When it comes to getting dressed there are a few considerations that I always make such as “Where I am going?”, “What season is it?”, and “What is the weather like?”. If I am getting dressed for a special occasion or an event then I try to dress in a way that shows respect for the event, but more importantly to the host.


For a different perspective.  My grandfather wore a suit every day (lawyer) and when he came home he removed his jacket/shoes/stetson and traded them for a cardigan and slippers. He may or may not remove his tie. Also, the older people (70s and up) in my parents neighborhood mow their lawns and do yard work in wool pants or chinos usually paired with a polo or an OCBD.

The problem with being a fan of Ivy clothes is that they were made in and associated with a time that's long passed. A time when the "casual jacket" was actually a thing. These days, button down shirt = "Oh, you're dressed fancy today." Tie = "Oh, do you have a job interview today?" Shirt, tie, and jacket = "Oh, are you accepting an award later?"

The ivy ethos, as I understand it, is to always dress nice but understated, and appropriate. However, these days, a seersucker jacket at a spring party or a blackwatch jacket at a christmas function will instantly draw attention and get you "Mad Men" comments. The opposite of what we want. Like OCBD, my grandfather was always in an OCBD, suit, or a cardigan and slippers. I still feel that people of a certain age may dress Ivy inspired and folks will think nothing of it. I am in my 30's. My parents generation started "business casual" and that's been the norm for most of my generation's life. I've been wearing ocbd's in lieu of t-shirts for awhile now, but when I go to hang out with my friends it's guaranteed one of them will still ask "did you just come from work?"

I think, as menswear becomes more and more popular (or as it becomes more common for men to know about  and understand clothes), that there will be a swing back towards jackets at dinners, Stetson's in the winter, and seasonally appropriate colors / patterns simply for their beauty and function even though poly-weave-sweat-wicking-microfibers, etc have turned all clothes into "all season" wear. Until then, we deal with the Mad Men comments and soldier forth.

^^
+1 Halby and DG

Last edited by Senorservo2.0 (2014-02-16 13:12:27)

Woah... the "women's movement" is making life difficult for American males??


That has to be one of the dumbest statements I've ever read on this board.

This whole debate has got me questioning why i get so upset when people do not make an effort.
I am in my forty's but have noticed a general decline is all standards of respect and decent behavior
in the last 25 years.
My parents were Irish immigrants to the UK and we were quite poor but dressing appropriately was drummed into me at a young age.
As a good Catholic boy naturally i went to Catholic schools and it was a uniform of Blazer,tie,shirt trousers and proper shoes from day one right up to leaving school.
Even now if i attend mass i would never dream of wearing jeans or a T shirt in a church its beyond my comprehension.
Even in my teens and twenty's if i went out to a nightclub it was a no jeans or sneakers policy enforced by the door staff.I have worked for the government in a disciplined uniformed environment
not to mention my present profession where i manage a large group of people and i do honestly believe they expect their boss to wear a shirt and tie.

When i took my wife out last night she looked beautiful and made a real effort
having children its not every week we get the chance to go out,

My making an effort to look smart was part of the ritual and i just cannot understand anyone who wouldn't want to do this or think that it was not important.

Armchaired,
I apologize for bring up so divisive a topic. I will keep my views "off Forum."

Oliver, should you wish to continue our "discussion," I will happily do so via Private Message.

Thanks.