Ah yes, DYS.  My wife used to see them play around Boston.

The corduroy coat is from the Andover Shop.

The lantern took about eight minutes from liftoff to touchdown.

Richt is right on there

As has been made abundantly clear I'm a big fan of the old Ivy League look and that is how I have largely chosen to dress.

I think this is an interesting exercise and I hope some people who dress in other styles will try to answer all the questions, too

What is the message?

1. Rebellion, of a certain kind.  I remember when the idea of "Rebellion into Orthodoxy" was brought up here.  I think that's pretty much it.  I hold myself out as an aesthetic conservative.  Even if I am not always a perfect model of these things, I try to stand up for sportsmanship, politeness (holding doors, elevators, please and thank you, well-timed compliments), classic conventions (I send a ton of Christmas cards and am the only person my age I know to do so, I also send friends newspaper articles about themselves if they appear in the newspaper).  I'm sure nobody sees it right off, but I think picking the classic look goes right along with this image and fits in with it.  When I meet someone for the first time, I want them to think, this Coolidge looks like a classy, traditional, stand-up guy, I can tell by his clothes. And then I want to prove them right.  I hope that doesn't sound cloying.

n.b. I do not hold myself out as a political conservative with the look...the only exception being at Republican events where I would be wearing the Press elephant tie. But otherwise I do not take the Ivy look as a representation of my conservative/libertarian beliefs.

2. Steadiness, approachability, and reliability. I plan to be a small firm law practitioner when I graduate law school.  For me, oxford button downs and repeating whale ties seem less knife-edge than something more fashion forward might.  I know there's been much talk of the Press look being scrapped by politicians who are afraid of looking "elitist."  I can see the legitimacy of these arguments but in real life I have encountered just the opposite.  In my job as a law clerk this semester I have worn Ivy suits and jackets to work on a daily basis.  One lawyer said to me last week that he appreciates that I always look so "distinguished" in the office. And I think that's just the image that I want to portray. Someone who knows what he is doing, is professional, and you can trust. Not a shark. Not a weasel. Not someone who's more interested in his clothes than your closing on the new house.

I also think the Ivy Look epitomizes the wills and trusts lawyer, and estate planning is my favorite field of law thus far (although in a small firm I realize I may be more of a general practitioner).  To me, broadcloth white shirt with point or club collar, plus a repp stripe tie or navy tie with white dots just says security, "I will draft your will and carefully administer your estate plan, you are in good hands with me, you can trust me. I will not do anything crazy, like invest all of your money in a Costa Rican plantation"  The fact that I actually plan to be this reliable person and hopefully do it very well should reinforce this, but I think the look I've chosen will create a good first impression.

3. Not too serious when called for...hence the whales, the tennis racquets, the elephants. The madras and the wacky summer pants in casual situations.  I want to show that, despite the fact that I'll be spending my days drafting, filing appearances, and talking about riveting stuff like a gift causa mortis, I am still a fun guy who will not be doing more of this when he goes home. I play a sport, I like the outdoors, there is more to my life than the law.  In short, I am being professional and providing you a good service but I might be a good, interesting friend outside, too, so maybe you'll invite me to your next cocktail party.

4. To stand out, in a corporate way

  We frequently have law firms come on campus to do interviews, as well as mock trial and moot court events that require us to dress up.  There is pleasure in standing out when everyone around you is wearing a shiny, high 3 button Men's Wearhouse suit with a spread collared periwinkle blue shirt and a garish multistriped tie that looks like it came in a KMart "shirt and tie in a box set" tied with a Windsor knot, and you are that one guy there in your 3 button sack with a classic red/navy repp, maybe a pinned club collar or just a button down and a FIH knot.  I always feel like I'm at a distinct advantage when I don't look like everyone else but still look well put together.  For my moot court argument, I was definitely the only person wearing a seersucker suit and white shoes. I delivered a (if I may say so)  good argument (got an A-) both the judges and the observing lawyers liked and praised my speaking ability and ability to respond and defend my arguments, and then, as I was leaving, one of the judges took me aside and said "by the way, that is a really sharp suit. I wish I could pull that look off."  It was the argument that mattered, but I could not help but feel good about my personal presentation instincts that day.


5. To stand out, when engaged in amorous persuit

Given the fickle taste of women, to stand out by being consistent and traditional, yet look smart

The more fogey aspects of Ivy deservedly are not good for meeting members of the fairer sex, as FNB in my opinion rightly points out, one does not score by showing up at a bar in blazer and boat shoes, unless perhaps that bar happens to be J.G. Melon but even then.   

Yet, many other aspects the Ivy look is perceived, at least by many of the girls I have dated and persued, as classy and very nice.  I suppose it all depends on the type of girl. I have dated mostly girls from smaller colleges in the Northeast and professional schools in the same (currently have been dating a medical student).  I don't show up for dates in Harris tweeds and a polkadot bowtie a la Jon Arbuckle, but I have no problem with the preppy look of a polo shirt layered under an oxford, or the camel hair polo coat in the winter "that's a beautiful coat" they say.  Also, I really stand out at formal events. Compared to the men's wearhouse gang, a 1980s Brooks 346 navy pinstripe, some smart captoe oxfords, a forward point collar (unpinned), and a yellow foulard tie turns heads.  They find the repp stripes attractive and suspenders to be part of the entertainment when the jacket comes off later on.

Part of the reason I keep this up is that I've never done well with any girl when I try to be what I'm not.  Dressing this way is part of what I am. If you can be confident being you and know what definitely won't work (ie the tweed and bowtie), then it seems this style will do.  Those who I think are in danger are those who overdo the fogey aspects, perhaps even extending them into all areas besides clothing (refusal to use any modern technology, read new books, eat at trendy restaurants etc).  I think one can do himself proud if he picks a few elements of life to remain true to the classics (I have picked aesthetics such as my clothes and classic Cadillac) and keep up with the rest of the world on everything else.   Besides, it worked for George Peppard. And many of these girls I have dated just love Breakfast At Sir Winston Churchills Flem spoon.'s.


6. To a lesser extent, cultural

I suppose part of the message is that I'm a Northeasterner of burgeois background. It's true I come from a family that has attended Ivy League or small New England colleges, has lived in New England small towns for many generations, the whole Protestant Yankee bit. But not all of my family fits this mold, and anyway I know I would have discovered this style even if they hadn't been there to show it to me firsthand, just because of my love of 50s and 60s comedies and action movies, and studying political and historical figures.

So even though it's there, this last is not a primary thing I am trying to give off, although I am not ashamed of any such association and don't mind if it is assumed.



So whether I am trying to accomplish them or not, those are all the messages I think my choices portray and what I hope the clothes do for me.  I think it works.

Would love to hear others' own motivations.

Last edited by Coolidge (2006-11-29 23:42:44)

Last edited by Coolidge (2006-11-30 08:12:43)

a DYS pic in FNB???? holy crap, that's surreal and amazing.  Leave it to brother Vaclav for pulling that out of his hat

Hail the FNB Wolfpack!!

fantastic jacket.

Last edited by Horace (2006-12-01 05:14:21)

Thanks everyone, the clothing is all Italian (I'm trying a no brands mentioned approach ).

Vaclav, you are correct. I carry a larger one in my back pocket for oysters, tears and a quick shine of the shoes.