<p>La Crosse for me will forever be the college town on the Mississippi… (hey- I spelled the river correctly, memories of grade school mnenomics).</p>
<p>“Preppy” definitions are based in the “eye of the beholder”. I agree about regionalism- here in the Midwest public schools reign supreme- “prep schools” virtually nonexistent (likwise with the college scene- generally the public flagships are superior to private colleges). An education to hear all of the east coasters views on schools.</p>
<p>Then we add in the international differences. What is normal for some is elitest for others.</p>
<p>I think that is the key- preppy reminds one of an elite, moneyed, class division. Some will dress in a “preppy” fashion unconsciously while others strive to. Some are used to the lifestyle and don’t realize how they are perceived by others. For prospective college students it matters. No one wants to be an outsider. When you see a certain general dress code followed it can make you comfortable or uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Clothing choices do matter. For example, no one would guess our financial worth or job status/educational level by the clothes my H, S and I wear- except perhaps that we aren’t in the business world and the concern over appearance (I was shocked to find that a woman who works in a bank based her impression of her gynecologist on his upscale clothes- as a physician myself I knew he was fine, but I know that some of the best local physicians don’t care about clothes). I read about brands here on CC that don’t seem worth it to me.</p>
<p>Good for people to get out of their comfort zone/world. What some take for granted has a whole different meaning to others. Those “positive” values associated with being preppy- huh? Preppy has nothing to do with the internal person, everything to do with the superficial that others see. Nothing about a good upbringing (how does one define that, anyhow?)- merely a moneyed one.</p>
<p>I guess you can tell gifted son avoided the preppy student body schools.</p>
<p>They had lacrosse in my prep school. I was dying to learn to play because they played it in one of the Enid Blyton boarding school series. Unfortunately I’m pretty much a dunce when it comes to sports that involve flinging balls around. (I was actually better at squash than any of the others because the ball comes back at you and didn’t go over the fence like my tennis balls.) I didn’t know anyone in our town who played lacrosse five years ago, but now they have teams for kindergartners. Maybe someone figured out it was a good EC? There are courts at our Y you could use for squash, but they mostly get used by the handball guys.</p>
<p>When I read the word “preppy” (preppie?) as a noun, the first thing that comes to mind is the movie “Love Story.” After that, I think of the Chambers case.</p>
<p>‘preppies’ are confident and trendy, they don’t try to fit into a body but would like to define it.</p>
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<p>Wealth has nothing to do with elegance. Not everyone has the dress sense. Wearing trendy clothes doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be but it doesn’t have to. Clean appearnace tells more about the personal habbit of the person than the wealth. Appreciating quality doesn’t necessary means shallowness. </p>
<p>Perception is not reality but for most people “first impression is a lasting one”.</p>
<p>“Wealth has nothing to do with elegance. Not everyone has the dress sense. Wearing trendy clothes doesn’t have to be expensive.”
I find it interesting to think of preppy as elegant. To me, most of the clothing seems very casual. I think of preppy as functional, yet quality sportwear. Elegant clothing, to me, evokes evening wear, or clothing that would be worn to unusual venues (picture violins and champagne). Checkered pants would not be an elegant ensemble anywhere but on a golf course. Also, trendy clothing seems to be the antithesis of preppy. When young men in our town wear the exact same clothing that their dads did in the 80s, that doesn’t seem trendy, but rather classic.</p>
<p>And gotta give it to the spammer Joe the Show, whose current post #111 is one of many ads (which will however likely soon be gone ). He tailors them to the thread topic. Classic!!</p>
<p>See #111 is not elegant or classy. ‘JoeTheShow’ might be rich and is trying to show that one can make money many ways. </p>
<p>But wealth doesn’t bring the elegance and class associated with being ‘preppy’ in the positive sense.</p>
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<p>On the other hand most of the clothing is an art. There are simple but elegant clothing. Elgant not necessarily point to evening dresses.</p>
<p>Elegant clothing is a style, a personality. It comes from knowing oneself. What clothing complement your personality. </p>
<p>‘preppies’ have confidence and if they want then they can wear ‘traditional clothing’ as classic and ‘hip hop clothing’ as a new age funky style.
They want to stand apart and not mingle.</p>
<p>LOL!! “JoeTheShow” is a spammer!!! Nothing classy or elegant about that! But his spam posts are amusing. Gotta give him that. And he remembered to add Sperry topsiders! Touche!
<h1>115 and #116: Consider that as my view of being “preppy” and the new definition of the 21st century. You’ve to be a product of “preparatory” schools to begin with to qualify.</h1>
<p>^You can of course make up your own definition POIH, but be prepared to be misunderstood if you use the word with an unconventional definition. :)</p>
<p>Stand apart from whom??? All their friends wearing khakis, polo shirts, monogrammed button-downs, top siders, Izod sweaters, and grandmother’s pearls?</p>
<p>It’s definitely more about “fitting-in” and “dressing the part” (whether at college or at the country club) than standing apart.</p>
There are courts at our Y you could use for squash, but they mostly get used by the handball guys.</p>