01 September 2010

Sucker Punch (finale)

I swore I wasn't gonna do a post about Take Ivy, but I couldn't help it....
I fell for it, I pre-ordered it. My copy arrived today, as I'm sure so many others did. It was on the front porch by 8:30 a.m. Damn, Amazon, did you send the trucks out at midnight, or what?

No surprise, I love it. I won't set off on a full scale rave up over it. The old internets already aglow with them. I will say that what struck me most in actually seeing this much-hyped tome was an underlying innocence, on the part of the authors/photographers as well as the guys in the pictures. It's refreshing to see this stuff in its true context, and not taken as runway fashion or blog fodder.

The Ivy League culture of the mid 1960s has been much romanticized lately. Maybe with good reason. We like to imagine that young guys in the old days carried themselves with a brand of poise and style that the youth of today just don't understand, but judging by the pictures, these guys were just wearing what dudes wore in their day, trying to fit in and be part of something. For every moment of sartorial inspiration, there are flubs. Which is as it should be, since it is a piece of social anthropology with humans as its subject.

What's with the guy in a tweed jacket and madras shorts (page 24)?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ciao Beppino!

I would love to see how you store all those clothes.
The picture at the top is a segment of your wardrobe?

Si vede che hai il sangue peninsolare!
Non dare retta a sta gente con l'aria di sufficienza di chi ha scoperto il trucco.

Divertiti!!! Vestirsi รจ divertirsi.

A presto,

Alessandro

Anonymous said...

I don't really even know where to begin with my commentary on the book. The delivery was certainly prompt.

I'll have to review page 24 for a chuckle.

You make a good point though....

Who ever said white, cotton, crew-length socks with loafers was a good idea. Those guys were in fact just going with the flow.

That having been said, they did hold fast to some important staples.

I look forward to reviewing the book more closely in the future.

P.S. I did give the book as a thank you gift to a good friend at Brooks Brothers. At the very least there is respectful homage paid to the standard bearers. I can appreciate that.

ADG said...

G-String...I'm now motivated to go over to the office to see if mine arrived. Still worried if I will be disapointed.

David M. said...

There's nothing wrong with pre-ordering Take Ivy and blogging about it.

Mateo said...

Got mine yesterday when I came home for lunch. What jumps out at me is how close-fitting and high-waterey the pants are. Even on the old guy pictures.

Anonymous said...

How am I to feel upon browsing this book? With all of the hoopla, I expected to feel as when looking through Playboy magazine during my teenage years.

Ryan Dunphy said...

This book proves to me what I have believed all along, that classic style never goes out of fashion. I have an original copy from my dad and I still love to browse through it. I sometimes use it to see what I may feel like wearing on any particular day.

ADG said...

G-man....picked up my copy and couldn't resist. I did a post on it last night.

Anonymous said...

Mine arrived as well. Wish the book itself was a little higher quality, but glad I ordered it all the same!

Unknown said...

hey :)
great site, i like your statement to present an "affordable wardrobe". As a student in economics I follow this guideline as well.
AND, of course, I pre-ordered the book as well and will have a special place in my small library. Classic photos and great book!
cheers