Why do people like being so vague on here? You must have something you aspire to when you wear and buy these clothes Andy?

Oo Bop Sh'bam wrote:

Why do people like being so vague on here? ?

Oo Bop Sh'bam wrote:

For me I think I like the positivity of it.

Quoted for truth.

Ha,ha have I just shot myself in the foot? I meant I see it as youthful, clean, ready to go, rooted in adventure, spirited. Um, and I like the colours and the shapes too. I find Ivy very optimistic. Maybe that reflected the boom period? Or the people able to achieve and succeed in that time. I suppose, that is what I'm getting at. Maybe I was wrong that clothes are more than material. There must be a connection as well, along side the visual. But I find that the visual itself is what kind of gives off those vibes.

Last edited by Oo Bop Sh'bam (2012-04-29 06:49:36)

I like the paradoxical qualities of it, "strangely familiar", "strikingly inconspicuous". That old hip to be square thing. To me it's the only and original way to say "smart casual".

^I like this 66. It sits just right with me.

I also love how Ivy is so malleable. You can tweak it to fit your surroundings or subvert things in a very subtle way by dressing it up or down without sticking out like a sore thumb.

I also love how it's easy to dress for the weather. I've built up a collection of basics that are ideal for pretty much any weather condition. It's all so easy and practical.

Example.
Cold/windy- Aran Sweater
Cold/dry- Shetland
Cold/wet- Norwegian
Slightly chilly- cotton crewneck
Slightly chilly and a bit wet- stick a Harrington on.
Slightly chilly and lashing down- stick a slicker on.
COLD!- Duffle coat


It's easy when you know how... and when.

1966 wrote:

I like the paradoxical qualities of it, "strangely familiar", "strikingly inconspicuous". That old hip to be square thing. To me it's the only and original way to say "smart casual".

100% agree.

I saw a couple of guys around Shoreditch yesterday dressed in traditional English clothes - tweed jacket, waiscoat, collar tie, watch chain, flannels, heavy brogues. I guess they were 'young fogies' the sort that would read 'The Chap' magazine. All well and good but they looked like a couple of 1930s country doctors, pure costume wear and rather eccentric..

However, go out dressed 'ivy' to the same degree and the effect is different, subtle clues abound. The natural shoulder, the relaxed cut of a sack jacket, maybe a button down shirt, maybe a narrow tie and lapels, the tapered cut and precise length of a trouser, the American shoes, I could go on. The look, if done right, is one of hipness and cool. Even the uninformed eye will pick up that there is something different going on with this guy.

Always smart when casual, always slightly casual when smart is my doctrine. Trying to do it effortlessly is another matter.

woofboxer wrote:

I saw a couple of guys around Shoreditch yesterday dressed in traditional English clothes - tweed jacket, waiscoat, collar tie, watch chain, flannels, heavy brogues. I guess they were 'young fogies' the sort that would read 'The Chap' magazine. All well and good but they looked like a couple of 1930s country doctors, pure costume wear and rather eccentric..

Two Gallants probably. Planning to rob some poor bird of her gold.

Goodyear welt wrote:

...not like a couple of guys walking round Shoreditch dressed in vintage American clothing from the 60s then.
.

Absolutely not. Boom years Ivy is a total below radar look, if you want it to be. If not then you can make it louder and more obvious but it is still, I think, a very low key look.

The 50's Americana look I think you're describing (correct me if you're referring to a 50's Ivy style) is very noticeable. In America Id say it's noticeable and in the UK extremely obvious. It's not comparable to the Ivy look we favour here at all really.

Obviously if a low key Ivy guy pulled up somewhere in a Highland Green Mustang then the subtlety of the look would be ruined. That's obvious!

Goodyear welt wrote:

A couple of blokes walking down the road in Sacks, longwings, BD and slim jims though is rather eccentric.

Yes! Any man walking about with no trousers on sounds eccentric to me!


Joking aside, I definitely see your point*. An OCBD would be completely below radar, a slim tie would be too, depending on colour/material. A sack I guess may get you noticed if it was particularly funky and longwings too I guess if the corresponding trouser break was high. I think the details will get you noticed if they are exaggerated enough (like trousers break exposing those sexy ankles) no matter what your preferred eccentric style is and at that point it may become costume.

Anyway a pair of cool dudes walking down the street in suits will get noticed no matter what, mainly because most people aren't wearing suits, ties or even jackets on the streets, these days.

I think the point I was trying to make is that Ivy on the whole has fewer noticeable identifiable elements than many other styles. The real details are subtle, the clothes themselves are conservative and many of them have been wholly or partly adopted into everyday dress and by virtue of that go unnoticed everyday. I don't think this is the case with either the look Woof describes or the 50's Americana style you were alluding to.




*is what someone would say if they seen you walking down the street with no trousers on. "Hey you! Point your point away!" is what they would shout.

Oo Bop Sh'bam wrote:

Why do people like being so vague on here? You must have something you aspire to when you wear and buy these clothes Andy?

Why write an essay when a sentence will do though! Far too old to be aspiring! Said it before, and I'll say it again. Your looking too deep into it Oo! For me it's quite simple. If you like, you try on. If you can afford, you buy? What other motive do you need? When your a nipper you maybe aspire? Have to hope your grandad/old fella/ uncles/older brother(s)/ or mates/older brothers mates are 'sussed'. If they are it stops with you, becomes 2nd nature. If they're not, I'm afraid your doomed to a life of divvyness, no matter how hard you try! Having said that, the internet allows the divs far too much leeway to be what they never can be, without having to go through too much pain! Today's kids don't even know they're born!

I think you aspire, or aspired to something Andy, you can't have it both ways, you can't say clothes are more than clothes. then shut the door, when you want to be contrary. You're the guy that has written reams on the 50's American dream and the politics, I'm sure to you these clothes, reflect that America, I mean, you've looked into things more than all of us. It was me and Jim, just saying the clothes are clothes. So I'm not really sure I believe what you say. I think you're trying to play it cool whilst all you've written on here previously has pointed to a lot of consideration.