That was the percentage given for total menswear sales in the US between around 1955-1965 (from memory; I'm sure JFM must have come up with that statistic from somewhere) categorised as somehow 'Ivy League'. Sound plausible to you? Masses and masses of advertising certainly, and all those great names. Tongue-hanging-out inducing names. Clothing that was not 'generic Americana' but authentic campus favourites.
Hank?
I think it just reflects the era and broad style of mid-century USA male clothing not any specific 'Ivy' affiliation.
It would be fairly hard to wear clothes that aren't somehow connected within USA in that era.
Yes. I was just thinking: some of it must surely have been 'cheap and cheerful', making its way into mail order catalogues. I've got a few tucked away somewhere. A lot of rayon shirts, lairy-looking shoes etc. Probably not, as you say, specifically 'Ivy'. We do read of course that something approximating to the style was worn by everyone from law professors down to whoever pumped their gas (or something like that). This is part of the era of 'Mad Men', isn't it? The other fifteen per cent must have covered the stuff they were wearing...