Hippy Ivy is back, and may be a recurring theme this summer so long as I can keep my tongue planted in cheek without getting a muscle cramp.
So last weekend there was fine weather here in NYC, so I went into Central Park for some sunbathing, meditation/contemplation/reading, and of course bikini-watching. Then I made my way to the Natural History Museum to take in the Hall of World Peoples and ponder that topic that has fascinated me for so long, namely the rise and fall of civilizations. On the way home, due to erratic subway service, I found myself riding a CitiBike up Park Avenue (note: I don’t live on Park Avenue). I spied a dapper gentleman in suit and hat, and recognized him as Gay Talese, who was walking with his wife, Nan, who’s big in the publishing industry. I smiled to myself and peddled on, until I realized I had a reason to go back and say hello.
A few months ago, I’d been at a small menswear event hosted by His Satanic Majesty Tom Mastronardi, and Talese was present. At the end of the night, Tom asked if I’d met Talese, and I had to admit to the negative. Tom said I should’ve given him a copy of my mini-book “The Disengage,” and offered to present one to Talese, as he was off to have dinner with him.
So there on the Avenue, looking considerably less stylish than I was at the party, with CitiBike and backpack, I circled back and introduced myself to Talese and asked if he’d had a chance to read my little story. He didn’t recall receiving it, and said he was writing a book and never read anything while working (most writers don’t). But he and his wife were quite delightful. As I bid them goodbye, Talese said, “By the way, you look great,” which was an unexpected and somewhat hilarious surprise. I was dressed in yet another paisley buttondown, sleeves rolled up, with white Levi’s cutoffs.
I’m sure it was the paisley, and that he would have said the same about Woody, or anyone wearing one of the shirts below. Or even those RL five-pockets. — CC
I first became aware of fashion in 1967, at the height of “mod”. The first cool item of clothing I ever owned was a green paisley shirt (and a pair of skintight burgundy jeans and a big wide burgundy belt to go with it). I still think paisley is the bomb. I’d love to see it make a comeback.
Tmjm, Where did you live then? In ’67 the movie 3 in the Attic was filmed in Chapel Hill and we were amazed that the “college students” in the movie wore corduroy jeans and Wallabees. Anything other than khakis and blue b.d. Gant shirts was unheard of! Prepadelic didn’t hit UNC til 68-69!
Back around 1965 or 66,I had the dead ringer of shirt number 4 below Woody. Loved that shirt, wore it to tatters. I recall the last time I wore it, on a Sunday night, watching Ed Sullivan. The Dave Clark 5 had just finished. I asked my mother to buy me another shirt like it, but she never did,
Years later, in the mid 1970s, my dear Aunt Mildred bought me a similar shirt, no doubt at a giveaway price. It was the hippie equivalent. Huge, floppy non button down collar, along with a wierd cut. The kind of shirt, worn by guys unbuttoned to the navel, with a gaudy neck chain.
I wore the shirt only a few times for obvious reasons.
Ron Aldridge, I was a 10-year-old in Montreal, which was a fairly fashion-forward city. I walked into my Grade 4 class in my new paisley shirt and I remember one girl’s eyes practically popping out of her head. But the following year I switched to a school that required uniforms, so that was the end of my mod phase.
Hippy-Ivy/Preppy is easy. No paisley needed. Grow long hair and maybe sideburns…and then wear one of the many circa-‘70s Brooks ensembles. Which was/is identical to Heyday Brooks with one exception: width of lapels and ties. (over 3” by the mid-70s).
This is Hipster, not Hippy, Ivy and has been a theme in London for more than a few years now. Maybe it was already well established by 2010.
Think flat whites just up from Brick Lane.
Heavy beards.
Vintage Ivy clothes.
Go talk to London’s Jason Jules.
I first became aware of fashion in 1967, at the height of “mod”. The first cool item of clothing I ever owned was a green paisley shirt (and a pair of skintight burgundy jeans and a big wide burgundy belt to go with it). I still think paisley is the bomb. I’d love to see it make a comeback.
Tmjm, Where did you live then? In ’67 the movie 3 in the Attic was filmed in Chapel Hill and we were amazed that the “college students” in the movie wore corduroy jeans and Wallabees. Anything other than khakis and blue b.d. Gant shirts was unheard of! Prepadelic didn’t hit UNC til 68-69!
Christian – Very fun. May I ask where your paisley BDs come from? Are the vintage, or do you have a contemporary source?
Back around 1965 or 66,I had the dead ringer of shirt number 4 below Woody. Loved that shirt, wore it to tatters. I recall the last time I wore it, on a Sunday night, watching Ed Sullivan. The Dave Clark 5 had just finished. I asked my mother to buy me another shirt like it, but she never did,
Years later, in the mid 1970s, my dear Aunt Mildred bought me a similar shirt, no doubt at a giveaway price. It was the hippie equivalent. Huge, floppy non button down collar, along with a wierd cut. The kind of shirt, worn by guys unbuttoned to the navel, with a gaudy neck chain.
I wore the shirt only a few times for obvious reasons.
I had a short sleeve paisley BD very like the Arrow above, junior year of HS, 1966-67. They were big that year, but not before or since as I recall.
Ron Aldridge, I was a 10-year-old in Montreal, which was a fairly fashion-forward city. I walked into my Grade 4 class in my new paisley shirt and I remember one girl’s eyes practically popping out of her head. But the following year I switched to a school that required uniforms, so that was the end of my mod phase.
Hippy-Ivy/Preppy is easy. No paisley needed. Grow long hair and maybe sideburns…and then wear one of the many circa-‘70s Brooks ensembles. Which was/is identical to Heyday Brooks with one exception: width of lapels and ties. (over 3” by the mid-70s).
^ This is true, and you can see it in lots of the old yearbooks. And some photos here on Ivy Style in the past!
Hotter thsn hades in the city today. Love those paisley pants.
This is Hipster, not Hippy, Ivy and has been a theme in London for more than a few years now. Maybe it was already well established by 2010.
Think flat whites just up from Brick Lane.
Heavy beards.
Vintage Ivy clothes.
Go talk to London’s Jason Jules.
If there was such a thing then then the 13TH Floor Elevators were it…the swinging paisley shirts with high collar stands is post-66 mod…
Hippy Ivy is OCBD beads and grown out hair
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