¿Qué es Preppy?
El término se deriva de las "preparatory schools" donde los jóvenes se preparaban para el ingreso a las universidades de la clase alta de los Estados Unidos. Usualmente está asociado con las universidades de la Ivy League, explicado antes, puesto que la intensión de asistir a estas escuelas era poder ser admitido en una de esas instituciones:
Preparatory > Prep > Preppy
Prep o Preppy se convirtió en una expresión coloquial que se refiere a la sub-cultura que se identifica con un conjunto de características relacionadas no solo con el vestir, sino su estilo de vida, vocabulario y maneras asociadas a un nivel educativo y económico. Creo que es lo que España llaman "pijo", palabra que no se usa en Latinoamérica.
Desde la perspectiva del "estilo", Lisa Birnbach escribió en 1980 el "Manual Oficial Preppy" (Oficial Preppy Handbook) que analiza con humor las características del mismo. El siguiente decálogo son el "must have" para un "preppy style":
1. Chinos. Focus on them and forget about jeans (preferiblemente).They’re OK in classic khaki and navy, but you can take the concept further if you opt for red, bold greens/blues or yellow. Extra bright, unusual colours or even neon shades are the statement, ‘extra mile’ alternatives that will set you apart.
2. Polo Shirts. Mostly those featuring prestigious branding (usually a stylised animal). They also come with random numbers, references to polo (the sport), or in thicker, long-sleeved rugby tops.
3. Navy Blazers. Often complete with brass buttons and embroidered crests. They’ll dress anything up, but remain relaxed and easy to wear. From shorts to tailored trousers, they go with anything. To summarise: until you get the navy blazer, you don’t have the look sorted.
4. Sweatshirts. The casual sportswear alternative to your classic crew neck jumpers. Typical ‘jock’ uniform. Wear it as a t-shirt with nothing underneath or over an Oxford shirt to make it more modern.
5. Brogues/Penny Loafers. Go for rich browns or oxblood if you’re doing full-on trad. Thick soles, printed leather and contrast-laced versions are available if you feel like making more of a statement. They can both be worn sockless with turned up or slightly shorter trousers during spring/summer.
6. Tweed Tailoring. Traditional Edwardian leisure attire and signifier of English outdoors elegance. Today, the association is the same, and this British speciality finishes off a preppy getup with class. If the fit is right (slim but not restrictive), your tweed will look sharp while remaining comfortable and practical to wear, particularly during autumn/winter.
7. Boat Shoes. Wear during summer, preferably sockless, although many tend to combine with bright socks in winter too.
8. Casual Ties. Diagonally striped or with small embroidery; woollen or knitted; bow or neck – no matter what style you go for, they should be worn in a smart-casual manner with chinos, sports coats, shirts and jumpers/sweatshirts.
9. Cricket Jumpers. The classic white/cream, deep V-style or simplified versions thereof. Even if you don’t know the rules of the game, give them a go.
10. Belts. Woven, elastic or vegetable-tanned leather belts, complete with brass buckles, sometimes lined in silk – the belt is possibly the most imaginative accessory in the prep world. Needless to say, we’re not talking studs or anything in widths lower than 25mm or higher than 35mm.
The Dos & Don’ts Of Preppy
If anyone can do it, you have to do it differently. You don’t want to end up looking like a catalogue page. We strongly encourage you to find spectacles that set you apart, a watch that offsets your attire, an unusual scarf – basically anything you can think of that doesn’t make you disappear in the crowd (we’ve already said it, and will repeat: this look is easy to emulate).
Fake vintage is bad. Keep clear of off-the-rack, pre-aged leathers or metals, distressed chinos and canvas bags. Explore your nearest vintage shop or browse eBay and find yourself a unique piece. You don’t want to hit the pub and bump into another chap rocking the same khakis with the exact same amended hole on the knee. This rules extends to diamante (costume) cuff links, fake watches and family crest rings.
Be the class rebel. Such a conformist dress code must have its rule breaking accents. Ever considered cutting off the collar of your polo/rugby top and turning it into a Henley? Likewise, changing the buttons on your blazer/chinos or switching the laces on your shoes are easy alterations that anyone can make.
You have to splurge on a certain level of quality, so beware of budget alternatives. For instance, cheap-looking bright green chinos will jar with an authentic tweed jacket.
Should I pop my polo shirt collar? You can, if you’re on holiday, on a yacht, desperately trying to avoid burning your neck. Otherwise, your collar should be down, buddy.
Don’t ever try to get into character just because you bought the clothes. Dressing the dream is one thing. Don’t let the look take over your personality with fake public school accents, tasting drinks you don’t like or sneering at your mates who stuck with their jeans and three-for-two deal shirts.
Don’t EVER wear a sweatshirt or a t-shirt from a school you didn’t go to. You’ll get asked about it immediately and embarrass yourself. This rules extends to crests, coats of arms, mugs, bumper stickers and fridge magnets.
Be coherent. Don’t adopt sailing attire if you can’t swim, don’t sport a polo player on a horse logo larger than 2cm-high if you feel queasy with the smell of stables, and don’t try to pull off a hunting jacket if you’re a veggie.
Prioritise functionality. You’ll find these casual clothes are typically made from standard materials like heavyweight cotton and wool. This means that despite the high price tags, they aren’t outrageously expensive items of clothing to invest in, because they’re designed to perform and built to last. Think twice before opting for overly-fine wool, delicate suede or camel hair.
Need to justify the style? To quote Ms. Birnbach: “Prep clothes are sensible: rain clothes keep you dry; winter clothes keep you warm; collars are buttoned down so they don’t flap in your face when you’re playing polo. Layering is a natural response to varying weather conditions.” You see – practical AND stylish.
El estilo Preppy mueve muchísimo dinero, al fin de cuentas, tiene un alcance global. Por lo mismo, son muchas las empresas que atienden este gigantesco mercado, con prendas que cambian rápidamente de una temporada a la otra pero manteniendo el "espíritu" del mismo. A continuación, las empresas mas preppies:
(según: https://www.jackthreads.com/jtedit/2...msy-told-us-to)