If you have a question for the Preppy Girl email it to me at preppygirl@thepreppylife.com.

Hi Preppy Girl!

First let me say I enjoy your blog…ALOT. And since I’m considering getting a car this winter a question popped up. Are Volkswagens considered preppy? I love Volkswagen, my second and thirst choices are BMW and Volvo…so are Volkswagens fit for a New England preppy?

Thanks a million,
New England Prep

Dear New England Prep,

Thanks for reading my blog, I am glad you like it. I am very biased when it comes to Volkswagens, I LOVE THEM! Volkswagens, BMWs, and Volvos are all preppy cars. Just make sure you get a car that you can afford, runs well, and is dependable. The last thing you want is a car that spends more time at the mechanic than it does on the road.

For more information check out this post about preppy cars.

Good luck with the car shopping!

Best,
P.G.

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Ok, who doesn’t own at least one polo shirt…one in every color!

Polos are the brainchild of the 7-time Grand Slam champion, René Lacoste. Called “the Crocodile” by his fans, Lacoste was unsatisfied with the stuffy and confining tennis attire of the 1920s. He took matters into his own hands and designed a short-sleeved, breathable piqué cotton shirt, which he premiered while playing in the 1926 U.S. Open. His meticulously designed shirt had thoughtful details ensuring comfort, wearability and style. For example, the shirt featured a longer shirttail to stay tucked-in and a stiff collar to protect his neck from the sun. In 1927, Lacoste placed a crocodile logo on the left side of his tennis shirt, ushering in the dawn of the Lacoste and logo clothing. Upon retiring from tennis, Lacoste formed Chemise Lacoste, a luxury sportswear company, who manufactures the ever-popular crocodile tennis shirt.

…but how did it get its name?

Tennis players were not the only athletes dissatisfied with their athletic wardrobe. Disgruntled polo players took the field in long sleeved buttoned-down shirts called polo shirts. Hearing about Lacoste’s fabulous tennis shirt, the players tried it. Before long, Lacoste’s shirt was the standard garb for playing polo and referred to as the “polo” shirt. A young Ralph Lauren included the polo shirt in his fledgling 1972 clothing line, Polo.

Forty years later, and the polo shirt is still going strong. Hundreds of clothing companies have created polo knock-offs, but nothing can beat Lacoste, a true preppy original.

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Since the dawn of time, preps have used monograms to personalize their belongings. From cuff links to cozies, everything looks better with your initials. The nuns even required our high school gym uniforms to be monogrammed. Besides being functional, monogramming is a great way to spruce up your stuff.

Here are a few of my favorite monogrammed items:

Preppy Pillow:
This perky pillow features dozens of rose pink buttons and was handmade by Letter Perfect Designs. The pillows can be customized for any letter.

Cute Key Ring:
Never loose your keys again with a personalized key ring from Paige’s Pastime. Its the perfect gift for all of your preppy friends.

Delightful Duffel:
This adorable green and pink duffel bag from The Lazy Daisy Children’s Shop is great for your tweens. The bag can be personalized with 1, 2, or even 3 initials.

Coolest Car:
You can now even personalize your car with a vinyl monogram from Southern Belle Boutique.

Monogramming Guidelines:

• Traditional three letter monograms feature the last name in the center of the design. The first name initial appears to the left and the middle name initial appears to the right.
• Married or engaged couples can use either a two letter monogram or create a new three letter monogram using their shared surname.
• Monogramming etiquette for the married couple varies according to the item being monogrammed. For example, bed linens place the woman’s initial first, followed by the couple’s shared surname initial, and then the man’s initial.

Source: Wikipedia

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If you have a question for the Preppy Girl email it to me at preppygirl@thepreppylife.com.

Hi Preppy Girl,
Just wanted to let you know that I absolutely adore your blog! Well, I’m going into the eighth grade in a month or so and I really want to know what sorts of clothes I should wear to school?

Love,
Excited for Eighth Grade

Dear Excited,
Thanks for reading my blog, I am glad you like it! Tween preppy is about classics mixed with vintage 80′s or boho elements. Here are a few suggestions to start your school year off in style.

• Basic polo and khaki skirt with fluorescent Ray-Ban knock-off sunglasses, metallic flip-flops (or bright colored sandals of any kind but nothing that matches the sunglasses, no matchy-matchy. Cool always looks unstudied.)
• Graphic print skirts, simple crew neck or v-neck t-shirt with TOMS slip on shoes.
• Go nautical, Old Navy! Try a cute dress with leather boho sandals and a wrap around scarf.  H&M is another great place for preppy stripes at a reasonable price and don’t forget the boat shoes!
• Try a more colorful take on classic polo or button-down: bright hues that pop paired with either basic khaki, white, or black. Or if you are more daring, pair with other bright mismatched tones for a very confident and bold look.

Accessories are really important, they make preppy look more funky, edgy, and fun.

Arms & Ankles:
More mismatched string bracelets, beaded bracelets, the better (gives the impression you’ve been trading, swapping, or sharing a good time at camp/vacation/wherever). I like to wear my pastel pearl bracelets with chunky chains, I think it’s a fun mix and it’s a conversation starter.

Shoulder:
Tote bag, either the classic L.L. Bean, or a more boho-ish version, for example any of the nicer “reusable grocery bags” double as purses. This is a trendy look that can amp up a preppy outfit and it’s origins are decidedly upper-crusty.

Fingers:
Nailpolish! This is hugely important if you can wear it at school. Hot colors: light lilac, light blue, or electric blue. Hot pinks are always cool.

Hair:
No fuss hair, for example a loose bun, tousled-look, or headband with ponytail. Long, long hair is in for girls…keep it simple though!

Good luck with school next month!
-P.G.

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