<p>cards4life, what are you talking about, i go to a preperatory school in NYC ("out in the east"), and only about a fourth of the guys are preppy, everyone else is into hip hop</p>
<p>I was talking like Exeter, Deerfield, Andover, etc. Alot of it depends on your family background/economic status--which can dictate what type of clothing you can buy. It wasn't a personal slam against ALL prep schools by any means, just a generalization based on what I've seen from being with friends who go to elite prep schools out east (maybe New England is better area to describe?), and being in the area for extended periods of time.</p>
<p>Part of it also has to do with the fact that most prep schools have dress codes, though they can be more or less strict. At a school where every guy has to wear a collared shirt every day, it's going to seem like everyone is trying to look preppy. Since not too many colleges outside of the military academies have dress codes, lots of those kids from prep schools buy new clothes when they get to college and a smaller number of real "preppies" is left.</p>
<p>At my prep school we had uniforms. So, I spent a lot on clothes before going to college because I really didn't have a whole lot. But I took things that I wore during my high school years, and no one knows the difference and would care if they did. There are no brands or styles that are exclusively for college kids.</p>
<p>For the person from NYC, that's different because it's much more urban and diverse. I think preppy is more in New England, esp. suburbs and boarding schools in CT, MA, etc.</p>