Dateline 1967: What A Difference A Year Makes

Yesterday I was looking at some images by Japanese illustrator Kazuo Hozumi and came across one that had five of his signature smiling figures in a random assortment of outfits. Something clicked and I realized that two of the figures, who were side by side, formed a clever cartoon parody of the fall of the …



J. Press Spring 2017

This past week J. Press unveiled its Spring 2017 collection, the second in a row to feature the use of live models, which made their return last fall. It looks to be the same two models. the older not too old and the younger not too young. The looks feel current without being trendy, a …


Light In The Fog: Streets Of San Francisco’s Mike Stone

When we ran our profile of a tradly dressed Washington DC police officer recently, a reader left a comment invoking the name of Mike Stone, the cop played by Karl Malden on the ’70s TV show “The Streets Of San Francisco.” In contrast to his wide-lapelled and groovy necktie-wearing partner (played by a young Michael …


Fashion Police: Ivy Style Reader Is A Top Cop

Like many people who work in Washington DC, I am a transplant. However, I don’t work for a congressman or a law firm. I walk a foot beat in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department. I grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts and credit my …


Bow Tie & Badge: NYPD’s “Hipster Cop” Retires

Longtime J. Press New York employee David Wilder alerted me to the story of Detective Rick Lee, a plainclothes NYPD officer who retired this week at the age of 51. Lee became a minor Internet sensation because of his stylish clothes, earning the nickname “hipster cop” because “trad” is not part of the contemporary lexicon. …


Honoring Tradition: The Sewanee Dress Code

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post on the University Of The South in 1969, here’s a revisit of one of Ivy Style’s most popular posts, which offers a glimpse at how the school’s students look today. * * * Yesterday The College Fix — a site located on the conservative side of the political circus …




Presidents’ Day 2017

Whether you’re out playing golf today, or dressed up in a bespoke jacket… …. with a collar pin … have faith in our great nation, which was founded on freedom. And as the ancient Greeks taught, pursue everything in life with a touch of moderation. Happy Presidents’ Day. — CC


Shades Of Tobacco

Tomorrow is International Pipe Smoking Day, so if you don’t have a pipe and tobacco, you can spend your Sunday afternoon procuring them. And you’d better hurry before it’s illegal. Pictured here are two undergrads with tobacco-colored tweeds as depicted in a 1936 issue of Esquire. Here’s to our fellow men of the pipe. — …


Brooks Brothers, ’77: Listen To The Rustle Of The Tweeds

Although we’ll be examining 1967 throughout the year as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the fall of the Ivy League Look, this post comes from 10 years later. It landed in my inbox a month or two ago, and if I recall it was an archive piece reposted by The Washington Post. Written by …


Big Men On Campus

Michigan halfback Tom Harmon doing his sports radio show, in classic combo of button-down collar, knit tie and cardigan, 1940. Below, crew cuts and crewnecks. University of Illinois, 1956: The archetypal combo of argyle socks and tassel loafers. Looks cooler if you’re 20, though. University of Illinois, 1956: Varsity sweater, OCBD, and lovestruck Wake Forest …


Dateline 1967: G. Bruce Boyer On The Great Break With The Past

Part of our yearlong series commemorating the 50th anniversary of the  year 1967, which brought an end to the heyday of the Ivy League Look. * * * I was still in grad school and a teaching assistant in 1967. In grad school we were reading “Beowulf” and Chaucer, Alexander Pope and John Donne. As …


Trade Show Roundup, Winter 2017

A couple weeks ago it was menswear market week here in NYC. The Millennial Fogey tagged along and enjoyed inspecting everything. Here he is in the Alan Paine booth: Yes, Bills Khakis is still alive and still using the same US factories, according to a spokesperson. Zip-up Norwegian sweater with Nantucket red trim from Castaway. …


Brooks On Campus, 1940: Corduroy Jacket, Grey Flannels + Saddle Shoes

In the spirit of tolerance, I’m posting saddle shoes on the website, despite a strong personal allergy to them. But they’re part of a campus-inspired outfit formula from 1940, courtesy of this vintage Brooks Brothers ad recently posted to our Facebook group. The formula consists of corduroy jacket, grey flannel trousers and saddle shoes. You …


Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

Back in 2009 in the early days of Ivy Style, I wrote this slightly tongue-in-cheek post about the movie “Dirty Dancing,” and how it showed Hollywood’s bias against clean-cut, Ivy-clad guys on the path to success. In other words, the kind of characters who used to be the good guys. Flash forward to 2017, and …


My Kinda Clothes: Alligator Shirts And Real Bass Weejuns

“My kinda clothes” is a delightful little phrase coined by the legendary Charlie Davidson of The Andover Shop. It’s also a regular series here in which men discuss their favorite items of apparel. If you’d like to contribute, please use the contact button above. * * * I grew-up in Grosse Pointe, MI and my …


Dateline 1967: Dustin Hoffman In The Graduate

Welcome to the first post kicking off Ivy Style’s yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the year 1967, which brought about the fall of the heyday of the Ivy League Look. Pictured is Dustin Hoffman in what is presumably a publicity shot for “The Graduate.” Released in 1967 near Christmas and partially set at …