A good summary Alvey.

I’m as good as retired now so have no need to dress for work anymore, I went for a job interview the other day and to my relief I didn’t get it!  A proportion of my wardrobe is now largely irrelevant and likely to remain so. Good quality business suits, smart shirts, shoes and ties that will never see the light of day except for the odd hatching, matching or dispatching.

Recently I took Mrs Flat and her Mum out to an fairly upscale restaurant and made the effort of wearing a fairly casual JS wool suit, white BD shirt and knitted tie with loafers. It felt good to have the clobber on and earned extra brownie points with mother in law. But it was slightly dispiriting to arrive and find many of the other male patrons wearing T shirts and jeans … the w*nkers!

In a world where a head of state can arrive for a summit with Joe Biden and address Congress dressed in a T shirt I start to wonder what is the relevance of it all? Of course none of that applies to me, when I’m in the public eye standards will be maintained come rain or shine. Should the call come through for me to attend the Oval Office I will be ready and appropriately attired.

I endeavour to get dressed in varying degrees of Ivy smartness if I’m going to the pub for an hour or two, or out with mates or Mrs Flat for shopping or social, or some leisure activity - or away on holiday. But usually it’s only worn for a short time and because I have got far more clothing than I need and try to apply some sort of rotation, individual items only get used occasionally. I’ve got a range of utilitarian clothing for dossing/pottering at home and as soon as I get in the door the decent clobber goes away and I’m changed into sweatpants, army trousers, old Champion college sweatshirts etc. Because most of my Ivy stuff is reasonably good quality it lasts and lasts and it’s rare for anything to actually wear out. The odd vintage shirt acquired from the USA during the glory years of eBay will give up the ghost now and then and have to be jettisoned, but that’s about it.

Truth is I’m struggling for reasons to buy anything, but I still find myself looking!

Last edited by FlatSixC (2023-01-04 08:27:15)

Were you still looking for a home for that J Press Donegal mist, FlatSixC, or am I making that up?

For me, its taken maybe a decade but I simply don't *need* (loosely defined) any more clothes. From time to time, I turn the collar of a well-worn shirt myself, but suits/jackets last the test of time, Shetlands last forever bar the odd restitching of holes, shoes get resoled etc.

Maybe there's a couple of things I'd like - a long sleeve madras shirt or maybe a tan duffle coat - but I can cope without. I keep an eye out for Florsheims in my size but import costs plus vintage premium on good shoes means I hardly look anymore.

Received a navy JS cord slack jacket as a present the other day and it's something that was outstanding as something I wanted to wear a lot.

Now, it's nice to have mostly found items on the cheap over the years and can now just wear them without any fuss. Vintage is still out there but I sort of look for bargains out of habit now, and could happily get out of that. There's more important things to be worrying about, to be honest.

I guess it would be a lot harder to seek out the ivy look today if you were just getting into it, but to be honest, that's probably less than 30 people across Britain...

I prefer to travel than arrive. I see a pair of Paraboot Avignon in my future, just not yet. When the time is right I shall enter that doorway. It will be a beautiful day and, feeling the full weight of Talk Ivy upon me, I shall try a pair and decide there and then on a purchase.

''Alden loafers in the UK are now nearly £900.''

Alden's have gone through the roof here too. I won't be buying any again soon.

C&J's benchgrade make more sense now. Bigger bang for your buck.

Notice the Frans Boone store now gives prices excluding VAT. I see what they're doing there.

The thinner, more summer lasts of Aldens, you can still get under €800. But in that price range, as Rivella states, you're better off going C&J's Benchgrade. Unless you specifically want the style. The crepe and waxed soles are good, but seasonal.

Think the answer lies in a hybrid style and for me, that means certain Ralphy stuff. Particularly the madras, plaid shirts and dyed oxford shirts. Chore and bomber jackets.  A little bit preppy at times.

Much has changed in the last 10 years. With BB effectively dead, J.Press a rip-off with import duties, Mercer & Sons have reduced cloth offerings, etc, etc.

But I do notice that Kamakura have a Miles Davis Milestones album cover inspired, Graham Marsh OCBD just in. That ticks all the boxes.

I've been thinking about ordering a Jake's shirt and it's good to hear that you rate the quality so highly FlatSixC. I think the quality of the £120 JS shirts is really disappointing but the fit of my latest JS shirt is excellent but buttons not sewn on properly and stiching quite poor in general. Even the cut cloth for the top pocket is bad.

''Yes that does look nice. I have to say that I had a Harry Stedman ‘Miles Green’ BD once and I didn’t find the colour particularly wearable, however that’s just me.''

I've got that too, dug it out of storage last week. At the height of my pure Ivy jazz cat look, had it on at a mate's 50th with knitted tie and I remember someone coming up to me and saying ''You must be Sam's friend who organises the North Sea Jazz Festival.''

Was pretty chuffed as I had created a vibe and a look that beamed a message to the observer. 18 months later and a major operation later I had moved away from the look. Another 18 months on top of that, moved on from just listening exclusive to modern and big jazz on 12'' vinyl and Mosaic box sets. That had become a very expensive hobby.

In the words of Mark Murphy, ''Time moves on as do the masters of jazz...''

Yesterday, online I bought a load of Ralphy's new in madras shirts, you can't go wrong there. Top of their game.

When you dig into the site the stock levels on the Kamakura Vintage Ivy shirts is pretty low.

I purchased the original batch of the Miles green shirt. Their Oxford is very good quality. I appreciate that the colour isn't for everyone. I wear mine with dark jeans and dark brown suede C&J Bostons.

I have worn a navy jackets with mine. Cord in Autumn and cotton in spring.

Treat it like a very casual shirt. Jeans and cords only.

I’m not sure what the foundation for ‘blue and green should never be seen’ is.

It’s a great combo, Black Watch tartan springs to mind.

Blue in green certainly worked on Kind of Blue.