Greetings to all, and I hope that your corner of Tradsville has emerged from lockdown and you’ve been able to don some madras and get outside. My first summer here in Newport is already magical. I’ve been surfing at dusk, swimming out to rocks perched in the ocean, and even had my first sail in …
One of the advantages to collecting vintage madras is that it provides the opportunity to compare the idiosyncrasies of this unique fabric. Just as no two bolts of madras are completely alike, no two madras jackets are alike. As a counterpoint to the in-depth historical analysis of Christopher Sharp and the poignant madras-heyday memoirs of …
When it comes to certain things, you just don’t want to know how they’re made. Madras, however, isn’t one of them, as its creation is pretty interesting. The following is a 2011 interview with Cape Madras cofounder Brian Sisselman, who provided these wonderful photos of madras being made in Southeast India, and tells us how your favorite …
The history of the plaid cotton fabric dates back to the turn of the 20th century when it became an informal sporting costume of the Raj. It was British Colonial long before Holden Caulfield enrolled at Pencey. Brooks Brothers introduced the fabric to America in 1920. Not to be outdone by his competitor, my grandfather …
When I visited The Andover Shop in 2010, Charlie Davidson had a handy tip if you’re unsatisfied with the collar roll on your buttondown oxfords. It goes like this: 1) Unbutton the collar. 2) Push it upwards until it achieves an arched shape. 3) Stick the tip of a pencil through the buttonhole and make a …
Today we revisit the sequel to “Take Ivy,” which shows how fast things changed following the fall of the Ivy heyday. * * * The global Ivy Trendwatch continues as a Japanese publisher has re-released “Take 8 Ivy,” photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida’s follow-up to his 1965 tome “Take Ivy.” Sequels are rarely as good as first …
Some complain that slim-fit shirts are evidence of Brooks Brothers losing its way, yet the brethren have offered them for decades, as this late ’80s catalog shows. In faxt, the pleated pants are fuller cut than the shirt. Preppy types have typically preferred a generous cut to their clothing, and this may (or may not) …
Who’s this, pictured here in 1968, one year after the fall of the Ivy League Look? He’s in a state of transition, with mop top hairstyle and blue OCBD with flap pocket and rear collar button.
The name Edward Gorey (1925 – 2000) is almost as elusive as the man himself, conjuring either immediate recognition or hesitant diffidence. Even for the former, the breadth of his work is generational. From designing the Tony Award-winning set and costumes for a 1977 Broadway revival of Dracula, to the opening sequence of WGBH’s Mystery! …
How do prep-school students view clothes in a post-preppy world? Here’s an example published in 2012 in the school newspaper of Choate Rosemary Hall — the school that gave us the navy pinstripe/yellow socks/ribbon belt/bow tie look — sent to Ivy Style by Doria de La Chapelle, co-author of a book on preppy style. * …
In 2013 the Yale Alumni Magazine ran a short but interesting essay showing the importance of “the right clothes” and the ignorance of it for many public school kids admitted in the postwar years. Writes Marty Nichols, who went off to New Haven in the fall of 1948: As my classmates and I converge on …
One of the best things about my job is that every so often I come across a piece so good that I have to take a moment to admire the finer points of hand-tailoring that went into it. In this instance, I found not one but two such pieces, both from Brooks Brothers, both with …
The Cambridge and Andover locations of The Andover Shop are looking for seasoned full and part-time sales associates. This is a unique opportunity to work for one of America’s oldest and most distinguished haberdashers. With 70 years of history behind it, The Andover Shop has served as a steward of classic American style for generations. Successful candidates …
In the spirit of “just clothes,” Ivy Style is pleased to present this ode to one of menswear’s most precariously pretentious items. It was written exclusively for us by James Kraus, previous contributor and founder of Auto Universum. * * * Five years ago I decided to take a long-considered plunge into the world of …
“I’m afraid to ask,” I said woozily, “but where does Trump fit in all of this?” Oldman shook his head with contempt. “A petty Caesar drowning in the swamp. And he will not be joining us here.” He and Mark shared their first amicable glance, and, in perfect sync, intoned together, “His tie’s too long.” …
Had a great afternoon surfing Newport, first time on a board in 12 years! Well, except for one time in Newport a while back. Time for the surf-Ivy swell to rise again as it did in 2013. — CC * * * A swell at sea has been building and has finally crashed upon the …
Before W. David Marx published “Ametora,” his pioneering book on American style in Japan, he wrote several pieces for Ivy Style. Here’s a revisit of a 2011 piece that shines light on Ivy both at home and abroad. * * * Just five years ago, 1965 photo book “Take Ivy” was a rarity. Most sat …
Greetings gentlemen, and I hope your little corner of Tradsville — even if it’s only in the mind — is opening up. There’s been a big uptick in activity here in the tourist town of Newport as businesses are released from lockdown and people take to walking the streets in t-shirts and flip-flops alternating between …