Preppiet Movie and Television Characters

Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl

Chuck Bass is a heart throb on screen, but he is also a man of great, preppy style.  He is a classy man with an unforgettable and influential look.

 

Zac Efron in Dirty Grandpa

Zac Efron plays a modern, preppy guy in his twenties who is caught up in the latest preppy fashion.  As you can see, he is sporting his Vineyard Vines vest along with a nice button up shirt.  His character just screams preppy.

 

Alfonso Ribeiro as Carlton Banks in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Carlton can always be seen in the Fresh Prince wearing a button up and a sweater, the most iconic preppy, country club look for guys.  He isn't afraid to show off a bright-colored outfit, much like other preppy kids do.

 

How Preppy Are You Quiz

How Preppy Are You?

 

 

Using Quiz Works, I was able to create my own quiz to test people on how preppy they are.  This quiz will test your knowledge of the preppy style and also teach you new things about being preppy.  After you take the quiz and see your results, come back to this page and see how your score matches up with how preppy you are.  Have fun and good luck!

Click here to take the quiz

Scoring Guide:

13-14 correct: You are the ultimate Prep!  You have the best style, knowledge, and taste of all!
10-12 correct: You have a good amount of prep! You are a "conservative" prepster.
7-9 correct: You answered about half correct, so you like being preppy sometimes.
4-6 correct: You don't seem very interested in being preppy, but you have some knowledge.
0-3 correct: You are not preppy at all and do not wish to be considered "preppy."

Preppiest Cities in America

Charleston, South Carolina

Located on the Atlantic coast of South Carolina, Charleston is a prep's dream city.  Sunny, warm, quaint, and fun, Charleston is ideal for laying out on the beach, sailing on the Atlantic, and shopping.  The streets of Charleston are packed with all different preppy stores that showcase all the different preppy brands of fashion.

Washington DC

Our nation's political capital could also be considered our nation's preppy capital.  DC is home to many young and energized future politicians who spend their days wearing business suits, but often bring out their casual preppy side on the weekends.  I guess JFK left his preppy influence on this city for others to follow in his footsteps and liven up the nation's capital!

Boston, Massachusetts

The New England region is famous for its preppiness, and Boston is in the heart of it all.  Home to sailboats, boat shoes, and prep schools, Boston showcases all that the preppy world has to offer.  Boston and the surrounding areas of the Massachusetts Bay were a favored destination of JFK, who was by far our preppiest president. 
 

Lexington, Kentucky

Home of horseracing, bourbon, and an SEC college, Lexington has grown into a well-developed southern city.  The world-renowned Keeneland horse track is prep central, filled with people dressed in their seersucker suits and colorful bow ties.  The fun college town is filled with students who are crazy about their cats and their preppy brands.  The Greek life at the University of Kentucky is very prominent to the university, and it can be seen everywhere across the town.
  

San Francisco, California

When people think preppy and classy places, their minds don't really think about San Francisco.  However, according to the Nantucket Brand, San Francisco actually has the most prep schools, yacht clubs, and preppy clothing stores per capita than any other city in the United States.  Preppy guys love their boats, and the San Francisco Bay is a boaters paradise. 

Reviews of My Favorite Preppy Brands

Vineyard Vines:

Started by two brothers from Connecticut, Vineyard Vines is one of my favorite brands of clothing.  They offer all kinds of apparel in so many different patterns, styles, and colors.  I am a huge fan of Vineyard Vines bow ties, of which I have 10.  From patterns of golden retrievers or American flags to patters of your favorite college team or their classic whales, anyone can find a fun boy tie that can pull any outfit together.  I also love their Shep Shirts, a favorite of mine for the colder months.  Of course they have some of the coolest, best quality button downs, along with their long-sleeve graphic t-shirts.  Vineyard Vines is a bit pricey, but they always have really nice items on sale, especially when they have their "Whale of a Sale," so always be on the lookout for nice pick-ups for good deals.

Southern Tide:

The first memorable wedding I ever went to was when I was 15 year old, and I wore a Southern Tide button up with the coolest Southern Tide bow tie to match.  From that moment on, I fell in love with the brand.  Much like Vineyard Vines, Southern Tide offers button ups, t-shirts, bow ties, shorts, etc. all showcasing the company's skipjack logo.  Personally, I really like their swim suits available in designs like fish patterns, classic seersucker, and simple, bright solid colors.  They also have some of the best graphic t-shirts with different designs on the back that tie in their famous skipjack fish.  Basically if you're looking for a cool beach outfit, I would check out Southern Tide first.

Patagonia:

My all time favorite preppy brand is Patagonia, hands down.  In my opinion, one can never have too many Patagonia pieces, because they are timeless, amazing-quality, and so comfortable.  The company sells different apparel from backpacks to sweaters and everything in between.  All of their products are covered under a lifetime warranty that entails full refund or replacement if anything happens to the product.  My closet is filled with their 1/4 zip pullovers, Better Sweaters, and Synchilla Snap T Sweaters.  They are a bit pricey, at around $100 each, but they are worth the investment.  The best thing about Patagonia products is that you can dress them up with a nice button down under them or dress them down with a comfortable pair of sweats.

