customary in Japanese)] is here.”
Yeah, well, we kinda know that from the article, do you have to shout it from the rooftops? My adopted country oscillates wildly between an extreme inferiority complex and an extreme essentialist ethnocentricity. You go, Dainippon.
Argh, no edit button. “The only place in the world you can buy this BB (Brooks Brothers) [item (dropped as is customary in Japanese)] is here.”
Christian, very nice round-up of info. I am thinking about trying those Rugby chinos as I have been wanting a pair of olive chinos. Do they not make a size 29? This is my biggest hurdle in getting chinos that fit.
Does the buckle on the Rugby chinos press into your back when your sitting or driving?
Great stuff!
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Is the back buckle to keep one’s cheeks clenched?
@Michael J Opie
Why? Having trouble with gaping cheeks?
I agree with you Michael! Does anyone know if LL Bean has changed designers within the past few years? I’ve noticed a change in style that seems to be geared towards a younger generation. I think they are finally starting to gain relevance in the fashion world! They are not only incredibly functional, but looking good!