Aspects of New England and Ivy League Prep

With fall just beginning and students headed back to the classroom, it seemed best to talk more in depth about the Collegiate Style of Preppy before September ends. When most people think of preppy this is the first thing that pops to mind, which makes sense after all since the whole aesthetic was derived from Prep schools and Ivy League colleges. 

Earlier in American style, the wealthy and well-educated wanted to stand out and denote themselves as elevated and cultivated among the masses. Classic blazers, loafers, and button downs all lend themselves to this school uniform look. The oldest preppy brand in America, Brooks Brothers, is the epitome of this aesthetic. The whole stye has not changed much in over a hundred years... 

Much like the Collegiate Ivy League look, the New England Prep style has the same classic time tested vibes with it's classic lines, argyles, darker hues, and understated silhouettes. A prefect brand example of this would be Keil James Patrick launched from the iconic blog of "Classy Girls Wear Pearls." Perhaps the most recognizable brand for this category in most America closets though is Ralph Lauren. 

Staples for both looks include: plaids, tweed, loafers, argyle, chinos, and cable knits. Typically outfits are in darker fall hues as well such as hunter greens, browns, and deep plums and blues.

Here are some looks that would fit this aesthetic. The outfit below is in a lighter palette but still pulls in the argyle with classic chinos and a pair of lace up oxfords. Pearls are always a classic accessory as well.

For the look below, I used more classic staple pieces of the aesthetic. I paired a basic white button up  with a sweater vest and tucked both neatly into a belted sidewalk skirt. The outfit is completed with traditional preppy accessories of dark tights, a head band and loafers.

For the last look, I pulled from the "school uniform" vibe by using a tartan skirt with a coordinating cardigan. I kept the dark tights and went for a ladylike heel to finish the look.

Which of these 2 preppy styles is your favorite? Comment below... what are some of your go to fall looks? Be sure to subscribe for notice of future posts as they are published.

20 Must Do's for the Fall Season

 Fall is my absolute favorite season! While many see fall as an end or beginning of an end, and it is in a way.... I prefer to see the beauty in the colors of changing leaves, the crisper air, and new scents as a reminder of the beauty that can sometimes be in an ending. Below are my top 20 must do's to celebrate the season and enjoy the changes that come with it!

1. Pick sunflowers!

2. Visit fall farmer's market!

3. Make chili!

4. Enjoy anything apple.... especially maybe cider!

5. Decorate house for the season!

6. Indulge in new scents!

7. Pumpkin everything!

8. Don boots and plaids!

9. Take a country drive to enjoy the foliage!

10. Pick pumpkins!

11. Be young at heart and dress up for Halloween!

12. Bonfires!

13. Visit a haunted house!

14. Enjoy nature walks before the snow hits!

15. Enjoy a hayride!

16. Forget the calories... eat the Halloween candy!

17. Enjoy seasonal movies!

18.Escape a corn maze!

19. Attend a fall festival!

20. Make a list of everything you are grateful for!

What is on your bucket list for this fall? Comment below on your favorite things to do in the fall.

Fall 2022 Trend List

 Every year since as long as I can remember I loved getting the huge issues of Fall Vogue and Harper's Bazar.  I would browse the pages intent to try to mimic the models in the glossy photos. Of course now that I am older, I know I can never mimic those models or the fashions they are wearing but I still love flipping through those pages!

I have learned over the years that a classic and "preppy" style is what fits me best, however, that doesn't stop me from caring about the new trends and how they can realistically incorporate into my wardrobe. 

Here are a few things I noticed in this year's fall Vogue:

1. Plaid and tweed are becoming popular again and not just classic as illustrated by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, and Dior.

2. Darker florals are a way to keep those flowers well into the daylight savings time as illustrated by the new Louis Vuitton Victorian buttercup print on their bags and Balenciaga's new dress prints. 

3. Black with lace and Gothic jewelry are mainstream as shown in the Chanel ads. This look was also shown with Versace.

4. Adding to this Gothic revival is the wider and wider widths of belts, almost to a corset like look as illustrated by Gucci, Karen Millen, and Versace.

5. Leather also is paring well with all of these new trends as illustrated by Givenchy and Fendi.

So how do these looks become mainstream everyday wear in a classic preppy wardrobe? With subtle interest is how...

Now of course finding those perfect pieces can also prove to be daunting and time consuming as well though.... Out of my passion for fashion I decided to open my own boutique of all the new pieces in one place. Coco & Dante has now launched as " A curated collection of classic & timeless pieces at affordable prices for the stylish woman!" 

Here is just a sampling of pieces for this fall that hit all the trends:

1. This woolen plaid blazer with leather elbow patch from the British Countryside collection not only shows the plaid trend but also the leather element.

