Preppy Style

Preppy fashion started in the late 1940s and 1950s as the Ivy League style of dress.^[6] J. Press represents the quintessential preppy clothing brand, stemming from the collegiate traditions which shaped the preppy subculture. In the mid-twentieth century J. Press and Brooks Brothers, both being pioneers in preppy fashion, had stores on Ivy League school campuses, including Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Newer outfitters such as Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, Vineyard Vines, and Elizabeth McKay are also frequently perceived as having preppy styles, with designers such as Marc Jacobs and Luella Bartley adding the preppy style into their clothes in the 1990s.^[7] New York City maintains itself as the headquarters for most preppy clothing lines, such as J. Press, Brooks Brothers, and Ralph Lauren, underscoring the preppy subculture as a reflection of Northeastern culture. Examples of preppy attire include argyle sweaters, chinos, madras,^[2] Nantucket Reds,^[2] button down Oxford cloth shirts, and boat shoes.^[2]