Duck Head Launches Ivy Inspired Fall Collection

by Matthew Longcore Duck Head is launching an Ivy inspired fall collection that its true to the roots of this heritage brand. Here is a bit of history and a preview of the collection. Let’s begin by going back to 1980, the year in which The Official Preppy Handbook was published. The handbook has a



The Philosophy of Style by Christian Chensvold

by Matthew Longcore Ivy Style founder Christian Chensvold has published a marvelous book that is a must-read for anyone who follows this page. I was pleased to discover the book at the J. Press store in Manhattan when I visited in the spring for the J. Press Icons campaign. Little did I know then that


Trinity’s Preppy Culture Defined

by Matthew Longcore, Trinity class of ’94 This article originally appeared in the December 7, 2010 issue of The Trinity Tripod. It is official: Trinity is the preppiest college in New England. This proclamation was made by none other than Lisa Birnbach, author of the 1980 tongue-in-cheek bestseller The Official Preppy Handbook and co-author (with Chip


Style and Substance at the Tennis Hall of Fame

by Matthew Longcore This past weekend, my wife and I had the privilege of attending the International Tennis Hall of Fame induction celebration in Newport, Rhode Island. The weekend greatly exceeded my expectations, not only in terms of the elegance of the venue and the stylishness of the attendees, but also in terms of the


Dangremond Lecture in Newport celebrates Gilded Age architecture

by Matthew Longcore This past week I had the great pleasure of attending the annual David W. Dangremond Lecture sponsored by the Preservation Society of Newport County, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting historic architecture, decorative arts, landscapes, and social history in Newport, Rhode Island. The society is the steward for eleven historic


American rep ties vs. British regimental ties

by Matthew Longcore This past weekend I attended the Brooks Brothers Brunch with Legends at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. I wore a Brooks Brothers seersucker jacket with a pink Oxford cloth button down shirt, white duck pants, and a navy rep tie with pink stripes. The tie matched


The Oxford Cloth Button Down is Back. Did it ever leave?

Photo: Brooks Brothers American Made Heritage OCBD Dress Shirt In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Hamish Anderson writes: “Oxfords are beloved as a super-safe wardrobe staple. Their silhouettes tend to be unfussy. And at their most classic, the shirts are finished with a button-down collar (a style known as the Oxford Cloth Button


Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport

by Matthew Longcore The weekend of July 19th through 21st marks one of the most sartorially splendid events on the summer social calendar: the International Tennis Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island. This year’s inductees are Vijay Amritraj, Richard Evans, and Leander Paes. The schedule of events is packed with tennis matches including


Seersucker and American Civilization

In an article for The Wall Street Journal, Kevin D. Williamson writes: “In June, Washington saw a catastrophic failure in bipartisanship: I mean, of course, the near-extinction of Seersucker Day in the Senate. There are around 100 senators, I am told, but only nine participated in the annual event, including the bipartisan co-chairs.” Nine out


Happy Independence Day from Ivy-Style!

Happy Independence Day from Ivy-Style! Wednesday night Cedar Point Yacht Club Cruising Class racing on Long Island Sound. Ivy-Style editor Matthew Longcore is wearing the Quartermaster Outer Fleece in navy from Dalton Black Sail. Cedar Point Yacht Club was organized in 1887 by a group of prominent Fairfield County sportsmen with a simply stated and




A Very Fond Farewell

Dear Friend and Reader, When I started my term here, my aim was to open the doors of Ivy and traditional clothing to a broader audience. I was so tired of hearing and reading that Ivy was dead. It never was. The rationale was both personal and strategic. On a personal level, I did not


Quick Question While I Still Have You

And by the way, the guy’s book is phenomenal. Question from my friend author John Slemp: John SlempFri, Jun 21, 5:14 PM (4 days ago)to me Hello John! Just read about the change in leadership at Ivy Style, and try to send as many people your way as I can. I have a question that perhaps you


Starting To Say Goodbye So Wanted To Get This All In

When my wife was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, nothing was in control. I was the primary caregiver, and for a year and change almost all I lived was surgery, chemo, radiation, medications, repeat. It was far and away the hardest time of my life. During my tenure here I have talked about Ivy


Ivy-Style’s New Editor and Publisher, Matthew Longcore

Please join me in celebrating the next step in Ivy-Style’s evolution, Mr. Matthew Longcore. My friend and your new Publisher and Editor, Mr. Matthew Longcore. Photo Credit: Laura Arnold Over the next week, I will have a lot to say about my tenure at the helm of Ivy Style’s bellwhether. For now, let me just



You know how Madras feels. Now find out how it smells.

I use St John’s stuff all the time, and even I get it wrong sometimes. Too much, too little. Wrong scent for the season. Etc. So St John’s made the process Burton-proof. Introducing Madras soap. I’ve been using it for a week. It feels good, the bar and the scent last a long time (I