Utilitarian fashion is clothing traditionally worn for practical purposes. Traditional Ivy Style at J. Press gregariously meets the utilitarian challenge offering a vast selection of workday garments that fulfill requirements of good taste and product refinement. The outfit being pinned and taped on me by Fadi, our accomplished and uncompromising 44th Street tailor/fitter serves as an appropriate example.
Kindly note the chestnut corduroy sport coat over the deep navy lambswool turtleneck sweater anchored by our corn shade corduroy pants. J. Press provides an unmatched panoply of wide wale English corduroy pants made from the finest cotton and tailored in the USA in over 15 colors with matching sport coats offered in select colors.
Not to say one of my oft worn blue blazers won’t mix just as easily with the corn cord slacks or reversing the situation, chestnut cord sport coat over khakis or gray flannels with, God forbid, blue OCBD well tied by my usual ancient madder bow tie for casual dress up, or more fittingly Ivy Sprezzatura.
Sprezzatura first appeared in Baldassare Castiglione’s 1528 Book of the Courtier, defined by the author as “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.”
J. Press provides a definitive wherewithal.
RICHARD PRESS
2 comments
If you’re serious about sprezzatura, please bring back the soft-collar dress shirts. I loved them and would buy 5-7 more immediately upon their comeback.
I just purchased a double breasted camel topcoat at J. Press DC with a mighty assist from J.Press NY. Not sure it counts as sprezzatura but the coat is gorgeous.The customer service at both stores-I’m looking at you Helmis Matute and Robert Wolf-was beyond amazing.