Purveyors of Prep: The Great Retailers

The last bastions of the old guard, these are those traditional outfitters that are regarded as the arbiters of prep, ivy league and trad style. Sadly, many of these august and venerable stores are no longer with us and many more may close as the pressures of changing consumer habits, online competition and, in some cases, owners approaching retirement age risk bringing the shutters down for the last time. With that too, years of tradition, knowledge, expertise and customer service which has seen loyal and new customers alike treated as though family. If you're ever in town and keen to pick up something new whilst supporting an iconic business, why not pop in.

Put a Ring On It: Signet and Chevalier Rings

Photo, Marc Baronnet

In modern times, the wearing of jewlery (Br. English: jewellery) by men has often been viewed as highly suspect, effected and unnecessary. Indeed, it is that stuffy default view that has resulted in the adornment of oneself with various sparkly pieces and/or an array of leather or beaded items as an expression of rebellion, something that might be associated with rockstars or biker gangs. Outsiders.

However, this has not always been the case
with men of wealth and substance. Throughout history, such men have sought to demonstrate their power and their riches in the display of fine clothing and elaborate, often expensive, items of jewelry.

Rings were an essential means of demonstrating status and power, many even coming to represent great offices.

Most Exclusive Ski Resorts

Skiing is undoubtedly a favourite pastime of the preppy set (note snowboarding is distinctly not preppy), however your choice of resort is also a mark of your class and social standing. Whilst many of the world's most famous resorts may be better associated with new money and celebrity status, a number of the well-known resorts are also extremely popular with the preppy and Eurotrash sets. Below is a list of the world's most exclusive ski resorts where you might like to consider heading for your powder fix...

Preppiest Nicknames

Few true preps go by their real name. In fact, having a nickname and your choice thereof is a clear indicator of preppiness and, indeed, class. Many nicknames are acceptable, whatever the first name, and often some nicknames are suitable for boys or girls.

Endless Summer: The Summer Colonies

Summer Colonies are those famous resorts, whether seaside, lakeside or mountainous, that are and/or have traditionally been the choice destinations for the Upper Classes and celebrities. Here we have compiled a list of the most iconic resorts visited by the smart and proper.

Preppiest Movies

I've been absent for a while due to work commitments and so this blog has been on something of a hiatus over the last 18 months. However, I'm back and will be posting here again from time to time, although I'm also involved in a couple of new and exciting projects which I'll let you know more about later.

I thought I'd mark my return with a list of the Preppiest Movies. This list has been put together with the suggestions of a great many readers and is here by popular demand. Please let me know what you think and flag any that I may have missed...

9 ESSENTIAL PREPPY FISHING BRANDS

Anchored Style
Gulf Shore
Guy Harvey
Calcutta
Southern Tide
Orvis
Cape Crabbers
Costa
AFTCO

ARE MALL BRANDS LIKE AMERICAN EAGLE, ABERCROMBIE & FITCH, HOLLISTER OR AÉROPOSTALE PREPPY?

The debate as to whether these brands constitute "preppy" has been raging on the world wide web for a long time now and a previous blog of mine lost readers due to my stance on this issue. Sigh. Good to know there are some very mature thinkers out there?

I thought I'd open the debate up here as I'm keen to hear your thoughts on the matter. You might note that I haven't included these brands in my lists of preppy fashion labels (in the right hand column of my blog) and here is why...

... My thoughts are that Abercrombie & Fitch (and label mates abercrombie kids, Hollister Co., Gilly Hicks and Ruehl No. 925 - now defunct), American Eagle Outfitters (and label mates 77kids and Martin + Osa - also defunct) and Aéropostale (and p.s. from aéropostale) are predominantly aimed at teens and twentysomethings with a view to capitalising on what has been a resurgence in popularity of all things preppy. The same can be said of the Irish label Farrell & Brown. What these labels fail to represent is the heritage, practicality, fine craftsmanship and style that has lead to so many other labels becomming coveted by preps the world over.

I don't deny that many of the products made by these labels are of high quality and I do indeed own items from all of these brands. However it is the move towards fashion over form that marks them out as being decidedly unpreppy. It is arguable as to whether European brands Jack Wills, Aubin & Wills, Crew Clothing Co., Joules and Franklin & Marshall should also be listed alongside these other brands - however these labels have endorsed sport, lifestyle, arts and so on being very much in keeping with preppy tradition and so I choose therefore to include them on my list. Preppy is not a fashion it is a way of life.

I would venture, however, that vintage Abercrombie & Fitch (we're talking way, way back before Limited Brands took over) is definitely preppy. As the pre-eminent supplier of sporting goods for the gentleman, old Abercrombie products (even their catalogs) are very sought after and you will likely find these things in the homes of old-school preps. I have a hunting satchel buried away somewhere which I simply adore and they also made some very fine timepieces too. Check out Farfo.com for vintage A&F watches.

Interestingly, whilst many detractors would not view these brands as having preppy qualities and not being popular with the preppy set in North America, the opposite is true in Europe. As these brands tend to be available only in North American retail outlets they have a very preppy fanbase in Europe (as only preps travel to the States for shopping and holidays). Due to the difficulty perceived in obtaining these brands in Europe they are very much coveted as prep items, alongside their European equivalents.

I look forward to hearing where you stand on this.

Pictured (from left to right): Abercrombie & Fitch; Aéropostale; Farrell & Brown; Gilly Hicks; Martin + Osa; 77kids by American Eagle; Ruehl No.925; American Eagle Outfitters; Hollister Co.

Preppiest Addresses

CULTURE  |  ADDRESS BOOK  |  Preppiest Addresses

There is a saying that goes:

"It is better to have the worst house in the best neighborhood than it is to have the best house in the worst neighborhood".

That being the case, I've been thinking for a long time about putting together a list of the Ritziest and preppiest towns, villages, suburbs and streets for some time... Please note that this will be a work-in-progress and any contributions are, as always, most welcome!

10 Preppiest Vehicles

CULTURE  |  TOP 10s  |  10 Preppiest Vehicles



10. Lexus LS (1989 - Present)

The flagship model of Toyota's luxury range, the Lexus is a popular preppy choice, albeit a controversial one. Preps tend to prefer American, German or English craftsmanship over that from the Far East, however Toyota proved that the Japanese can do practical and luxurious when they introduced the LS in the late 80s. The LS400 was a very popular choice in the early 90s amongst preps and corporate executives - hence its inclusion at number 10 on this list. The first generation model is decidedly preppier than the more recent incarnation.

Parka

MUST HAVES  |  OUTERWEAR  |  Parka

My previous post about skiing has got me excited about hitting the slopes (though it's unlikely that I'll get to do so before February... sigh). I'm already looking to get one or two new pieces before I go. One of the things I'm thinking about picking up is a new Parka coat.

Skiing

CULTURE  |  SPORTS  |  Skiing

It's that time of year when I start planning a little sojourn to the mountains for some shredding. I love to ski, it makes for the best vacation. I love the cold, the snow, the awesome feeling from ripping up the slopes, the aprés ski and the skiwear!

Bean Boots

MUST HAVES  |  FOOTWEAR  |  Bean Boots

At this time of year, weather can be a menace to best laid plans. You need a boot that is comfortable and practical and can handle a little bit of hard weather. That's why the Bean Boot is such an inconic staple of the preppy's footwear collection.