The Unofficial Preppy Uniform: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

THE UNOFFICIAL PREPPY UNIFORM: YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW

A thesis submitted to the Kent State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for University Honors

Cody Risinger

May, 2016

Thesis written by

Cody Risinger

Approved by

______, Advisor

______, Director, The Fashion School

Accepted by

______, Dean, Honors College

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES…..…………………………………………………………………...v

LIST OF TABLES………..………………………………………………………………vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………….vii

CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………...…..……1

Definition of Terms……………………………..…………………….………4

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE…………………..………………….……..…...7

Evolution of Preppy Style……………………………..…………...……..…...8

Components of Preppy Style………………………………………..……….18

Summary………………………………………………..……………………25

III. METHODOLOGY…………………………………..………………………26

Esquire Magazine………………………………..…………………………..28

Five Key Preppy Pieces…………………………..………………………….29

Data Collection………………………………..……………………………..33

IV. RESULTS…………………………………..………………………………..35

Frequencies of Five Key Preppy Apparel Items……………..………………35

Patterns of Preppy Style……………………………………..……………….47

Styling Changes of Preppy Clothing by Decade…………..…………………56

Summary………………………………………………..……………………67

iii

V. DISCUSSION……………………..…………………………………………69

Prevalence of Preppy Style…………………………………………………..70

Five Key Preppy Garments…………………………………………………..74

Styling Preppy in the Three Peaks…………………………………………...77

Implications…………………………………………………………………..80

Limitations of the Study……………………………………………………...81

Suggestions for Future Research…………………………………………….83

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………...83

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………..…....85

APPENDIX

A. FREQUENCY BREAKDOWN BY YEAR OF THE FIVE KEY PREPPY ITEMS IN SEPTEMBER ISSUES OF ESQUIRE MAGAZINE (1962- 2015)………………………………………………………………….….90

B. FREQUENCY BREAKDOWN BY DECADE OF THE FIVE KEY PREPPY ITEMS IN SEPTEMBER ISSUES OF ESQUIRE MAGAZINE (1962-2015)………………………………………………………………92

iv LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1. Advertisement Showcasing the Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons………..30

Figure 3.2. Advertisement Showcasing Chinos…………………………...…………30

Figure 3.3 Advertisement Showcasing the Oxford Button Down Shirt……………..31

Figure 3.4 Advertisement Showcasing Loafers……………………………………..32

Figure 3.5 Advertisement Showcasing the Repp Tie………………….…………….32

Figure 4.1. Appearances of Preppy Style in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)……………………………………………………………...36

Figure 4.2. Appearances of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)………………………………………….39

Figure 4.3. Appearances of Oxford Button Down Shirt in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)…………………………………………………...41

Figure 4.4. Appearances of Chino Pant in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)………………………………………………………………43

Figure 4.5. Appearances of Loafers in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962- 2015)……………………………………………………………………..44

Figure 4.6. Appearances of Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962- 2015)…………………………………………………………………..…46

Figure 4.7. Pattern of Appearances of Five Key Preppy Garments in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)………………………………….……48

Figure 4.8. Pattern of Appearances of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons and Chinos in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)……………………49

Figure 4.9. Pattern of Appearances of Oxford Button Down Shirt, Loafers, and Repp Tie in September issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)……………..51

Figure 4.10. Pattern of Appearances of Loafers and Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015)………………………………………….55

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1. Timeline of Preppy Style……………………………………………16-18

Table 4.1. Total Count of Five Key Preppy Garments in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances……………………………………………………………...38

Table 4.2. Count of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances……………………………………………………………...40

Table 4.3. Count of Oxford Button Down Shirt in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances……………………………………………………………...42

Table 4.4. Count of Loafer in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances………………………..45

Table 4.5. Count of Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks of Appearances……………………………………..47

Table 4.6. Total Count of Five Key Preppy Garment in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks of Appearances with Percentage Total in Each Peak Represented by Oxford Button Down Shirt, Loafer, and Repp Tie…………………………………………………….53

Table 4.7. Peak and Valley Years for the Change of Styling for the Five Key Preppy Garments…………………………………………………...…………58-67

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I want to graciously thank Dr. Catherine Amoroso Leslie for always teaching me new things every time we collaborated. Whether it was about academia or general life obstacles, Dr. Leslie has helped me greatly every time. She’s been the best mentor I could ask for and I will always admire her leadership. I’d also like to thank my committee members for helping me along this journey: Dr. Kim Hahn, Dr.

Suzy D’Enbeau, and Professor Jean Druesedow. In addition, I’d like to thank The

Fashion School for allowing me the opportunity to travel abroad, experience the fashion industry firsthand, and for allowing me to complete research that is near and dear to my heart. The last group I’d like to thank is my family, but most specifically my mother,

Saunsia. I love you and cannot thank you enough for your sacrifices. Thank you all for supporting my dreams and helping me as I learned to navigate college and the real world.

The journey so far has been incredible and I cannot wait to embark on the adventures ahead. Onward!

vii

INTRODUCTION

Distinguishing itself as an easily identifiable fashion entity, men’s preppy fashion instantly brings images of Ralph Lauren campaigns, golden retrievers, John F. Kennedy, and the American flag. In visual and popular culture, preppy embodies upward mobility in the American dream, but where did this timeless style originate and how has it changed over time, especially over the past 50 years? In this study, foundational exploration led to uncovering an etymology of the main sartorial components of preppy effectively outlined in a September 1962 Esquire editorial titled, “The Basic College Wardrobe”

(Darvin, 1962). Darvin presented a formulaic prescription of essential garments composing the preppy style. The timing of this article is notable as it is beyond the height of Ivy Style in the 1950s, yet predates the emergence of preppy fashion brands.

The single, most important piece in a true preppy’s wardrobe is the iconic blazer; the ultimate all-purpose garment. Lisa Birnbach, author of The Official Preppy Handbook

(1980), declared the blazer as, “the wardrobe’s backbone – or exoskeleton” (143). This garment is the immediate go-to piece in any preppy male’s wardrobe, especially when embellished with gold buttons. The first usage of the term was recorded in the 1852 edition of the Cambridge University General Almanack and Register when the renowned boating jackets of Lady Margaret Boat Club were dubbed blazers due to their vivid blazing red coloring (Carlson, 2014). By the time the 1870 Almanack was released, many other school’s rowing jackets were classified as blazers (Carlson, 2014). The term, blazer became a widespread sporting phenomenon with many other activities referring to

jackets as blazers. Over time, the connection with rowing fell into obscurity leaving only the creation of myths to explain the phenomena of the quintessential blazer.

Accompanying the blazer to create a classic preppy uniform are several other garments drenched in historical importance: khaki pants (also known as chinos), oxford button down shirts, repp (diagonally striped) ties, and penny loafers. Individually and collectively, these garments paint a picture of reaching the pinnacle of the American dream and have impacted both personal identity management and society’s perception of men. Although the main components of this style have remained consistent over time, their message has not.

Fashion lives as an evolutionary figure that interacts with diverse peoples and societies, making it a very challenging phenomenon to track. Some may not realize that preppy style did not always have the connotations of conservatism that it does today, but was employed as a sign of rebellion and informality. Tracing all the way back to English tailoring and Beau Brummell’s creation of Dandyism, preppy style bloomed through its predecessors. The style persisted and evolved due to globalization and the transformation of social etiquette during the twentieth century. Reasons for various outbursts of visual identity through preppy dress are directly correlated with current events of each time period. Fashion must be understood in context, it is a reflection of zeitgeist; how society is feeling during a given era (Tortora & Eubank, 2010).

Specific to this study, in the early twentieth century, style tribes on college campuses such as athletes and military men combined together to create what we know as

Ivy Style. As decades progressed, this large encompassing clothing trend evolved further

into the Go-to-Hell look, WASP style, and the globalization of Ivy in Japan. Through the constant evolution of this classic style the modern day preppy look came to fruition.

A significant amount of research has centered on the height of men’s Ivy Style during the 1950s, but there are gaps in the literature in answering questions about how this style of dressing evolved after mid-century into what is identified as preppy today.

