Southern Preppy vs. Northern Preppy (dye, guys, tone, red)

[southernprepster]

Discuss.

To me, southern preppy is more bright colors, northern preppy is more nautical.

[sandwalk]

Nautical!? Tell that to the people of Nebraska LOL

You must mean New England preppy?

[pennquaker09]

It's not necessarily a fashion thing. Preppy clothes are going to be the same if it's Massachusetts or Georgia. Being truely preppy is more akin to a lifestyle.

I'm wearing a red Ralph Lauren polo. I can walk into practically any mall in the country and buy the same exact shirt. But just because a person is decked in Polo, Vineyard Vines, or LL Bean doesn't make them preppy.

[le roi]

southern preppy would be something like ben silver or a retailer like grady ervin. it is going to be oriented toward summertime clothes, since it is so hot.

i don't know what northern preppy looks like, so i can't compare and contrast. for men, southern preppy is heavy on the cotton and linen, lots of pastel and seersucker. very little wool fabric or black leather anything. it may be a little more flamboyant; you see a lot of bowties and suspenders, and strange/bold embroidered patterns. i wouldn't say it is 'not nautical'. it is not oriented toward sailing, at all -- but things like deep sea fishing are a typical 'preppy' activity, topsiders are standard-issue.

when i think of northern preppy, i think of big money private schools, lacrosse, sailing, blue blazers.. more formal, but that may just be my imagination.

[Rhino127]

Northern preppy is less ironed, more torn up and almost sloppy. Southern is crispy and colorful. Both are great.

[sheaosaurus]

I spent my first 11 years of school in a New England Prep school, where the majority of old money preppies wore khakis, chinos, seersucker, navy blazers, Nantucket Reds and Sperrys or Weejuns. Popular brands were and still are: Brooks Brothers, J Press, Burberry and (name of town)shop - my favorite being the Andover Shop. Most drove a Volvo or older model BMW's and Range Rovers, had a golden retriever and belonged to various country clubs. Pretentiousness was never a characteristic.
When my parents retired my senior year and moved us to Florida, I enrolled at a boarding school. Aside from the same dress code (khakis and blazer), outside of school many wore jeans, flip-flops and brands such as Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle and Hollister. Many drove BMWS, Mercedes, Jaguars and flashy cars that a real Northern preppy would not drive.
This is just a basic juxtaposition from a freshman in college.

[SoHoVe]

I agree...people tend to wear brighter colors down south. Up north it always seems like people generally lean more towards earth tones and more muted colors.

[zta southern belle]

The south definitely isn't about Abercrombie and Hollister. True southern brands are Southern Tide, Vineyard Vines, Southern Proper, Ralph Lauren, and Brooks Brothers. They wear a lot of pastels because like everyone said it is exceptionally hot down here. When they are wanting to dress up a little in spring or summer, a seersucker suit is a staple. Any time of year a white button down and bow tie is acceptable, even in casual situations. A polo or patterned button up is also frequently worn. Visors or no hat is what most guys wear if they are preppy. You rarely see jeans, mainly khaki pants/shorts. Sperry's are a must. Granted many northern boys do sail and have a "nautical" style, but it is not reserved only for the north. Plenty of southern boys do especially ones from South Carolina, especially around Charleston. The north's preppy is like the rest of the country's preppy. Pretty much the south just has its own unique version.

[Dayton Sux]

From what I recall from Lexington, the "Bluegrass Preppy" style was sort of tweedy/horsey. button-down Tattersal shirts were popular, as was tartan patterns.

[MandaPanda♥]

Northern Preppy.