The Philosophy of Style by Christian Chensvold
by Matthew Longcore Ivy Style founder Christian Chensvold has published a marvelous book that is a must-read for anyone who follows this page. I was pleased to discover the book at the J. Press store in Manhattan when I visited in the spring for the J. Press Icons campaign. Little did I know then that …
Trinity’s Preppy Culture Defined
by Matthew Longcore, Trinity class of ’94 This article originally appeared in the December 7, 2010 issue of The Trinity Tripod. It is official: Trinity is the preppiest college in New England. This proclamation was made by none other than Lisa Birnbach, author of the 1980 tongue-in-cheek bestseller The Official Preppy Handbook and co-author (with Chip …
Style and Substance at the Tennis Hall of Fame
by Matthew Longcore This past weekend, my wife and I had the privilege of attending the International Tennis Hall of Fame induction celebration in Newport, Rhode Island. The weekend greatly exceeded my expectations, not only in terms of the elegance of the venue and the stylishness of the attendees, but also in terms of the …
Dangremond Lecture in Newport celebrates Gilded Age architecture
by Matthew Longcore This past week I had the great pleasure of attending the annual David W. Dangremond Lecture sponsored by the Preservation Society of Newport County, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting historic architecture, decorative arts, landscapes, and social history in Newport, Rhode Island. The society is the steward for eleven historic …
American rep ties vs. British regimental ties
by Matthew Longcore This past weekend I attended the Brooks Brothers Brunch with Legends at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. I wore a Brooks Brothers seersucker jacket with a pink Oxford cloth button down shirt, white duck pants, and a navy rep tie with pink stripes. The tie matched …
The Oxford Cloth Button-Down is Back. Did it ever leave?
By Matthew Longcore Photo: Brooks Brothers American Made Heritage OCBD Dress Shirt In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Hamish Anderson writes: “Oxfords are beloved as a super-safe wardrobe staple. Their silhouettes tend to be unfussy. And at their most classic, the shirts are finished with a button-down collar (a style known as the …
Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport
by Matthew Longcore The weekend of July 19th through 21st marks one of the most sartorially splendid events on the summer social calendar: the International Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. This year’s inductees are Vijay Amritraj, Richard Evans, and Leander Paes. The schedule of events is packed with tennis matches including …
Seersucker and American Civilization
In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Kevin D. Williamson writes: “In June, Washington saw a catastrophic failure in bipartisanship: I mean, of course, the near-extinction of Seersucker Day in the Senate. There are around 100 senators, I am told, but only nine participated in the annual event, including the bipartisan co-chairs.” Nine out …
Happy Independence Day from Ivy-Style!
Happy Independence Day from Ivy-Style! Wednesday night Cedar Point Yacht Club Cruising Class racing on Long Island Sound. Ivy-Style editor Matthew Longcore is wearing the Quartermaster Outer Fleece in navy from Dalton Black Sail. Cedar Point Yacht Club was organized in 1887 by a group of prominent Fairfield County sportsmen with a simply stated and …
From The Editor
Matthew Longcore, Ph.D. Editor and publisher Matthew Longcore completed his Ph.D. in Humanities at Salve Regina University. His doctoral dissertation is titled “Dreaming Spires: Collegiate Gothic Architecture on American Campuses.” Matthew is a graduate of Trinity College and holds master’s degrees from Fairfield University, Harvard University, and Yale University. As an undergraduate, he majored in …
Welcome Message from Ivy Style’s New Editor And Publisher, Matthew Longcore
Dear Friends, Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Ivy Style and for me personally as I take the reins of this wonderful project. I have been a fan of Ivy Style since its earliest days under the pioneering leadership of founder Christian Chensvold. More recently, I have enjoyed following this page as …
A Very Fond Farewell
Dear Friend and Reader, When I started my term here, my aim was to open the doors of Ivy and traditional clothing to a broader audience. I was so tired of hearing and reading that Ivy was dead. It never was. The rationale was both personal and strategic. On a personal level, I did not …
Quick Question While I Still Have You
And by the way, the guy’s book is phenomenal. Question from my friend author John Slemp: John SlempFri, Jun 21, 5:14 PM (4 days ago)to me Hello John! Just read about the change in leadership at Ivy Style, and try to send as many people your way as I can. I have a question that perhaps you …
Starting To Say Goodbye So Wanted To Get This All In
When my wife was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, nothing was in control. I was the primary caregiver, and for a year and change almost all I lived was surgery, chemo, radiation, medications, repeat. It was far and away the hardest time of my life. During my tenure here I have talked about Ivy …
Ivy-Style’s New Editor and Publisher, Matthew Longcore
Please join me in celebrating the next step in Ivy-Style’s evolution, Mr. Matthew Longcore. My friend and your new Publisher and Editor, Mr. Matthew Longcore. Photo Credit: Laura Arnold Over the next week, I will have a lot to say about my tenure at the helm of Ivy Style’s bellwhether. For now, let me just …
If You’re In Town This Evening
J. Press’s Summer Kickoff Event is happening. I am going to be there. St Johns Bay Rum will also be there with a Madras Gift Set:
You know how Madras feels. Now find out how it smells.
I use St John’s stuff all the time, and even I get it wrong sometimes. Too much, too little. Wrong scent for the season. Etc. So St John’s made the process Burton-proof. Introducing Madras soap. I’ve been using it for a week. It feels good, the bar and the scent last a long time (I …
The Future Of Ivy
Ivy has undergone the first leg of its evolution. Inclusion. Not the overly-woke kind, the just-enough kind. That was no easy feat, but change never is. Inclusion has made Ivy cool again, and Ivy has learned the lesson that to survive, it must adapt. Adapt it has. Blue jeans. Fewer ties (but still DO wear …