While on a road trip through New England in the summer of 1965, eight Japanese men unwittingly created some of the most influential images of late 2000s menswear. We're talking about Take Ivy, a cultural sensation that's become the de facto document of the 1960s prep look.

And we're talking with the person who wrote the book on the intersection of Japanese and American fashion, W. David Marx, author of Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style. Learn about how teens wearing blazers scandalized Japan's image for the 1964 Olympics, how the name Take Ivy is a Japanese Dave Brubeck pun, and that chatting is a legitimate form of warming up. If you want to follow along, check out the English translation of the book or have a look at scans of the first 30 pages that the publisher has generously put online.

As always, you can support Blowout by visiting the Heddels Shop, get a 10% discount on your order with the code BLOWOUT.Image via Fujingahosha Publishing.