If you wish to be like a mid level management it is important to keep up with the latest buzz words and meaningless phrases to add credibility.

You also need to tell people what they want to hear.

Clothes only get you so far.

I can empathise with those feelings Alvey.
The old school jacket, shirt, chinos and loafers …‘smart Ivy’ if you like, seems less relevant at the moment. Overwhelmingly, people everywhere are dressed very casually. We went for a Sunday lunch with my mate and his girlfriend the other day, he’s not Ivy but he takes an interest in what he wears. He arrived in a white T shirt something to do with cars, cotton trousers and a workwear jacket with trainers. Not what I would wear, but it was okay - looking around the restaurant I thought that he blended in fine and looked better than most. It was daytime. But the all pervading casualness does overwhelm and give rise to Ivy insecurity.

Wearing a jacket in all but the smartest venues feels rather incongruous, it seems better in the evenings. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn a jacket this summer, sad really as I have a rail of summer jackets.
Then there’s the weather. We’re getting very few balmy summer afternoons and evenings where one can stroll around in a cotton 3/2 jacket. If it isn’t raining then it’s about to rain. The lightweight short-ish Grenfell raincoat I bought by mistake has come in really handy this summer, I wear it over a shirt almost like a jacket.

Returning to the boring Ivy theme; I’m mixing in more non-Ivy things but trying to keep an Americana/French feel. A … not trainers … more canvas sneakers feel to things. A more Lacoste polo … not button down feel. A not chinos … more white jeans feel.

Maybe you’ve got the summertime blues Alvey?
Never mind, it will soon be autumn and we’ll be able to get the tweeds and Shetlands out!!

Never once seen you in there, Kingy, despite being the only people in there who would wear a 3/2 natural shouldered sack jacket! One day we'll cross paths.

Who makes the best high waisted trim off white denim? Love the look just my old 501s we're too low rise for someone tall like me

Last edited by colin (2024-07-10 11:28:54)

Colin,
I am more often in Surbiton Spoons. Smaller, better kept, better beers. However,  Kingston had Hook Norton Old Hooky showing on the app at Kingston so I popped in.

Two elderly teddy boys are often by the bar. One is the spit of Johnny Kidd of the Pirates even down to the eye patch. Probably the best dressed regulars in the place.

If you want to meet up any time let me know. Woof/ Flat6 had mentioned a meet some time ago. Probably more difficult for you as you are still working.

Last edited by Kingston1an (2024-07-11 03:05:18)