The purpose of this study is to explore the classic American style labeled “preppy” to evaluate and interpret its static and dynamic elements over time. Therefore, the research questions are:

1. What is the prevalence of the main five garments of preppy style (navy blazer

with gold buttons, khaki pants, oxford button down shirt, loafers, and repp tie)

from the high point of Ivy Style in the 1950s to today?

2. How does the evolution and transformation of preppy style through these five

garments reflect changes in men’s fashion over time?

3. What implications can we draw about the relationships between preppy style,

fashion change, and presentation of self for American men during this period?

In order to answer the research questions, a content analysis of Esquire magazine was conducted. According to Richard Press from FIT’s “Ivy Style” exhibition walk-through,

Esquire magazine prevailed as the catalog of fashion during the high point of Ivy Style

(The Museum at FIT, 2012). Darvin’s September 1962 Esquire editorial, “The Basic

College Wardrobe” and Lisa Birnbach’s The Official Preppy Handbook (1980) served as the foundation for this research on preppy after its height in the 1950s. By examining what was presented in editorial content and advertising messages over time, this study

will add to our understanding of what happened to Ivy Style after it’s prime and how it evolved into the preppy style known so well today.

Definition of Terms

Beau Brummell Claimed by many to be one of the original Dandies.

Blazer Another term for sports jacket sold separately from pants.

Chino A finer version of denim, made of single-color cotton that has been

combed, mercerized, and often preshrunk. It is a warp-faced fabric

with an uneven twill construction that means the front and back

both have a different appearance and hand (Young, 2013, Swatch

73).

Dandy A man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance

(Merriam-Webster; Retrieved 12-14-15).

Go-to-Hell Look Outfits characterized by bright colors and pastels with little regard

for social etiquette. In The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan says

about Gatsby being an Oxford Man, “Like hell he is, he wears a

god damn pink suit!” (Salk, 2007).

Ivy Style That utterly effortless nonchalant fashion affected by floppy-haired

Andover and Exeter alums coming of age in a mix of relaxed

sportswear, crest-bearing navy blazers, khaki chinos, and striped

repp ties” (Cappello, 2012).

Japanese Ivy New interpretation of the classic style with slimmer cuts and

innovative fashion statements. Modern day preppy style is

Japanese (Mears, 2010).

Khaki This term derives from Persian. Khak means dirt or dust, which

refers to the color of the cotton pant (Mears, 2012).

Loafer A shoe that slips on with no clasps or closures that is inspired by

Native American moccasins and Norwegian fisherman slippers

(Marsh & Gaul, 2010).

Oxford Oxford is a fabric made of cotton used for shirting materials.

Oxford originates from Oxford University and is soft and resilient.

The fabric is constructed in a basket weave formation and often

half-basket to give higher resilience (Young, 2013, Swatch 56).

Preppy Someone who dresses or acts like a student at a prep school (such

as wearing neat, somewhat formal clothing or by using particular

words and phrases) (Merriam-Webster; Retrieved 11-22-15).

Regimental Stripe Signifies a wearer’s affiliation with a specific group and the stripes

point diagonally from the wearer’s left should to the right hip (The

Thrift Prep Guide, 2013).

Repp Stripe Diagonal stripes that point diagonally from the wearer’s right

shoulder to the left hip and have no affiliation with any group (The

Thrift Prep Guide, 2013).

Style Tribe A distinctive appearance on a national to international scale that

indicates a unique ‘tribal’ identity that bonds a group of people

together based on their appearance and sense of self (Polhemus,

1994, pg. 14).

WASP White Anglo-Saxon Protestant; “An American whose family

originally came from northern Europe and especially Britain and

who is considered to be part of the most powerful group in society”

(Merriam-Webster; Retrieved 12-14-15).

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Clothing is inseparable from the larger concept of “preppy.” The dictionary definition begins with “someone who dresses or acts like a student at a prep school (such as wearing neat, somewhat formal clothing or by using particular words and phrases)

(Merriam-Webster; Retrieved 11-22-15). Preppy conjures John F. Kennedy Jr. sailing off the Hyannis coast and wealthy blue bloods donning “a mix of relaxed sportswear, crest- bearing navy blazers, khaki chinos, and striped repp ties” (Cappello, 2012, p. 17). These are images of the American dream, tracing back to England with many style tribes in- between. Preppy differentiates itself from the rest of men’s fashion by featuring classic garments such as navy blazers with gold buttons, khaki/chino pants, oxford button down shirts, loafers, and repp ties that have been integral to the preppy uniform since the days of Ivy Style.

Traditional preppy styling is all about the details, such as tucked shirts, hemmed or cuffed pants, and a strong attention to detail (Birnbach, 1980). At the same time, this type of dressing has evolved and been influenced by changing fashions. In today’s industry, a concept of preppy reflecting an idealized lifestyle dominates through massive fashion brands like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Lacoste. Although a prevalent staple of popular culture and contemporary appearance management, relationships between static and dynamic aspects of the influential preppy style warrant focused exploration.

Evolution of the Preppy Style

The fashion industry forecasts so many current trends and styles each season that consumers get lost in the hubbub. Brands are losing their initial roots, while trying to expand their market share (Mears, 2012). Initially, preppy fashion and its predecessors, the biggest being Ivy Style, were immune from trends. In 2010, Patricia Mears curated a menswear exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) titled, “Ivy Style”. In the accompanying book she wrote of men who dressed in this manner, “Their passion and near complete disregard for trend and flash were the quiet enticements that led me to discover and embrace Ivy Style – a look that transcends and endures, is historic yet modern, and is quintessentially American, yet aggressively global” (Mears, 2010, p. 9).

It’s important to note that while some Ivy style pieces may be considered preppy, not all preppy garments are Ivy. In contemporary understanding, preppy tends be driven by trends and color combinations which began in the 1980s, coinciding with the rise of

American “preppy” brands such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

Ivy Style

Ivy Style originated from the Ivy League schools: Princeton, Harvard, Yale,

Cornell, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth (with the first three leading the popularity). Rumors speculate that the term Ivy branched from football game rules when a group of four schools came together and named themselves IV in Roman numerals (Mears, 2010). The Roman numerals became a nickname and phonetically they sounded out to be Ivy.

Before the high point of Ivy Style in the 1950s, Apparel Arts, a menswear publication, launched a revolutionary idea for selling to men. The magazine noted that men attending college spent “51 percent more on clothes than the average man”

(Cappello, 2012, p. 20). The top apparel-selling period was August 15 to September 15 and Apparel Arts saw an opportunity in the market, launching a Back to School campaign in March 1937 (Mears, 2010). From that point on, September magazine issues became a significant selling initiative for the fashion industry as a whole, led by menswear. A shift to focus on college fashion led to a strong emphasis on the Ivy League institutions, since their students had money to spend. In 1937 colleges were saturated with the wealthy class with only 15% of 18 to 20 year olds attending higher education (Hunt, 2006). This age group had a considerable amount of disposable income to purchase clothing to fit the collegiate image during this era.

Ivy Brands

Brooks Brothers dominates the retailing industry as one of the main Ivy Style influencers. They are the oldest clothier in the United States, founded on April 7, 1818 by

Henry Sands Brooks (Mears, 2010). Initially, the company began helping men purchase well-tailored goods from London. By the early nineteenth century, Brooks Brothers was creating their own tailored goods in a ready-to-wear format.

Brooks Brothers is credited with inventing the button down oxford shirt (An

American icon returns, n.d.) and making the “American” suit with unpadded natural shoulders, modest lapels, center back vent, soft-front construction, and straight leg trousers (Mears, 2010). Their signature suit,

…has always stood as a model of fine-tailoring, propriety, and power and never

more so than at the start of the Eisenhower era in 1953, when the post-World War

II explosion in employment allowed a much broader range of college-educated

men to apply for jobs. (Banks & De La Chappelle, 2011, p. 71).

As America became more politically conservative in the Post-War era, Ivy Style and

Brooks Brothers came to the forefront of the fashion industry.

