Articles by Christian

Take Ivy Style

During the press conference for “Ivy Style” at the MFIT, Andrew Yamato took video while on assignment for A Suitable Wardrobe. Included in the video above are remarks by Patricia Mears, Richard Press, G. Bruce Boyer and Christian Chensvold.


Students Only: Southern Tide Back-To-School Giveaway

Update: Using an online random-number generator, the winning comment belongs to that of Wasser. Congratulations, and thanks once again to Southern Tide. * * * Attention starving college students, someday soon you’ll be a young captain of industry with your own private jet, but right now you’re just racking up student loans and wearing cheap


Back To School With Willie Gillis & Southern Tide

It’s September, and many of you readers are no doubt hitting the books just like Willie Gillis here, a fictional character created by Norman Rockwell in the 1940s. And because style and intelligence complement each other so well, we’ve got an extra-special giveaway to make sure you look sharp when you show up for an


Ivy Style Opening Night Party

Last night the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology celebrated the opening of “Ivy Style.” Here are some photos of the revellers. Above, David Mercer of Mercer & Sons, wearing his Hasty Pudding Club tie; G. Bruce Boyer, Richard Press and Christian Chensvold.




Young Man/Old Man: J. Press And The York Street Collection

The concept of age was the recurring topic of conversation at the J. Press York Street presentation yesterday. Held at the Yale Club and in conjunction with New York Fashion Week, the event drew a surprisingly large crowd of fashion and media types likely more familiar with York Street’s creative directors — Ariel and Shimon


Social Primer Debut Collection

Yesterday K. Cooper Ray, the Southern gent behind Social Primer, debuted his new mini-collection of neckties and blazers. Previously Ray had collaborated with Brooks Brothers, but has now struck out on his own. Held at a presigious private club, models were supposed to represent fraternity pledges and the blazers, in navy and red, come with


Stuck Between Barack And A Hard Place? Vote Magoo!

If Romney’s speech last night at the Republican National Convention left you nonplussed (or perhaps even filled with terror), and Obama likewise leaves you feeling the victim of false advertising, consider Magoo as a write-in candidate when you visit the polls this November. Magoo is a candidate all trads can get behind. He knows the


First Look At J. Press’ York Street Collection

Yesterday GQ unveiled a first look at J. Press’ new collection under the stewardship of the brothers behind Ovadia & Sons. The collection is entitled York Street and will debut next spring. While the above outfit is perfectly reasonable (ignore, if you can, the hairy model), others leave us scratching our heads. The one below


Ivy Style Book Sneak Peek

It’s kinda cool to have your name on a book — especially when you didn’t even have to do anything. Last week I got a copy of “Ivy Style,” the book, published by Yale University Press, no less, that accompanies the MFIT exhibit. It includes my Q&A with Richard Press from here. Other writers contributed


MFIT Exhibit Sneak Peek

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology has granted Ivy-Style.com an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse at “Ivy Style” the exhibit as it reaches the final stages of preparation. Above, passages from Fitzgerald’s “This Side Of Paradise” will adorn the walls.


Skinny-Dipping Congressman A Trad

Last night the kind of kerfuffle that could only exist in an election year made the evening news. Even more indicative of its importance, it made David Letterman’s top 10. It seems another GOP lawmaker was caught with his pants down, this time on the beach in Israel. While on a research expedition, a group


MFIT’s Ivy Style Exhibit For RL Magazine

Four weeks from today Ivy Trendwatch will shift into overdrive. The developments of the past five years, during which we’ve seen the republication of “Take Ivy,” several Ivy and preppy books from around the world, the proliferation of trad blogs and tumblrs, and of course Ivy-Style.com, will presumably shoot to new heights of public awareness


Fall 2012, Season Of The Camp Moc

If Rugby’s fall collection is any indication, fall’s “it” shoe will be an LL Bean-style camp moccasin. After all, the brand does cater to young trendsetters — and followers — and its looks will likely reverberate like ripples on a pond. Rugby’s fall outfits pair the shoe with just about everything. Even the most die-hard,


Ivy Trendwatch: Men Of The Ivy League Tumblr

Today the Rugby blog plugged a relatively new tumblr called Men Of The Ivy League, so we figured it’s about time we did the same. The site should more appropriately be called Sportsmen Of The Ivy League, as it’s focused almost entirely on athletics. The photo-driven site (as are all tumblrs) features contemporary photos, and


Ivy Trendwatch: Brooks Brothers’ American Ivy Campaign

What a difference half a century makes. Brooks Brothers, essentially the creators of what came to be known as the Ivy League Look, used to scoff at the term. To wit, this passage from the 1959 novel “Try For Elegance” by former Brooks Brothers employee David Loovis: He [the floor manager] detested to the point


New Spring/Summer Jackets From Crittenden

It’s market week here in New York, and yesterday I stopped by the small menswear trade show at the Park Lane Hotel, where Crittenden Rawlings was showing. I previously wrote about him in January; Rawlings is a menswear veteran who’s worked for Norman Hilton and Ralph Lauren, and who has brought out a new Ivy-styled


Beau Tied: Introducing Hugh Simms Neckwear

Considering that the necktie is supposed to be dying a slow death, there sure are an awful lot of start-up neckwear companies lately. Most push their made-in-USA credentials, and I think all of us — from nouveau-prep twentysomething to the oldest of old-school traditionalists — who are interested in tailored clothing can laud any new