J. Press survives the current menswear mayhem as an island of good taste. Let’s play make believe allowing my old role as prelapsarian (look it up) advisor on the sales floor when customers asked my advice what to wear and how to wear it.
Certain public events require sartorial dignity. Imagine Justice Roberts with a hoodie and Grandpa jeans peeking out beneath his judicial robe. It will be interesting to see if victory elevates Pennsylvania candidate John Fetterman out of cargo shorts and into a suit and tie on the senate floor. Dare we forget Congressman Gym Jordan habitually disemboweling his suit jacket. If Jack and Jackie were still around, I doubt if their Newport wedding attire would be Bermudas.
A couple of years ago I spoke before Prof. Jay Gitlin’s history course Yale and America. My ticket was J. Press’ contribution to Yale and Ivy League culture. One of the students queried me, “Mr. Press, when I graduate in a couple of months and go for a job interview, I expect to wear a suit. I’ve never owned one and have no idea how to dress it up. What do I do?”
Needless to say, I directed him to J. Squeeze and offer the following git-go to negligent Millennials, Gen Zs or Boomers.
Get thee a dark grey mid-weight worsted suit. My personal preference is a muted pin or chalk stripe. Button the three-button natural shoulder jacket over a white Oxford button-down shirt paired with an Irish Poplin dark blue regimental stripe tie, lace-up cordovan shoes and a matching plain leather belt. Ought to work for most occasions whereas a blue suit requires black shoes and belt are outré for daytime wear.
Never, I repeat never ever, wear a suit without a necktie. You can never be too rich, too thin, or too well dressed. No tie, you ain’t turned out According to Hoyle.
Following the Yale class lecture that evening the erudite and well-attired Professor Gitlin introduced me to a booze-filled spiel at the elegant Elizabethan Club before a very tweedy J. Press crowd.
A good time was had by all with no torn jeans in the room.
RICHARD PRESS
39 comments
I’ve worn grey slacks, blue oxford and camel hair sport coat with light brown/tan shoes for years.
Acceptable?
Thank you Mr Press for the great story. Its nice to see more man are starting to dress up again. I personally never stop and always enjoy wearing a jacket or suit and a tie of course.
As far as shoes ,Alden are my all time favorite last forever.
I’m one of the guys who wears brown cap toes
( polish )with gray slacks with a blue blazer or suits.
Please don’t change anything your doing!
While I readily join the many ardent trumpeters for The Dignity of Proper Dress, as with all kudos there are caveats as well.
In that vein, it would be amiss not to lament the relentless elimination of many former details once considered de riguer in tailoring proper gentlemems’ wear. The passing of true narrow jacket lapels rolled gently ABOVE the top button, the disappearance of lap seams on jacket sleeves (and yes, on vertical trouser seams), the departure of full weight fabric from now meekly constructed cavalry twill trousers, the amputation of ticket pockets and necktie retainer loops and the generous use of hopsack fabrics when appropriate – all these once considered totally appropriate in constructing gentlemens’ attire, but now discarded. Add to these departures the reqirement of trouser cuffs appropriately dimensioned.
In a lighter context, the pairing of well worn white bucks, plain front khaki trousers and one’s deep charcoal suit jacket was once considered proper dress for informal wear.
The Good Old Days?
Stanley Pilshaw
I was at my local cobbler recently for a re-heeling and he showed me a pair of $800 sneakers that a customer brought in for repair.
In every room, someone will be the best dressed. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be you…