Always a second string label, Manhattan nevertheless produced some really nice shirts once upon a time. I have a deadstock one that was too big for Herb that is a fantastic scarlet and yellow plaid oxford with all the trimmings.
The shirt in this 1960 advertisement has a an odd spread collar going on. Really, it looks like a pajama top. I guess like anything (including those Roblee ‘Ivy Bucks’ I posted the other day) anything that features the name of the supposed style or genre that it’s supposed to reflect will always be wrong.
I had some 1970s and 80s deadstock Manhattan’s a couple of years back that which came as part of a job lot that included sought after deadstock Sero Purists. Those Manhattans were pretty reasonable, including a nice khaki green university stripe, but poly cotton so I sold those on. Poly cotton may have been acceptable once but thankfully cotton has made it’s comeback.
Yeah, the button down spread collar does look weird. Are spread (loop) collars ivy? I like them, in fact I probably prefer them for S/S sport shirts. Never wear them buttoned up to the top tho’. Some people, I respect did tho. I can see Duke Ellington at Newport in my mind’s eye as I write.
And of course very West Coast Jazz before Ivy hit there and the BD became de riguer in LA & SF too.