a person who attends a preparatory school
sometimes mistaken for someone who wears expensive clothing
invented in the eighties by people who wanted to stand out from the poor people
also known as yuppie in the 80's

Noun (Prep): Comes from identifiying one who goes to a prepratory or "prep" school (typically on the East Coast), or a school with the intent of preparing its students for college (often Ivy League).
Has come to be an label for those who conform to typical teenage behavior, in areas like clothing, school behavior, and sports participation, because preps usually are more ambitious and/or image-conscious than others.
Popular belief is that preps hate nerds/goths/punks/etc, however, generally, preps pay little attention to other "types," and those who hate preps with the most passion are those who were once preps and have recently gone away from their previous behavior, and often people who are posers intent on protecting their alternative-ness.
Prep has become to be nearly synonymous with conformist, to the point where most preps have been in denial of their typecast, and it is seen as an insult in the eyes of many.
Preppy is the adjective form, Preppily is the adverb.

A common misconception is that a prep is someone who shops at American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister and pariticpates in school sports and activites. A prep is actually one who attends a prepatory school, usually on the east coast, comes from an old rich family and dresses in labels like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste. A prep wears sweater vests, plays tennis, is a country club member and is destined for a top Ivy League school.

Typically, this word has become a derogatory name for a guy or a girl who takes pride in the way they approach, and appear, in life. Common misconceptions about "preps" are that we are a bunch of cocky, New England elitist types who have more money than God, himself, and an inherent desire to flaunt it in the form of clothing, cars, housing, education and social standing.

First off: You don't have to be from the north to be a prep. Let me make this very clear. What prep initially implies is that you went to preparatory school, hence the word "prep" (I'll discuss later how it's a cultural identity). There are plenty of good southern preparatory schools, which include Woodberry Forest, Virginia Episcopal School...you get the idea. There are good preparatory schools in every corner of this country, but it's the New England boarding schools that have assisted in establishing this stereotyped location.

Let's get on with true prep culture:

A prep's wardrobe consists of some expensive clothing, but they've had it for the better part of a decade--excluding the two Vineyard Vines polos they got for their birthday and the 50% off sale at Brooks Brothers--indicating the true preppy trait of valuing "classic" over "trendy". We don't buy into the Lacoste trend of now, but we will gladly wear "handed down from dad" Lacoste polo shirt when it still maintained an association with Izod, which was well before it became the token icon of a sold out, soulless and materialist...

The most importent part of the definition of a "prep" is where they go to school. "Preps" go to College Prepetory schools; hence the word "prep." These schools are always private, and often (but not always) boarding schools. The best sports teams are generally lacrosse and field hockey, but everyone has alot of school spirit. Therefore, people who do not go to Prep schools, but dress in the stereotypical clothing of preps (Polos, kakais, loafers, etc.) are not preps, but rather they are "preppy." Essentially these people want to seem like they have ties to old money, or are rich, or are blue bloods, etc, etc.

Now the real preps are generally smart, privilaged, and (very often) white. Their parents are usually doctors, lawyers, or buisnessmen, and all went to college. All preps will go to college, often Ivy Legue schools, or small liberal arts colleges in New England (Middlebury, Trinity, Colby, Etc.), though some will go to the elite west coast schools. Preps will generally fill their college resumes with multiple AP classes and will have SAT tutors or courses to assue their entry into these small, elite, and expensive private colleges.

In the end, these real "preps" are the new aristocracy of the United States. They live their lives sheltered from the hardships that the average citizen must deal with, going on about their way in refined luxury. Their lives are set up before they are born, most will go on to similarly professional, affluent, and prestigious career...

(1) A real prep is a person, male or female who is normally a White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, or WASP. Preps can be any religion, however. A prep is rich because of old money inherited and passed down to other generations. Preps live in Colonial style houses in New England. Preps shop at places like IZOD, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Orvis, Lily Pulitzer and other boutiques. Preppy people wear pastels, polo shirts, khakis, sweaters, sun dresses, birkenstocks, TEVAs, Docksiders, belts and ribbons. Materials of choice are wool, cotton, corduroy, silk and occasionally denim.Preps play tennis, golf, squash, raquet ball and field hockey. You will see a prep driving a stereotypical car like a BMW, a flashy Mercedes, a classy Jaguar, a boxy Volvo or any convertible (Volkswagen Beetle convertible) or SUV (Isuzu Trooper). A true prep is not spoiled and gets all good things in moderation. Preps belong to country clubs (inland) or yacht clubs for those lucky enough to live on the coast or near a large body of water. Preps go to Beer Blasts and can be stuffy. Contrary to popular beliefs, true preps do not make fun of punks, goths or any other group. Preps are not brought up mean, and do not have time to make fun of people.
(2)A person, male or female, who shops at AE, Aeropostale, A&F and other "preppy stores." Acts ditzy to get friends or seem easy. Plays soccer or lacrosse, normally. They have some money. These fake pr...

ditz, bitch, slut, concieded, self-centerred, world revolves around them. generally posers go to lots of parties wear such expensive clothes as Hollister, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, Express, Armani Exchange, and shop at Victorias Secret for bras that they dont even need because they are fucking size 'A.' Also spend way too much on makeup like Bobbi Brown when they can look just as skanky with Mabelline

Prep
Derived from prepatory - a completely different meaning to the word prep meaning home work in countries such as the UK - A prep has now become an extremely infamous label, many "preps" seem to be oblivious to that fact, but the term is still used, usually in spite of other people in forms of jealousy or hatred. Supposedly the definition of a prep is being complete hoebag with no sense of individuality whatsoever who is "out to get everybody".

Is usually completely self centered and is extremely conceited. Creates problems for other "clicks" "types" "groups" etc... by being completely slutty bitchy up themselves etc... etc...
Can be recognized by stupidity, illiteration, use of crappy language, using words such as "like" and "oh my god" and "totally" 10-40 times in one sentence, obsession to apply lip gloss 456 times in the span of 5 minutes, amount of money held in ONE purse, expensive and "preppy" clothes such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Hollister, Armani Exchange