Clothes

Early in my career I wrote a feature story on skilled trades that were fast dying out, such as watch and clock repair. These days the typically male worker who doesn’t go to college and who likes to work with his hands is more likely to take a technology-based job, such as setting up your …

Regular readers will recall the khaki project we had in development last year. It sparked palpable enthusiasm here and in other parts of the Internet, but our partner was Bills Khakis, which developed business problems and shelved the project. Well there are a couple of updates. First off, last week Pedro Mendes, who runs the …

Six years ago when I wrote about Moriarty ski caps, I was left with the feeling that the story was not completely over. I initially chalked it up to nostalgia: after all I was not the only one with a reverence for this genre of winter headgear.  Michael Maginn at SeniorSkining.com explored the connection he …

Unless money for you is no object, acquiring clothing probably involves some degree of compromise, it’s just a question of how much. The old adage about buying the best you can afford, and making long-term investments in your wardrobe, is sound advice. But even if you scrimp and save there’s still a limit on how …

I posted this on Ivy’s Facebook group a couple of hours ago, and, as with everything Brooks, it inspired enough fireworks to justify posting here. The company’s latest head-scratcher comes in the form of a mailer sent out today touting the new natural shoulder “inspired by soft Italian tailoring.” Heresy. Treason. WTF. I realize that …

My how things do change. Yesterday we posted a photo of JFK as a college freshman in 1935, wearing jacket, tie and collar pin. Meanwhile in 2016, America’s best and brightest continue the practice of wearing hooded sweatshirts on national television in the “Jeopardy!” college tournament. Well one Yale student has finally taken to protest, …

When last I spoke to J. Press, I was told that the whole brand was being brought under one design department, and that department would be based in Tokyo. So what might the new J. Press Blue collection look like when it finally makes it to US stores and e-commerce? These images from J. Press’ …

Today J. Press sent out an email blast promoting its new spring collection. When I landed on the site, I saw that York Street was no longer there. Previously Press had operated two sites, one for York Street and one for the main collection. The site is now integrated, which makes a lot more sense. …

Yesterday on Ivy’s Facebook group much fun was had over a Daily News article about Jeb Bush, who was spotted with a piece of duct tape holding his shoes together. Nobody at the paper, or in the readership, know where that comes from, but for Tradsville it’s probably Bush’s most Old Money gesture in the …

Here’s the remainder of what I saw this week. Apologies for the poor photo quality; everyone was complaining about the harsh lighting. Above, the super-premium longwing from Nettleton, price $795, made in Belgium. Below, tassel loafer. Note French cord stitch on vamp: Tweed slippers from Res Ipsa, founded by two lawyers in Atlanta: The sprawling …

Once again the most elaborate booth inside New York’s Javits Center, where menswear market week is held, belonged to Duck Head and the two other brands in its dynasty, the high-tech outwear brand Gyde and Crittenden. Kentucky-based Critt Rawlings is a menswear veteran with deep Ivy roots, having worked at Norman Hilton and Polo in …

OK, that an Onion headline. In other words, a joke. It’s the punchline; now for the setup. It used to be that Brooks Brothers was popular shorthand for the establishment, showing  up in lyrics for “Harvard Blues” and the libretto for “Guys And Dolls.” Even in the year 2000 “the Brooks Brothers riot” was coined …

Pictured above is a gorgeous new tassel loafer that just landed on Allen Edmonds’ website and hits stores next week. Dubbed the Acheson, I think it’s the tassel loafer of my dreams and here’s why. Tassels are my go-to shoe; I’ve several pairs and wear them 90% of the time. But even though the ones …

Throughout the 20th century the Brooks Brothers oxford-cloth buttondown was a classic of American menswear, so iconic it was immortalized in a piece of literature, namely Mary McCarthy’s short story “The Man In The Brooks Brothers Shirt.” Like all of Brooks’ clothing throughout those decades, the shirt offered superb taste and good quality at a …

That Brooks Brothers has now seen fit to “re-introduce” its original buttondown shirt – complete with unfused collar, cuffs and placket – should be Big News. Unfortunately it’s all rather anti-climactic, isn’t it? But better late than never, you might say. I can only suppose that it finally got through the thickheads at Brooks that there …

Yesterday a reader notified Ivy Style of a new buttondown oxford he spied on Brooks Brothers’ website. The description bears words that loyal but frustrated Brooks men have wanted to see for decades: “We’ve restored the signature rolled collar.” You read that right, Brooks has finally admitted that something went wrong with the collar on …

Warning: denim Hard to believe that the season of glad tidings a good cheer was just two weeks ago. Has anyone else noticed an above-normal level of persnickety punctiliousness in what is considered acceptable to wear? Recently discussions have included rep ties, signet rings and critter stuff, and there’s certainly no shortage of self-appointed fashion …

If you haven’t put on a tie yet, then head over to your closet and dust off your pheasant tie in honor of National Bird Day. If you don’t have a pheasant tie— or any other kind of avian-themed neckwear — then you can at least honor the day by shopping for one. Above, J. …