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Update: Last night I sent a spy to the book launch party at John Simons. Well, not really a spy, I was invited. Having had a quick look through the book at midnight, it really is pretty damn special. I’ll post a proper review of it on Sunday. Meanwhile, copies pre-ordered are due to be sent out next week according to Tony, one of the authors.
Yesterday when I was in John Simons store buying up all those Keydge slack jackets there was a well dressed ivyist with an iPad showing John and Paul Simons mock up layouts of the upcoming coffee table tome, Hollywood & The Ivy Look. It turned out to be Tony Nourmand co-author of the book along with Graham Marsh and J.P. Gaul.
I actually didn’t want to look at the spreads as I’m eagerly awaiting my own copy and much prefer that first flick through to be a surprise. The glimpses I did see were the quality you’d expect!
Tony also said they’d put a mention of TheWeejun.com in the resources section. Very kind of them and perhaps subtle pressure to keep up the posting more often!
You can pre-order it from the publisher Reel Art Press here and the guys have a blog here. I’d had mine on order from Amazon but they had to refund me as they book will not be available via Amazon!
Like us all, really looking forward to getting my copy, but rather surprised at the choice of cover photo. Steve McQueen, obviously, seriously cool, but wearing a well dodgy and non-Ivy, Prince of Wales’ check jacket, with dubious shaped lapels (note the lack of raised seams) Heaven forbid, it’s probably 2 button with jetted pockets. J.Keydge Slack, it’s not……..
Peter – don’t know what you’re on about. McQueen is in a classic Ivy jacket. That is a natural shoulder line and not all Ivy styling was identical. There were variations on a theme. If you do not think that is a strong image of a man dressed in Ivy style then this book will not be for you!
Afraid I’m with John on this one!
Guys, clearly it is a well tailored jacket (exceptional check matching) but for me lacking an Ivy appeal. For instance, I far prefer the less tailored, “collegiate” look of McQueen’s Bullitt role, brown tweed. We must beg to differ. However, I’m still very much looking forward to the book!
Peter I think you’ll find that the jacket worn in Bullitt is itself a non-standard jacket, being an Anglo-Ivy creation featuring a ticket pocket and flap as well as angled pocket flaps and elbow patches. Perhaps bought from Cable Car Clothiers, San Francisco’s legendary Anglo American store where British tweed rubbed natural shoulders with American Ivy? As JG says, there is no standard, but many subtle variation of the look…
Hasn’t the Bullitt jacket also got side vents? I have a J.Press jacket circa 1950 which is very Anglo but has still got that softer American feel.
Indeed it did, but I wanted to avoid the sledghammer effect on Peter’s favourite Ivy jacket! Movie actors seemed to have preferred the double vent as less square, either more mod or more Italian I suspect.
Thanks, Weejun, you’re too kind. My memory of the Bullitt jacket was rather distant and on checking it after my email I noted, with dismay, its highly Anglo / American credentials hoping you guys wouldn’t have noticed! Some hope…..
I’ve returned to this book time and time again for inspiration.
Shame that the guy on the Ivy style forum re this book keeps deleting my reply’s!
Absolutely, a great and timeless collection. Nothing to do with ‘fashion’, unlike that plastic fool you speak of, but style.