PREPPY
Preppy is a tidy, conservative-youthful style originating in the aesthetic of students at prestigious American preparatory schools and Ivy League universities (hence the name). Its marks: polo shirts, trenches, cable-knit sweaters, tartan skirts, crested blazers, loafers, striped and checked patterns, a restrained palette. Preppy combines neatness, the classic and effortless sportiness into a 'proper', well-groomed look that hints at a good education and means. The style was popularised by brands such as Ralph Lauren. Preppy is orderliness without excessive severity, comfort with notes of aristocracy. It is associated with youth, tidiness and the measured, slightly nostalgic elegance of the campus.
Compare “Preppy” with another term
Meaning, origins and distinction — side by side.
Distinction
Two antithetical subcultural codes. Preppy grew from the style of elite American college students: neat polos, trench coats, sweaters draped over shoulders, tartan prints, tidiness and status. Grunge was born in the 1990s Seattle rock scene: flannel shirts, ripped jeans, combat boots, deliberate scruffiness and anti-glamour. Preppy is belonging and polish; grunge is rebellion and studied dishevelment.
