Most of the best definitions of preppy have emphasized Northern or New England birthrite preppies, but let's not forget about Southern preppies, as in folks living in Mountain Brook, Alabama, or the West End, Virginia, or the Garden District in Louisiana, or Buckhead, Georgia, or Belle Meade, Tennessee (if you've never heard of these Old Guard, old-money, preppy southern suburbs, than you're not a birthrite prep). Southern preppies wear most of the same classic clothes and styles as their northern cousins, including Lacoste, Lilly, L.L. Bean, Vineyard vines, Topsiders, Brooks Brothers, tevas, Polo, and especially Patagonia (shorts and fleece are key for guys). And the more monograms, the better. Girls love grosgrain and totes from Vineyard Vines and Bean. They also like outerwear by Barbour, Cole-Haan bit loafers, and wallobies by Clark. Southern preppy girls have straight, shoulder length hair. Their preppy mothers and grandmothers may have stiff, helmut hairstyles that haven't changed in decades. Preppy guys have longish, shaggy, wind blown hair. So do their daddies. They look so much alike. Preppy Southerners would attend day schools such as Altamont or Westminster or Harpeth Hall or boarding schools such as Woodberry Forest or Baylor or Foxcroft or Madiera, rather than a New England prep school. For college, they may attend state schools such as Bama or UVA or UNC or private colleges such as Vanderbilt or W&L or Hamden-Sydney (the preppiest school in the country according to Lisa Birnbach). And they will almost always join a fraternity or sorority. Preppy families live in historic or historic looking houses in nice, woodsy neighborhoods, that are comfortable in size but never ostentatious (no electronic gates!) Inside, family antiques, silver, china and portraits are found and all rooms are always used. It is an elegant yet comfortable environment. Southern preppies and their families belong to private town clubs and country clubs such as the Piedmont Driving Club of Atlanta, the Commonwealth Club of Richmond, and the Mountain Brook Club of Birmingham. Southern preppy families don't emphasize cars as status, but typically drive volvo wagons, mercedes sedans, Jeep Cherokees, Hondas, and sometimes SUVs (although they feel guilty about them!). It is more important to have money in the bank than in the driveway! Southern preppies enjoy sports such as tennis, sailing, soccer, lacrosse, and golf, but also quail hunting (in season) and attend Steeplechases in Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. And they love to watch and attend college football games in fall. Tailgate parties! While some southern preppies journey northwards to summer on Martha's Vineyard or in Maine, most old southern families summer on Sea Island or St. Simmons's Island in Georgia, the mountain towns of Linville and Highlands in North Carolina, or the north Georgia lakes of Lake Rabun and Lake Burton. Southern preppies believe strongly in giving back to the community and are active members of their church, sit on symphony and museum boards, volunteer at children's hospitals, and run historic preservation societies. In fact, most old-family southern debutantes are required to participate in volunteer work during their debut season. Old-family, southern debutante balls are still important and traditional rites of passage for southern preppy girls as debs and preppy boys as escorts or marshalls. All southern preppies seem to know one another and have a large group of friends and acquaintances. Southern preppies have large, extended families and lots of cousins. They always go to the family country place for Thanksgiving and play football and ride horses. Preppy as a fashion trend may come and go, by preppy as a lifestyle will always continue and exist, and probably more so in the South than elsewhere. Remember: the Virginia colonies were settled by England before Massachusetts and the rest of New England. And Virginia is very prep.
Kappa Sigma at Hampden-Sydney is full of blond, shaggy hair guys who play lacrosse and are from Buckhead.
by Alex September 22, 2004
Someone who is preppy appreciates classic, conservative clothing. Contrary to popular teenage misconceptions, preppy people do not wear Abercrombie and Fitch, GAP, American Eagle; these clothes are trendy and entirely too flashy/showy for a true prep. Rather, traditionally preppy people wear Lilly Pulitzer, Polo Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Brooks Brothers, or L.L. Bean. Preppy girls favor simple clothing and jewelry; polo shirts with the collar popped, simple sundresses with a cardigan tied round the neck, or ribbon belts. Preppy males also wear polo shirts with the collar popped, appreciate the simple polished asthetic of khakis, and generally do not dress like slobs.
