By Isobel Harte “There’s nothing more flattering than pearls,” says Andreas Kronthaler, creative director of [fashion designer] Vivienne Westwood. “They play with the whites of your eyes and teeth; pearls really talk to you. And they work on everybody, from young to old… You can wear them all the time—it’s one of the few things …
By James H. Grant [Warning: The following article will probably cause considerable controversy and disquietude – perhaps even some gnashing of teeth. Proceed with caution. – JHG] In the late summer of 1961, I embarked upon a venture to change my wardrobe from the non-descript blue jeans, plaid shirts, and black loafers I had worn …
By Matthew Longcore I hold a M.A. in Archaeological Studies from Yale University and work for the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF), an anthropological research organization based at Yale. HRAF produces an archaeological database used by scholars around the world. I also teach a course titled Great Discoveries in Archaeology at the University of Connecticut. …
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 …
By Matthew Longcore Ivy Style. The very name evokes a collegiate aesthetic. We hear this phrase and we imagine cool, crisp autumn days. Football games and fraternity parties. Or we envision the rites of passage in springtime. Graduation ceremonies and academic regalia. Pomp and circumstance. As academic, I love all of this. I work at …
By Matthew Longcore Memorial Day this year will hopefully mark the end of a long cold rainy spring here in New England that followed a bleak and bitterly cold winter. I could start wearing white ducks with white bucks, but I’m not quite ready. It’s still too cold, the grass is wet, and the …
Never, Always, Sometimes: Ten Simple Rules of the Southern Collegiate Style By James H. Grant As far as I know, there were no codified standards which governed how we should dress when I went off to college in the 1960’s. There was no handbook, no Hoyle’s Guide, and no Marquess of Queensberry Rules. We were …
By Dan Covell Now that Rory McIlroy has – after ten tries – finally earned his career Grand Slam by winning the 2025 Masters Tournament, and the PGA caravan has moved on, it seems like an opportune moment to take a look at the Ivy Style impact of that annual men’s golf Woodstock that emerges …
By Matthew Longcore Last night I had the great honor and privilege of speaking at the Yale Club of New York City. The presentation was part of “Happy Hour for the Mind” – an ongoing intellectual and literary event series hosted by the Yale Club and curated by Caroline Bartles, Librarian and Archives Manager. The …
By Matthew Longcore The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, widely considered to be the great American novel, was first published on April 10, 1925. To celebrate the centennial, here is a look at Gatsby’s enduring impact on style. In an article for The Telegraph titled Why the Great Gatsby at 100 is still the …
By Matthew Longcore Last month I had the pleasure of meeting Tucker Thompson at a presentation about the America’s Cup. The event was hosted by Black Rock Yacht Club and attended by guests from other local yacht clubs including Cedar Point Yacht Club, where I am a member. Tucker is a sailing television host and …
This article about Nantucket Reds was published by our friend, Muffy Aldrich. Muffy is the editor of Salt Water New England: The Thing Before Preppy. Readers are welcome to subscribe to her Substack. I Took This at the Newport to Bermuda Race Start… …Which Was This Boat. And This Was the Committee Boat for Another …
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 …