The Buttoned-Down Store Clerk
I got taken for an employee at Brooks the other day. Hasn’t happened in a while. — CC
Historic Images
Lil’ Sis: Rebecca Tuite’s Seven Sisters Style, The All-American Preppy Look
English lass Rebecca C. Tuite reached out to us several years ago, introducing herself as a sorority girl simpatico with our little sartorial fraternity here. She was researching the corollary of the Ivy League Look, namely the style that WASPy women wore at elite eastern colleges at the same time young men were setting styles …
Haircuts: Ivy League Versus Beatles
Last night the CBS evening news did a story on Joe Brown of Pensacola, FL, who is still a hardworking barber at the age of 98. Patrons were asked, as they should have been, whether they feel safe in the hands of a nearly century-old tonsorian, especially when he breaks out the straight razor. But …
Tartan Day And Men In Plaid, 1950
In case you hadn’t heard, tomorrow is Tartan Day. To celebrate, we’re sharing a LIFE Magazine article from 1950 (scroll down to page 123) that showcased Yale students in plaid vests and Andover preps in plaid caps. The article opens with this: When the British caught wind of the fact that American men were developing …
International Pipe Smoking Day
This cartoon dates from 1961. It was found here, where the caption reads: … note the sophisticated, pipe-smoking college man in a letter sweater. Such folks would be extinct on college campuses by the end of the decade. On this International Pipe Smoking Day, I salute you through a fog of Three Nuns. — CC
Forty-Fourth Street Salvage
According to the seller unloading it on eBay, this J. Press sign was salvaged from the 44th Street store when the company moved to Madison Avenue. It was originally listed for $2,500, but, as it didn’t have any takers, was relisted yesterday with an opening bid of $499 and buy-it-now of $700. — CC
Cornell’s Trad Shop: A Surprising Discovery Of Historical Precedent
I could hardly believe it, but there it was right in front of me: a grainy newspaper photo of a group of happy haberdashers under a sign in Old English script that read “The Trad Shop.” How could this be? The general consensus in the natural-shoulder enthusiast community is that the word “trad” refers roughly …
Unseen And Undarted: New Book On King Of Cool Steve McQueen
© Photograph Judith Jamison/Barry Feinstein Photography, Inc. A new book shows that Steve McQueen could wear an undarted sack jacket and more than live up to his title as king of cool. Based on candids and stills from the movie “Bullitt” taken by friend Barry Feinstein, “Unseen McQueen” is due out next week from Reel …
That Damned Brooks Brothers Shirt
Recently the comments section has been lively with discussion about Brooks Brothers shirts. Obsessing over them is practically an institution; as early as the mid-’60s George Frazier was writing, “What the hell’s happening to the roll on Brooks Brothers buttondowns?” There’s a reason men get so worked up about them: they have strong attachments to …
Boys To Men: The Long And Short Of It
No need to be long-winded, so I’ll keep it short: Jackets that are too short make men look like boys, while jackets of adequate length make boys look like men. Take it from these 1927 Whiffenpoofs — estimated ages 18-22. These gentlemen songsters may be doomed from here to eternity, but it’s not for being …
The Illustrated Man: Midcentury Magazine Artist Joe Bowler
While performing a Google Image search for some random terminology recently, I came across an illustration that caught my eye. It turned out to be from an artist named Joe Bowler who made his living in the ’50s and ’60s doing advertising and magazine illustrations. Quite a few have details that would interest us here, …
The Casual Roll: Gant x Yale, 1966
Frequent comment-leaver Old School alerted us to this 1966 Gant ad, which he’d found on the web but didn’t think had been tumblred to death. The ad copy attests to correctness of Gant’s oxford buttondowns, including its “casual roll of the collar.”
Dedman, Don’t Wear Plaid: Julien D.’s Satirical Look At Yale
Last week Ivy-Style.com presented Julien Dedman’s 1954 Playboy article on Brooks Brothers. In this post, Rebecca C. Tuite, whose book on Seven Sisters style is forthcoming, examines the author’s parody of life at Yale. * * * “Yale men everywhere join in one brotherhood at eventide to remember the golden days of yesteryear and the …
J. Press LIFE Magazine Photo Roll, 1954
We continue our series of related posts with these images by Nina Deen, the photographer who shot the 1954 LIFE Magazine article “The Ivy Look Heads Across US.” These photos, which didn’t make the print edition, surfaced several years ago when LIFE put its archives on Google, and were taken in J. Press’ New Haven …
Paul Newman At UP
Fred at Unabashedly Prep, recent star of our comments section, has just put up a Paul Newman photo gallery that may include some shots you haven’t seen before, such as this one with popped oxford. Head over here to see the rest. — CC
Japanese Ivy Books Pinterest
W. David Marx, who recently gave us his interview with “Take Ivy” author Toshiyuki Kuroso, today shared on Ivy Style’s Facebook page his Pinterest devoted to Japanese Ivy books he’s discovered. It’s another fascinating glimpse into Japan’s longstanding reverence for American natural-shouldered clothing.
Campus Style: The Polo Coat
Think I’ll take it for one last spin today. Came across this passage recently in Nelson W. Aldrich, Jr.’s biography of Tommy Hitchcock, Jr.: The polo coat — long, belted, and made of soft camel’s hair — was still for the most part used by polo players, thrown over their shoulders for warmth between chukkers, …
Norman Hilton Trunk Show In Princeton
Today Nick Hilton sent out an email message with this 1965 image. The car may look dated, but certainly not the clothes. A couple of years ago son Nick resurrected his father’s name for a line of Ivy-cut jackets, and glad to see he’s still doing them. The spring trunk show kicks off this weekend …
Girl School: The Vintage Seven Sisters Tumblr
If you’ve got a thing for WASPy mid-century gals in loafers and knee socks, check out the tumblr Vintage Seven Sisters. While many of the images are from the 19th century, some depict modern girls audacious (or foolish) enough to be photographed while smoking. Anybody recognize the album cover? — CC