Preppy Style Is Back — Here's 8 Fashion Essentials To Shop Now (2024)

FAQs

What is the preppy style of fashion? ›

The preppy look originated in the early 1900s with collegiate and prep-school menswear (thus, the moniker). Signature items included blazers, polos, chinos, oxford shirts, tennis sweaters, loafers.

Preppy fashion has changed significantly over the decades, and it's going through another shift in the 2020s. The newest variant of "preppy," led mostly by Gen Alpha over the last year, refers to bright clothing, lots of pink, and specific accessories like ribbons, bowties, and Stanley water bottles.

But preppy styles showed up on the Spring 2024 runways and, well, they looked pretty good! At Bally, the debut of new design director Simone Bellotti introduced us to a covetable take on the boat shoe that's bound to be an It accessory come spring, and Miu Miu made a case for structured blazers and polo shirts.

If someone likes this kind of aesthetic, then preppy is a positive term. However, preppy can also be a negative term to describe someone as being unoriginal and blindly following the latest trends. In this sense, preppy is used similarly to the slang word basic.

Preppies are young people who have often been to an expensive private school and who are conventional and conservative in their attitudes, behavior, and style of dress. [mainly US] 2. adjective.

Popular preppy colors include burgundy, emerald green, pink, aqua, yellow, and coral.

Preppy is used to refer to a particular aesthetic that involves girly, bright-colored clothes and popular name brands, such as Lululemon and Stanley. It's very similar to the definition of preppy we grew up with, but slightly more refined and "basic".

While some might associate preppy fashion with khakis and trousers, you can easily wear preppy outfits with jeans. It's all about the perfect mix of classic elements with your favorite jeans to create a polished outfit for any occasion.

By the mid-twentieth century, the two most iconic preppy haberdasheries had developed storefronts on campus at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. It was Brooks Brothers and J. Press that started the trends, giving affluent Ivy League students onsite shopping, which resulted in much of the campus wearing their clothing.

The Origins of Preppy Style

Back in the late 1890s and early 1900s, the "preppy" style was a sort of status symbol worn by wealthy guys who went to preparatory and Ivy League schools — hence the name.

What is preppy slang? ›

" According to Bark, an online monitoring company that tracks teenage slang, preppy is “used to refer to a particular aesthetic that involves girly, bright-colored clothes and popular name brands, such as Lululemon and Stanley.

ELEMENTS: cardigans, tweed blazers, collared tops, Breton tops, sailor shorts, a-line skirts, chinos, shift dresses, scalloped hems, boat shoes, loafers, pumps…

Preppy (also spelled as preppie or prep) is an American subculture associated with the alumni of college-preparatory schools in the Northeastern United States. The term, which is an abbreviation of "preparatory", is used to denote a person seen as characteristic of a student or alumnus of these schools.

Well, older people may know preppy as resembling, like, a student in appearance, mainly from, like, a prep school or, like a country club. Younger people have redefined the phrase. now refers to bright clothing, pink aesthetics, and like, a lot of accessories. like ribbons and Stanley water bottles.

What's the difference between preppy and classy? While preppy style often embodies a sense of timeless class, "classy" is a broader term referring to a refined and elegant overall demeanor. Preppy style specifically involves a particular set of clothing and fashion choices influenced by East Coast traditions.

repp stripe and silk knit neckties; sweaters (as opposed to sweatshirts, windbreakers, etc.), particularly those with cable knitting, argyle patterns, or a university name/logo; grosgrain ("ribbon"), surcingle, or woven leather belts; seersucker and madras clothing (commonly sport jackets, trousers, and shorts);

These days, dressing “preppy” refers to wearing bright colors, especially a lot of pink, and certain accessories, like ribbons, bowties and TikTok-famous Stanley tumblers. The look is described on TikTok as being “colorful” and “very girly,” with lots of cartoons and smiley face designs (oh, and a lot of Lululemon).

Preppy aesthetic is defined by crisp button-downs, loose pastel knitwear, Polo shirts, and boat shoes (often without boats). It conveys the carefree, trust-fund vibes of Ivy league school boys. Along with Nerd, Jock, and Goth, Prep, is one of the four main stereotypes used to classify high school students.

While both classic and preppy styles both have the same general source – traditional New England “Ivy League” influences – their primary difference can be best described as attitude. Where classic style is polished, neat, even orderly, preppy style is a sort of coastline casual.