"Doesn't Elizabth's pink polo shirt with the popped collar look nice?" whispered Robert, fingering his own khakis, and adjusting his tie.
by Pink and Green February 17, 2004
Preppy is a dress style, a social culture and a way of life. Preppies have been around a long time. Their dress style and much of their way of life has changed only slightly since the 1950’s. While sometimes assumed to be rich, snobs, most preppies I know are very down to earth and nice.
My mother tells me that in the 1950s preppies were upper class kids who wore kilts, cashmere sweaters, madras plaid and Bass penny loafers. Name brands really were not the focus as much as quality. She attended private “prep” schools and attended debutante balls.
By the 1980s, when I was in college, the “Preppy Handbook” was published and preppy became all the rage and mainstream America embraced the look. True preppy kids still attended private schools, belonged to country clubs and enjoyed sports like sailing, golf, and lacrosse. The clothes that were in were more “matronly” than today’s preppy styles but certain brands became status symbols. Preps wore Polo shirts with the collar up (Izod Lacoste or Ralph Lauren), plaid wool kilts with knee socks and Bass penny loafers, Talbot’s, Lilly, Papagallo changeable purses, Pierre Deux purses, Nantucket reds, (guy shorts), kakis, LL Bean (especially the Bean Boots and blue and white checked sweater), ribbon belts, Brooks Brothers, Verne or Ray ban sunglasses, Timberland boots, Tretorns and and Sperry topsiders. Whales, ducks and the nautical theme were on everything from clothes to glasses. Mercedes, Volvo or BMW were and still are the cars of choice along with the Jeep Vagoneer with a wood panel which preceded today’s SUV. Older homes decorated in antiques and old chince were where they lived. Preppy names were popular. I even named my cat Muffy. Southern preps liked to “shag” to the 60’s oldies.
Today, my daughter, Caroline is also prep who attends The Norwood School in Bethesda, MD. Her friends belong to local country clubs with Chevy Chase Club being the preppiest, they attend Ms Simpson’s Dance Class which leads to cotillion and many summer in preppy locals like The Vineyard. Sports are still a popular past time for her group especially lacrosse, field hockey, golf and tennis. In the early 2000s Preppy again became mainstream. Stores such as American eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch (not to be confused with the original Abercrombie & Fitch that was a very expensive upscale store in the 1980s in Georgetown) were established. These stores are a more more sexy interpretation of preppy made for the common consumer and are not truly preppy. Caroline and her friends wears some of this stuff but prefers J Crew, the new Lilly Pulitzer (only recently started up again and more stylish), Vineyard Vines, Polo, Black Dog shirts, Lacoste (no longer Izod Lacoste), Tiffany silver, ribbon belts, head bands, CK Bradley (the new Pierre Deux), Eliza B flops, ribbons in their hair, colorful clear water bottles, canvas totes, clothes picked up from boutiques while on vacation or from private boy’s schools like Landon. The preppy designers go on and on and are more plentiful than in my days. In the DC area some younger preps occasionally spice up their wardrobe with designer duds like 7 for all Mankind and Juicy, but wear it in a more conservative way.
So, as time goes by and clothing styles change, for many the “preppy style” will go out of style again. For true preps it never goes out of style. Preppy means a happy, fun life as well as a great wardrobe!
My mother tells me that in the 1950s preppies were upper class kids who wore kilts, cashmere sweaters, madras plaid and Bass penny loafers. Name brands really were not the focus as much as quality. She attended private “prep” schools and attended debutante balls.
By the 1980s, when I was in college, the “Preppy Handbook” was published and preppy became all the rage and mainstream America embraced the look. True preppy kids still attended private schools, belonged to country clubs and enjoyed sports like sailing, golf, and lacrosse. The clothes that were in were more “matronly” than today’s preppy styles but certain brands became status symbols. Preps wore Polo shirts with the collar up (Izod Lacoste or Ralph Lauren), plaid wool kilts with knee socks and Bass penny loafers, Talbot’s, Lilly, Papagallo changeable purses, Pierre Deux purses, Nantucket reds, (guy shorts), kakis, LL Bean (especially the Bean Boots and blue and white checked sweater), ribbon belts, Brooks Brothers, Verne or Ray ban sunglasses, Timberland boots, Tretorns and and Sperry topsiders. Whales, ducks and the nautical theme were on everything from clothes to glasses. Mercedes, Volvo or BMW were and still are the cars of choice along with the Jeep Vagoneer with a wood panel which preceded today’s SUV. Older homes decorated in antiques and old chince were where they lived. Preppy names were popular. I even named my cat Muffy. Southern preps liked to “shag” to the 60’s oldies.
