Everything You Always Wanted to Know About PREP, But Were Too Stuck-Up to Ask

[Corky]

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About PREP, But Were Too Stuck-Up to Ask

From theivylook blog

For lack of a better word, we'll stick to the label that has been so cavalierly sewn on the recent resurgence of classic conservative clothing - Preppy.

What Preppy really means is someone who went to a fancy eastern boarding school, which is to say somebody whose daddy and grandaddy had pots of money.

In clothing, the word denotes a style based on a small number of expensive, natural-fabric, subdued-color pieces. The things that have been worn for at least 35 years by the spoiled scions of old money.

The basic idea of preppiness is to look rich and as though you've been rich so long you don't have to flash it.

The hard part of it is that you have to look rich while wearing different combinations of a half-dozen garments that come in dull colors and crumple up as soon as you put them on.

There are rules here. You can't, for instance, money up your appearance with Las Vegas displays of gemstones. Nothing gaudy is allowed.

Preppy is not an easy look. If you don't FEEL preppy, you can't possibly look preppy.

The idea is to wear a $250 blazer and $80 slacks like coveralls. Even if you got it last week, the prep ensemble should look as if you were born in it and that, at the time of your birth, your father was wearing the same thing.

Prep knows no age. The basic prep components are about the same from high school through retirement...


Cont'd at Link

 

[Mav]

Old preppy saying: "Weejuns aren't worth a damn unless you've worn them in the shower."

lol
And this article is pretty accurate. Dammit. My wife just recently asked me, "why do you have five identical navy blazers?"

 

[Peacoat]

I have been wearing "prep" for over 40 years now. Probably will do so until the end. For a while it was difficult to find Weejuns or a 100% single breasted wool blazer in navy--back in the day of the (shudder) stacked heels and polyester. I will, however, never wear the label, "Preppy." Never heard of it until your post, but it isn't something I would do. And no, I didn't go to a "fancy eastern boarding school." No need to do so where I grew up.

 

[davestlouis]

I have also dressed in a similar manner for 35 years, give or take. I absolutely detest that there is a "name" for the way I dress, makes it sound like I'm part of some trend or fad.

All that's changed for me since about 1980 would be that I buy pinpoint oxfords now, wear more wool trousers now and less cotton, and buy more expensive shoes now. It's tough to date pictures of me, because I have always looked like this...the more gray hair I have, the newer the pic.

 

[Mav]

As someone else on this forum said, "American Trad" might be a better term.
I switched to this style, from big bell Levis and Skynyrd t- shirts about '78, when I was promoted to a sales position from a warehouse position. The whole khaki- loafer- oxford cloth shirt/ navy- blazer thing was a no- brainer, and what most adults I knew wore. I've worn it since then.
It's not owned by prep- school attendees, and the look can be put together at minimum expense at Penney's. And it's timeless. And easy.

 

[Edward]

Mnn. It's an association I could live without too - especially as over here, the equivalent would be the Bullingdon types in casual dress. With no comment as to their politics, I can do without being associated in any way with the sort of person who thinks it a tremendous wheeze to wantonly destroy the property of others, believing this to be acceptable behaviour simply because one can afford to pay the cost of replacement. I think the difference, however, would show in the way I would wear such garments. I prefer to be neatly pressed and well presented; the true 'preppy' types over here typically look as if they slept in their clothes. On a park bench.

 

[LordBest]

Hm, I've been called preppy a few times now, reading that I would say it is a fair assessment. Though I don't yet own any weejuns.

 

[adamjaskie]

For you guys saying you've been dressing this way since the late 70s/early 80s, you DO realize this article is FROM 1980, right?