Mixed feelings about Chiltern Street and any pleasant sensations are tempered when I get my credit card out.
Although some stock is kept in the front room it’s really like a large display window, I always pause for a moment outside to appreciate the display before going in. I’m familiar with the layout and at ease in the shop of course, so there’s always the feeling of things yet to be discovered in the the two rooms out the back. But I can imagine that the casual browser who is new to the shop might find that layout slightly off putting. Many men view clothes shopping as a worrying ordeal and feel intimidated by shop staff who approach them. The second of the back rooms doubles as a changing room which let’s face it is not ideal,  I have struck up a conversation with others blokes as we both took our trousers off on more than one occasion (that didn’t sound very good), it doesn’t bother me but if you’re a bit shy then the set-up there might put you off. The Chiltern St locality has become something of a ‘shopping destination’ for the smart set and ‘in the know’ tourists. I’m not sure how that sits with me, I probably wouldn’t go there for any other reason other than to visit John Simons.

Woof put it quite succinctly with his comment about the credit card.

In many respects, I prefer Chiltern St to Russell St, - it feels lighter, airier and despite it's small size, somehow less cramped. That having been said, as much as I like Paul - he doesn't posses the charm of his Father and Sean, who is fundamentally the only other member of staff I've had much to do with lacks the warmth of either Kenny or Jeff - and it may just be me but gives off a bit of an attitude whereby I feel like he's a bit too cool for school and is just about "deigning" to serve me. Harsh possibly but I've only been in the new shop two or three times in ten years but was a ridiculously regular visitor to RS (I worked around the corner and more often than not would go and shoot the breeze with K&J on my lunch break).

I don't think that much has changed between the two stores otherwise, except Paul is possibly a bit more ordered than his Dad and keeps things better organised - and of course the focus on their own label and as someone else said, a more condensed and stream-lined feel to the operation. I'm not a frequent enough visitor to have noticed a difference in pre/post pandemic stocking but I do like the online presence and whoever is doing the "curation" of Facebook and Instagram is doing a great job - it's probably aimed at people like me and I think it works quite well - a nice blend of new stuff coming in, highlighting unique vintage items, the references to art/jazz/architecture - all stuff that I'm familiar with but works as quite a good primer for those that aren't  and reminder for those that are.

I detect a certain 'continuum' (if that's the phrase I'm looking for), based upon reading/thinking/discussing/pondering the subject at hand for a good many years.  But, of our posters, I'd guess only TRS has intimate knowledge of the way it's all put together.  In fact, I've only visited Chiltern Street twice: JS was there both times and Kenny Lovegrove once (Jeff was ill by then).  I reached Russell Street too late to see it in its pomp and liked some - not all - of what I saw, but I gained valuable experience (just like on 'Talk Ivy' really, a place from which I'm still constantly learning).  But I've flipped around somewhat and returned to some of my original instincts regarding texture, colour, fabric etc. - all out of my own dreams/fantasies/call it what you will - but 'Ivy'/'Prep' - and defiantly non or anti-Mod. 
The Weejun remains a strong influence.  But so does Woody Allen.  So does Michael Murphy.  Figures like Dave Frishberg and Whitney Balliett are relatively new influences.
The chances of me visiting Chiltern Street in the near future are slim so long as my wife remains in her post-cancer condition.  That's life.

Oh, and nosing round the Russell Street basement was a never-to-be-forgotten experience: art magazines and deadstock.

Headgear out of context never works even if you have the bottle to wear it. I remember on an architectural course I attended some of the students went to Paris and came back wearing berets . After a couple of weeks they dropped the look as it wasn't exactly cool.

'Wild' in Nottingham (Hockley district) still has a nice, rather old-fashioned feel to it: pure Americana in the basement.  And the owner is an Ivy League dresser and John Simons customer.  There's nothing much (generally speaking) for us, but plenty of work wear, Pendleton shirts etc.

Re Chiltern Street, I've drawn the (doubtless patently obvious) conclusion that there's nothing else quite like it: certainly not in England.  Elsewhere?  O'Connell's perhaps, although it's at too great a distance to be easily or consistently sampled. 
Brooks Brothers in Regent Street was an enormous bore.  American Classics was too limited.
But one also draws the conclusion that the average English male has no more interest in clothing than good food and drink.  I'm struggling up here.  I visited 'Flannels' in Nottingham a couple of times years ago.  Good for John Smedley then but otherwise heavy on the Boss and Gucci.  Not my bag.

It was a dull 'boutique'-style shop when I visited.  But the afternoon was enlivened by an invasion of black boys who fancied trying on the leather Gucci bucket hats, thus causing the (rather fey young Asian) assistant to quiver and quake.  I had a brief chat with them outside and found them quite affable.

I think they were simply bemused about being accosted by some middle-aged, four-eyed white fart.

Did anyone ever visit the shop in Windsor? Any reminiscences etc, would be interested in knowing the location so I can make a pilgrimage and prostrate myself on the pavement outside.

Yes, there was briefly an Ivy Shop in Putney High St., in the late 70s I think, near the Spotted Horse pub.

Hi Woof, I was a frequent visitor to the IS Windsor, early 80's till it closed it's doors. After that it was the 50 minute drive up to Richmond, Windsor was on my doorstep so it was a no brainer. In fact I my opinion it was a better shop than Hill Rise. Ian Strachan got the shop fit spot on. When I first started shopping there a Scottish fellow called Kit was managing it I think he may have worked at the Squire shop/Village Gate, as Stax said John Lally also worked there and you would also see Ian Stachan from time to time. Location was 52 Thames St Windsor and as Stax pointed out Windsor side of the Eton Bridge.

Last edited by Runninggeez (2022-06-08 05:27:16)

I'd appreciate (once again, perhaps) a lengthy list of names stocked so that I can enrich my never-ending trawling.  I'm often saddened by what I missed out on and it isn't as if I wasn't often in London during the early 80s.  I was simply preoccupied with other things, in places like Sloane Square.