Today, my daughter, Caroline is also prep who attends The Norwood School in Bethesda, MD. Her friends belong to local country clubs with Chevy Chase Club being the preppiest, they attend Ms Simpson’s Dance Class which leads to cotillion and many summer in preppy locals like The Vineyard. Sports are still a popular past time for her group especially lacrosse, field hockey, golf and tennis. In the early 2000s Preppy again became mainstream. Stores such as American eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch (not to be confused with the original Abercrombie & Fitch that was a very expensive upscale store in the 1980s in Georgetown) were established. These stores are a more more sexy interpretation of preppy made for the common consumer and are not truly preppy. Caroline and her friends wears some of this stuff but prefers J Crew, the new Lilly Pulitzer (only recently started up again and more stylish), Vineyard Vines, Polo, Black Dog shirts, Lacoste (no longer Izod Lacoste), Tiffany silver, ribbon belts, head bands, CK Bradley (the new Pierre Deux), Eliza B flops, ribbons in their hair, colorful clear water bottles, canvas totes, clothes picked up from boutiques while on vacation or from private boy’s schools like Landon. The preppy designers go on and on and are more plentiful than in my days. In the DC area some younger preps occasionally spice up their wardrobe with designer duds like 7 for all Mankind and Juicy, but wear it in a more conservative way.
So, as time goes by and clothing styles change, for many the “preppy style” will go out of style again. For true preps it never goes out of style. Preppy means a happy, fun life as well as a great wardrobe!
by Holly S September 15, 2005
A young person from a rich or well-off family who goes to an expensive school and/or who wears expensive, tidy clothes. Preppies are often mistaken for Valley-Girls; the annoying "LIKE, OH MY GOD!" people that prefer trends over class and make your skin crawl, and highschool popular kids, which are even worse because they are often rude and dress like sluts. True preppies are very nice and approachable down to earth people. They were raised well and are equiped with common decency and manners.
by c'est julie July 21, 2005
There are the private old school, polo shirt & loafer wearing preppies that summer in Nantucket and love sailing, rugby, squash, etc. Then there are the public school, mall shopping, Abercrombie and Finch wearing preppies who love football. You can even hear the difference in their grammar (Old school don't use valley girl as do public school) and speech. For instance when a person says apple, car and please. Old school would say "for instance", Public school says "like".
They are two different groups. Public school preps (PSP) have a tendency to "need" to point out to others they are popular while in high school. Where an old school prep (OSP) is concerned with family pride and life style that lasts into adulthood and until they die. True the OSP made say something not nice BUT they are polite most of the time. PSP often are rude to others. Want to get back at a PSP? Tell them they are not OPS which is what they are imitating whether they realize it or not. When they say they are, ask them when their family arrive in America was it over 200 years ago? Or when the last time they went sailing?
Preppy is slang for preparatory school. A pubic high school, though provides a good education, is not prep-school where students take college level classes. There should be two different names for old school prep (OSP) and public school prep (PSP).
They are two different groups. Public school preps (PSP) have a tendency to "need" to point out to others they are popular while in high school. Where an old school prep (OSP) is concerned with family pride and life style that lasts into adulthood and until they die. True the OSP made say something not nice BUT they are polite most of the time. PSP often are rude to others. Want to get back at a PSP? Tell them they are not OPS which is what they are imitating whether they realize it or not. When they say they are, ask them when their family arrive in America was it over 200 years ago? Or when the last time they went sailing?
Preppy is slang for preparatory school. A pubic high school, though provides a good education, is not prep-school where students take college level classes. There should be two different names for old school prep (OSP) and public school prep (PSP).