Another top contender for bringing Ivy Style to the masses is J. Press, which was founded on Yale’s campus in 1902 and is said to contain the true birth of Ivy Style

(Cappello, 2012). The brand is loyal to its roots and continues to follow the philosophy of

“Why fix what isn’t broken?” J. Press consistently sticks to their strengths, offering the same suit for the past 40+ years without changes (Banks & De La Chappelle, 2011). This contrasts with Brooks Brothers, who subtlety adapts market trends into their assortment, demonstrated by their Red Fleece line.

Fashion is essentially an ethic of living. It reveals many of the things one wishes to explain to society without a word. The importance of Brooks Brothers and J. Press to the expression communicated by preppy style comes through.

This philosophy was never better demonstrated as when Yale alumnus and

former president George H.W. Bush was delivering a speech at his alma mater

and was interrupted by hecklers shouting that he ‘was just another out-of-touch

Brooks Brothers Republican.’ The president, annoyed, paused and – with superb

timing – opened his suit coat to reveal its unmistakable J. Press label (Banks & De

La Chappelle, 2011, p. 76).

Closely aligned with certain brands, preppy style is a prominent example of how labels possess the power to reinforce images and even change perceptions.

Pure Prep

As Ivy Style developed, its reputation as a “classic” and static form of dressing grew, a characterization, which is both accurate and inaccurate. By the time John F.

Kennedy came into the picture in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the casual factor of this style of dressing became more prevalent. His signature cuffed chino pants are often seen as a sign of rebellion because of the casual nature in which they were worn (Martin &

Koda, 1989). This method of dressing became more of a rebellious statement because the wearer wore the pants in a way that differed from the brand’s intention.

It is as if the garment as purchased, or even as tailored to the individual, not quite

correct and must be changed in some way by the individual to betoken a

completely personal style without the artifice of a tailor or mom’s alterations

(Martin & Koda, 1989, p.138).

John F. Kennedy brought Ivy, now also called “preppy,” with him to Washington D.C. when he won the presidential race in 1960. He and his “Harvard-educated coterie of advisors” wore natural-shouldered suits, horn-rimmed glasses, and repp ties (Banks & De

La Chapelle, 2011, p. 78). Unfortunately, there was a decline in the impact of JFK’s mainstream style after 1968 when his legacy began to fade (Banks & De La Chapelle,

2011). The preppy style continued to live on in East Coast country clubs and in small doses on Ivy League campuses. By the 1970s, Ivy League schools opened up to bring in a

more diverse student body, which in turn brought the Hippie style to the forefront (Banks

& De La Chapelle, 2011).

As preppy style faded into the background during the mid-to-late 1960s, the style moved across the globe to Tokyo, Japan. A group of Japanese writers and photographers visited Ivy campuses in the early years of the decade to document this style, which seemed so outlandish to them. They wrote, “Students do have an unwritten dress code that they faithfully observe, despite the seemingly disorderly manner in which they dress”

(Ishizu, Kurosu, Hasegawa & Hayashida, 2010, p. 123). During the summer of 1964

Japanese Ivy appeared on Miyuki Street, in a neighborhood of Tokyo (Marsh & Gaul,

2010). To their countrymen, this group of young Japanese men was perceived as rebellious. They wore clothes very authentically to the American style, but in much slimmer cuts (Marsh & Gaul, 2010). Interestingly, J. Press actually does most of their current business in Japan because of the enduring popularity of traditional American Ivy

Style (Belkin, 1986).

Trendy Prep

By 1980, a new conservative politician rose to power: Ronald Reagan. The name and associated sentiment of “preppy” was firmly fixed in American popular culture.

After more than a decade of unrest and liberal thinking, preppies around the world rejoiced at the revival of tradition. In 1984 Reagan began his second term as president, significantly influencing a dominant conservatism in the nation.

It can be argued that Reagan was a more influential leader in that he set into

motion not only political conservatism but also the American cultural shift to the

right (Mears, 2010, p.147).

In conjunction with a new lifestyle leader at the helm of American politics, the traditional preppy style, which had been in the shadows through the late 1960s and 1970s, came to the forefront. This is evidenced by The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach, which was released in 1980. This book was reprinted 41 times and is “a strong indicator of ‘prep-arians’ at the gate, clamoring for a key to that ‘exclusive club” (Banks & De La

Chappelle, 2011, p. 127). For Americans in the early 1980s, Birnbach made preppy seem attainable. Anyone who had the disposable money could live and dress in the idealized preppy lifestyle.

When Reagan came into office, the economy was sluggish. Inflation rates were at

13.5%, unemployment was at a staggering 7.6%, and the prime interest rate was at a ghastly 21.5% (The second American revolution, Retrieved 11-22-15). The economy drastically improved with inflation dropping to 4.1%, unemployment falling to 5.5%, and the prime interest rate lowering to 10% (The second American revolution, Retrieved 11-

22-15). This prosperity brought with it a generation of young urban professionals, also known as yuppies; individuals who earned a lot of money in a short period of time and were ready to spend it (Banks & De La Chappelle, 2011). Some yuppies were not raised in a life of privilege, but more than willing to create the illusion that they had been. In order to foster the impression associated with preppy upbringing, yuppies began purchasing clothes that perpetuated their desired lifestyle through a company’s brand. As

brands began to matter to the consumer, the decade of logos plastered everywhere began

(Tortora & Eubank, 2010).

Preppy Brands. Although old standards such as Brooks Brothers and J. Press continued, two fashion brands reflecting preppy style emerged and prevailed during the

1980s. The first and most well known is Ralph Lauren. This Ivy-inspired brand did not recycle old designs, but contributed to the style’s evolution by bringing in current trends to mix with classic elements: the birth of true preppy fashion. Ralph Lauren did not just offer products, he “conjured up the idea of selling an entire aspirational lifestyle: beautiful clothes with a backdrop of idealized houses, perfect wives and children, and perfect dogs” (Banks & De La Chappelle pg. 110). He painted the American dream and rising sales indicated that consumers wanted to be part of the theatrics.

By 1984 Tommy Hilfiger exploded onto the scene with hopes of stealing part of

Ralph Lauren’s market share (Banks & De La Chappelle, 2011). The brand grew rapidly in a short time, shocking the industry. Employing a red, white, and blue logo inspired by the American flag Tommy Hilfiger became an emblem of American lifestyle. With a clever marketing campaign and moderately priced items, he infiltrated the industry in a record-breaking manner due to a perfectly timed entrance. The American consumer was ready for this re-invigorated preppy look.

Preppy fashions fell to the wayside during the late 1980s and 1990s as hip-hop and grunge became mainstream. It’s important to note that after Reagan’s presidency, there was a decline in preppy fashion similar to the scenario after John F. Kennedy’s

assassination. The 1990s introduced Casual Fridays, which took the world by storm causing preppies everywhere to cringe with unease.

Integrated Prep

The 2000s saw an interesting cultural shift. Famous creative ambassador at

Barneys New York department store, Simon Doonan, claims preppy fashion came back to combat the trashy reality culture after the millennium (Wertheimer, 2010). In reference to television programs, The Real Housewives of Orange County and Jersey Shore,

Doonan stated, “There’s this super porno chic that sort of dominated much of pop culture.

And it’s natural that there’s this sort of conservative reaction to that and that people might rediscover the sort of simple WASPy elegance of preppy style” (Wertheimer,

2010, para. 3).

At the turn of the century, preppy fashion had many ways of being worn. It no longer was exclusive to bluebloods and Kennedy’s. Core elements that signified preppy were incorporated in fashions worn by a variety of style tribes. The goal of style tribes is to provide an “immediately recognizable visual guide as to who is a member of which tribal group” (Polhemus, 1994 pg. 14). Many other ways to classify groups of people began to fade in this period such as geographic location, faith, and social class. Style tribes “arose to satisfy that need for a sense of community and common purpose”

(Polhemus, 1994 pg. 14), and the preppy tribe truly excelled at creating an exclusive uniform for it’s prestigious members.

Preppy clothes were now as likely to be worn by a prep school graduate at an East

Coast country club as a hipster on the streets of Brooklyn, although motivations could be

different. Rather than a uniform of the country club crowd, a hand me down oxford shirt is donned ironically on the Brooklyn streets. With each passing year in this new century, preppy style evolves and encompasses more trends under its ever wider-ranging umbrella. As generations pass, “those of us who are stamped by it will always ‘have it’ in some way: a nostalgic nod to our youthful student years, or simply an appreciation of the unsteadied, seeming classic style – American to its core” (Banks & De La Chappelle,

2011, p. 155). Contemporary preppy is not a secret handshake restricted to the upper class, but a quintessential American style, which defines itself through the persistence and development of core pieces that have been around since the beginning.

