Welcome to Ivy-Style (again).

 

Big day for a few of us.  For Christian, his first day off in a really long time.  Enjoy, friend, and thank you for everything.

For me, my first day here, and my 58th birthday.  We’ll get to know each other.  If you are on the Facebook group, we already do.  If you aren’t – the group is one of the good reasons to be on Facebook.

Everybody wants to know what is going to happen.  What is going to change, what isn’t.  In a few sentences, we are going to reinvigorate tradition by holding fast to what has worked, opening the doors as wide as they will go so that everyone is welcome, and giving Ivy breathing room.   Ivy is a fashion sure, it is also a lifestyle, born out of values.  A jerk in a repp tie is still a jerk.  A good person in a repp tie – should be here.  We are going to be stewards and explorers at the same time.   I know – heyday folks – Ivy can’t change.  Everything does though.  The trick is to be a good steward of it while it changes so that it just doesn’t change – so that it also grows.

I can riff on that later.

I’m going to do what every good Editor does their first day at the helm, take the afternoon off.  But before I do – a few things I have learned about Ivy on the internet and in real life at 58  for your consideration:

1. Classic clothing never looks foolish.  I have pictures from three decades ago, thankfully Trad dressed, and I don’t look foolish.  I WAS foolish, but I don’t look it.
2. Those who are afraid of change are afraid of everything – because everything changes.
3. Going to an Ivy League school doesn’t make you Ivy.  Asserting dignity for all, understanding the importance of thought and ethics, and for chrissakes no really loud colors unless it is GTH, THAT makes you Ivy.
4. I know the fear that the suit and tie are gone.  I googled wigs for men, got the question “Why did men wear wigs in 1775?” – clicked on that and learned that men wore wigs over 200 years ago for personal adornment (in some cases class distinction).  Then I thought of a guy I know who just dropped big bank on hair transplants.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Ties aren’t going anywhere.
5. If you want to invigorate Ivy, you have to let it be experimented with.  If you don’t want to invigorate Ivy, there’s a kid on your lawn, go yell at him.
6. I have seen some really awful people in some really good clothes, so the theory that clothes make the person…
7. If you don’t see an influx of all gender identifications here enjoying Ivy, then I didn’t do my job.  Ok, I didn’t learn that on my birthday, but I am throwing it in.
8. People who say goodbye to a website or a group on the website or group are really asking for a hug.  Hugs are Ivy.  But you won’t get one for that here.
9. Excellence.  That seems to be one of the common denominators of Ivy.  The pursuit of excellence.
10. Brooks Brothers, according to my source (thanks for the tip Mitchell) is going to be offering custom shirts in its flagship stores in about 3 weeks.  $148 if you want it manufactured in America, $95 (or so) if you want it manufactured overseas.  I confirmed with a second source, because while this is my first day, it isn’t my first article.  I have been pretty vocal about BB over the last year, and will reach out to them soon for a discussion to see where we are landing, but this is a step in the right direction.

JB