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 J Press suits for 40 years, always pairing cordovan shoes with blue suits and black shoes with my gray suits, alternating cap toes with wing tips. (see Malloy, “Dress for Success.”)
I miss the Harvard Square store helmed by the incomparable Dennis Black.
Keep up the classic correspondence, Richard
Please, no brown shoes with a navy or charcoal gray suit. Brown shoes pair better with tan or forest green trousers. Also, why are so many men not shaving? They all look like bums that spent the night under a bridge. A nice close cropped beard is presentable, but stubble?? I would add to the above, for a new grad to buy a pin striped, or plain, navy suit.
I grew up in the 60’s when Ivy League was the style in high school. We all shopped at an outlet named Eljo’s.
It became the look at the Universit of Richmond and the University of Virginia. I was so glad to discover JPress in order to still find traditional clothing. Even Brooks Brothers has lost a step.
William at 75yrs.
Two comments:
Amen.
Yascher koach which means “well done, Sir!”
Thank you, as usual, for providing some much needed direction for those “up and comers”. I have recently wondered if a certain age group is “bereft of mirrors”?