Earlier this year, I attended the J. Press Fashion Week show. I was most pleased to see summer sports represented, with rowing oars, bicycles, and bare feet appropriate for boats on the runway. More recently, the brand launched a collaboration with Only NY, inspired by vintage sports apparel, and a capsule collection with Alex Mill featuring cricket sweaters and US-made rugby shirts. Menswear being inherently utilitarian, J. Press’s spring and summer collections are shaping up to be the season’s most fun and practical resource.
As the summer of America’s 250th birthday approaches, remember that J. Press is as foundational to American style as Walter Camp is to US gridiron football; as canonical to New England vesture as James Fenimore Cooper is to the American novel. Like Walt and Jimmy, J. Press is a Yalie. Founded in the Tudor-clad New Haven campus, it codified Americana’s Ivy League branch with sporty cable-knits, blazers, and the Transatlantic tweeds Coach Camp so adored. It’s also a favorite among the more sartorially inclined US presidents.
Here’s why J. Press has become my warm-season go-to, plus some exciting highlights from SS26.
Jack Carlson: From US Rowing Athlete to Lead Ivy Anthropologist
For his recent show, J. Press’s creative director and president, Jack Carlson, took inspiration from Take Ivy, the seminal photobook on Ivy League culture. Himself an archeologist (an Oxford Clarendon Scholar, no less), Dr. Carlson brought the pages to life on the runway and in the collections.
So, did sportswear actively play a role in his direction? “Sport is the basis of much of Ivy style, going all the way back to its antecedents in England,” Carlson explains. “Like victory at Waterloo, Ivy Style can trace its roots to the playing fields of Eton. In the Take Ivy era of the 1960s, that hadn’t changed.”
Also a sportsman, Dr. Carlson is a three-time member of the US national rowing team. He literally wrote the book on the sport’s sartorial mores, Rowing Blazers, also the name of the much-loved clothing brand he founded in 2017.
“When I think about the J. Press classics, I think about the blazer, which comes from the sport of rowing,” he says. “…the Oxford Cloth Button Down, which comes from the sport of polo; the rugby shirt from rugby; the cricket and tennis sweater from those respective sports; tweeds, which come from hunting; etc.”
Remember, Take Ivy is akin to an unscripted documentary of people living their lives. It’s not a how-to guide. Perhaps that’s why J. Press’s latest pieces are, remarkably, both unaffected yet purposeful.
“Many of the students documented in the book are on their way to or from sports, or actively participating in sports,” Dr. Carlson adds. “Football, rowing, rugby, tennis, and so on. It’s part of what lends the book so much visual interest, and what makes the style so carefree and appealing.”
Highlights from J. Press SS26 for Practicalists and Style Lovers
I have practicalist style sensibilities. I don’t suffer for fashion, I love a baseball cap, and I don’t generally express myself through my clothes. Still, as a well-adjusted adult man, I want to look good, I want to revere dress codes and seasons, and I’ll do the light lift of respecting themes—for example, an American flag lapel pin at a Fourth of July function or a pastel tie at a spring gala. Naturally, I wore head-to-toe J. Press at the runway show.
Despite falling into that side of the spectrum, I’ve found shopping at J. Press this season to be useful and fun. I’ve even found it comforting because of Take Ivy’s nostalgia factor. Here are some great spring and summer pieces from the collection.
Made-in-USA Léonardo Waxed Anorak
One thing style guys and pragmatists have in common? Waxed canvas in their closets. Each Léonardo Anorak is handmade in New York City. Just as its cowl combines a dad cap visor with a rain jacket hood, this anorak combines classic Ivy with an urban cool factor. This means you can wear it with corduroys and loafers, or jeans and sneakers.
Made-in-England Linen Safari Jacket
Calling all gentleman adventurers! As a lover of grouse hunting, safari jackets to me are what classic blazers are to most men. The linen composition, gun patch, and horn-buttoned pockets make this a practical and timeless addition to your summer outerwear.
Made-in-USA Soft Make Original Navy Blazer
Undeniably, though, one does need a navy blazer for every season. The Italian-made tropical wool makes this jacket as breathable as it is handsome, while the unpadded shoulders allow you to sport a suit silhouette without compromising the unstuffy vibes of summer.
Made-in-USA Contrast Collar Oxford Cloth Sport Shirt
Perhaps I inherited this from my ‘80s investment banker father, but I feel at home in a contrast collar. I do prefer more relaxed attire, though. As such, I enjoy seeing that color composition, usually reserved for dress shirts, on a sport shirt. You have to appreciate a top that goes well with dress pants and shorts, right?
Wide-Wale Corduroy Shorts
Yes, J. Press has a fantastic classic canvas short this season. But, for the corduroy-hesitant, may I recommend trying these wide-wale corduroy shorts? Aesthetically, it doesn’t take up as much real estate as pants or jackets. And from a function point of view, wide-wale corduroy’s pronounced vertical ridges make it incredibly durable.
Made-in-England Waterproof Raincoat
In the presence of precipitation, you don’t have to go outside looking like a rubber duckie (though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that). I think nothing represents the good-looking utilitarianism of J. Press’s summer line more than this jacket. It’s one of the few raincoats that pair as naturally with wellies as it does a full suit and tie.
Made-in-Canada Seersucker Trouser
Seersucker isn’t for everyone, but it’s such a comfortable fabric for the summer. If I’m anywhere near a boat, you’ll most certainly find me wearing seersucker pants or shorts. J. Press also makes a flattering seersucker sport shirt and a Made-in-Canada Sport Coat for those summer boat club shindigs.
Made-in-England Lavenham Mickfield Gilet
The Lavenham Mickfield Gilet is what I like to call “softly sporty.” It’s athletic enough that you can wear it with a safari jacket, cargos, and boots. It’s also sleek enough that you can go the contemporary Wall Street route and wear it under a suit jacket. Plus, its layerable quality makes it perfect for all seasons.
Made-in-USA Tan Windowpane Linen Silk Sport Coat
Count on J. Press to ensure classic Ivy staples don’t get tucked away in the face of warm weather. This windowpane sport coat has the dapper architecture of a traditional wool variety, but the added linen and silk, not to mention that tan colorway, can take you from the university library to the country club garden party.
Armor Lux Breton Raincoat
I remember this raincoat making quite the splash at the runway show. To me, the yellow version screams summer. It mixes youthful fun with spec-forward practicality. It’s the most stylish antidote to a refreshing summer shower.
