Isn’t it true that we often see teachers, (modern day) philosophers, professors, writers and other “smart” people wearing v-neck sweaters or v-neck sweater vests? Even in fictious portrayals, like in a movie or TV show, the “smart guy” often wears a v-neck and/or smokes a pipe. Where does this come from?
How old are the things that you have been watching? Intellectuals smoking pipes are a cliche of the 1950’s or maybe the 1960’s. That hasn’t been true for forty years now, and it hasn’t really been portrayed that way on TV or in movies since then. I can’t even remember an example where they portray an intellectual wearing a V-neck sweater, but I presume that that also must be at least that old.
Be that as it may, that cliche does exist. Or did. I’m curious as to how and when it started.
I imagine it comes from the Smart Casual style of dress. A tie + jacket or sweater is the style. Most people don’t like wearing a jacket, but a regular sweater doesn’t show off your tie. A v-neck does that.
If it exists , and you "ofen see " them , can you point us to any examples of it?
Does this cliche include a tweed jacked with patched on the elbows?