Preppy

Preppy

Preppy, also spelled preppie, is a chiefly North American adjective or noun traditionally used in relation to northeastern private university-preparatory schools, as well as those who attend some of America's prestigious private colleges and universities. These characteristics include particular subcultural speech, vocabulary, accent, dress, mannerisms, etiquette, and entitled (assuming privilege) life view. The term "preppy" is similar in formation to yuppie, and it had great currency in the 1970s and 1980s. The term first reached a wider audience in the 1970 film "Love Story", where Ali MacGraw's character uses it as a derisive term of endearment.

The associated verb prep is also is used as an abbreviation of prepared or attended secondary school. The more recent slang derivation prep has taken on an often derogatory meaning, associated not with any particular race, community or schools. In slang it is specially as used by young people, "prep" more generally denotes superficiality and preoccupation with appearance and wealth; see slang usage below.

Usage

Since families that have children who go to preparatory schools usually have higher wealth than average, the word "preppy" is often used to describe the sets of characteristics and behaviors of the rich.

More generally, preppies or preps are people who attended elite college preparatory schools, often boarding schools. Preps traditionally go on to some of the top U.S. colleges and universities.

In fashion, the term "preppy" is associated not with dramatic designer fashions, but with classic and conservative clothing and accessories. An example of preppy attire would be a button-down Oxford cloth shirt, cuffed chinos, and cordovan loafers.

"Where do you summer?" is a quintessential prep question, since a prep's vacation location is as important to his or her status as where he or she primarily lives. Locations tend to be predominately in the Northeast, but other warmer climates can serve as wintertime retreats. It is important to note that preps generally vacation at the same location year after year and often own real estate there. Vacations are an essential aspect of the authentic preppy way of life.

= Slang usage =

In recent years, young people have begun to use the term "preppy" to describe those who strive to appear better off financially or socially than others in a middle-class environment. Used in this manner, "preppy" is often applied contrary to the term's original meaning stated above, as the slang version most often describes publicly educated people absorbed in the middle-class hyper-materialistic pop culture pursuit of ostensibly quality-made goods sold at prices attainable by almost all Americans. As such, teenagers often apply this slang label to popular clothing not characteristic of "prepdom".

In 1980, Jewish-American author and private school—but not preparatory school—alumna Lisa Birnbach [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE5DB1F3BF93AA25754C0A961948260 Lisa Birnbach New York Times marriage (reference for biographical information)] edited the "Official Preppy Handbook", a tongue-in-cheek guide to what she termed "prepdom." Though intended as satire, it is widely adhered to as a guidebook by those who embrace the latter interpretation of preppy fashion.

Sports

Certain forms of sports are generally considered to be preppy. Some examples of the most widespread preppy sports include horseback riding, crew (rowing), tennis, rugby, lacrosse, sailing and squash. Participation in such events as the Head of the Charles and Henley Royal Regatta is considered to be very distinguished among those who participate.

The following sports are commonly acknowledged as preppy sports:

* Horseback Riding
* Fencing
* Polo
* Sailing
* Crew
* Field Hockey
* Swimming
* Skiing
* Cricket
* Squash and Racquetball
* Tennis
* Golf
* Badminton
* Croquet

See also

* Boston Brahmin
* Ivy League
* Little Ivy League
* Jesuit Ivy
* Ivy Preparatory School League
* Prep School
* Southern Ivy League
* Socialite
* Debutante
* Celebutante
* Sloane Ranger
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivy#Greenes.27_Guides Public Ivy]

References

External links

* [http://www.wikihow.com/Look-Preppy How to look preppy]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/opinion/24hamlin.html?ex=1287806400&en=1059415e524616cd&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss NY Times article: We're All Preppies Now]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/fashion/06bar.html?ex=1179288000&en=758b48ad553bed21&ei=5070 NY Times article: Pink Shirts Welcome]
* [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118480137879870907.html?mod=most_emailed_day Plaid Taste: The Return of the Preppy]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • preppy — or preppie [prep′ē] n. pl. preppies a student at or graduate of a preparatory school adj. preppier, preppiest designating, of, or like the fashion, esp. in clothes, associated with preparatory schools …   English World dictionary

  • Preppy — Als Preppy, Preppie oder Prep werden im englischen Sprachraum Schüler beziehungsweise Absolventen einer renommierten weiterführenden Schule („Preparatory school“) bezeichnet, die aus einem wohlhabenden Elternhaus stammen, das oft der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • preppy — [[t]pre̱pi[/t]] preppies 1) N COUNT Preppies are young people, especially in America, who have often been to an expensive private school and who are conventional and conservative in their attitudes, behaviour, and style of dress. [mainly AM] 2)… …   English dictionary

  • preppy — UK [ˈprepɪ] / US adjective mainly American typical of well educated young people who wear expensive traditional clothes the preppy look Derived word: preppy UK / US noun countable Word forms preppy : singular preppy plural preppies …   English dictionary

  • preppy — I. noun or preppie (plural preppies) Etymology: 1prep Date: 1967 1. a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school 2. a person deemed to dress or behave like a preppy II. adjective or preppie …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • preppy — prep·py agg.inv., s.m. e f.inv. ES ingl. {{wmetafile0}} agg.inv., di capo o stile di abbigliamento, piuttosto elegante e distinto, che si ispira a quello degli studenti dei college inglesi e statunitensi: moda preppy | agg.inv., s.m. e f.inv.,… …   Dizionario italiano

  • preppy — n American a. a student or ex student of an American preparatory school. The term was popularised by Erich Segal in his best selling novel Love Story. American prep schools (as opposed to the British version which educates boys from 8 to 13)… …   Contemporary slang

  • preppy — prep•py or prep•pie [[t]ˈprɛp i[/t]] n. pl. pies, 1) cvb a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school 2) cvb a person whose clothing or behavior is associated with traditional preparatory schools 3) cvb of, pertaining to, or characteristic… …   From formal English to slang

  • preppy — /prep ee/, n., pl. preppies, adj., preppier, preppiest. n. 1. a person who is a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school. 2. a person who favors or is viewed as favoring clothing style or behavior associated with traditional preparatory… …   Universalium

  • preppy — prep|py [ˈprepi] adj AmE informal [Date: 1900 2000; Origin: prep (school)] preppy clothes or styles are very neat, in a way that is typical of students who go to expensive private schools in the US …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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