Ivy/Preppy Things I Hate

Hate might be too strong a word here, but there are a number of garments within the Ivy and preppy style canons that I dislike, ranging in “hatred” from annoyance to loathing. It makes some sense as to why I have an aversion to a handful of these garments, considering I gravitate pretty strongly to earth tones, heartier fabrics, and British influence, but others really are wild cards and I simply have no explanation for disliking them other than that I just do.

Pastels

Pastels have had a massive foothold in preppy style–and a somewhat smaller presence in Ivy style–for decades. They often appear as GTH (go-to-hell) trousers, but also pop up every now and then in sport coats, shorts, and ties. It isn’t that I feel these colors don’t belong within the goalposts of the two styles, I just think that 90% of the time they look dumb. They’re generally difficult to style because they’re so bold compared to most other pieces in the average person’s wardrobe. Additionally, because they’re bright and act as the focal point of an outfit, if there’s something off about the garment like trouser rise or low button stance, it throws something already off balance even further out of whack since your eye is drawn to it.

Hate this—Trix Yogurt vibe

There are instances where I like pastels. They’ve been around long before their 80’s boom, and I generally enjoy them when used in true vintage fashion. Contrary to what the non-sartorial public might think, menswear during the late 19th and early 20th century wasn’t all grey, brown, and navy suits. Pastel-striped shirts were popular and lots of summer and resort wear incorporated the colors–think Great Gatsby.

Love this | Dandy Wellington by Julia Bahlsen

Gingham Shirts

Loathe them. I really can’t pinpoint why, but I just can’t stand them. We all know they’re part of the Midtown finance bro uniform, but I don’t think my disdain stems from that connotation–it definitely doesn’t help, though. I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t matter what scale or color the gingham is, there’s just something about it I can’t get past. There are moments where I see a navy, mid-scale gingham shirt used in a great outfit, but instead of lightening up on my dislike of the pattern, I just end up thinking the already-solid ensemble would look even better with something like a tattersall or striped shirt instead.

Picnic blanket

Madras

Madras falls on the mild annoyance side of the spectrum because my opinion really depends on the colors and pattern. I like muted madras–I own a blue tea stained madras sport coat and a red/olive madras popover shirt. Where I waive into feeling “meh” about the fabric is when there’s too much going on. I don’t love patch madras, nor do I like a mix of bright colors. There’s also something about a madras tie that feels like a cheap party gag to me (same with tartan ties).

I do appreciate the rich history of the fabric and the craftsmanship in hand-weaving the textile. There’s so much fun lore behind the accidental “bleeding” madras of Brooks Brothers and the weird but lovely universal experience that millennials and gen z share with having worn madras bermuda shorts as children. I feel like it’s one of those “love to hate” kind of things.

I like the muted, cohesive tones in this sport coat

Ribbon Belts

My main draw to Ivy style is the effortless look of it. I think the aesthetic looks best when it has a light and airy, lived-in vibe with elegant proportions and drape. Achieving that vibe is more difficult than it sounds, and each piece you incorporate into an outfit can make or break the whole aura. The ribbon belt shatters it entirely. Even if everything else in an outfit is perfect, the thick metal hardware, floppy construction, and horizontal stripes typical of a ribbon belt bring the whole vibe down. Your attention is drawn directly towards it, and it makes everything look a bit clunky and disheveled, especially if it bisects the body at a disproportionate point visually.

Nice shirt, nice trousers, horrendous belt

Two-Button Cuffs

Another one for the “meh” side of the spectrum. A two-button cuff isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but I do think the spacing of a traditional Ivy style two-button cuff looks awkward. Even with minimal spacing, I think two buttons look flimsy. There’s also something about the consistency between a 3/2 front closure and three-button cuff that calms some part of my brain and makes more visual sense.

The spacing is just a bit weird

None of this is to say I’ll dislike these things indefinitely. There’s a whole graveyard full of things I insisted I hated: argyle, batik, windowpane sport coats, camp mocs, etc. Who knows if my dislike faded from more exposure to these things or because my taste developed a bit more (or declined a bit more?); I just try to be open to the possibility that someday I might come around to certain things I’m currently averse to. I think that’s a good mindset to have when approaching an aesthetic as weirdly specific as Ivy and preppy. Far too often, I see people piece together an outfit using a checklist mentality where everything technically fits within the aesthetic, but they don’t work together cohesively. That’s where taste comes in, and that’s where I think it’s healthy to have a bit of hatred.