by 
Well, I took a short holiday. Turned out to be about 18 months. I didn’t really have time to keep the blog going. In that time a lot has happened. The whole Ivy League Look has gone seriously overground. Not necessarily a bad thing by any means, as we’re currently in one of the rare phases where the vagaries of fashion are in sync with the classic Ivy look of vintage American clothing.
Brands that have been in fashion doldrums serving up tedious indie styles (Fred Perry), terrace wear or even just middle aged dads (Gant?) have either been reinvented or at least accidentally included some key vintage inspired items. Even John Simons whose store in Russell Street, Covent Garden, finally closed its doors after serving the nation with rare items since 1983, has made a sterling comeback (helped along by son Paul and partner Theo de Rose amongst others).
For me it’s been a time of aquiring great vintage originals as well as modern pieces from some sometimes surprising sources (this years Gap tailored chinos for example). Old conservative stalwarts have produced short lived classic items (Church’s Sahara III all natural unline desert boot).
So, time to come back, put some thoughts down from time to time. My version of ivy has always included a wider pantheon of american styles, tempered with a hint of French and a healthy dose of Italian influence, all of it far removed from the evils of iGent-ism or the phoney johnny come latelys of the overtly commercial US based mega blogs (you know who you are). All served with a dash of humour, hopefully. Never good to take anything that seriously, does it?
Great to have you back! My favorite blog and the most in sync with my tastes and influences. You are right – the landscape does seem to have changed during the blog’s hiatus and we are all the better for it. Really quite an exciting time for lovers of a certain style………….
Thank you sir, your comment is most welcome.
Feel free to bring any of our offline conversations about clothes and shoes back online here!
Great to see the blog return and looking better than ever. Love the new layout. Strange days indeed for us re: all things “Ivy” going overground. Thoroughly enjoyable though!
Thanks Mark. Strange days indeed. Time to stock up as much as possible methinks.
As I missed the first incarnation, glad you’ve decided to do it again.
Thanks DMc
Have you got a store site yet? Happy to link to it from here if you have…
Things have gone so overground that I resorted to writing to the guardian to complain that for the last 6 months or so every weeks best menswear item was one of my classics, ie Harringtons, loafers, brouges, dirty bucks, redwings, hunting jackets, sebago docksiders, blazers, seersucker jackets, chino’s and on and on.
I seemed to go from a 60 year old male who was always being stopped and my style being commented, on to looking like a 60 year old fashion victim, but i have got over it now and to have discoverd modern shops such as Uniqlow who do a decent shirt. Tony Pee
the Bass Weejun has been part of my wardrobe since 1945. In September of 1845, I returned from summer holiday and began the third grade. One of my classmates, Jerry, the brightest and best looking of the kids wore Weejuns. I was very taken with them and pestered my mom and dad to get some for me. Although WWII hsd been over for about 2 weeks, industry had not yet geared up to producing consummer goods. I got them for Christmas.