It has been said that fashion is not revolutionary, but evolutionary (Ngo, 2008).

The preppy style changes in relationship to aesthetic, historic, political, economic, and social aspects. To better understand the changes in preppy menswear from the early

1960s to the present, Table 1.1 has been adapted from the Review of Literature.

Table 1.1

Timeline of Preppy Style

Time Period Context and Characteristics

Early to Mid John F. Kennedy’s influence emphasizes natural-shouldered suits,

1960s horn-rimmed glasses, and repp ties. The way John F. Kennedy wore

clothes slightly embraced the Go-to-Hell Look that became very

popular in East Coast country clubs. There is a noticeable decline in

preppy fashion after John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

Late 1960s to Style continued to live on in East Coast country clubs and in small

Late 1970s doses on Ivy League campuses. Ivy League schools opened up to bring

in a more diverse student body, which in turn brought the Hippie style

to the forefront. While stagnant in the United States, preppy style

moved across the globe to Tokyo with Japanese Ivy appearing during

the summer of 1964. Clothes were worn very authentically in the

American style, but in much slimmer cuts.

Early 1980s to By 1980, a new conservative politician rose to power: Ronald Reagan

Late 1980s and the traditional preppy style, which had been in the shadows

through the late 1960s and 1970s, came to the forefront. The Official

Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach (1980) evidences a generation of

young urban professionals willing to create the illusion associated with

preppy upbringing, purchasing clothes that perpetuated their desired

lifestyle through a company’s brand. As brands began to matter to the

consumer, two fashion brands reflecting preppy style, Ralph Lauren

and Tommy Hilfiger emerged and prevailed. The American consumer

was ready for this re-invigorated preppy look.

Late 1980s to Preppy fashions fell to the wayside during the late 1980s to mid 1990s,

Mid 1990s as hip-hop and grunge became mainstream. After Reagan’s presidency,

the 1990s introduced Casual Fridays. This is the time period where

George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton resided as political figureheads in

the United States.

Mid 1990s to At the turn of the century, preppy fashion had many ways of being

Present worn. It no longer was exclusive to bluebloods and the Kennedy’s.

Core elements that signified preppy were incorporated in fashions worn

by a variety of style tribes. Preppy style evolved and encompassed

more trends under its growing umbrella. Quintessential American style

was defined through persistence and development of core pieces that

have been around since the beginning. This period includes the

presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

Components of Preppy Style

Many guides to dressing in the Ivy or preppy style have been formulated by quite prevalent pieces of literature including advice of menswear experts. For the purposes of this study, two of these will form the foundation of the components of preppy style. The first and most prominent appeared in Esquire in September 1962. This short photo spread featured the garments and accessories of “The Basic College Wardrobe” by author Jerry

Darvin. This Esquire editorial was representative of other men’s magazines in the 1960s, which focused on formulaic guides to dressing instead of presenting trends for readers to decipher (Martin & Koda, 1989). The timing of this article is notable as it is beyond the height of Ivy style in the 1950s, yet predates the emergence of preppy fashion brands.

Although American men in the late 1960s and 1970s were freer to experiment with style in the “Peacock Revolution” (Tortora & Eubank, 2010), in general, a formula persisted in preppy style. Twenty years after Esquire’s article, Lisa Birnbach authored

the infamous The Preppy Handbook in 1980, which included an entire section on menswear. Although tongue in cheek, her treatise to living the preppy lifestyle was immediately accepted. This prescriptive paperback helped dictate and guide preppy fashion’s rise to prominence in the 1980s.

Analysis of Darvin’s and Birnbach’s lists along with Mears exhibition catalog revealed several overlapping elements that truly define the preppy style through the years: navy blazer with gold buttons, button down oxford shirt, khaki pants (also known as chinos), loafers (also known as Weejuns), and repp ties (Birnbach, 1980; Darvin, 1962,

Mears 2010). These five key preppy pieces are relatively static, but could be interpreted differently depending on a man’s age. “Whether he’s twenty-two or eighty-two, he will look just right: a little stodgy in his youth, and quite boyish in his dotage” (Birnbach &

Kidd, 2010, p. 112). The next section will outline the establishment and development of the five key items of the preppy style.

Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons

The most influential piece from the preppy wardrobe is the classic and enduring navy blazer, serving as “the wardrobe’s backbone – or exoskeleton…” (Birnbach, 1980, p. 143). Several stories have been presented as to how the navy blazer began. The first is a myth with no factual proof, but has been used as the supporting story for many years.

According to Richard Martin and Harold Koda (1989):

In the nineteenth century, the captain of the HMS Blazer, anticipating a visit by

Queen Victoria, found his crew a motley throng and dressed them in like blue-

serge. The lend asserts that these jackets were named blazers after the frigate and

after their marked success as naval dress” (p. 115).

This myth persisted until 2014, when talented rower Jack Carlson uncovered the authentic beginning of the term blazer.

Unlike the military etymology, the beginnings stem from athletics in Great Britain during the 1820s. The blazer “has its origins in the rowing kit of the great British schools and universities, where the first blazers were created in bold colors for college boat clubs” (Carlson, 2014, p. 9). The boating jacket tradition began as a way for Oxford and

Cambridge teams to be differentiated on the water. Rowers wore their blazers to keep warm, but sentimental value brought the jackets into daily dress, when athletes donned them to show off sporting accomplishments.

By the mid-nineteenth century rowing jackets were standard in the Oxford rower’s wardrobe (Carlson, 2014). Blazers showed solidarity and expressed “uniformity” among teammates (Martin & Koda, 1989, p. 115). Personalization expressed a rower’s allegiances through “embroidered insignia derived from college heraldry, and studded with brilliant, bespoke club buttons” (Carlson, 2014, p. 11).

Rowing jackets were first termed blazers when the Cambridge University General

Almanack and Register reported a competition in 1852, when “… the vivid scarlet boating coats of Lady Margaret Boat Club at St. John’s College, Cambridge, were nicknamed ‘blazers’ on account of their ‘blazing red’ hue” (Carlson, 2014, p. 11-12). By

1870 the same publication referred to every school’s rowing jackets as blazers, and in

1880 the term entered the mainstream, with the general public losing its connection to rowing (Carlson, 2014).

In order for the navy blazer to be quintessentially preppy gold buttons need to be present. This stems from the regimental blazer button, which bears a heritage insignia or college insignia (Birnbach, 1980). The buttons began as a symbol of identity for the wearers, creating a strong emotional bond with their blazers with gold buttons. According to Esquire (1985), “We’re talking the basics here: the blue blazer with gold buttons…”

(p. 65).

Button Oxford Down Shirt

Another prominent staple garment in the preppy wardrobe is the oxford cloth button down shirt. Like the blazer, this piece stemmed from athletic ventures, with the button down collar originating on the English polo fields. In 1900, John Brooks from the

Brooks Brothers label took the idea of a button down shirt to his company, which reinvented it by replacing the detachable linen collars and cuffs with permanent cotton equivalents (Marsh & Gaul, 2010; Mears, 2010). The result was a product with increased comfort that was easier to clean.

Over the years many modifications have been attempted to keep the shirt fresh.

Brooks Brothers introduced the popover, which is a half button-down shirt that must be pulled over the head like a t-shirt. Other Brooks Brothers’ innovations were a style with a chest pocket, a button on the back of the collar, and an extra button on the front placket, which facilitated wearing shirts untucked. Oxfords come in many shapes in iterations, but companies continue to offer and consumers continue to purchase the original.

Khakis/Chinos

After the navy blazer, the next and most versatile piece of the preppy style are khaki-colored chino pants. The term khaki originates from the Persian language meaning dust or dirt (Mears, 2010). “Chino” originated on college campuses during the 1950s because most of the cotton drill used to create the pants came from China (Mears, 2010).

