In 1980, the only thing hotter than the best-selling “Official Preppy Handbook” was blasting aliens at the local arcade. Though they appealed to different demographics, three decades later the worlds of prepdom and video games have been combined in the form of Soxfords’ Space Invaders argyle sock, ideal for those who grew up in the …
This beautifully rounded, unpadded shoulder is from the current collection of a well known menswear retailer. Can you guess who?
Is there a mathematical formula for the natural shoulder? Indeed, there just might be. The discovery came about on Monday when Richard Press and I had lunch together and then sauntered over to J. Press. I told him some new fall sportcoats looked distinctly different from recent Press offerings. The shoulder was more natural, the …
Assistant editor Christopher Sharp takes the reins as we celebrate five years of news and commentary, words and pictures, clothes that make you cheer and clothes that make you cringe. * * * As Ivy Style reaches its fifth anniversary, we are certainly now post-grads no plans on giving up the old alma mater. Christian …
Explorations in Ivy cool-chic: Ralph Lauren cashmere cable crewneck; Kamakura oxford buttondown; olive Levi’s 501s, tapered; Alden bit loafers; Ray-Ban Clubmasters, alligator watch band, Kiel James Patrick black braided belt, and Lemon & Line black rope bracelet.
It’s time to bring the recent run of Brooks-related posts to a close (if only so we can move on to J. Press), so in this post I’d like to address a few of the more theoretical notions to come from the vibrant discussion in the comments section over the past week. First off, here …
After a couple of posts already on Brooks Brothers, the fodder keeps coming, and discussion points keep popping up, so we may be on this topic for a while. First off, today on the Brooks website I noticed a plug for the first issue of 1818, its new lifesteyle magazine. The overall feel, as we’ve …
No need to be long-winded, so I’ll keep it short: Jackets that are too short make men look like boys, while jackets of adequate length make boys look like men. Take it from these 1927 Whiffenpoofs — estimated ages 18-22. These gentlemen songsters may be doomed from here to eternity, but it’s not for being …
When Charlie Davidson of The Andover Shop quips that Brooks Brothers today looks like “an Italian department store,” he knows whereof he speaks. He’s one of the few menswear professionals still around who’s known the brand since the late 1940s. I attended Brooks’ spring 2014 presentation last week. When it came time to craft a …
Last week US News & World Report declared Princeton the best college in the world (alas not for sartorial reasons). Yesterday Slate followed this up with an entertaining article on cocktails of the Ivy League.
Pictured above is a madras surprise from Brooks Brothers, seen last week at the company’s Spring 2014 preview. It’s a nice dark fabric with soft shoulders, partial lining, and a 3/2 button stance. What’s the surprise, besides the fact that it’s mid-September and you were expecting posts about tweed and flannel? Can you guess?
Ivy Style wraps up its recent series of posts on menswear rules with these thoughts from Richard Press, who is pictured at left with his uncle Irving, circa 1984. * * * How did personal taste and idiosyncrasy fit within J. Press offerings and customer consultations when the business was family owned? Here’s a precis …
Today Baracuta, maker of the iconic G9 jacket, announced it has drawn the zipper on a new website with ecommerce features as well as a generous dose of brand heritage. Baracuta was founded in England in 1937 and is currently owned by the Bologna-based company WP Lavori In Corso, which is currently planning a flagship …
As the warm days of the year gradually come to an end, we fondly put away the carefree items of summer. As a way of saying so long to the wild fabrics and whimsical embroideries of summer clothing, I’ve composed a little poem. Well, sort of. Today my Google vanity alert tipped me off to …
Hot on the Wisconsin-made heels of its new apparel collection, Allen Edmonds has just announced a new “webgem” offer. A limited number of shell cordovan shoes are being offered in a handsome shade of dark brown. There are four styles available, all of which are priced at $545. With a shade of brown this good-looking, …
Today Brooks Brothers unveiled a new ultra-high-end capsule collection called Natural Craftsmanship, along with marketing materials to support it. In the video above, posted on Brooks’ YouTube channel, a young man who was born rich models the clothing. How do we know he was born rich? Because he’s clearly not old enough to have graduated …
The concept of rules, which we’ve been exploring lately, is related to other approaches to dressing that certain men gravitate to. Some become obsessed with formulas for how items are coordinated. These formulas could be timeless or they could be trendy. Last month Alexander Aciman wrote a piece in the Wall Street Journal called “Succumbing …
In our last post we discussed Japan and the concept of menswear rules. Let’s pick up where we left off. Now I may have been a bit quick on the draw in the previous post, going off on a tirade about close-minded clothes-minded guys obsessed with dressing according to rules and formulas. The concept of …
It’s always fun flipping through the Japanese magazine Free & Easy and seeing all the botched English, such as “Made in trad.” Having spent a summer in Japan, I can assure you that nonsensical English used in advertising and the media provided hearty guffaws on the hour. But sometimes the Japanese are unintentionally perspicacious, as …