Ivy League style

The dress code of the Ivy League: what is it?

Ivy League dressing: sack suits, Oxford cloth shirts, prep school-style casual. My husband's colleagues in the Munich Philosophy Department looked askance at his Sebagos, once he abandoned black lace-up Oxfords. Didn't he own proper shoes?

"Tell them you just stepped off your sailboat," I suggested.

Think F. Scott Fitzgerald, John F. Kennedy.

During my brief and glorious stays in Hong Kong some years ago, I was surprised to see Saville Row tailoring still reigning supreme at the best bespoke tailors. If ever there were a climate not conducive to tight underarm tailoring, it is the subtropical former Crown Colony. The tailors were understandably frustrated that my husband didn't want them showing off their skills, tucking and pinning within a millimeter of his life.

Dear fellow Europeans, before you head off to the United States, do not stock up on beautifully tailored Italian suits and sharp British padding.

You might find you get used to soft shoulders and flapping blazers.