http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjsYG5_yJSI
The great thing about Ivy is that it is such a working wardrobe, full of workhorse items.
Practical and sensible, it presents a kind of Anti-Dandy, Anti-Peacock form of Dandyism and Peacocking.
It says Yes to style by saying No to frippery.
Nothing is overly-refined.
Everything in the wardrobe has to earn its keep.
That's the Ivy sensibility.
No silk socks and frilly knickers.
So... ... ...
Name me your number one Ivy Workhorse wardrobe item ?
That item that grafts for you the most.
For me, at this time of year, it's the basic, old school, dead flat Shetland. Forget the double-brushed or Shaggy Dog options. Go back to Shetlands as we knew them. Dirt cheap from BHS - Or even Peter Jones, if you were a bit hoity-toity.
The fluffy American Shetland was always considered a bit effeminate over here. Blokes don't wear fluff. It got overly-refined by the Americans in their bid to be more sophisticated than they needed to be to be Gentlemen.
When it comes to Shetlands, I like a flat white, no sugar.
You ?
Last edited by Incognito (2014-11-14 04:37:12)
It all starts with navy blue.
It certainly has its place.
It's just alien to original old school Shetlands.
Old Shetlands would pill at the blink of an eye...
Was the American brushed up Shetland an attempt to fake that aged look from day one ?
We may never know ...
I can't rehash Stan's fine deconstruction of Shetland colors in the Otter's Pink Shetland thread.
My progression with Shetland sweaters has followed this path: Start with navy, branch out into dark gray, dark red, and dark green. From there I consider the neutral or earth tones, e.g., lighter shades of gray,tan, brown, natural, etc.
Very few of the brighter or GTH colors work for me, except for cobalt or soft yellow on occasion.
Shetlands were for if you couldn't even afford Lambswool over here, back in the day...
Bring back that rough little knockabout sweater !
Bring it on home to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5usKhGz60
Last edited by Incognito (2014-11-14 05:06:23)
This time of year - just layers. Layers and layers of goodness. Cardigans, shetlands, herringbone tweed jacket, nice thick OCBD.
I like the Shaggy Dog too and it's nice to have them in addition to the flatter unbrushed Shetlands ... the Shaggy has its uses, it's warmer (especially when new) as everybody who's one worn one knows, but they do flatten and pill and also possibly are a bit less durable than a flat plain Shetland ...
unquestionably J. Press's effort to dandify a somewhat generic staple
Shags being so fluffy can overstuff or get hung up in the sleeves of a sport coat which is why fall and winter coats should be commodious and why slim-fit tweed sport coats generally blow visually, practically and conceptually
under the sport coat one would generally go flat Shetland ... at the old game circa 1959 perhaps you'd wear a Shaggy under a stadium or other roomy overcoat/topcoat and possibly skip the sport coat? possibilities were/are rife ... and maybe ripe too if vintage/thrift/eBay/Etsy anything is involved
------------------
but the workhorse is your oxford buttondown shirt, followed by your khaki chinos, and then your shoes, which make or break you ....
blue blazer is key but unless you've got the ocbd with it you're drifting .....
crewneck Shetland is as key as the ocbd but less year-round ....
good guys wear crewneck Shetlands and ocbds ..... if you've got those then whether you wear khakis, jeans or cords is a bit secondary (excluding low-rise nuthuggers which would ruin the whole deal and make everybody queasy)
and don't ruin all the good effort with some shoes intended for minivan s o c c e r dads
Last edited by stanshall (2014-11-15 00:16:15)
I know the navy blazer is super ubiquitous as far as "staple status" goes but in the real world, I actually haven't experienced it as that useful an item. Its status among the most formal of odd jackets has never come into play for me. If a suit is necessary, I wear a suit. If a suit isn't necessary, I'd rather wear one of my tweed jackets. In my experience in this day and age, there aren't enough varying degrees of formality to necessitate a level of dress in between a suit and a tweed jacket and tie. But I'm sure others have had different experiences than I.
I think the OCBD is the workhorse. It's the only piece of the wardrobe for which there is no real alternative. There are several varieties of shoes in the canon, a few different varieties of trouser cut (sorta depending on your favorite Ivy decade), and everyone has different opinions on the most important defining characteristics of the Ivy jacket. But for nearly every clothing scenario, if there isn't an OCBD involved, it ain't Ivy.
For me all good outfits start with a pair of surplus US Army underpants.
^
Sounds like a spam post.
I'm with Stan, on the Shaggy being kind of a stand alone item. I don't think I've ever piled a jacket on top.
Last edited by Worried Man (2014-11-14 14:40:18)
You a Blazer fan then, Mr. Sidewinder ?
How do you wear yours ?
I'm sure the jacket could be re-invented in some way.... It's just that for now, as life has changed, I wonder about its usefulness.
If you already have all the other jackets then having one makes sense just to ring the changes. But the old idea of it being the first jacket to get has to be long gone now.
No ?
Ah, but it's different in the USA.
You look great.
Different countries/cultures, different baggage.
Last edited by Incognito (2014-11-16 14:07:21)
I disagree - it's what you wear. If WM got on a plane in that outfit, landed in Heathrow with similar weather conditions, and refused to speak so no one could discern his nationality, the look would be just as good.
^ the word
I use my Brooks Navy Blue Hopsack sack Blazer quite often, mainly at work.
On the contrary i feel like a winner in it.
Good thing you don't live in England.