It's the presentation, the photography, the styling, & the quality of the goods I'm told.

Let's face it, Press hasn't been what it used to be since about 1977.

Still the odd nice item in the catalogue (this summer's red and blue chambray sacks look pretty good to my eye if they've sorted out the shoulders of their cotton jackets; I will buy the blue in an attempt to look like Cassavetes in the opening scenes of Rosemary's Baby), but the overall feel of the brand seems ever more 'updated preppie' than 'classic ivy'.

Last edited by Natural Sole Brother (2009-03-10 05:30:27)

Chum,

Felt like a bit of leg pulling today, eh?

Cheerio.

Press in Japan are far more interesting than Press in the US in my opinion.

I'll still cherry pick from Press I'm sure, but the brand is debased just now.

Hiya, Trippers Ol' Chum - Do Press still do it for you? I've been pro-Press for ages myself and have even defended the changes of late out of that old loyalty, but like with Brooks they're just a shop. When the stuff fails to please then I look elsewhere.

BoO mentions J. Crew (not that that's where I'm heading) & I can see quite a lot of J. Crew in J. Press just now. Maybe not Gap as the original post stated, but then that wasn't a quote from me. If I had the knowledge & high standards of the chap concerned then I'd maybe agree.

This style of ours has always been in a constant state of change, reviving old influences & introducing new ones. I'm just saying that Press isn't doing it for me anymore. Hopefully that situation will change just like I hope it will with Brooks. In the meantime my focus is now elsewhere.

Best  -

Chum,

Sorry ol boy,, I thought this was a bit of benevolent trolling.  What a Southern trad might call a tar baby.  You had been a supporter of ol Mr. Man and the recent catalogues of late.  Just surprised of the change of heart,, thats all.

So,, what is it that is ruing ol J. Press?  Is it the colour and modernization?  Just wondering.

Cheerio.

Perchance I owe a bit more explanation of my surprise.  Yes,, tchauncey has been a critic of the staging of Mr. Man to appeal the ol Press to skateboarders.  Agreed on those points in toto.  And yet, whilst I do not purchase much,, it is the only place that I know where I can purchase a ready made sack in navy, grey, pinstripe, ect.  Other than ordering from Southwick or hoping that Brooks offers a rare natural shoulder offering,, Press is the only show in towne.  Perchance like ol Longwing's Brooks,, there is our Press (Ivy) and everyone elses Press (goldfish pants).  Perchance I am missing something by not perusing the catalogue.


Edit - my original comments and questions were to Uncle Russell in re his original post.  I was not questioning chetmiles opinions stated.  My apology to chetmiles.  His input is good indeed.  Drinking and posting do not mix I am afraid.

Last edited by tripchauncey (2009-03-10 09:16:01)

Aye.

I went to the little Brooks out in the City just after it opened... Gloom.

Then Regent Street...

... And I remembered the buzz when M&S bought Brooks and there were rumours of a Brooks opening in London... And Mr. Simons saying that if Brooks did open in London then it wouldn't affect them. How right he was!

And if Press opened in London today I can't see it being the big deal it would have been even as recently as '04.

Things move on.

Chums,

Tho perchance endangering my Ivy membership card,, me thinks that the Reyn Spooner had some true Ivy roots,, or was a bit of a play on The Look.  Reyn Spooner had a bit of a run in the 60s,, along with madras and other tropical wear.  I reckoned that jacket as a play on that and the madras and tartan and chambray Ivy offerings of the 60s.  Would I wear it?  No.


In 1966 the Hawaii Fashion Guild, of which Reyn was an active member, convinced local businesses to allow aloha wear to be worn to work on what we now know as Aloha Friday. By this time, Reyn had designed a pullover, Ivy-League all cotton aloha shirt with a button-down collar that proved to be very popular. But he still wasn't satisfied with the intensity and brightness of the tropical and calico print fabrics he was using. He liked the shirts the surfers wore — the prints had become bleached out and subdued by the sun — and after experimenting with several ways to achieve the same "chambray" effect, realized that he would simply turn the floral and calico prints inside out! Cowabunga! The "reverse print" concept, now synonymous with the Reyn Spooner® name, made history.

http://www.alohashirtshop.com/index.php?p=custom&section=Reyn_Spooner_Info

Perchance I doth protested too much.  Ok,, now they are truley done.


http://www.metaboston.com/2009/01/j-press-to-sell-at-urban-outfitters-.html