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#1 2021-09-29 08:56:58
- A Fine Sadness
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Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
This is really for the benefit of any young lurkers out there who might be able to pull this off. Now, Staceyboy, a lovely chap from South Wales, managed to somehow magic the images into existence for me when we were still drooling over the whole idea; before I realised I was too long in the fang etc. etc. to be wearing one of those yellow slickers. The original book - a thing of great charm, I'm sure - costs zillions, the reprint a fair whack, but I came across a few pages the other week and wondered if anyone was still switched on by it all. We most certainly were, SB and I.
Young lurkers, delve further. There is treasure to be had for a younger man - say between eighteen and twenty five.
#2 2021-09-29 08:58:48
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
The Japanese, of course, never do things by halves.
#3 2021-09-29 09:21:55
- Yuca
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
It's a shame the reprint messed up the quality of the images. From seeing the original online, it was not like that. Bizarre.
Some nice shots nonetheless.
some sort of banal legitimacy
#4 2021-09-29 09:57:42
- Yuca
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Somewhat telling that it took people from a completely different country and culture to document the clothing in that way. Some parallels to the Beatles and Stones having vast success in the US with covers of blues songs.
some sort of banal legitimacy
#5 2021-09-29 10:02:41
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Cultural-interchange? I suppose it was part of the way Japan responded to defeat and occupation.
#6 2021-09-30 04:52:09
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
'Downplaying the college connection'. A borrowed quote. I think, in a way, I must agree. I think it's an inescapable fact, however, that in the UK a fair few chaps discovered 'Ivy League' clothing after veering away from their 'Mod' beginnings: like shifting somewhat from Motown to rare soul to modern jazz. Is that fair? So the college connection, in the UK, might never have been a realistic option. I've no idea about elsewhere in Europe, let alone in Japan.
Was IS a little mean-minded about the first Marsh/Gaul offering? It would be interesting to have a face to face discussion - all sat cross-legged in a circle - between English Ivy Heads like Gibson and a somewhat older (say around seventy) American.
#7 2021-09-30 04:59:49
- An Unseen Scene
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
I think it broadly fair that UK people were broadly more influenced by popular culture (avoiding strict Mod connotations).
The artist Gordon House dressed in full on Ivy in the late 50s as part of his Modernist (pre-/not Mod) interests. Architects, designers and musicians too - that's well covered at the forum in the past (Early Clapton etc etc).
I remember reading about Beyond The Fringe team who were a real mix, Peter Cook in fashionable button downs and knitted ties from John Michael's Sportique in Soho. Duddly Moore the natty Modern Jazz obssessive , Jonathan Miller and Alan Bennet in their traditionally styled tweeds. But the knitted tie, informal BD and various versions of wool sport jackets were common. When they went to USA and became a smash hit in NY, people didn't understand their mixed up style as they saw it.
#8 2021-09-30 05:12:06
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Some will hate me for saying this - and it might well baffle others, including anyone in the USA - but there was an element of English subversion involved. Same - and this is the tricky bit - to some extent with the casuals and their Ronnie Corbett knitwear. Then they twatted about with Stone Island and the police spotters were down on them like a ton of bricks. The contemporary Ivyist, needless to say, is almost invariably a creative type with money to spend - the JS shopper - GG, Jason Jules et al. Design, publishing, high-end retail, education, white collar. Gibson will rap my knuckles for some of this...
#9 2021-09-30 05:14:49
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Ivy dressers like Patrick Nahman, however, were more complex: possibly because of their Jewishness. He certainly looked to NYC as a spiritual home. I only looked at it as a place that was full of alien romance, seen in a thousand movies.
#11 2021-09-30 06:51:01
- Tworussellstreet
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Agree about Jewishness and NYC/USA. John's generation was in love with the USA, mine was, and is, largely antagonistic, particularly if you're political. And for Jews, America represents escape and reinvention and possibility in a way Europe never can.
#12 2021-09-30 07:01:33
- A Fine Sadness
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Indeed. Although anti-Jewishness was rife there, too, was it not? A certain hatred towards Jews, blacks, Catholics. WASP stuff.
By the way, the 'Rabbi' books make great reading on a long winter evening. I kind of imagine the character played by a young Dustin Hoffman.
#13 2021-10-03 14:47:57
- slimmm67
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Re: Revisiting 'Take Ivy'
Lived in Southern California for a few years in the previous decade, used to see a guy at the cafe who often looked like he'd stepped out of TI. Probably early 30's but it still looked good. On another occasion he was wearing a cafe racer and brought to mind that episode of Dick Van Dyke where Dick becomes a biker. Got to the point of nodding to each other, then never saw him again.