FAQ About Preppy Style

Polo top probably the most iconic preppy top and a plague on the early and mid 2000s. The button down collar style comes from India where Polo was played for thousands of years.The first button down collar t-shirt style was designed by tennis player Rene Lacoste with a crocodile logo after his nickname 'The Crocodile'. It won the hearts of sportswear around the world, especially with typically waspy sports like polo, golf and tennis. And the mixing of sportswear and upper-class cemented Lacoste as a preppy brand for the rest of the century.

Then in 1967 Ralph Lauren launched his casual wear brand and named it 'Polo Ralph Laure' to associate his brand with the upper-class and target the sensibilities of preps.

The Oxford button down t-shirt also takes its roots from the Polo as Johnny Brooks of the Brooks Brothers saw the button down collar shirt worn in Ivy Leauge Universities like Oxford during a triip to Britain and then introduced the Oxford shirt to America in the late 19th century. Since then they have always been extremely popular in prep culture as an example of British inspired prep fashion.

Another preppy top of the 2000s was a tory burch tunic. The item is not so much a tunics as it is a Moroccan caftan.

Also red pants and shorts became associated with the wealthy Northeasterners who used nantucket and Martha's vineyard as a popular vacation destinations in the 60s, and have remained a staple piece of preppy fashion ever since.

Other than red pants and shorts boldly colored, patterned or motif pair of trousers designed to make the prepster look bold and daring. The trend originates from affluent New Yorkers in the mid 50s who would wear bright colored pants.

Plaid skirts were an essential part of the 2000s preppy look as a direct symbol of elite education.