Frugality and restraint are qualities that are admired in the world of traditional menswear, but may seem perplexing to those not in the know. For example, why does Prince Charles insist on wearing a Barbour jacket so tattered and threadbare when he could easily buy a closet full of them? Simply speaking, it is a …
Ivy Style proudly brings back its famous Battle Of The Wits contest. The prize for this contest is nothing less than an ALL CAPS AND EXCLAMATION POINT-DESERVING CUSTOM SHIRT OF YOUR CHOICE BY MICHAEL SPENCER! Contest is open to those who don’t already own a shirt from Michael Spencer. To enter, simply use the leave-comment feature …
Four-and-a-half years ago, our erstwhile columnist The Millennial Fogey mused on the uncertain future of neo-prep. Well, fashion life cycles are pretty short these days, and I think we can say it’s back. I’m a bit biased when it comes to Ralph Lauren. They’re my longest running client, as I’ve written for their online magazine …
If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely you’ve already received the new J. Press brochure in the mail. If not, contact the store by phone or email and ask for one, because it’s terrific. In the meantime, you can check out a PDF right here. The brochure features graphics taken from heyday-era catalogs, the much-improved shoulder …
A couple of years ago I posed the question “Is trad clothing politically incorrect?” The general consensus was that the answer is “no,” and the reason is because Democrats and Republicans have historically and currently worn traditional American natural shoulder clothing in equal measures, so the look doesn’t belong to the Kennedy dynasty anymore than …
How selfish are people today? Pretty selfish, it would seem. As in willing to file a class-action lawsuit against LL Bean for dropping its much-abused lifetime return policy. Reports Bloomberg: “The warranty, promising that there are ‘no conditions’ and there is ‘no end date’ has been a core component of L.L. Bean’s marketing and has been …
I’ve been streamlining and editing my life down beyond the usual necktie and hosiery purges. And one of the things I’ve come to realize is that I’ve got a couple of web projects that I don’t see myself returning to in the future, as much as I enjoyed doing them in the past. Chief among …
There are several bits of J. Press news to report. First off, a reporter — or what was once called, possibly ironically, a gentleman of the press — for the New York Times visited Squeeze’s new New York store. For those who think “The Gray Lady” is an old hag, there’s plenty to quibble about, …
Update: At 3 o’clock on Brooks sent out an email blast plugging the runway show with a link to this page on its website, which includes video of the event. * * * Brooks Brothers officially kicked off its 200th anniversary celebrations with a runway show yesterday in Florence, Italy. After all our years here …
… and in with the new. Once again it’s been my pleasure and privilege to inform and entertain you for another year. And special thanks to all the wonderful contributors we’ve featured in 2017. Next year will mark Ivy Style’s 10th year, as we cruise towards 2,000 posts. Let’s all resolve to look, feel and …
As the year comes to a close, here’s some food for thought from a piece that originally posted in 2012. I’ve spent most of this year doing deep self-work in the effort to become a better person, reading psychology, and watching hundreds of hours of lectures and documentaries, including New Age stuff on the vibrational …
The finale in our series of watch-themed posts, here’s what your fellow Ivy Style readers wear on their wrists, courtesy of our Facebook group.
Ah, the Cartier Tank watch. To many trad aficionados, it is a holy grail, like the perfect set of P3s. To others — those who prefer thrift shop wristwatches selling for less than $50 dangling from brightly colored straps costing less than a fiver — it is little more than a crass display of materialism …
Since the founding of Tradsville (the online community of Preppy-Ivy-Trad-Americana) in 2004 on the Ask Andy forum, getting a Timex Easy Reader, plus an assortment of striped bands, has been a veritable right of passage, as well as a kind of pledge of allegiance. The watch sends a variety of signals, including frugality, the rejection …
While J. Press was busy reopening a proper flagship store in New York, something else was happening in Los Angeles. Jeffery Plankster, a commercial director and host of the jazz radio show that featured me last year, has opened a retail store in LA’s historically most preppy enclave of Pasadena. The store is called The …
With its first-ever CEO from outside the family, LL Bean has a plan to boost its flat sales and aging demographic: shed its stodgy New England image and become an international brand. That includes tripling ad spending (a cost that will surely be passed down to the consumer), ads that feature greater ethnic diversity. The …
Hilarious photo submitted to Ivy’s Facebook group by JS of Chicago.
“Excuse me, sir,” tradly dressed locals are likely to hear from visitors to New York. “Can you tell me how to get to J. Press?” Now those of us who’ve been singled-out for directions because of such clues as our 3/2 button stances, collar rolls and hook vents can gladly answer, “Why yes, it’s on …
This weekend is your last chance to visit J. Press’ cool West Village shop. And the new store has been given an opening date of October 30!