Art of Wearing Clothes GEORGE FRAZIER Esquire Sept 1960 Bubblegum War IVY LEAGUE

This issue contains the sought after The Art of Wearing Clothes article by George Frazier. 

This feature broke with convention and changed American menswear forever, being the first men’s best-dressed list to ever appear in the magazine.  In fashion at this time, a battle was playing out between the old conservative cut suits, and the new ivy-league look worn by the youth.  George Frazier is split in his opinion - he favours Regency England’s Beau Brummel’s simplicity, but he appreciates the new, and celebrates ivy style (no coincidence perhaps, because one of Frazier’s friends, arguably the source for most of the details in the article, is one of the godfathers of ivy-league style, Charlie Davidson, the proprietor of The Andover Shop on Harvard Square in Cambridge.  The list is a who’s who of including the names of the prep schools, colleges, and clubs of the selected, the only excitement is in the exceptions.  Most notably the creatives, and especially the great jazz musicians Miles Davis and Roy Haynes, both with their own unique style rooted in ivy.

Jazz and ivy style were inseparable.  The youth of jazz, was such that its popularity spread New England’s ivy style to the west and east coast, and will always be associated with the look.  Cover design by ROBERT BENTON.

Also in this issue - 

The Great Bubble Gum War.  Mighty industries clash in the struggle to fill the mandibles of card-carrying children.  Text by BROCK BROWER, photos by Ben Somoroff

The Autumnal Arrival of Lawrence Durrell

Cram course for the next President by ARTHUR M SCHLESINGER

HELEN LAWRENSON - How women feel about other women