Welcome to The Ivy League Look

This blog presents a historical view through articles, photographs, reminiscences, and advertisements, of an American style of men's fashion of the mid-20th century known as "The Ivy League Look" or "The Ivy Look."

This blog will not present modern-day iterations of this "look"; it will be shown in its original context as an American style worn during this specific era. Author commentary will be kept to a minimum.

This is not a commercial site and links to commercial sites will not be posted.

July 15, 2009

Campus "Leisure-Style"


"In the world of male fashion...the early 20th century saw the development of a new, leisure-oriented aesthetic. Indicative was the rise of the 'Arrow Man' as a fixture in advertisements for Arrow shirts from 1905 onwards. A model of well-groomed and chisel-jawed masculinity, the 'Arrow Man' became the first in a series of youthful and stylish masculine archetypes whose virile muscularity guaranteed a fashionability untainted by suspicions of effeminacy. The Progressive Era also saw an identifiable 'collegiate' or 'Ivy League' style of dress take shape. Clothing firms such as Campus Leisure-wear (founded in 1922), together with the movie, magazine and advertising industries, gave coherence to this smart-but-casual combination of button-down shirts, chino slacks, letter sweaters, cardigans and loafers - a leisure-style that steadily reached out from the campus into the wider male population."


Source:

Masculinity and Men's Lifestyle Magazines, Bethan Benwell, 2003
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