Mind
Tradified
From The Editor
Ivy is a fashion born of a mindset manifested in a lifestyle. There are values attached: dignity, the value and power of thought, ethics, hard work, aesthetics, appreciation of all things classic, and the dogged pursuit of excellence. While Ivy evolves (I haven’t worn socks since Easter) the values don’t. If you are a …
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Tradition, Right-Side Up and Upside Down
Put This On‘s latest video profiles two opposing clothing brands: J. Press, the epitome of tradition, and Thom Browne, the antithesis of it (at least on the surface). The Press segment includes an interview with Jay Walter, who spent 25 years at Brooks Brothers before heading up the made-to-measure department at the New York J. …
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Dignity Again.
Hip Ivy, Square Ivy, and Ivy
Science (a little bit of it), The Last Word On Collar Whatevers, And Pippa Middleton
The Spice Of Life, Collar Pins vs. Collar Bars, And More On How To Talk To People
The Ivy Resolutions – Part 2
Ivy Resolutions For 2022 – A More Tradified Life (Part One)
A Not Coincidentally Timed Profile In Minimalism – Sarah Bogart Cooney
Dr. Claire-Marie Brisson Talks Ivy, Zoë Talks Ducks, And A Few Other Notes
I’m Ivy, You’re…
I am a touring musician, this summer anyway. Used to tour a lot. Write my own stuff, have a kind of unique (I know, things can’t be kind of unique but this is, it is the guitar-is-a-piano thing James Taylor does but different) way of playing guitar, been on the radio, in a past life …
Metacognition From A Frequent Commenter
EDITOR’S NOTE: On social media we discuss the difference between Ivy Style and dressing for affectation. My answer is always that Ivy Style comes with an inherent value system, and that if you represent that value system in whatever form it works for you, it is nearly impossible to be inauthentic. Mr. Heinz-Ulrich von Boffke …
Black Ivy & Cultural Appropriation
Ok so I have not read the book. I am working off of the marketing materials, so this is not a review of the book per se. On the other hand it is not often one gets the double dip of quoting Elvis to make an intellectual point AND being asked for an encore. From …
Just Ordering Appetizers
The bow tie is Latin. People still read it when they come across it, but no one speaks it anymore. I am in and out of Manhattan twice a week, I live in Bedford, and my free time is spent in Rye and Greenwich and the last bow tie I saw other than my own …
Ivy-Fathering and Trytophan Thinking
I hope you dressed for Thanksgiving. I did. I would show you a picture but none exist that do not include non-consenting guests/family members/teens. Lemme see, brown trousers with Jay Butler Bit Loafers (and no socks, it was over 40, my new personal rule), white OCBD, bow tie (pictured but not my picture), gold Brooks …
Chensvold & Boyer & The Tie
Here’s the article in the October issue of The Rake. We have gone from Chensvold’s literary death sentence of the necktie to Boyer’s plea for clemency to a user’s manual. What are we to make of this? I reviewed Christian Chensvold’s book here, and in reflecting now on that review I realize that the …
Two Guys Who Write About Ivy Walk Into A Bar
Well well well. It does seem that our sails are catching some wind, yes? The flurry of Prep Is Coming Back (damn with the Prep thing but we can get to that too) articles that line up with our jam is gratifying. I could review one a day, but this one is particularly good and …
WASPS by Michael Knox Beran
Book reviews are so predictable. They start in one of two ways – either with the author’s take on the subject and then a segue into the book (if you want my take on the subject read WASPS by John Burton – KIDDING there is no book like that) or with a quote from the …
From the loins of the Ivy League…
Recently, JB posted an Ivy Style Playlist on Spotify, and there was a discussion in the Ivy Style community about music tangentially related to the Ivy League. Be it that the artist attended an Ivy, dressed Ivy, or had some sort of connection to Ivy. If we’re judging by those standards, Vampire Weekend is gold-caliber. …
An answer to multiple inquiries
I have received a lot of inquiries about the J Press catalog I reviewed and when to expect it in the mail. It went out at the end of last week. But please make sure you are signed up by going here: The J Press Website where a pop up happens and you can sign …