[aroundthecorner059]

Originally Posted by nish2006

Wha..? I'd describe that guy as metrosexual, not preppy ! Doesn't the term itself originate from someone who attends prep school?

Metrosexual is more designerwear such as Gucci and AX with very tight jeans. The above is casual preppy.

in Conn, I notice a lot of LaCoste with slacks and collared buttondowns under a plain sweater. Conn is very preppy but it varies by town.

[andthentherewere3]

LOL, I remember the 80's, and it was typical to see both men and women in New Canaan/Darien/Greenwich dressed like the guy in that picture. I even dressed like that myself on rare occasions. But my Polo shirts came from TJMaxx, lol. That is an old preppy look in the pic, I'm not even sure "preppy" is a term commonly used nowadays.

[njohnson]

Originally Posted by nish2006

Wha..? I'd describe that guy as metrosexual, not preppy ! Doesn't the term itself originate from someone who attends prep school?

I think metrosexual is a relatively new term. I remember it being more in relation to those who attended Ivy League schools (or prep schools), were well off, and used certain mannerisms. The term yuppie was used synonymously with preppy although seems more derogatory.

This is largely how I remember it in the 80s, lacoste or polo shirts in pastels with khakis, boat shoes or sandals, and the whole sweater around the neck deal. You also are supposed to be driving a convertible BMW.

I think while that have been the stereotype now it's more loose. I think now if you wear khakis, a tucked in button down, sweater, and shoes you are considered preppy. My girlfriend calls me preppy all the time even though I don't think I am. I know I am not wealthy and never attended any elite schooling but I do shop at J Crew

[Leilani Vasquez]

I haven't heard the word "preppy" since high school.

[LaMadden]

No, my daughter is more preppy and lives in Georgia. I have yet to see a Lacoste shirt here. They wear hiking clothes mostly from what I've seen in the 18 months we've been here.

[aroundthecorner059]

Originally Posted by Cruikshl

No, my daughter is more preppy and lives in Georgia. I have yet to see a Lacoste shirt here. They wear hiking clothes mostly from what I've seen in the 18 months we've been here.

What?! I lived in Georgia for many years and I would not view anyone there as preppy! Maybe in Buckhead but even there it is pretty casual. American Eagle and Old Navy is NOT preppy.

It is weird how I live one town away from you and I see LaCoste everywhere, especially in Southbury.

[loveautumn]

I'd say J Crew and Brooks Brothers are preppy.

[Sleddog905]

There are definitely towns that I might label as preppy, but certainly not the whole state. It may not be a big state, but there are still many different types of towns. I grew up in New Milford and that was not a preppy town at all. We were always teased because the old high school was adjacent to a farm so we had cows on the other side of the fence.

[trustmeiknow]

If you want to know about true prep read The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach (available on Amazon still) or look at an L.L. Bean catalog. It's hard to describe. I would say it's a relaxed, upper crust, outdoorsy look. In the 80s I think more of the "cool people" in school did the preppy thing than anyone would now. Now it's cooler to be trampy apparently. I can only think of a couple neighbors I have that are preppy now. It used to be everywhere. I'm in New Haven county.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by windfarmer

Real preppiness is a good thing.

It has always seemed to me that preppiness carries a huge load of pretension.