Very well written and very well put as always, BB. The one thing I never understod is the nagging at Christian Chensvold and Ivy Style. Maybe there's backround history I don't know about. Sure, he is not even close to being authentic, but he doesn't pretend that he is.

I think the biggest problem in the online circles regarding Ivy/Preppy/Trad is reducing it to a style of clothing with rules and things you're not "allowed" to do. There are enough old pictures which prove that these "rules" were always debatable. The reason for that is, that it was never just a style. It was/is  a way of living/mindset that results in a certain way of dressing.

In every aspect of life it was always about high quality items that passed the test of time. That's how I see/do it.

Today I am wearing an old J.Press OCBD, a pair of my beloved (and sadly discontinued) Dockers Marina chinos, NB 990 made in the USA and and an old Barbour Border Jacket. Is this Ivy by the book? No. Do I care? No!

/\  here's an excerpt:

As soon as he had gotten me alone in the fitting room, which Father had warned me about years ago, the sexy tailor man whispered gruffly in his heavy Italian accent, "I'm gonna adjust the crotch here on these trousers for you, hold on, is that better?  How bout now?  ... hey you know how long I been on retainer for your family?  Since I came from the old country in 1908, I been looking forward to touching the members of your family, and they like it too, so much they tell me please don't make no clothes for the Cabots and the Lodges, you gonna be our exclusive family tailor and we gonna put you on retainer, so we don't got to go to that J. Press no more ...." and then I was spent.

The ultimate Salt Water New England is, of course, Reggie Darling, who sadly no longer blogs. I binged his old posts when I was laid up with appendicitis a few years ago and they were great.

Last edited by Botolph (2018-09-07 10:07:06)