How come Canadian Young People Don't Dress "Preppy" (high school, live)

[f1000]

One thing I notice whenever I go back to the US is that many young people (teens and 20s) dress "Preppy" if you know what i mean.. I have been in Canada (Vancouver) for the last few years and traveled across the country and one thing i really notice is that the "Preppy" look is not very prevalent here at all...I guess I could argue that that look is also not common in the Pacific NW in general- but you do see the Preppy look more in the Midwest than Ontario, for instance.

I find Canadian youth dressing fall in the following categories:
- Euro-wannabe
- bohemian or artsy
- skater or on verge of grungy
- granola or overly outdoorish
- that annoying yoga-wear-type that is soooo annoying in Vancouver!

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by f1000

One thing I notice whenever I go back to the US is that many young people (teens and 20s) dress "Preppy" if you know what i mean.. I have been in Canada (Vancouver) for the last few years and traveled across the country and one thing i really notice is that the "Preppy" look is not very prevalent here at all...I guess I could argue that that look is also not common in the Pacific NW in general- but you do see the Preppy look more in the Midwest than Ontario, for instance.

I find Canadian youth dressing fall in the following categories:
- Euro-wannabe
- bohemian or artsy
- skater or on verge of grungy
- granola or overly outdoorish
- that annoying yoga-wear-type that is soooo annoying in Vancouver!

Could you please define Euro-wannabe?

[rgpg_99]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Could you please define Euro-wannabe?

I noticed some hats and skinny pants that I first saw on newscasts from Germany and England, and I didn't see so much in the US at the time (eventually that fashion made it there). I guess that would be part of the Euro-wannabe?

[rgpg_99]

Originally Posted by f1000

One thing I notice whenever I go back to the US is that many young people (teens and 20s) dress "Preppy" if you know what i mean..

Could you elaborate on "preppy"? One of my classmates in the US mentioned several times how so and so looked so "preppy", but I was never able to get examples of what it was that made so and so look "preppy".

[khyron]

Originally Posted by rgpg_99

Could you elaborate on "preppy"? One of my classmates in the US mentioned several times how so and so looked so "preppy", but I was never able to get examples of what it was that made so and so look "preppy".

It's a little difficult to pin down as it changes slightly over time, but as an American born in a decidedly split high school (night and day, seriously) I'll give you my run down on what makes "them" look like "preps" to me and everyone I've ever known...

Preppies look like they're trying to emulate some sort of conservative, mock-upper class look but without actually acting the part. The example in modern times of someone whose position they seek to emulate would be Paris Hilton, someone with money and power and fame who is outwardly proud of the fact that she doesn't work for it. The prep ideal is to simply have wealth and the appearance of wealth, but not to actually accomplish anything. Maybe this is why skater/slacker types like me hated them so much, because they were sort of pretend-slackers in a way.

The style these days is, for guys, the almost-gay-but-yet-totally-homophobic look. Popped collars on bright polos, business casual pants or shorts, fashionable shoes, visible brands and labels on clothes, girl sunglasses, essentially the fraternity look. Prep girls now actually dress in these same boy clothes often (back in the 80s, this would have been decried as too butch, but now it's "sorostitute" chic instead) but of course in a "size too small" fetishized kind of way. The best way I can sum up preppies is that they eternally look like they're just about to get on a boat, or just returned from a country club (even though what they really just did was probably get drunk and crash a BMW).

Perhaps the whole preppie ideal of looking somewhere between "white trash" and "nouveau riche" (on purpose) being such an American concept has something to do with the lack of adoption up north? It's hard to imagine someone dressing as one of the villains from a coming of age Hollywood comedy and then yelling "I AM CANADIAN" on a beer commercial.

[hellohellohello123]

it honestly depends on where you are in Canada.

[aggo]

Originally Posted by rgpg_99

Could you elaborate on "preppy"? One of my classmates in the US mentioned several times how so and so looked so "preppy", but I was never able to get examples of what it was that made so and so look "preppy".

preppy - Google Search

When I lived in the US I saw that style a lot, not so much up here.

[Rickers]

I'm wondering why anyone would care how other people dress.

[aggo]

Originally Posted by rickers

I'm wondering why anyone would care how other people dress.

The preppy look is exotic and mysterious in Canada.

[GTOlover]

I am from vancover and this me and how I dress dude pretty averge in my age group of 25-35


pretty much jeans and T-shirt maybe a hoodie in the colder months which is pretty much how everyone I know dresses outside of work.

I don't really care about how others dress as long as I am comfy. I don't care what the latest fasion trends are all I know in hockey season I may wear a vancouver canucks jersey or hat for a beer at the local sports pub.

I am your typical 6'0" 200lbs canadian who works in the skilled trades and loves to play beer league hockey and catch the latest UFC fight at the bar or watch the big hockey game agaist our hockey rival the calgary flames at a sold out GM place