2. For darker florals, this lace Boheme floral print dress definitely fits the bill.

3. If you do want to be daring and add in the leather/ gothic element without spending a fortune, why not pair the dark floral dresses with a leather corset belt? 

4. This mixed media of plaid and tweed dress  Riley dress gives the same vibe as the Dior looks for a fraction of the price and also would pair well with a corseted belt. 

5. Adding also to the leather trend, which is also really a classic though, why not trade your blue jeans in for a pair of leather trousers paired with a fair isle sweater? 

Comment down below, which new fall trend is your favorite? Which look can you see yourself wearing?

Is Coastal Grandma really just the new Nautical Preppy?

 Before we move away from the nautical prep look,  must address a new "trend" that emerged this summer called the Costal Grandma vibe. Not that this aesthetic is actually new at all.... 

So let's reexamine the nautical vibe... 

This style was derived around leisure activities such as sailing, yachting, island hopping in New England or being at a lake house. This color palette includes a lot of blue as well in a nod to the sea. Staple pieces for this Nautical Preppy look include: Chinos, cable sweaters in a slimmer fit, Sperry boat shoes, anchors, stripes, along with blue and light green tones. 

I recently went to the Berlin lake area to take some photographic examples for this post and have a perfect example of a nautical prep outfit below. I paired white cropped jeans with a simple blue and white striped tee adding a scarf I recently picked up from Chico's. Of course I finished off the look with my trusted Jack Rogers sandals. 

The Costal Grandma vibe has many of the same elements. To me the only difference is really the lighter color scheme, leaning less toward navy and more toward white, beige, and cream, accented with more muted beachy blues and greens inspired by the sea. Staple pieces here include: raffia bags and accessories, drawstring pants, and seaside hues. 

Below for this aesthetic I wore a simple white tee with beige and white striped drawstring capris from Amazon with an Amazon linen button up. To finish off the look I wore Beige leather slides and a raffia hat. For both looks I wore the same bracelet stack of delicate gold, pearls, and anchor accents. This has definitely been a go to outfit for me this summer, but is it really so different from my usual nautical looks in summer?

I pose that the 2 styles are truly not so different. Both are classic looks taking cues from being near the water. The new Costal Grandma is simply a more elevated and mature version of the classic nautical look with its more laid back seaside styling and muted hues. Staples of both include: striped boat necks, white jeans, cotton and linen fabrics, cable knits, boat shoes, leather sandals, seaside hues, and canvas totes. 

Which do you lean more towards? Are you nautical in navy or costal Grandma in beige? Comment below on your favorite looks. 

Southern and Nautical Prep

As promised, here is the first blog post of a series that will further define the different types of preppy style. Being the end of summer now it only seemed fitting to begin with the Nautical and Southern Prep looks, as I associate these with the warmer months personally.

As the preppy style began to take off more and more, those is warmer climates needed to adapt the style into their own. The style took on a lighter flair down south with more pastels and madras prints in lighter fabrics. With this style, the Lilly Pulitzer shift dress in fun summer prints became a staple as did Jack Rogers sandals once Jackie Kennedy began sporting them. Not only has this aesthetic become the staple in southern states such as Florida but also a major styling of warmer months in other states. There is some overlap here as well to the nautical vibe which is why I chose to link them in the same post. The Southern Prep style undeniably has more fun patterns and brighter colors though. 

 

While I do enjoy some bright colors now and again, I do not find my closet particularly full of Southern Prep options. The closest photo even of myself for this option is below when I went to a glass blowing class a few years back. I sported green scallop hems shorts from JCrew with a Simply Southern tee and Sperry footwear. While I realize that these brands are iconic, I think I personally have more away from the brighter colors the older I am getting.

Staple pieces for this Southern Prep look include: shift dresses, madras prints, sandals, cardigans, white trainer type shoes, wedges, fun prints, and bright colors. 

Nautical is typically the vibe I personally lean toward more in the summer months. I am a sucker for a good seersucker! There is just something to me calming about being near water, despite the fact that I cannot swim, and this is most likely to occur in the warmer months, so I find a nautical vibe to be my primary summer wardrobe. The pearls and anchor prints with strips and shades of  blue are absolutely perfection to me in the summer months. 

More days than not as a matter of fact, you will find me during June, July and August wearing Vineyard Vines or some other nautical-like brand with my Jacks or Sperry's. This style was derived around leisure activities such as sailing, yachting, island hopping in New England or being at a lake house. This color palette includes a lot of blue as well in a nod to the sea. I was able to find a lot more examples of me donning this style of preppy as examples.

Staple pieces for this Nautical Preppy look include: Chinos, cable sweaters in a slimmer fit, Sperry boat shoes, anchors, stripes, along with blue and light green tones. 

Which of these 2 preppy styles is your favorite? Comment below... what are some of your go to summer looks? Be sure to subscribe for notice of future posts as they are published.

