Custom made suits may be necessary for the office
but once upon a time they were de rigueur on American college campuses as well.
This was especially true among the affluent Ivy League universities in New England at mid 20th century.
We are delighted today to see the return to fashion of the sartorially swank Ivy Style (also known as the Ivy League Look or the J Press Style if you’re at Yale).
Ivy Style originated in New Haven, Connecticut in the early 1950s and peaked in the mid 1960s. It has witnessed a come back in recent years with more and more men choosing the elegance of custom made clothes.
Ivy Style is known for its academic ease and classic and beautifully tailored look – think JFK (yes we know he went to Harvard, not Yale).
Key details of Ivy Style jackets include flap pockets, wider lapels, three buttons undarted jackets with center vent and natural shoulders. Along with the sack suit, Ivy Style is often associated with chinos, Shetland tweed and ofIvy Style 2 course, penny loafers.
Consider adding Ivy Style to your closet.
Ask for flap pockets or natural shoulders when ordering your custom tailored Knot Standard suit.
The one aspect of Ivy Style we object to is the cuffed, no break trousers. Seriously. Cuffed and no break? We just can’t get on board. Better to keep at least a slight break and add pocket flaps circa 1954 if you want Ivy modernized.