According to tradition, the most legitimate version is the 1950s army-issued chinos with a button down fly (Marsh & Gaul, 2010). The history of chinos has been rich with military influence. “Khaki has long offered an alternative to denim for casual wear. Khakis are the summer dress of the military and the working gear of men in some industries, but they originated in the uniform of the Anglo-Indian army” (Martin & Koda, 1989, p.106).

Essentially these dust-colored pants were a way for military men to blend into crowds and their surroundings.

Chinos became prominent on college campuses due to a rise in attendance between 1930-1950, especially in the post-war years (Mears, 2010). In this period, the number of students attending university increased six fold, with the majority coming from the working class. This influx of students was largely attributed to veterans from

World War II using the G.I. Bill to attend college. Forty-nine percent of those eligible took advantage of this college-funding plan, resulting in a cultural normality shift in higher education (Mears, 2010).

As military men from lower socioeconomic backgrounds blended in with upper class Ivy League students, the unique military style of dressing casual in chinos saturated the campus style. By the mid 1950s, a generation of youth born in the Depression and

raised during World War II entered college with a preference for mid-price clothing.

Chinos were desirable because they were durable, comfortable, inexpensive, easy to care for, easy to match with other garments, and the wrinkled careless look reflected a carefree college ideal. Advertisers and department stores caught onto this and capitalized on it immediately.

Loafers

Preppy is all about the details. No preppy look would be complete without the proper shoes to finish off the ensemble. The quintessential preppy shoe traces its history to Norway with influence from Native American footwear. “Loafers, after all, began as

American Indian moccasins and traipsed to Norway…”, only to be brought back to the states by well-traveled Americans (Martin & Koda, 1989, p. 138). George Bass first offered the original loafer created for Americans in 1936 (Marsh & Gaul, 2010). A

Norwegian fisherman slipper worn during the winter months inspired Bass, calling his shoe a Weejun to honor the Norse heritage. Movie star Cary Grant inspired a following with a slightly different version, the tassel loafer. Many companies followed Bass’s lead: suede Cole Haan loafers, Alden tassel loafers, and the Gucci loafer (Marsh & Gaul,

2010). After World War II, Americans traveled to Norway and fell in love the style, especially what was known as the penny loafer (Mears, 2010).

The ease of this men’s furnishing made it a campus favorite. Gucci released its loafer in the 1950s and revolutionized footwear by forging a link between casual and professional (Mears, 2010). They created a shoe that could be worn at a country club and while making a multi-billion dollar business proposal on Wall Street. The Gucci loafer

was made of lightweight calfskin, had a smaller more refined shape, and was finished with the signature horse bit (Mears, 2010). Ultimately, George Bass created a massive trend in the men’s footwear industry and a staple of preppy style.

Repp Tie

The last featured staple to the preppy outfit, is the ultimate in men’s furnishings: the striped necktie. This subtle piece hides many facts within its details. It traces back to

England, where a regimental striped tie was used to “signify membership in a military unit, club, or university” (The Thrift Prep Guide, 2013, para. 32). These stripes always pointed from the wearer’s left shoulder to the right hip. The tie was a way to look at someone and know their affiliation without even conversing. Traditionally, it is considered a faux pas to wear stripes for a group with which you were not associated.

Brooks Brothers identified this neckwear trend and decided to introduce stripes to

America. The trick for Brooks Brothers was to use regimental stripes, but in a way that the company could avoid directly copying Britain’s tradition. The company “reversed the direction of the stripes” (The Thrift Prep Guide, 2013, para. 33). Rather than

“regimental,” these accessories became known as repp ties. By the 1960s, the striped ties were in high demand and being worn on many college campuses around the country.

Summary

Preppy style and these five key pieces pull much inspiration from classic British lifestyle, military dress, and athletics. The blazer’s origins prove to be deeply rooted in the British rowing culture. Multiple groups and wartime influences impacted the design

of the chino, but postwar males brought the style to college campuses. Button down oxford shirts, originally worn on the British polo field, were reinvented and made mainstream by an American retailer. Loafers gained dominance as casual furnishing overtook the dapper men of the first half of the twentieth century. The repp tie came from reinterpreting subtle diagonal stripes used in England to show allegiances to certain groups.

These five garments were presented by Darvin in Esquire in 1962 and reinforced by Birnbach in 1980. They continued to be championed by preppy brands and proponents of Japanese preppy. As the style evolved and intersected with fashion, changes were seen in terminology, fabrication, fit, reason for wearing, and pop culture surrounding the wearer. Political leaders, reality television, and military men coming back to civilian life have all had their impact on the preppy menswear of today. This fashion tribe has found the perfect mix of classic with a continuous ability to find ways to remain relevant. Preppy is the fashion of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

METHODOLOGY

To answer the research questions, a well-established approach was utilized: content analysis. “Qualitative content analysis defined itself within this framework as an approach of empirical, methodological controlled analysis of texts within their context of communication, following content analytical rules and step by step models, without rash quantification” (Mayring, 2000). This method has been employed often in fashion research, especially for investigations involving seriation, which “graphically presents the chronological frequency of each characteristic” (Paoletti, Beeker, & Pelletier, 1987, p.

44). In Content Analysis: Its application to the study of the History of Costume, Paoletti

(1982) referenced Holsti (1969) in the appropriateness of this methodology in studies of dress. “Content analysis is a procedure for producing quantitative data from verbal or nonverbal communication. It is particularly useful in situations where documentary evidence is the principal source, (2) where sources are especially numerous, and (3) where the researcher wishes to study the covert (or implicit) meaning of communication”

(Paoletti, 1982, p. 14).

According to Cosbey, Damhorst, and Farrell-Beck (2002), “the primary dilemma in documenting visual characteristics of dress is how to measure and record them.

Garments are complex objects, particularly when multiple pieces are assembled into an outfit on the human body or representation of the body” (p. 110). These authors outlined

“Nominal Measurement,” which recorded stylistic features from pictures and grouping individual garments according to type (Cosbey, et al., 2002). The utilization of content

analysis and nominal measurement to answer similar research questions published in the

Clothing and Textiles Research Journal and Dress informed the method for this study.

Several examples are provided below.

In their visual analysis of women’s daytime clothing from 1873 through 1912,

Cosbey, et al. (2002), “systematically selected illustrations from the same three monthly issues for every third year” of The Delineator and Harper’s Bazar (p. 111). Criteria for their sample required that the garment be in the “daytime” category, image be an illustration, and show the figure in full length. Mary J. Thompson (2000) investigated gender in magazine advertising between 1964 and 1994 by randomly selecting two issues of Vogue and Gentleman’s Quarterly for the years 1964, 1974, 1984, and 1994.

Advertisements were categorized in a codebook using an operational definition of

“sexual appeal.” A similar methodology was used in Paoletti, et al. (1987) to investigate men’s jacket styles from 1919 through 1941. They analyzed extant garments in the

Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution coupled with investigation of

Sears catalogs from the same period. Because vests and trousers were not always visible, the image analysis focused solely on suit jackets (Paoletti, et al., 1987).

Banning & Kuttruff (2010) evaluated Good Housekeeping magazines from 1949 through 1968 to compare commodity bag garments with ready-to-wear garments. These were the years that corresponded to pattern copyright dates and the magazine was aimed at middle class American women, the group most likely to wear commodity bag dresses.

Issues from January through June were analyzed as these would be when spring and summer garments were presented, linking with the cotton fabric of the commodity bags.

Another content analysis examined two magazines: Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, as well as newspapers to recognize how exposed midriffs transitioned from exotic dancewear to trendy clothing (Scarborough & Hunt-Hurst, 2014). These magazines were selected because they were well-known fashion publications with large readership. Every issue was reviewed; tallying the number of times an exposed midriff was seen. These articles support the utilization of a specific magazine with appropriate target audience, the selection of certain issues for analysis, and the identification of content including specific garment characteristics as a sample.

Esquire Magazine

Esquire magazine was selected as the focus for this study. Founded in 1933,

“Esquire defines, reflects and celebrates what it means to be a man in contemporary

American culture” (Hearst.com, Retrieved: 1-6-16, para. 1). Esquire’s readership tends to be upper middle class Caucasian men, with white-collar jobs, demographics and lifestyle characteristics closely aligned with preppy (Mega Media Marketing, Retrieved 4-14-16).

