The Two-Button Suit, 1962

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The Ivy League Look is now petering out and the two button suit is back in a burst of presidential glory. [. . . ] Brooks Brothers, the famous stamping ground of the Ivy League look, saw the two button suit revival coming from a long way back. Brooks has been perfecting its new two button collection for two years. President Kennedy's sponsorship of the new style is purely coincidental.

Source:

Capital Times - 2/23/62

JFK and Fenn-Feinstein, 1961

JFK and Ribicoff, 1960*

"Officials at Frank Brothers Fenn-Feinstein aren't talking but from our Washington sources we hear the New Haven clothing firm is now making all of President John Kennedy's suits after he dumped his previous tailor for cashing in on the publicity. We understand the president chose the New Haven establishment after admiring the attire of Health, Education & Welfare Sec. Abraham Ribicoff who has been a Fenn-Feinstein customer for years. The president's brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, is also an F-F steady..."

Source:

Sunday Herald (Bridgeport, Connecticut), Stamford edition, "Night and Day in New Haven" column - 5/7/61

*Obviously before JFK wore Fenn-Feinstein (if he ever did, that is; I've never seen any other reference to JFK having suits made by Fenn-Feinstein).

Images from Google's LIFE image archive

Well Suited for the White House, 1961

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"As the fashion designers noted with dismay, his business suits fail to conform to current Ivy League fashion in several respects."

"The Kennedy suit is, says Harris, "modern conservative." There is no padding in the shoulders, partly because padding is no longer in style but mainly because the President is broad-shouldered and needs none. The jackets have two buttons instead of the usual three because John Kennedy prefers to wear them that way (and also, says Sam Harris, because Sam Harris prefers to make them that way). Recent reports indicate that two-button suits are coming back into style anyhow, probably owing to the President's example. Harris insists that the presidential lapels are neither too wide nor too narrow; they are, he says, "medium conservative." They are definitely not in the skinny Ivy League mode, however. Neither are the trousers, which are just slightly on the narrow side."

Source:

LIFE magazine - 10/13/61

Source:

Reading (PA) Eagle - 3/31/63

Robert McNamara, 1968

Robert S. McNamara, 1916-2009

Source:

Google's LIFE photo archive

McNamara with John F. Kennedy, Hyannis Port, MA, 1961Source:

The Washington Post