Janet Pilgrim!

This is actually a terrific piece of viewing.  Richard Press is a genial host and obviously knows his Ivy onions (as JFM might have put it).  The anecdotes about Chipp are highly interesting. 
One can believe that the presence of Janet Pilgrim amongst a bunch of horny young students almost caused a riot.

YouTube, Woof.

Apologies, all.  I never have learned to post links but there are a number of interesting little films featuring Bruce Boyer, Richard Press and a rather attractive lady with dark hair on YouTube.  Muffy 'Aldridge' gets a mention.  Reminds me of some bod who referred to Dave Frishberg as 'Fishburn'.  Must be a potential Ebay seller.

Jeez, but much of the clothing is gorgeous - but would not, I don't think, be worn by many in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s78RYqwWxo for anyone too lazy to google.

Watching and listening to chaps like Richard Press provides something of a refresher course.  It returns me to my early days of head to toe Ivy dressing - before I paid, perhaps, too much attention to the 'rulebook' of the English (London) Ivy scene.  It gladdened my heart to hear Richard Press speak so fondly of his own Ivy League youth.  Yes, there is a leaning toward the 'Preppier' end of the spectrum (as with 'Trad', what would Jimbo have said?  I can well imagine), and, although the bow-tie and critter/GTH side of the style leaves me cold and gasping there remains much to be enjoyed.

None of the above criticisms move me in the least.  I enjoyed almost every second.

^ Seconded, gladly and happily.

A bit more balance amounting to - what?  'Gosh, look at what our English cousins have achieved'?  There's a mention of whoever owns Drakes elsewhere, if that means anything.  Whilst being seriously amused at the fact elite WASPishness has always been backed, schmutter-wise, by shrewd Jews (about on the same level for me as Woody Allen's celebrated 'Moose' sketch) I do not (or not always or sufficiently) give a flying fuck about any jazz connection, modern or otherwise, when it comes right down to it.  That side of it is largely a fanciful 'construct'.  Nothing wrong with that of course - but that's what it is.  I'm fairly sure Yuca pointed out the number of jazz musicians clothed in Ivy League on a regular basis was relatively small.
As for the democratic, 'Ivy For Everyone' schtick once preached by Frosty Mellor, I'm as unconvinced now as I was at the beginning.

^ Haha - I never spill a drop!

I must admit I was late in discovering Press.

My New York trips would focus on Ralph's Rhinleander Mansion followed by Saks, Bloomies and Century 21 for bargains.

346 was OK but pretty badly merchandised. A bit soul-less.Lots and lots of the same thing. Big price tickets on tables. Very uninspiring.

When I finally discovered Press it was a bit like Dunn and Co in the UK. Much later on they opened a small store in Soho that was great. Interesting merchandise, creatively presented. I didn't last that long.

The current New York store is superb. Wish it was larger though.  It's pretty modern with the merchandise very neatly presented. Surprisingly, compared to the previous store I thought they have more on display.

Alden, Brooks and kamakura were all very close one anther but now sadly Kamakura and Brooks are gone.

It's so boring how the same nonsense is being claimed here over and over again. This whole business with jazz and the democratization of Ivy is a very strange historical distortion, which is mainly cultivated in Great Britain. There, however, the reference to Ivy comes from the subculture area and thus had its own origin.

Yes, there was a period when Ivy was mainstream marketed in the US. That doesn't change the fact that Ivy has never been inclusive, and never will be. On the contrary, it has always been elitist and always will be.

This has to do with the fact that it is not just a matter of clothing but of a lifestyle that is based on certain values and cannot be represented without a certain income. Ivy is (or was) the dress style of a very specific socioeconomic group. Of course, anyone can live by the values of this group, dress accordingly, and work towards achieving social status.

Last edited by Skipper (2022-05-31 03:13:16)