There’s the preppy way of doing things, and then there’s every other way. Case in point, above we have a turtleneck worn under a buttondown. Verdict: preppy. Below (from a Valetmag.com feature yesterday), we have a buttondown under a turtleneck. Verdict: something else. Honor your forefathers. Defend tradition. Avoid forced foppery. And finally, go forth …
Today is National Pizza Day, and over the past few years I’ve considered it a personal challenge to come up with an Ivy tie-in every time some silly national day comes up. It didn’t take much grinding and churning of the little grey cells to come up with the notion of taking a quick look …
Ivy Style first ran this post in August 2015. It is being reposted today following the news of Vaughn’s death at the age of 83. * * * Today “The Man From UNCLE” opens. Hollywood, as the cliché goes, is all out of new ideas. That may not be such a bad thing, as there’s …
“The Man In The Brooks Brothers Shirt” in Mary McCarthy’s 1946 short story wore his shirt buttoned down. But in New Haven during the heyday of the Ivy League Look, guys in dirty white bucks often made a different choice. They bought their shirts at Fenn-Feinstein, White’s, Langrock, Arthur M. Rosenberg or J.Press, dissing the …
Many of you are probably feeling blue today, even if you’re not in a blue state. So here’s a little tune called “Harvard Blues,” which was written by a young student named George Frazier, who would go on to become Esquire’s style critic and best pal of Charlie Davidson of The Andover Shop. The song …
The day has finally arrived! Yes Ivy Style readers, it’s your chance to vote on who was America’s preppiest president. Here are the candidates and their qualifications: John F. Kennedy Catholic Choate Harvard Spee Club Swimming Navy Family compound: Hyannis Port, Cape Cod Hobby: sailing Clothier: Chipp Style signatures: sunglasses, no socks, Nantucket Reds George …
Was John F. Kennedy the most Ivy of US presidents, or did the most important man in the country actually encourage American men not to follow the Ivy League Look? That depends on whether you’re talking about President Kennedy the nation’s leader, or Jack Kennedy relaxing among friends and family in Hyannis Port. On assignment …
Continuing on the collar-pin theme, back in February I came across an image that I’m guessing was posted to Ivy’s Facebook group by Marc Chevalier, menswear omnivore and collector of vintage images. It showed Fred Astaire simultaneously wearing a collar pin and buttondown, not with the collar hanging straight and the buttons unused, as in …
What does a pinned collar make you? Why, there’s only one answer: The three-button undarted suit makes you trad, sunglasses worn with a suit make you cool, and the hat makes you retro. Accessorize as you see fit, but once again Ivy Style HQ encourages you to consider adding a pinned collar in your buttondown …
I was hoping to have something really special to share with you guys, but alas fate had other ideas. This summer I was approached by Kamakura Shirts, who wanted to do a video interview with me. I suggested doing it at the famed New York watering hole The Campbell Apartment, and we were able to …
My name is Nate. I’m a junior at Yale and I’m here to talk about Halloween. You may think Halloween is just a silly holiday for kids to get free candy and adults to dress up like zombies and hookers. But Halloween is actually a traumatic ordeal when many members of marginalized and gated communities …
If you’re being dragged to a Halloween party and hate having to wear a costume, here’s a great idea. Go as Paul from the 1961 film “Breakfast At Tiffany’s.” All you need are a blazer, blue buttondown, red rep tie, gray slacks, loafers, and a khaki raincoat. You’ll also need to buy a silly cartoon …
In honor of the World Series, which commenced last night, Chris Sharp brings us a baseball story combined with Ivy clothes and college life. * * * Professor Frederick R. Lapides gave his oral history to Rutgers University in 2006. In the interview, he said that two large clans in New Haven shared his surname. …
As I mentioned recently, I’ve begun contributing to The Gentleman’s Journal, a London-based luxury men’s magazine that just launched a US version of its website. I’ll occasionally share pieces when I think they’re germane to the Ivy Style community. Given that color plays a primal role in preppy style, my latest should be of interest. …
This month Ivy Style celebrates its eighth anniversary. Tempus fugit! Yes, October is the month I typically say thank you to our readers, sponsors and contributors. Special thanks go out to associate editor Chris Sharp, columnist Richard Press, contributor G. Bruce Boyer, and friend and neighbor Daniel Greenwood, with whom I’m privileged to regularly discuss …
Last week Kamakura Shirts used its Madison Avenue location for a soiree book signing for Graham Marsh. Marsh, an author, designer and illustrator, is one of the biggest names in the UK Ivy community. He has also collaborated with Kamakura on a line of vintage Ivy shirts. The party was in celebration of a new …
While at Kamakura last week something caught my eye on their meticulously folded tie table. It was an unusual texture, and when I investigated, sure enough it turned out to be in a grenadine weave, but made of only 20 percent silk, the rest being wool. I quickly messaged Mr. G. Bruce Boyer, who agreed …
Who knew Gucci made a slipper version of its iconic bit loafer? Pair with velvet smoking jacket for relaxing evenings at home. Price $570. — CC
Saturday night I found myself strolling up Sixth Avenue with the melancholy opening melody from Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto stuck in my mind. I’d just heard the piece at one of those sparsely attended church concerts where you can hear classical music for practically free but we live in an era when you can’t even give …