Richard Press, grandson of the founder of J. Press, narrated the video for the Fashion

Institute of Technology’s fashion exhibit, Ivy Style. While wearing a navy blazer with gold buttons, a white button down oxford shirt, and Nantucket Red colored chinos,

Richard Press referred to Esquire as the catalog of fashion during the high point of Ivy

Style (The Museum at FIT, 2012). Esquire has been a prominent American men’s magazine with fashion content from 1933 to the present day, consistently providing its readership with classic style mixed with trends.

The sample for this study was identified through a content analysis of the

September issues from 1962 through 2015. Rationale for sample selection was based on the September 1962 Esquire editorial titled, “The Basic College Wardrobe” (Darvin,

1962) which presented an etymology of the main sartorial components of the preppy style. Darvin’s (1962) piece was representative of other men’s magazines in the 1960s, which focused on formulaic guides to dressing instead of presenting trends for readers to decipher (Martin & Koda, 1989). The timing of this article was designated for the start of this study as it is beyond the height of Ivy style in the 1950s, yet predates the emergence of preppy fashion brands. Because Darwin’s article appeared in the September issue and preppy style is so closely aligned with Ivy Style and college students, the “back to school” (September) issue was deemed appropriate for analysis of the evolution of preppy style over time.

Analysis of Darvin’s (1962) and Birnbach’s (1980) lists along with Mears (2010) exhibition catalog revealed several overlapping elements that define the preppy style through the years: navy blazer with gold buttons, oxford button down shirt, khaki pants

(also known as chinos), loafers (also known as Weejuns), and repp ties. Data collection identified instances of the five key preppy pieces in editorial and advertising content in the September issues of Esquire magazine from 1962 to 2015 based on specific characteristics and parameters.

Five Key Preppy Pieces

The following section details the five key preppy pieces, which are the focus of this study.

Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons

The most influential piece from the preppy wardrobe is the classic and enduring

navy blazer, serving as “the wardrobe’s backbone – or

exoskeleton…” (Birnbach, 1980, p. 143). An example

of a typical navy blazer with gold buttons included in

the study is shown in Figure 3.1 (Polo.com, 2001, pg.

136). For inclusion in the sample, blazers were

required to show presence of navy color and the unique

embellishment of gold buttons. Because of color

restrictions, numerous black and white photos were Figure 3.1 Advertisement Showcasing the Navy mostly unusable, unless the color was listed in the Blazer with Gold Buttons. description. The preppy blazer is typically made of wool fibers, but due to the nature of

how apparel is presented in magazines, fiber content was not taken into consideration for

this study.

Khakis/Chinos

After the navy blazer, the next and most

versatile piece of the preppy style is khaki-

colored chino pants. Khaki pants or chinos also

have a unique fabric makeup and are

traditionally casual in nature as seen in Figure Figure 3.2 Advertisement Showcasing 3.2 (Tommy Hilfiger, 1996, pg. 7-6). Khaki is Chinos. a refined version of denim made of a single color cotton fiber that has been combed,

mercerized, and often pre-shrunk. It is a warp-faced fabric with uneven twill construction

that means the front and back both have a different appearance and hand (Young, 2013,

Swatch 73). A simple way to distinguish denim from chino is by spotting rivets on the

pockets, which are used to reinforce the coarser denim in its construction. Denim pants

were not included in this sample. Due to the variety of coloration, any chino pants from a

slightly off-white color to an olive toned color were considered for the study.

Button Down Oxford Shirt

Another prominent staple garment in the preppy wardrobe is the white oxford

cloth button-down shirt. The button down oxford shirt has a unique composition that

separates itself from other shirting. Each

collar has buttons that fasten to the shirt to

prevent collars from moving around, which

is seen in Figure 3.3 (Gap, 1988, pg. 110).

Oxford cloth is soft and resilient. It is

constructed in a basket weave formation and

often half-basket weave to give higher Figure 3.3 Advertisement Showcasing the Oxford Button Down Shirt. resilience (Young, 2013, Swatch 56). The

most common color is white, but any color or pattern that was made of 100% cotton or a

cotton/Dacron blend was included in the sample. Oxford shirts appear throughout all

Esquire issues, but not all of them have the button down collar. Sometimes blazers and

sweaters covered the collars leaving those shirts not viable to be tallied.

Loafers

No preppy look would be complete without the proper shoes to finish off the ensemble (Sperry Top-Sider, 1984, pg. 303), seen in Figure 3.4. The most salient aspect is that this is a slip-on shoe, with no active closures. Some loafers have laces, but they are not actually functional. Loafers can be made of anything from canvas to leather. In several instances, the pant hem completely covered the top of shoes, making it difficult to determine if the shoe was truly a loafer. The next step involved reviewing the image caption to identify a loafer. If there was no listing then the shoe in question was not counted in the

study. Figure 4.4 Advertisement Showcasing Loafers. Repp Tie

The last featured staple to the preppy outfit, is the ultimate

accessory: the striped necktie. Ties presented a unique

challenge while analyzing the Esquire magazines. Repp ties

are specifically ones that have a diagonal stripe that points

from the wearer’s right shoulder to the left hip (The Thrift Prep

Figure 3.5 Advertisement Guide, 2013). This is displayed in Figure 3.5 from Esquire Showcasing the Repp Tie. magazine (Dupont, 1963, pg. 137). The regimental stripe

simply points the other way. Due to the similarity of the styles, both were included in data collection. In addition to the regimental stripes being counted, bowties were also included; however, cummerbunds were excluded from this study.

Data Collection

The Esquire online database (http://classic.esquire.com/) was employed for this research. It included the majority of issues. Issues that were missing pages or not included in the database were located through Interlibrary Loan. The only issue that did not properly load was the September 2006 issue. All images of the five key preppy apparel items deemed usable were captured through screen shot (or scanned) and stored in a Pinterest board. Images were classified by decade with associated year, page number, and garment name. A codebook was developed to tally the number of occurrences of each of the five key preppy pieces. To compliment the quantitative results and add richness to the data, observational comments regarding the garments, styling, detailing, fiber, fit, etc. were recorded.

This study concentrated on images with text employed only for clarification, such as to determine the color of a blazer in a black and white photo. Every page of every

September issue of Esquire from 1962 through 2015 was analyzed for the appearance of a navy blazer with gold buttons, khaki pants, button down oxford shirt, loafers, and repp ties. Editorials, advertisements, and cartoon features were included. Sometimes the same piece would be featured several times across spreads. If the garment in question was restyled with a slightly new look, it was counted each time a new styling was present. If the outfit did not change at all, then it was only counted a single time. Additionally, if a

garment’s characteristics could not be clearly identified with a close zoom, it was excluded. The focus was on men’s clothing. Young boys were not included in the study, but teenagers were. Each garment in the study had to meet certain qualifications in order to be tallied for the results.

To answer the research questions, a longitudinal analysis was conducted on these five garments presented by Darvin in Esquire in 1962 and reinforced by Birnbach in

1980. As the style evolved and intersected with fashion, changes were seen in terminology, fabrication, fit, reason for wearing, and pop culture surrounding the wearer.

Ultimately, this content analysis of Esquire magazine can track instances when preppy style predominated as well as assist in revealing the development and evolution of key menswear pieces into modern day preppy style.

RESULTS

Content analysis of Esquire’s September issues provided both quantitative and qualitative data on the prevalence and characteristics of the five key preppy apparel items

(navy blazer with gold buttons, button down oxford shirt, chinos, loafers, and repp tie).

Numerical data counting appearances of the key items in each issue was entered into a codebook, broken down by year and item of clothing as seen in the Appendix. The data was then summed by decade to identify frequency patterns and when preppy item appearance “spiked” in the magazine. To add richness to the quantitative data, observational comments regarding the garments, styling, detailing, fiber, fit, etc. were recorded. In accordance with the methodology, each page of each Esquire September issue from 1962 through 2015 was analyzed for presence of the five key preppy apparel items. This resulted in analysis of 54 issues with 1298 total instances of the five key pieces identified and recorded.