J Crew:

J. Crew has some of the best clothes of all types on the market.  This preppy store has all of my favorite flannels, sweaters, and corduroys.  J. Crew is not much of a Vineyard Vines or Southern Tide, their clothes are more conservative but just as stylish and fun.  As like the other brands, J. Crew clothes can run pricey, but the J. Crew Factory Store (which is basically the store's outlet) has some great deals.  Oftentimes I am able to find a whole lot more at the factory store than I am at the normal store in the mall.  It's a win-win situation because you get awesome clothes and even better deals!

Polo Ralph Lauren:

Known for the famous polo player logo, Polo Ralph Lauren has been dominating the preppy consumer market, selling their awesome polos and baseball caps.  Their polos are some of the most well-known on the market and will probably stay like that for a while.  These are my go-to polos when I need to pull an outfit together, because you can never go wrong with one.  They are classy, clean, and fun to wear.  As I mentioned before, I also really like their baseball caps which are always a nice accessory to have around.

Smathers and Branson:

Smathers and Branson have become famous for their one-of-a-kind, hand-made needle-point belts, key fobs, and hats.  Needle-point products are a must have in the preppy world, and they are always very stylish.  The belts offer a fun designs of anything from Republican elephants to horses running at the Derby.  The same is true for their key fobs, that can be used to hold your car and house keys, and their hats.  Any of their products would be a great Christmas or birthday gift to give for that special someone.  Along with the cool patterns, you can get a monogram stitched into the product for a little extra money, but the personalization is really cool in the end.

A Guide on How to Step Up Your Prep

Spring and Summer
Must-Have Accessories:

• Baseball Hat: Bad hair day, no worries.  Put on a ball cap and you're ready to roll.
• Vineyard Vines/ Southern Tide/ Polo
• Navy, Light Blue, White, Yellow
  
• Sunglasses: The sun is the enemy, but the sunglasses are the protective and fashionable hero.   
• Ray-Ban Classic Tortoise Shell Wayfarer
• Ray-Ban Tortoise Shell Club Masters
• Costa
  
• Croakie: Be smart with your nice sunglasses and keep them secure around your neck when not using them.
• Southern Tide/ Costa
  
   
• Belts: Hold up your pants while adding the accessory that pulls the whole outfit together.
• Needlepoint
• Fun and Colorful Patterns
  

Tops:

• Button Ups: I prefer slim fit shirts
  
• Crew Necks: Casual, comfy, and classy
  
• Polos: Same deal as crew necks, they are classy and comfortable.  You can dress polos up, or dress them down.  Either way, fill your closet with them, they are a must have.
  
• Vented Shirts: Columbia makes nice ones.  They are good for a hot day in the sun on the beach, on a boat, or on a hike.
  

Bottoms:

• Khaki Shorts: I recommend a 7 inch Inseam. 
  
• Colorful Shorts: Salmon, Navy, Yellow, Blue, etc.
• Seersucker
  
• Gingham 
  

Shoes:

• Birkenstocks: For a nice, comfortable shoe to wear to school, on walks, to the beach, or even on a fun night out, I HIGHLY recommend investing in a pair of these fun, versatile sandals.
  
• Loafers: (Light colors for the spring and summer) The classic shoe that can compliment any style. 
  
• Flip-Flops: Everyone guy should have at least one nice pair of flip flops. Personally, I like the feel and durability of Reef and Southern Tide's sandals.   

Fall and Winter
Must Have Accessories:

• Trapper Hat: For when the weather turns cold, a faux fur trapper hat will be sure to keep you warm while also looking stylish.  I recommend a Bickley and Mitchell trapper hat.
  
• Belts: Again, belts are an important part to your entire look.  A classic brown belt or any needle point belt is a good choice.
• Fun Socks: The best part of the cold is being able to break out your fun socks with different colorful and interesting patterns.
  

Tops:

• Button Ups: Wear dark colors/ patterns in the cooler months 
• Long-Sleeve T-Shirts/ Polos: A casual top that can be worn around the house or out in the cold 
  
• Sweaters/ Pullovers: Sweaters and pullovers are the perfect top that complements a nice button up or that can be worn casually by itself. 
  
• Vests: The best way to add some prep to any top in your wardrobe. Fleece or Down vest.
  

• Nice Flannels: Flannels will keep you warm, but their colorful patterns will help you stand out.
  

Bottoms:

• Khaki Pants: A preppy guy's go-to bottom.
  
• Dark Wash Jeans: Jeans are the universal bottoms for anyone to wear.  Dark wash jeans are casual, comfy, and look very nice.
• Corduroy Pants: Gray, Khaki and forest green are my favorite colors.
  

Shoes:

• Loafers: Darker colors
• Ugg Slippers: Keep your feet warm in the colder months.
  
• Duck Boots: Perfect for all types of weather: a cold rain, snow, or sunshine.
  
• Oxfords and Suede Bucks: These shoes look good with any outfit.