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#1 2009-03-03 17:34:59

Decline & Fall
Ivyist At Large
Posts: 850

Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

http://www.ivy-style.com/bruce-almighty.html

My first thought is that it is a really good supplement to the famous Boyer article. There is a lot of interesting things said on what brands and stores mattered. I also really liked the discussion on the subtle signals of brand awareness and people’s sensitivity to them. I also enjoyed Boyer’s comments on the changes in the Brooks Brothers’ collars and his anecdote on John O’Hara. Great stuff on the historical context as well.

The questions seemed to be coming from a pretty narrow base (note how several questions had their roots entirely in Ivy Style blog posts). I would like to have seen more questions on who the major influences were and how they mattered if at all.

Anyway, Boyer is definitely a well that remains largely untapped. It would be nice to see an interview with more in-depth follow-up questions. He clearly had a lot more to say on these topics.

Others?


"I like bars just after they open in the evening. When the air inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny. The first quiet drink of the evening in a quiet bar-that's wonderful."
— Raymond Chandler

 

#2 2009-03-03 20:21:41

tripchauncey
Member
Posts: 568

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

A good interview by old Chensvy.

And good on ol Boyer for corroborating tchauncey's point about the GI Bill spreading Ivy to the masses.  http://www.filmnoirbuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=39307#p39307

 

#3 2009-03-03 20:56:57

tripchauncey
Member
Posts: 568

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

On closer read,, there are several instances where ol Boyer should have said,, "was there a question in there somewhere?"

 

#4 2009-03-03 23:38:37

The_Shooman
A pretty face
From: AUSTRALIA
Posts: 13198

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Last edited by The_Shooman (2009-03-03 23:50:16)

 

#5 2009-03-04 00:20:02

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Fantastic, superlative stuff from Boyer and I have to thank Mr. Chensvold for bringing it to us.

More like this please Chensvold. To work with you!

Jim

 

#6 2009-03-04 00:22:59

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#7 2009-03-04 02:14:54

Horace
Member
Posts: 6436

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview


""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.

 

#8 2009-03-04 02:22:37

Horace
Member
Posts: 6436

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview


""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.

 

#9 2009-03-04 05:11:59

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#10 2009-03-04 06:15:21

Decline & Fall
Ivyist At Large
Posts: 850

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Shooman, your points are quite good.

Having slept on it I am definitely haunted by this interview. Boyer says so much good stuff. I think we can still get a lot more out of it.

"Does the notion of authenticity even matter anymore in 2009?"

"We live in an inauthentic world."

Considering that this is something we're on about a lot over here, are these notions worth further discussion?

My feeling is that I am sympathetic to the second point but feel that this is what drives many of us to reject the conclusion in the first. In a world filled with inauthenticity, finding authenticity is all the more necessary. Query whether this is possible.

Last edited by Decline & Fall (2009-03-04 06:22:25)


"I like bars just after they open in the evening. When the air inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny. The first quiet drink of the evening in a quiet bar-that's wonderful."
— Raymond Chandler

 

#11 2009-03-04 06:21:33

Decline & Fall
Ivyist At Large
Posts: 850

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

My problem with Ivy Style is that he so often seems to be going on about 1930s/40s college pratfall stuff (coonskin coats? The rivalries of Yale? College pep songs?) which I reject almost entirely. Further, I think my disregard for the questions has to do with the fact they seem to come from that position (a lot on it being a uniform, which you will notice Boyer nuances a lot and concerns w/ class aspiration and conformity)I think that a lot of the style comes out of that era, but it's not the time I'm interested. I am more caught up with the time when the style started to spread. I am more interested in the Greenwich Village, mid-period Hitchcock and jazz side ends of this style.

Thoughts?


"I like bars just after they open in the evening. When the air inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny. The first quiet drink of the evening in a quiet bar-that's wonderful."
— Raymond Chandler

 

#12 2009-03-04 07:44:42

tripchauncey
Member
Posts: 568

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#13 2009-03-04 07:48:27

AQG
Member
From: The Sticks
Posts: 1306

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

I thoroughly enjoyed this interview.  My favorite point was that the bright-colored, wilder stuff coexisted with more subdued Ivy looks all along.  It wasn't just some later fad driven by mass marketing.  Always there.  Perhaps now we can put the great trans-Atlantic battle to bed.

 

#14 2009-03-04 07:52:38

tripchauncey
Member
Posts: 568

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#15 2009-03-04 07:58:11

Tony Ventresca
Member
Posts: 5132

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Reading the interview, it seems to me that Boyer is just indulging in the pure Harris fantasy world. I get the sense he's re-working his own past & experiences, or perhaps borrowing/appropriating as 'ole 'arry used to do often. He also falls into the trap of the cultural connection (clothing & social class, old money/new money), and of course the nostalgia trap (things were better then, everything is bad now). He's as messed up in the head, as the iGents.

Sorry.

 

#16 2009-03-04 08:23:11

tintin
Member
Posts: 105

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

It was a damned good interview and I really enjoyed Boyer doing a straight shot Q&A.  Insightful and at the end of the day an intelligent observation.  I spent an afternoon going through ten years of UNC year books in Chapel Hill. From '60 to '69. Learned a lot. Recently posted some of the pics where you see the change occuring.

Still, I consider myself a novice and am always happy to read anyone's insight into this period.  We're all learning. I just wonder what motivates those who no are no longer interested in learning.

http://thetrad.blogspot.com/2009/03/road-trip-to-unc.html

 

#17 2009-03-04 08:30:03

Decline & Fall
Ivyist At Large
Posts: 850

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview


"I like bars just after they open in the evening. When the air inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny. The first quiet drink of the evening in a quiet bar-that's wonderful."
— Raymond Chandler

 

#18 2009-03-04 09:51:11

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#19 2009-03-04 10:04:20

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

 

#20 2009-03-04 10:08:55

Taylor McIntyre
Son of Ivy...
Posts: 342

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Last edited by Russell_Street (2009-03-04 10:23:43)

 

#21 2009-03-04 12:42:29

aljazz
Ivy Original
Posts: 117

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

The story of Miles being converted to the look at the Andover shop has always interested me. According to his autobiography Miles was wearing BB suits, tab collar shirts and what he called " a hip quasi-black English look" when he was still a teenager in St. Louis. So, perhaps a reintroduction rather than the epiphany it`s made out to be.

I also liked the comment about British public schoolboys wearing 50 year old hand me down Lobbs. It reminded me of Alan (Lord) Clark`s disparaging remark about, I think, a fellow Tory that he was the sort of person who bought his own furniture.

Last edited by aljazz (2009-03-04 12:42:57)

 

#22 2009-03-04 19:21:37

Decline & Fall
Ivyist At Large
Posts: 850

Re: Initial thoughts on the Boyer interview

Last edited by Decline & Fall (2009-03-04 19:22:04)


"I like bars just after they open in the evening. When the air inside is still cool and clean and everything is shiny. The first quiet drink of the evening in a quiet bar-that's wonderful."
— Raymond Chandler

 

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