discoFind the brands, outfits and key pieces that suit your take on it—from old-guard trad to Tokyo Ivy and mod.
Prep and Ivy style is the old American campus wardrobe: oxford button-downs, navy blazers, chinos, crewnecks and penny loafers. It can be strict and traditional, sporty, Japanese or mod. This guide covers menswear.
They overlap, and most people mix two. Pick the one closest to you to see where to start.
The version still sold by the old East Coast clothiers: undarted sack blazers, oxford shirts, khakis and loafers. It suits anyone who wants the look as it was, with no irony.
Start with J. Press, Brooks Brothers, Bills Khakis
See the outfit ↓
Rugby shirts, piqué polos, caps and club colours: the sportswear side of prep. Newer New York labels such as Rowing Blazers mix it with 1980s–90s sport, hip-hop and streetwear references.
Start with Rowing Blazers, Aimé Leon Dore, Polo Ralph Lauren
See the outfit ↓
The Ivy League look swept Japan in the 1960s, and Tokyo labels still make it with care. Expect cleaner fits, careful fabrics and vintage proportions.
Start with Beams Plus, Camoshita United Arrows, SHIPS
See the outfit ↓
In 1960s Britain the mods took up the Harrington jacket, and London shops brought in the Ivy League look. Harringtons, tipped polos and button-downs stand in for the blazer.
Start with Baracuta, Ben Sherman, Fred Perry
See the outfit ↓Not a ranking. Each is the clearest way into one or two takes on the look.
Uniqlo sells a button-down oxford, chinos, merino crewnecks and even a Harrington at low prices. That lets you test the shape before spending specialist money.
Look at first Oxford Slim Shirt, Slim Chino Pants, Merino Sweater, Harrington Jacket
But The cuts are generic, so the outfit only reads Ivy if the shoes and jacket do.
Explore Uniqlo →Ralph Lauren started Polo in 1967 and built it on prep and Ivy staples: the mesh polo, oxford button-downs, cable knits, chinos and rugby shirts.
Look at first Oxford button-downs, cable-knit sweaters, rugby shirts
But Many pieces carry the pony logo; pick the plainer ones if you want the clothes to read Ivy rather than brand.
Cheaper way in Rugger Shirt (Uniqlo) $49.90
Explore Polo Ralph Lauren →Founded in New York in 1818, Brooks Brothers is the oldest apparel brand in the US and is known for the button-down oxford and the No. 1 sack suit.
Look at first Oxford button-down sport shirts, navy blazers, chinos
But Authentic Brands Group has owned it since 2020 and the range has changed with its owners; read each product's fabric line.
Cheaper way in Oxford Slim Shirt (Uniqlo) $49.90
Explore Brooks Brothers →Founded at Yale in 1902, J. Press still makes the undarted, natural-shoulder sack blazer and the hand-brushed Shaggy Dog Shetland. Start with the sweater; it is the cheaper way in.
Look at first Shaggy Dog sweaters, navy sack blazers, oxford shirts
But Made-in-USA blazers are $895, and the Classic Fit shirts are its fullest cut.
Cheaper way in Merino Sweater (Uniqlo) $49.90
Explore J. Press →Sebago's Classic Dan is a hand-sewn beefroll penny loafer, $275 on its US site. It is the shoe most outfits here are built on.
Look at first Classic Dan penny loafer, Docksides boat shoes for summer
But The Classic Dan is corrected-grain leather, not full-grain; check that suits you before buying.
Cheaper way in Men's American Classics Penny Loafers (Cole Haan) $170
Explore Sebago →Baracuta has made the G9 since 1937, and the jacket took the Harrington name from Peyton Place in 1964. It is the way into the mod side of Ivy.
Look at first G9 Harrington, G4, knitwear
But At $499 it costs as much as a tailored jacket, and the modern G9 is cut slimmer than the old ones.
Cheaper way in Harrington Jacket (Uniqlo) $69.90
Explore Baracuta →Beams Plus has made Ivy and Americana menswear since 1999, reworking mid-century American clothing with Japanese fabrics.
Look at first Button-down shirts, cardigans, cuffed chinos and sport coats
But Pricey, and outside Japan it is sold through a handful of stockists such as END. and SSENSE.
Explore Beams Plus →Founded by Teddy Santis in New York in 2014, it mixes 1990s New York streetwear with prep staples. It is the bridge if you already wear sneakers and hoodies.
Look at first Rugby shirts, knitwear, pleated trousers, its New Balance collaborations
But Its rugbies cost $250, and many pieces carry the ALD logo.
Explore Aimé Leon Dore →The weekly disco
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You don't need everything shown. Each outfit lists its key pieces, a swap from a normal wardrobe and a cheaper route to the same look.
Beginners buy a padded, darted suit jacket and call it a blazer; Ivy wants a softer, straighter coat.
