During this interview, I asked Mr. Morioka if he had anything related to Brooks Brothers , and he brought along a special issue of Men's Club magazine featuring Ivy League style. As I flipped through this now-rare magazine, I found a feature article titled "150 Years Brooks Brothers History" in the first volume of the Ivy League special.

I learned the absolute basics of men's fashion from Brooks Brothers

About 50 years ago, young people at the time devoured articles like this one, which compiled the history of the brand, and memorized them. I myself approached fashion in the same way. For generations with that experience, Brooks Brothers is something to aspire to, but at the same time, there's a kind of fixed idea of "how you have to wear it."

I also wore Brooks Brothers US button-down shirts when I was a student, but for a student, they were special shirts, and I remember them feeling more like something you'd wear to look more grown-up than something you'd wear every day.

Then, after joining the editorial department of "Men's Club" and learning about the history and background of the brand, I realized that it was about "good things that are close to me, just as I am," and it has always been with me. The way of dressing that I learned in the editorial department—"this blazer goes with this shirt, this tie, and trousers with a 3.5cm double cuff"—is a model, a rule, and truly the "absolute basics."

Then, after some time has passed, when you wear Brooks Brothers again, you feel liberated from the "shoulds" of that time, and you can enjoy contemporary fashion while retaining your own unique style and presence. You can truly experience the evolution of a long-established brand.

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How to style your essential button-down shirt in a "summery" way

We've introduced seersucker suits, but Brooks Brothers ' signature item is the button-down shirt. In the past, some "Brooks Brothers fans" would only wear the original US button-down shirts, but now they offer a variety of shirts, including short-sleeved shirts with the brand logo and Oxford no-iron shirts.

While the cutaway collar has become a popular standard for Cool Biz, the collar I truly recommend is the button-down, which stands up nicely. Button-downs can be worn for a youthful look regardless of age and can be enjoyed from summer without a tie to when wearing a tie. It's a cliché, but the button-down is a great supporting player in any outfit.

On this day, Mr. Morioka was wearing a Brooks Brothers button-down shirt, a brand he has cherished and worn for many years.

Let's enjoy the "gray area" of short sleeves and knit ties.

Actually, I was against wearing short-sleeved shirts for Cool Biz, thinking that "men look cooler wearing long-sleeved shirts rolled up." But then I saw Brooks Brothers ' button-down short-sleeved shirts, and when I paired them with a black knit tie and charcoal gray pants, I was able to create a really stylish look. Adding black loafers or slip-ons would make it a perfect 100 points.

Wearing a knit tie with short sleeves is exactly that "gray area" I mentioned before, and it's surprisingly fun to try. If you combine a sporty knit tie with a cool color combination and convey that you're "intentionally enjoying wearing short sleeves," it becomes a truly sophisticated way to have fun as an adult.

For this summer tie coordination, I chose options from the perspective of "wearing a tie without a jacket." First, I selected yellow, which was once popular among the establishment as a "power tie." This color was chosen for Brooks Brothers ' 199th anniversary stripe.

Shirts from ¥20,520 each, ties from ¥12,960. Online store available here.

The other ties were also chosen with a theme of summer coolness and American flair. The ties are modern classics with a width of approximately 8.5cm, and are sure to go well with button-down shirts. The V-zone is the key to a sophisticated cool-biz look, so be sure to make use of tricolor designs as well.

NEXT≫A blazer made with "BROOKSCOOL," a summer-appropriate material, for a refreshing summer look.