OSP Girl: "Daniel, a PSP is waving at you." PSP Girl says to Nathanial: "Oh, My, God ! Dan, I have not seen you in sooooo long." Grabs at Daniel for a hug. Daniel unhappy but polite: "Hi, ah...Niki. What are you doing here?" "I can't believe I ran into you...OMG It is totally awesome to see you...Do you like my preppy new shoes?" OSP Girl: "Hello, I am sorry to interrupt your conversation but we are on our way to meet some of our friends. It was a pleasure meeting you." PSP: OMG it was totally awesome to run into you. We should get together. Wait let me send you a text."
by We Have Been Here March 10, 2010
some very wrong people think that preps are just airhead boys and girls who are shallow, material, and shop at abercrombie.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY PREPPY
real preppy people (and i know because i am one of them) go to elite new england prep schools like andover, exeter, choate, or deerfield. they do not wear abercrombie. they wear lily pulitzer, ralph lauren, vineyard vines, lacoste, and other brands that are often expensive, but look good. they like prints such as seersucker, plaid, argyle, and madras. they like polo shirts and grosgain ribbon sandals and belts. preps always look put together and don't wear tight, slutty, or provocative clothing, but that doesnt mean that they are all goody two shoes. they summer on natucket, marthas vineyard, cape cod, and bermuda, not florida and tropical islands. they drive hondas and jeeps, not ferraris or hummers. they are actually smart, since they go to good boarding schools, and if they weren't, where would excellent colleges like harvard get their preppy reputations? preps play sports like field hockey, polo, crew, water polo, squash, tennis, and lacrosse. preppies are not snobby or obnoxious, and although they are usualy well off, they are not huge, trashy, extravagant rich. many people think that preps are snobby, mean, and slutty, but those people are truly not preps. those are yuppie posers. preppy people aren't mean to punk or goth kids, they just prefer their own style. preppy is not just a style, it's a way of life, and just because some dumb public school kids will pop their collar on their abercrombie or hollister polo shirt when it's trendy doesnt make them preps at all.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY PREPPY
real preppy people (and i know because i am one of them) go to elite new england prep schools like andover, exeter, choate, or deerfield. they do not wear abercrombie. they wear lily pulitzer, ralph lauren, vineyard vines, lacoste, and other brands that are often expensive, but look good. they like prints such as seersucker, plaid, argyle, and madras. they like polo shirts and grosgain ribbon sandals and belts. preps always look put together and don't wear tight, slutty, or provocative clothing, but that doesnt mean that they are all goody two shoes. they summer on natucket, marthas vineyard, cape cod, and bermuda, not florida and tropical islands. they drive hondas and jeeps, not ferraris or hummers. they are actually smart, since they go to good boarding schools, and if they weren't, where would excellent colleges like harvard get their preppy reputations? preps play sports like field hockey, polo, crew, water polo, squash, tennis, and lacrosse. preppies are not snobby or obnoxious, and although they are usualy well off, they are not huge, trashy, extravagant rich. many people think that preps are snobby, mean, and slutty, but those people are truly not preps. those are yuppie posers. preppy people aren't mean to punk or goth kids, they just prefer their own style. preppy is not just a style, it's a way of life, and just because some dumb public school kids will pop their collar on their abercrombie or hollister polo shirt when it's trendy doesnt make them preps at all.
muffy:hey, i love your lily dress!
martha:thanks, and your lacoste polo looks great with your pearls and eliza b. flip flops.
muffy: thanks! i'm going to nantucket tomorrow, we're summering there before i go back to andover in the fall.
^^THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY PREPPY^^
jillian: oh em gee! lets go to abercrombie and spend our money on clothes that make us looks like sluts!
cassandra:yeah totally! on the way we can stop and pick up our other slutty friends.
erica: hey you guys! look at that wierd punk kid! hahaha loser! theyre so ugly! and we think we're hot because we're wearing skintight jeans and miniskirts and abercrombie tank tops that are way too small on us!
jillian: and on the way we can ride in our huge ugly hummers and listen to trashy gangsta rap!
^^THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPPY AT ALL, THEY ARE POSERS^^
martha:thanks, and your lacoste polo looks great with your pearls and eliza b. flip flops.
muffy: thanks! i'm going to nantucket tomorrow, we're summering there before i go back to andover in the fall.
