In the spirit of “just clothes,” Ivy Style is pleased to present this ode to one of menswear’s most precariously pretentious items. It was written exclusively for us by James Kraus, previous contributor and founder of Auto Universum. * * * Five years ago I decided to take a long-considered plunge into the world of …
“I’m afraid to ask,” I said woozily, “but where does Trump fit in all of this?” Oldman shook his head with contempt. “A petty Caesar drowning in the swamp. And he will not be joining us here.” He and Mark shared their first amicable glance, and, in perfect sync, intoned together, “His tie’s too long.” …
Had a great afternoon surfing Newport, first time on a board in 12 years! Well, except for one time in Newport a while back. Time for the surf-Ivy swell to rise again as it did in 2013. — CC * * * A swell at sea has been building and has finally crashed upon the …
Before W. David Marx published “Ametora,” his pioneering book on American style in Japan, he wrote several pieces for Ivy Style. Here’s a revisit of a 2011 piece that shines light on Ivy both at home and abroad. * * * Just five years ago, 1965 photo book “Take Ivy” was a rarity. Most sat …
Greetings gentlemen, and I hope your little corner of Tradsville — even if it’s only in the mind — is opening up. There’s been a big uptick in activity here in the tourist town of Newport as businesses are released from lockdown and people take to walking the streets in t-shirts and flip-flops alternating between …
During the Eisenhower years, Manhattan was an island of social, economic and cultural equanimity. The legal drinking age was 18, the bars stayed open until four in the morning, and the Biltmore Hotel advertised special student rates for Seven Sisters and Ivy Leaguers. Here are some memories from those days of my misspent youth. The …
Last month a salesman from Langrock named Frank Mennella left a comment on G. Bruce Boyer’s post about the legendary Princeton clothier. Ivy Style followed up and asked for further recollections from Mr. Menella, and the comment and his subsequent email have been combined below with minor edits. * * * I just read this …
Today we honor those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It’s also the unofficial start of summer, and therefore the start of madras season. Pictured above is a shot of 25 people, only one of whom is wearing madras, the man who would become known as our preppiest prez. Happy Memorial Day.
If you were off on Spring Break or spending the winter in Palm Beach, Princeton’s clothiers of the 1940s had just the clothes you needed, including plenty of seersucker. While not graphically interesting, these ads include interesting copy revealing what was popular with students at the time.
In honor of the mostly official start of summer, here’s my 2010 article on madras for The Rake. * * * American Indian: Madras, named for the Indian city where it originated, remains a distinctly yankee summer staple By Christian Chensvold The Rake, issue 10 Though Brooks Brothers and Chipp were just across the street …
H.I.S Inc. may be the missing link between workwear and Ivy-styled clothing. The company was originally founded as Honesdale manufacturing in 1923 by Henry I. Siegel. It specialized in workwear, including denim, and was a contract manufacturer for JC Penny and Montgomery Ward. The firm was headquartered in New York with manufacturing facilities in Tennessee. …
Well as things stand at the moment, we certainly have difficult circumstances, so the challenge is the clean living. The quote originates from Peter Meaden, one of those unusual characters that the postwar boom in the UK produced. At the dawn of Modernism, Meaden was in on the ground floor and was involved in the …
The chaps at the Fine & Dandy Shop blog dug up these images from the 1956 Princeton yearbook. Say, is that Dickie Greenleaf’s graduating class? Above, the glee club. If being in the glee club isn’t quite as masculine as being on the football team, at least it’s better than being a cheerleader: Next, summer …
“Playboy’s Penthouse” was Hugh Hefner’s variety show from the early days of his budding Playboy empire. Episodes were taped in a party atmosphere that brought together a cross section of fashionable society (the kind of crowd seen in our post “A Swellegant, Elegant Party“), and adult music (jazz, vocalists) that’s a far cry from the musical …
The sun is setting on the Golden Fleece, as least as far as domestic manufacturing goes. Recently Brooks Brothers announced it will close its Garland, NC shirt factory. Now an anonymous source has revealed that the company will close its other two American factories, the Southwick tailored clothing factory in Haverhill, MA, and the New …
Over the past couple of years I’ve shared my outside self-improvement articles here under the category Level Up. I’ve just published a new one pegged on the coronavirus. It’s for the Nob Hill Gazette, the San Francisco luxury and society magazine. I hope it helps you all navigate the constantly shiftings sands of this situation, …
The infamous green OCBD donned by Miles Davis with a puzzled expression on the front of the “Milestones” album has eluded clotheshorses for decades. The photo referenced is often of course the album cover. When looking at the photos from the photo shoot, however, we are provided with much greater picture quality. The shirt in these …
Brooks Brothers is shutting down its Garland, NC shirt factory, where its iconic oxford-cloth buttondowns are presently made. Local media reports: Brooks Brothers is shutting down its shirt factory in Garland, a move that will eliminate nearly 150 jobs in the small Sampson County town where the clothing maker is the largest employer. Brooks Brothers …
In 2009, The Rake asked me to write a little tribute to Miles Davis, who got hip to the Ivy League Look in 1954, right when the look was taking off across America. I just found out that the magazine has reprinted the story this month. I’m not sure whether it’s in the print issue, …