Frequencies of Five Key Preppy Apparel Items

To answer the first research question, “What is the prevalence of the main five garments of preppy style (navy blazer with gold buttons, khaki pants, button down oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie) from the high point of Ivy Style in the 1950s century to today?” frequencies of the presence of each of the five garments were recorded as seen in

Table A.1 (Appendix A). Results will be presented by overall frequencies, followed by data collected on individual garments.

Overall Frequencies

Analysis of Darvin’s (1962) and Birnbach’s (1980) lists along with Mears (2010) exhibition catalog revealed several overlapping elements that define the preppy style represented by five specific garments: navy blazer with gold buttons, button down oxford shirt, khaki pants (also known as chinos), loafers (also known as Weejuns), and repp tie.

This study was conducted with the assumption that the presence of any of these five garments was indicative of “preppy style.” Review of September issues from 1962 through 2015 revealed 1298 identifiable instances of the presence of the five preppy garments. Taken as a whole, frequencies of preppy style clothing in Esquire magazine varied over time from a height of 61 appearances in 1966 (4.70% of total) to a low of two in 1974 and 1981 (.15% of total for each) as seen in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1. Appearances of Preppy Style in September Issues of Esquire Magazine

(1962-2015).

Combining the five garments revealed three separate peaks in the presence of at least one of these indicators of preppy style as outlined in Table 4.1. In this study, a

“peak” in the data is represented by at least 30 tallies for the total in any one year. Peak 3 introduced some anomalies, where lower counts were recorded in the peak data. The first peak occurred from 1962-1969. Within these eight September issues, 345 instances of preppy style clothing were identified, representing 26.58% of the total data collected.

The second peak in the data was 1982-1988, where 252 of the five preppy garments appeared in seven years (19.41% of total). In the years from 2000 to the end of the data collection (2015), 421 instances of the five key preppy garments were tallied, representing 32.43% of the 1298 total garments in the sample. Altogether, the September

Esquire issues from these peak years included 1018 navy blazers with gold buttons, button down oxford shirts, chino pants, loafers, and repp ties which was 78.42% of all the preppy garments present in 54 years.

Table 4.1

Total Count of Five Key Preppy Garments in September Issues of Esquire Magazine

(1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances.

Peak or Valley Issues Total Tally Percentage of Total Peak 1 1962-69 345 26.58% Valley 1 1970-81 130 10.02% Peak 2 1982-88 252 19.41% Valley 2 1989-99 150 11.56% Peak 3 2000-15 421 32.43% 1298 100.00%

As a pattern of peaks and valleys emerged in overall appearances, the next section, will present data on each individual key garment in the preppy style.

Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons

For inclusion in the sample, blazers were required to show presence of navy color and the unique embellishment of gold buttons. Because of color restrictions, numerous black and white photos were mostly unusable, unless the color was listed in the description. Throughout the period reviewed, there were 49 instances where the navy blazer was identified and recorded, representing 3.78% of the total sample. The highest number of appearances for the navy blazer with gold buttons in a September issue was in

1966 (4 appearances), followed by 2013 (3 appearances). The years found with zero blazer appearances occurred quite frequently: 1967, 1971, 1978-1981, 1983, 1988-1994,

1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002-2004, and 2014, as seen in Figure 4.2.

2014 2010 2006 2002 1998 1994 1990 1986 Blazer 1982 1978 1974 1970 1966 1962 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Figure 4.2. Appearances of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons in September Issues of

Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Frequency of appearance of the classic preppy blazer had a noticeable peak from

1962 until 1973, 36.73% of all navy blazers identified in the sample. This was followed by a low consistency until zero presence from 1978-1981. From 1984-1987 another spike in appearances ensued. Although smaller than the first, 14.28% of the total number of blazers appeared in these four years. There was a valley from 1988-2004 with the exception of a spike in appearances in 1995. The next increase in appearances between

2005-2015 was significant, representing 32.65% of the total (Table 4.2).

Table 4.2

Count of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons in September Issues of Esquire Magazine

(1962-2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances.

Peak or Valley Issues Total Tally Percentage of Total Peak 1 1962-73 18 36.73% Valley 1 1974-83 4 8.16% Peak 2 1984-87 7 14.28% Valley 2 1988-2004 4 8.16% Peak 3 2005-15 16 32.65% 49 100.00%

Button Oxford Down Shirt

Another prominent staple garment in the preppy wardrobe is the white oxford cloth button-down shirt. In order to be included in the sample, collar buttons must have been visible, and not covered by a blazer or sweater. The most common color is white, but any color or pattern that was made of 100% cotton or a cotton/Dacron blend was included. Throughout the 54-year period, there were 179 instances where the button down oxford shirt was identified and recorded, representing 13.82% of the total sample.

The highest number of appearances for the button down oxford shirt in a September

Esquire issue were in 1962 (17), followed by 1966 (12) and 1967 (11) as seen in Figure

4.3.

2013 2010 2007 2004 2001 1998 1995 1992 1989 Oxford 1986 1983 1980 1977 1974 1971 1968 1965 1962 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Figure 4.3. Appearances of Oxford Button Down Shirt in September Issues of Esquire

Magazine (1962-2015).

While not as clearly delineated as the navy blue blazer, the button down oxford shirt also experienced three peaks in the period reviewed. The first was from 1962-1969, which represented 40.22% of total appearances of this garment. There is a clear dip from

1970-1981. Then the next surge of shirts appeared from 1982-1987 (19.55% of total).

After that, there was a valley in appearances of shirts with button down collars from 1989

until 2008, with the exception of a few notable appearances of this garment in 1991 and

2003. The next peak occurred in 2009-2015 (19.55% of sample) as seen in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3

Count of Oxford Button Down Shirt in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-

2015), Organized by Peaks and Valleys of Appearances.

Peak or Valley Issues Total Tally Percentage of Total Peak 1 1962-69 72 40.22% Valley 1 1970-81 8 4.47% Peak 2 1982-87 35 19.55% Valley 2 1988-2008 29 16.2% Peak 3 2009-15 35 19.55% 179 100.00%

Khakis/Chinos

Khaki pants or chinos have a unique fabric makeup and are traditionally casual in nature. Khaki is a refined version of denim made of a single color cotton fiber that has been combed, mercerized, and often pre-shrunk. In this study, chino pants were distinguished from denim by excluding any pants with rivets on the pockets, which are used to reinforce the coarser denim in its construction. Due to the variety of coloration, any chino pants from a slightly off-white color to an olive toned color were recorded.

Throughout the period between 1962 and 2105, there were 263 instances where the khaki or chino pant was identified and recorded, representing 20.26% of the total sample.

2013 2010 2007 2004 2001 1998 1995 1992 1989 Chino 1986 1983 1980 1977 1974 1971 1968 1965 1962 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Figure 4.4. Appearances of Chino Pant in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-

2015).

The year 1976 clearly stood out as the front-runner for all the years studied with

26 instances recorded in a single Esquire issue. There were only two years when chinos were not present: 1974 and 1981. As opposed to some of the other key preppy garments, data did not reveal clearly identifiable peaks and valleys in appearances of chinos in

September issues as seen in Figure 4.4.

Loafers

In identifying presences of the loafer, the most salient aspect was that this is a slip on shoe, with no active closures. Loafers can be made of anything from canvas to leather.

In several instances, the pant hem completely covered the top of shoes, making it difficult to determine if the shoe was truly a loafer. The next step involved reviewing the image caption to identify a loafer. If there was no listing, then the shoe in question was not counted in the study. Throughout the period reviewed, there were 402 instances where the loafer was identified and recorded, representing 30.97% of the total sample. The highest number of appearances for loafers in a September issue of Esquire was in 1988

(24), followed by 1967 (22), 1968 (21), and 1969 (20).

2013 2010 2007 2004 2001 1998 1995 1992 1989 Loafer 1986 1983 1980 1977 1974 1971 1968 1965 1962 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Figure 4.5. Appearances of Loafers in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-

2015).

The data showed a clear peak in presence of the loafer from 1964-1970 and 1982-

1988, respectively representing 26.62% and 22.64% of the total. The semi-peak from

1996-2007 was much wider with considerable variation as seen in Figure 4.5. During this

11-year period, 26.12% of the total count of loafers was identified. The first two peaks aligned closely with other categorical peaks, but the peak around 2000 was clearly on its own wavelength.

