University of Pennsylvania The Record, 1926 Mens

Wear of Distinction
University of Pennsylvania ! The Record, 19"# ! $%n the
&ven'e$
Last week, I purchased a 1926 yearbook for my alma mater and
was pleasantly surprised to see a Brooks Brothers advertisement
on the frst pae of the ad section! "lippin throuh, I also
discovered ads for a few local establishments, includin a
campus menswear shop called #ommy! It seemed like #ommy
may have been for $enn and $rinceton what %! $ress was for &ale
'my interest pi(ued, I bean searchin for details on the history
of the store!
I was not able to fnd much at all, however! )ven menswear
e*pert Bruce Boyer, former %! $ress president +ichard $ress, and
trad uru ,avid -ilder were unable to provide additional detail
when asked about #ommy! .he one solid piece of information I
was able to fnd on this $hiladelphia shop was a (uote from B!
"ranklin +einauer II, a entleman who raduated from $enn in
19/0! 1e provides some details on #ommy as well as the eneral
menswear retail environment at the time2
3.here were some ood men4s clothin stores2 #ommy4s on
-oodland 5venue 6treet 7ust below /6th 6treet and 6o*
8iller on 6pruce 6treet 7ust above /6th 6treet! $eople from
men4s clothin stores in other cities would travel from
collee to collee campuses et a room in a hotel or
elsewhere to show their clothin to students and hopefully
make some sales! 6tudent representatives at di9erent
schools tried to et students to come to see the clothes!3
+einauer oes on to recount what campus wear was like durin
his collee years2
3-hen we students went to our classes each day we were
dressed in slacks, tweed 7acket, shirts :many with button
down collars; and ties! .here was a fne shoe shine place on
6pruce 6treet 7ust above /6th 6treet where our cordovan
shoes were shined to perfection! -e wore coats and "edora
hats, too! .hose students who were members of the football
or other team sometimes wore their sweaters with <$4
embla=oned!3
>h, how the Ivies have fallen?
If you are able to shed any liht on what became of #ommy in
$hiladelphia or $rinceton, or if you have other fond memories of
campus shops that have not survived into the present day, please
feel free to comment!
@@@@@
8ark Ahou is a 2BB9 raduate of the Cniversity of
$ennsylvania, where he was a photorapher for
The Daily Pennsylvanian and a member of the
lihtweiht crew team! 1e currently works in
fnance in Dew &ork Aity! "ollow his personal blo
here!