7 Types of Preppy Style

 I have branded online presence as That Preppy Italian Girl and have never written a series of blog posts in regards to "preppy" style and aesthetics... That is about to change right now! In the coming months, I will be delving into each type of preppy style in future posts. For now though, let's define, or outline what those types are.

It is first important to note that there are a lot of overlaps in the styles and brands that fall into an overall preppy look. Regardless of the type of preppy, there is always an element of sophistication and timeless pieces. Good quality pieces and proper fit are always a must! The preppy style always shows attention to detail, layering of pieces, somewhat androgenous aspects, and strong craftsmanship or branding. 

When putting together you own preppy wardrobe strong quality staple garments are a must! While branding is important, it is more important to always have good craftsmanship and quality pieces that will stand the test of time. Keep pieces classic and in a color scheme that shows restraint with neutral and natural colors (you will not find neon in a true preppy wardrobe). Always buy the best pieces you can afford and be sure they are well fitted to your body! 

All that being said, I have divided the style into 7 types of preppy style. We will overview them here and dive in more deeply in future blog posts (so be sure to subscribe to know when they are published).

1. The Ivy Look:

Of course this would be #1 on the list, as the preppy style itself began as an American style deriving from Prep schools and Ivy League colleges. Earlier in American style, the wealthy and educated wanted to stand out and denote themselves as elevated and cultivated among the masses. Think classic blazers, school uniform looks, loafers, and button downs. The oldest preppy brand in America, Brooks Brothers, is the epitome of this aesthetic. This style has not changed much in over a hundred years....

2. New England Prep:

Much like the Ivy League Look, the New England Prep style has the same classic time tested vibes with it's classic lines, argyles, darker hues, and understated silhouettes. A perfect brand example of this would be Keil James Patrick launched from the iconic blog of "Classy Girls Wear Pearls." Perhaps the most recognizable brand for this category in the most American closets though is Ralph Lauren.

3. British Countryside:

From the Ivy League to New England, it is only natural to next move to a British Countryside look. All 3 styles are very similar with only slight differences in their pieces. For British Countryside, think of a quail hunt in the fall wearing a warm field jacket with a gilet vest underneath.... Or a classic outfit covered in an iconic London Fog trench... This style is full of rich autumn colors and tweed fabrics. 

Another popular brand in this category is the iconic English brand of Holland Cooper. 

4. Equestrian Style: 

Think fox hunts in the countryside, horse jumping competitions, and polo matches (also part of Country Club Prep, yet to come). This style full of jodhpurs and riding boots originates from the same theory of the Ivy League.... to give a nod to wealth and education... in this case, the affluence of being around horses for leisure.

The stye incorporates staple horse riding pieces with details in the styling such as horse bit accents and bridle designs. Brands that include this look include the previously discussed Ralph Lauren and Holland Cooper, along with Fairfax and Favor and the details of the less affordable Hermes staple accessories. Ariat is also a great American brand carrying many great pieces that work into this style, just be careful to not veer too far into Western wear. 

5. Country Club Prep:

Next up is the Country Club aesthetic, deriving again from a leisurely lifestyle but paying homage more to the sporty side of things.  Here is where the iconic polo shirts come from. Thinks tennis lessons, polo matches (also slightly tying to the equestrian style), rugby, and golf. This is by far the most casual of the preppy styles. Brands here include Ralph Lauren's Polo and Tommy Hilfiger with his famous rugby silhouette. 

6. Nautical Prep:

Another very common type of preppy look derives from a pleasure for being by the water. Again derived around leisure activities such as sailing, yachting, and lake house, I think you can begin to see a theme here. The nautical look is focused on stripes, seersucker prints, and nautical themes such as anchors. Popular brands for this look include Tommy Hilfiger and most notably though Vineyard Vines and Sperry with their footwear synonymous with boat life. This color palette includes a lot of blue as well in a nod to the sea. 

7. Southern Prep:

As the preppy style began to take off more and more, those in warmer climates needed to adapt the style into their own. The style took on a lighter fair down south with more pastels and madres prints in lighter fabrics. With this style, the Lilly Pulitzer  shift dress in summer prints became a staple as did Jack Rogers sandals once Jackie Kennedy began sporting them. Not only has this aesthetic become the staple in southern states such as Florida but also a major styling of warmer summer months in other states as well. There is some overlap here with the nautical vibe but also more fun and bright colors come out in this southern prep style. 

No matter what style of prep you choose, the constants of good quality pulled together outfits remain. Myself, I wear all of these types depending on the season. There is so much overlap that you do not need to be locked into just one style of prep. Comment below: which is your favorite style though? Also be sure to subscribe for notice of future posts as I dive more deeply into each type of prep style.