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.

January 1, 2012

The Brooks Number Three, 1941

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Source:

The New Yorker - 9/20/41

(click to enlarge)
 Source:

The New Yorker - 10/11/41


Its new model, daringly called the Brooks Number Three Suit, has a coat with very slightly padded shoulders and a very slightly shaped waist; it must have been quite a decision for the old house, all in all.

Source:

The New Yorker - 10/04/41

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Sinatra is no fashion plate and has yet to become as excited about the Brooks Brothers No. 3 sack suit as do most nouveau riche entertainers. His proudest possession is a gold identification tag which he wears on his wrist. If the time ever arrives when he is stampeded to death by his fans, the police who recover the body are likely to find themselves in a quandary. For the tag carries the name of "Tami Mauriello," a heavyweight boxer, who gave it to Sinatra when his draft number came up.

Source:

LIFE - 5/3/43 

[Note: The Brooks Number Three was remodeled in the late 60s. -katon]

2 comments:

notanymore said...

Brooks never struck me as the type for nouveau anything...

We at least until their last few seasons.

katon said...

The classic Brooks sack suit is kind of like the classic Martini, in that more people like the idea of it than the reality. Brooks has struggled with this issue for a long time, it seems.