Shown: Rowing Blazers
Old-guard tradWhy it works Navy knit, tan cords and brown suede loafers: classic Ivy colours, and nothing needs tailoring. The bright blue scarf is the one loud piece.
From your wardrobe Swap the loafers for white canvas sneakers on weekends.
Cheaper route Corduroy Easy Ankle Pants, brown (Uniqlo) $49.90
Shown: Drake's
Tokyo IvyWhy it works A plain navy suit kept casual: a striped button-down and a knit tie instead of a poplin shirt and silk tie, and the jacket worn open.
From your wardrobe No suit yet: a navy blazer with grey trousers keeps the same line.
Cheaper route Oxford Slim Shirt | Striped, blue (Uniqlo) $49.90 · Men's Grand Neoclassic Venetian Loafers, black (Cole Haan) $190
Shown: Officine Générale
Sport prepWhy it works Rugby shirt, cap and loafers mix campus sportswear with prep. It is the version closest to current streetwear.
From your wardrobe Too warm for a rugby: a piqué polo keeps the same idea.
Cheaper route Men's American Classics Penny Loafers, Deep Burgundy (Cole Haan) $170
Shown: Rowing Blazers
British mod IvyWhy it works The Harrington stands in for the blazer. British mods took it up in the 1960s, and it keeps the outfit short and neat.
From your wardrobe Colder day: a navy crewneck under the jacket keeps the line.
Cheaper route Harrington Jacket, beige (Uniqlo) $69.90 · Washable Milano Ribbed Skipper Polo Sweater, olive (Uniqlo) $49.90 · Men's American Classics Penny Loafers, black (Cole Haan) $170
Shown: Baracuta
The single piece every Ivy outfit uses. Blue and white first, then stripes.
Uniqlo $49.90 · J. Press $185 · Gitman Vintage $235
It turns an oxford and chinos into a smart outfit. Navy goes with every trouser here.
J. Press $895 · Rowing Blazers $598
Khaki or stone chinos are the default trouser. Plain front is easiest; pleats read more vintage.
Bills Khakis $248 · Dockers $80 · Uniqlo $49.90
Best casual pants →
The Ivy shoe, worn with everything from shorts to a blazer. Brown leather or suede first.
Sebago $275 · Johnston & Murphy $238 · Cole Haan $170
The cold-weather layer under a blazer or over an oxford. Bright colours are traditional.
Best sweaters →
Prep's sportswear piece: heavy cotton, a contrast collar and bold stripes. It works where a blazer would be too much.
Rowing Blazers $168 · Aimé Leon Dore $250 · Uniqlo $49.90
Save on shirts, chinos and knitwear, where the look is mostly cut and colour; spend on the navy blazer and the loafers, the pieces people notice first.
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026 on each product's own page; they change.
Brands can sit in more than one direction. Each appears once.
J. Press and Brooks Brothers sell through their own stores and websites. Sid Mashburn makes softly tailored clothing in a similar spirit, with its own shops.
Nordstrom stocks the mid-price brands, including chinos, loafers and oxfords. Mr Porter carries Sebago; END. and SSENSE carry Beams Plus.
eBay and Etsy list vintage J. Press and Brooks Brothers sack blazers and Bills Khakis. Measure a jacket you own before you bid.
1902. J. Press opens at Yale. Jacobi Press, a tailor who came to the US from Latvia, founded J. Press at Yale in 1902. It became the outfitter of choice for Yale students and America's upper classes.
1964. The G9 becomes the Harrington. Baracuta's G9 jacket, made in Manchester since 1937 by most accounts, took its nickname after Ryan O'Neal wore one as Rodney Harrington in Peyton Place in 1964. In the same decade Britain's mods adopted it.
1965. Take Ivy is published in Japan. Four Japanese enthusiasts published Take Ivy, a book of candid photographs of Ivy League students. It became a reference for Japan's Ivy fans, and an English edition followed in 2010.
It is a contemporary interpretation of classic American collegiate dress, combining traditional prep pieces like oxford shirts, blazers, and loafers with modern, city-appropriate fits. The look is polished, tailored, and smart-casual.
Heritage names like Brooks Brothers, Ben Sherman, and Alden anchor the style, alongside Charles Tyrwhitt, Boggi Milano, A Day's March, and footwear from Church's. Accessories from Aspinal of London and Bulova round out the aesthetic.
Start with an oxford-cloth button-down, add chinos or flannel trousers, and layer a navy blazer or crewneck sweater. Finish with penny loafers or leather derbies and classic accessories in muted, coordinated tones.
Ivy refers specifically to the mid-century dress of Ivy League campuses, while prep is a broader, often more colorful and casual descendant. Urban prep merges both with slimmer, modern tailoring for city wear.
This guide explains the look and where to start. For the quieter, logo-free end of classic menswear, see Your guide to quiet luxury →
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