Reppin'

Repp ties and how to style them

I’ve always loved ties. My grandparents gave me a clip-on one when I was really young, and I’d wear it around pretending I was James Bond. Whether I still do or not shall remain a mystery.

What I love about dressing Ivy is the ability to spruce up looks with a pop of colour. You can take a look that looks nice and neat, fairly simple, and take it to the next level with a touch of added flair of a tie. Geometric patterns, polka dot, knitted, or paisley. There’s a huge array of designs to be inspired by, but the one I’m talking about today is the Repp tie.

The story behind the name is a simple one, really. Originally worn as signifiers of military regiments, gentlemen’s clubs, and private schools, the Repp Stripe style derives from the repeating ribs in the fabric weave of the tie.

It's easy to dismiss these as accessories for opinionated old men. However, when styled correctly, they can be a winning choice.

In my opinion, Drake’s seems to execute their styling flawlessly. Their fusion of Ivy, English tailoring, and Americana keeps the brand relevant, avoiding being stuck in the past.

While they may draw inspiration from heritage, their selection of models, the narratives they weave, and the lifestyle they promote make them the ideal choice for the style-conscious contemporary gentleman.

Drake’s collection of Repp Ties is no exception.

There are several different patterns at play here; it shouldn’t work, but it does. A Prince of Wales blazer, a university stripe Oxford shirt, a repp tie, a pair of cord trousers, and a knitted jumper tied around the waist.

Typically, one would opt for just one pattern and stick with it. Yet, in this case, there are five different ones at play. It's akin to the art of appearing effortlessly disheveled, like a student perhaps rushing to class, grabbing the first things they see on their way out the door.

I adore the lift the repp tie gives to this ensemble. Except for the jumper, the rest of the outfit consists of earth tones. While the tie may not feature any particularly bright colours, the ones it does include are either more pronounced or bolder versions of every other colour featured in the look. It's crafted to appear haphazard, yet it's a stroke of genius.

Someone I feel compelled to mention in this context is Jason Jules. I'm an avid admirer of his work; I'm constantly learning and finding inspiration in his styling, particularly with Repp ties.

You may already be familiar with Jason through his remarkable body of work, most notably his book "Black Ivy," which he co-authored with Graham Marsh. The book is a true treasure trove of sartorial wisdom, documenting a period in American history when black men across the nation embraced the clothing of the affluent elite and infused it with their own style.

In the image above, Jason is sporting a tie that I wouldn’t typically gravitate towards. Normally, I prefer Repp ties with a few more colours, but he simply looks impeccable.

For a brown jacket paired with a white and blue striped Oxford shirt, the conventional choice might be a red or green tie. However, this ensemble defies those norms and benefits greatly from doing so. The clash of black and white stripes prompts a realization that we should embrace patterns rather than shy away from them. By experimenting, you might just discover a look you didn’t know existed within your wardrobe.

The tie's subtle colour scheme, combined with its wide stripes, directs attention straight to the focal point of the outfit. If Jason had opted for a solid-coloured tie, he would still have looked stylish, but perhaps wouldn't have commanded a second glance.

Here's a classic example of styling a Repp tie, as seen in a vintage Ralph Lauren advertisement featured in Vanity Fair.

The combination of a navy blazer, sky blue Oxford shirt, and chinos creates a blank canvas, allowing for the addition of almost any colour you desire. This is a highly conservative ensemble, nodding to traditional elements such as gentlemen's clubs, the military, sports, and alumni of prestigious colleges. However, it remains a style that endures and finds its place within the realm of Ivy Style. Dressing Ivy isn't reserved for the elite; that's the essence of it.

I like to view Ivy style as almost punk in its mentality—it's about rebellion, not conformity.

Here’s one of my personal favourites that always stands out. Green is my favourite colour, so naturally, when it's the prominent hue in an item of clothing, I’m drawn to it. The one pictured above is by J.Press.

Originally, this combination was designed for the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, a light infantry regiment within the British Army until 2006, using their regimental colours.

Here’s some style inspiration by the brilliant, All Blues Co. in Leeds. In this case, the model wear a Kamakura tiem styled with one of their chambary oxford shirts and cord blazers.

I love this look. Because of the use of a chambray, this outfit is really versatile. It’s not too formal, but not too informal at the same time.

I’d happily wear this to lots of different occasions, a walk around the city, an evening meal out or a family function.

People don’t realise how informal and casual a tie can be.

Just because traditions say that they should wait around in our wardrobes until we go to a wedding or formal engaement, doesn’t mean they can’t go along to the pub with you for a pint.

As decades have gone by, men’s style has become more about comfort than the way an item of clothing looks. But believe it or not, even with a tie you can combine the two. It often just comes down to fit and being happy in the clothes you wear.

Long live Repp ties.

Thanks for reading,

Tom

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Whilst you’re here, here’s something I recently came accross -