Summary
Chapter 6
The influencer becomes the influenced.
This chapter introduces us to a whole new era of Ivy and Prep. The style is no longer dominated by one large fashion house or associated with the elite — Ivy has filtered into everyday streetwear, music videos, and business casual. As much as Ralph Lauren remixed the clothing industry, he was also remixed. Ivy was in the hands of the people, and in the hands of change. It changed so much so that it wasn’t really… Ivy or prep anymore. It turned into whatever this is.
I mean like sure it checks off some boxes of Preppy. The collar is relaxed, it’s practical, and he’s layering clothes. It’s not horrible. But it’s not refreshing, innovative, or cool. It doesn’t exude the aura of ease that Ivy and Prep did in the past. Seriously, no hate for Bill Gates, but this just isn’t preppy. I guess in the ’90s the rest of America was thinking the same thing as me because that’s when we turned back to Japan for inspiration.
Chapter 7
We’re officially back where we started! Full circle moment. While America is suffering from the the Bill Gates-ification of preppy, the Japanese fashion market is basking in the glory of vintage, traditional, American Ivy. They’re basking so intensely that our American thrift stores cant even keep up. So large Japanese retailers, like Uniqlo, Evisu, and Kapital (all of which are still very relevant today!) picked up on these trends, but on a larger scale. And that’s when America goes, “Hey wait a second, their clothes are kind of cool!”
And so, here we are, in this constant cycle of influencing and being influenced, taking and giving, pushing forward and going back to our roots. One thing that’s for sure, though, is that Ivy never dies.
So What?
We’ve been studying the history of Ivy and Prep for the bulk of these episodes. Episodes 6 and 7, however, answer our questions of “So what?” and “Why do we care about this?” These two episodes connect our past analysis of Ivy with the styles we see today such as business casual and Preppy.
Our knowledge is like a pair of glasses that we put on, and we can suddenly spot the trends around us. The sports jacket layered with a cable-knit sweater that guy is wearing, the huge TOMMY HILFIGER logo on that person’s shirt, and the pleated skirt you saw a girl on Instagram wearing yesterday — they’re all part of this overarching, undying trend of Ivy.
Understanding underlying trends and reasons matter. It’s just one part of man’s natural desire to know.
Material Composition
My turn! I’ve talked a lot about other people’s takes on Ivy, but now I want to show mine.
I wanted to create a slightly more modern, feminine look for Ivy. One that I could see myself wearing when I’m out in the street or going to class, but still exemplifies the key points of an Ivy outfit:
- Proportional
- Layered
- Easy/Effortless
- Nostalgic
I took these bullet points in order. I’ll walk you through my process.
- A simple way to describe the most basic aspect of Ivy is how it fits in proportion to the body. Theres several examples of this that Trufelman gives us. Ralph Lauren’s abnormally wide tie, softer and larger collars on shirts, and more relaxed fits. In my opinion, all of these examples emphasize height and complement the length of the body through shorter proportions of clothes. Thus, I opted for a cropped fit that does the same for my body.
- Ivy style is also commonly layered. When I picture Ivy in my head I see a guy on a college campus, wearing a white button-down with a “Princeton” crewneck or sweater, khakis, and loafers. Layering is stylish and adds an extra dimension to your outfit. So I divided to go with a white shirt or button down with a collar.
- Although Ivy is detailed, it’s still important to remember that it’s supposed to “look like your life is easy”. It’s supposed to look casual, but thoughtful. Nuanced, but every day. That’s why there are only two layers, along with a simple, monochrome black skirt.
- Last but not least, as we learned in episode 7 of American Ivy, Ivy is popular because it’s nostalgic. The sweater vest is a timeless, androgynous piece that you can see worn in every single one of the past dozen or so decades. It’s not old or modern, and that’s why I highlighted it as the primary piece in my outfit.
Works Cited
Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy: Chapter 6 – by Avery Trufelman.” Articles Of Interest, 2 November 2022, https://articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-6. Accessed 25 February 2023.
Trufelman, Avery. “American Ivy: Chapter 3 – by Avery Trufelman.” Articles Of Interest, 9 November 2022, https://articlesofinterest.substack.com/p/american-ivy-chapter-7. Accessed 25 February 2023.