Preppy
Preppy, also spelled preppie, shortened version of the word "preparatory" 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 preparatory or private 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, argyle sweaters, 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.
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[1] 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:
Participation in such events as the Head of the Charles and Henley Royal Regatta is considered to be very distinguished among those who participate.
See also
- Boston Brahmin
- Ivy League
- Little Ivy League
- Prep School
- Southern Ivy League
- Upper class
- Jesuit Ivy
- White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
- Gilmore Girls
- Martha's Vineyard
- Nantucket