^^THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY PREPPY^^
jillian: oh em gee! lets go to abercrombie and spend our money on clothes that make us looks like sluts!
cassandra:yeah totally! on the way we can stop and pick up our other slutty friends.
erica: hey you guys! look at that wierd punk kid! hahaha loser! theyre so ugly! and we think we're hot because we're wearing skintight jeans and miniskirts and abercrombie tank tops that are way too small on us!
jillian: and on the way we can ride in our huge ugly hummers and listen to trashy gangsta rap!
^^THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPPY AT ALL, THEY ARE POSERS^^
by kiribatichristina May 4, 2006
a lot of these people are right, but a lot are wrong...I'll set the record straight...this definition comes from a TRUE prep-one who has summered in Nantucket for 12 years, and who goes to a top New England boarding school. A prep is usually waspy, but doesn't have to be. Some of the peppiest people I know live "new money" communities like Potomac, MD and Chevy Chase, MD. Preppiness is not just a particular clothing style, it is a lifestyle as well (I know everyone on here says that, but it's true). A preppy guy wears Vineyard Vines boxers, belts, and ties, Patagonia and The North Face fleeces, Birkenstock clogs, Rainbow and Reef flip flops, J Crew pants and critter shorts, Ralph Lauren seersucker/embroidered pants, Brooks Brothers ties and blazers, Ralph Lauren polo and oxford shirts in literally every color, a favorite is lime green with a pink Polo player icon, CK Bradley/CJ Laing/J. McLaughlin/Maax ribbon/needle pointed belts, Tiffany and Co monogrammed money clips and belt buckles, North Face backpacks, Ralph Lauren chino shorts and cable knit cashmere sweaters, LOTS of Lacoste shirts and Lacoste rugbys, Ralph Lauren rugbys, L.L. Bean Boots and moccasins, and Lilly Pulitzer/CJ Laing ties and bathing suits (yeah they're bright and kind of fruity, but that’s the point). Also worn are Sperry topsiders and Barbour jackets. Aviator sunglasses complete the look. Preppy girls dress basically the same as the guys, with some more designer items, like Seven jeans and Gucci sunglasses/horse bit loafers. Preps don’t always pop their collars, as now absolutely everyone is doing it in a vain attempt to be truly preppy. Sweaters are still tied around the neck, but less frequently. Preps would never go to a mall, and if that is the only shopping center near by, then Neimans and Saks are ok. Americana Manhasset is the only acceptable “mall,” if you will.
One thing that irritates me is when snotty Abercrombie wannabe preps call themselves preppy just because they wear a trashy shirt and like pink shorts. That stuff can make someone look put together, but it’s not preppy. Favorite prep activities include hunting, tailgating, playing tennis/lacrosse/sailing/squash/field hockey. Another prep pastime includes getting drunk on the vodka from Daddy’s liquor cabinet or sneaking some at the club. Preps summer in Maine, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and sometimes travel abroad. Preppy colleges include Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Trinity, Colorado College, Bowdoin, etc. Preps grow up and marry other female preps who are like them. Preps are really nice, get to know some and you’ll see. They are never snobby, the snobby people are the fake preps who blast rap and drive around in heinous “tricked out” cars and wear Abercrombie, the skankiest brand at the mall. So go to a Dave Matthews or OAR concert, take a trip to Nantucket, or just walk down the street, and you will encounter some really nice preppy people.
One thing that irritates me is when snotty Abercrombie wannabe preps call themselves preppy just because they wear a trashy shirt and like pink shorts. That stuff can make someone look put together, but it’s not preppy. Favorite prep activities include hunting, tailgating, playing tennis/lacrosse/sailing/squash/field hockey. Another prep pastime includes getting drunk on the vodka from Daddy’s liquor cabinet or sneaking some at the club. Preps summer in Maine, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and sometimes travel abroad. Preppy colleges include Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Trinity, Colorado College, Bowdoin, etc. Preps grow up and marry other female preps who are like them. Preps are really nice, get to know some and you’ll see. They are never snobby, the snobby people are the fake preps who blast rap and drive around in heinous “tricked out” cars and wear Abercrombie, the skankiest brand at the mall. So go to a Dave Matthews or OAR concert, take a trip to Nantucket, or just walk down the street, and you will encounter some really nice preppy people.
Biff walked into class late, but he looked awesome in his seersucker shorts, Rainbow flip flops, Maax belt, and Ralph Lauren polo shirt.
by A. Wasp February 10, 2005