Neither hobo or boho - or feigned 'old money', either.  Just how to wear your favourite old clothes and shoes without worry or undue pride: with naturalness.

Even with frayed cuffs and collars, the amusing part is that you will look better than the cargo shorts-trainers- t shirt crowd and still draw the comment, "Why are you all dressed up?"

I understand - and genuinely appreciate - the original mod aesthetic: clean living under difficult circumstances.  Perhaps we now have clean living under rather less difficult circumstances: instant hot water, plenty of fresh clothing etc.  I even understand the interest in bespoke - as long as it lasts.  As for modern Weejuns, the only answer is: do nothing much with them; wear them as a yard shoe.  If you want better, try old Sebago, Florsheim, Cole Haan etc.  Try cordovan. 
I cannot put it better than Hepcat ^

^ Thanks for that.  I know nothing of 'Tradland'.  I'm wearing what has become my standard 'beater' clothing: L.L. Bean flannel shirt and jeans.  Some polo shirts or even Madras shirts go beneath the flannel.  Anthony Perkins, in that wonderful photograph taken with Patrizia Mangano in 'Hollywood And The Ivy Look', looks as if he is wearing 'beater' Alden!

Frayed cuffs, threadbare trews with maybe a broken zip fly and a cheeky hole on the left knee, shirts with worn out collars, dessies with bald suede patches on the toes. Lets chuck in a few holes in the knitwear as well. Some sort of stain down that vintage jacket from Help The Aged, would be kinda cool in a "I don't give a fuck, its an el natural ting" way as well.

I mean, who wants to be like everyone else dossing around in a shit pair of distressed jeans, trackie top and trainers when you can look so much better without any effort.

You've gotta love great hand produced Italian tailoring though. And great English tailoring as well. Where would IVY be without the European templates?

I used to play cricket with a guy who worn the same clobber he went to work in (market trader-fruit & veg) as he'd go out in. Just washed clean. He had no second or third best, or first. Just worn clothes.

I love it in theory.  The European templates?  That raises an interesting point.  Great English tailoring?  Well: natural shoulder.  But IVY has many manifestations.  It constantly surprises me.

No offence, but there is absolutely no doubt whatever in my mind that some (like Simon) either don't get it or don't want to get it. 

Bespoke certainly cannot be ruled out - if you have the wherewithal - but Ivy certainly can - and maybe in some cases should be - cheap and cheerful: available in malls, online, wherever. 

Not only 'beater' - Ivy per se.

'Patina' is the missing word here. Maybe ?

I don't - but I won't be seen in public in jeans (say) with a hole in the knee.  The clothing is always - I repeat always - clean.  Look: you have to be on a particular wavelength.  Some on here know it when they see it and will acknowledge it with a smile or a nod.  Others simply don't know it, either because they are committed to something other (bespoke) or cannot shake off the curse of 'mod'.

LOL!  They have a hole in one knee, inexpertly patched by my wife.  Ivy and 'mod' remain at opposite ends of the spectrum.