Table 4.4

Count of Loafer in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by

Peaks and Valleys of Appearances.

Peak or Valley Issues Total Tally Percentage of Total Peak 1 1964-70 107 26.62% Valley 1 1971-81 27 6.72% Peak 2 1982-88 91 22.64% Valley 2 1989-95 25 6.22% Peak 3 1996-2007 105 26.12% 402

Repp Tie

Ties presented a unique challenge while analyzing the Esquire magazines. Due to the similarity of striped tie styles (repp diagonal right, regimental diagonal left), both were included in data collection. Bowties were also included; however, cummerbunds were excluded from this study. Throughout the 54 September Esquire issues, there were

405 instances where the striped tie was identified and recorded, representing 31.04% of the total sample. The highest number of appearances for the striped tie was in 1964 (30), followed by 1986 (26), 2004 (23), and 1962 (22) as seen in Figure 4.6.

2013 2010 2007 2004 2001 1998 1995 1992 1989 Repp Tie 1986 1983 1980 1977 1974 1971 1968 1965 1962 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Figure 4.6. Appearances of Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-

2015).

The first peak of appearances in this particular tie started off with the first year of data collection in 1962 with a strong presence, which continued until 1966 (21.98% of total). After this peak, the first dip occurred, but by 1982-1987 another peak was identified, representing 19.01% of all ties recorded. The lowest numbers of appearances were from 1988-2002, followed by a plethora of repp ties between 2003-2014, which was

37.04% of the sample.

Table 4.5

Count of Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by

Peaks of Appearances.

Peak or Valley Issues Total Tally Percentage of Total Peak 1 1962-69 102 25.19% Valley 1 1970-81 36 8.89% Peak 2 1982-87 77 19.01% Valley 2 1988-2002 37 9.14% Peak 3 2003-2014 150 37.04% 405

Patterns of Preppy Style

Figure 4.7 illustrates the pattern of appearances of all five garments, throughout the period reviewed. The chart shows presence of at least one of the key preppy items in a September Esquire issue with height of 61 appearances in 1966 and a low of two in

1974 and 1981. When charted in this manner, data reveals that the peaks and valleys in the five garments followed a similar pattern with the exception of the chino pant and navy blazer with gold buttons.

20 Blazer Oxford Chino 15 Loafer Repp Tie 10

Figure 4.7. Pattern of Appearances of Five Key Preppy Garments in September Issues of

Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Navy Blazer and Chino

Isolating the data pattern for the blazer and chino (Figure 4.8), the lack of a clearly delineated series of peaks and valleys becomes apparent. Appearances of the navy blazer with gold buttons appear somewhat flat, without notable spikes. In fact, there were 22 years (41% of total period reviewed) where the garment did not appear at all.

When it was present, a “peak” did not represent more than four occurrences in a single

September Esquire issue over 54 years.

15 Blazer Chino

0 1962 1964 1970 1972 1974 1980 1982 1984 1990 1992 1994 2000 2002 2004 2010 2012 2014 1966 1968 1976 1978 1986 1988 1996 1998 2006 2008

Figure 4.8. Pattern of Appearances of Navy Blazer with Gold Buttons and Chinos in

September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Much more frequently featured, the chino stands out as having a relatively constant presence across all years studied, with the exception of a significant spike in appearances during 1976, when an editorial focused on revitalizing classic garments with chinos restyled in every single look shown. Presence of the chino increased and

decreased, but data collection did not show an identifiable pattern for this garment.

Therefore, to further analyze data in terms of peaks and valleys in following section will present results with the navy blazer with gold buttons and the chino removed.

Button Down Oxford Shirt, Loafer, and Repp Tie

On the other hand, Figure 4.9 illustrates a clear pattern of peaks and valleys for the button down oxford shirt, loafer, and repp tie. While total number of appearances of the button down oxford shirts were fewer than that of these other two items of preppy men’s clothing, content analysis of the September issues of Esquire magazine revealed periods when presence of these three garments spiked or waned.

20 Oxford

15 Loafer Repp Tie 10

Figure 4.9. Pattern of Appearances of Button Down Oxford Shirt, Loafers, and Repp Tie in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Table 4.6 presents the peak periods of presence for the preppy style (all five garments) along with peaks in appearances of the button down oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie. Within these three peaks, these three garments represented 78.2% of the total presence of preppy garments in Esquire’s September issues (1015 out of 1298). In Peak

1, 1962-1970, there were 345 appearances of these three garments (77.7% of peak year total appearances of all five key garments). The button down oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie appeared 252 times in Peak 2, 1982-88, which represents 80.5% of all the preppy garments identified in those years. In Peak 3, 1996-2015, 59.3% (290 appearances) of all five key preppy garments were accounted for by these three items.

When analyzing the presence of individual garments during peaks, data reveals some differences between the button down oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie. The oxford shirt appeared a total of 142 times in peak years, which is 14% of the total presence of preppy garments in peaks. This is in contrast to the loafers, which appeared 303 times in peak years (29.9% of preppy garments in peaks) and the repp tie, which was counted 313 times in peak years (31.1% of all preppy garments in peaks). These two key preppy items, the accessories or furnishings, accounted for a total of 61% of all the preppy items recorded in peak years (Table 4.6).

Table 4.6

Total Count of Five Key Preppy Garments in September Issues of Esquire Magazine (1962-2015), Organized by Peaks of

Appearances with Percentage of Total in Each Peak Represented by Oxford Button Down Shirt, Loafer, and Repp Tie.

Total in Peak Percentage of

Years Total in Peak

Peak 1 Peak 2 Peak 3 Years

Years Appearances Years Appearances Years Appearances

Preppy Style 1962-69 345 1982-88 252 2000-15 418 1015 100%

Oxford Shirt 1962-69 72 1982-87 35 2009-15 35 142 14%

Loafer 1964-69 107 1982-88 91 1996-07 105 303 30%

Repp Tie 1962-66 89 1982-87 77 2003-07 150 316 31%

Number of Oxford, 1962-70 268 1982-88 203 2003-14 290 761

Loafers, and Ties in (8 (7 years) (16 years)

Peak Years years)

Percentage of Total for 1962-70 77.7% 1982-88 80.5% 2003-14 69.4% 75%

Oxford, Loafers, and (8 (7 years) (16 years)

Ties in Peak Years years)

Preppy Furnishings: Loafer and Repp Tie

Men’s accessories, more commonly known in the fashion industry as furnishings, are an important part of style. While garments may remain fairly static, adding accessories reinforces and changes style. As the two furnishing items, the loafer and repp tie represent 61% of all preppy garments seen in Esquire September issues during the peak years. Figure 4.10 illustrates these two key preppy pieces apart from the others.

When isolated, the defined peaks and valleys are much more pronounced and identifiable.

Furthermore, the peaks and valleys for preppy furnishings closely parallel each other in the 1960s, 1980s, and 2000. Also noticeable is the pattern of the peaks. Peak 1 (1962-

1970) and Peak 2 (1982-1988) represent greater quantities of appearances in a shorter period of time. Peak 3 (2000-2015) is less severe, broader.

20 Loafer 15 Repp Tie 10

0 1962 1964 1970 1972 1974 1980 1982 1984 1990 1992 1994 2000 2002 2004 2010 2012 2014 1966 1968 1976 1978 1986 1988 1996 1998 2006 2008

Figure 4.10. Pattern of Appearances of Loafers and Repp Tie in September Issues of

Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Therefore, data collected on the presence of each of the five preppy garments as identified in the September issues of Esquire magazine from 1962 through 2015, has provided information to address the first research question: “What is the prevalence of the main five garments of preppy style (navy blazer with gold buttons, khaki pants, oxford button down shirt, loafers, and repp tie) from the high point of Ivy Style in the

1950s century to today?” This quantitative data revealed peaks in the presence of preppy style as defined as identification of instances of the five key garments (preppy style) and further refined as the presence of the individual pieces of oxford button down shirt, loafers, and repp tie (1962-69, 1982-88, and 2000-15). The following section will present qualitative data collected on the styling of preppy garments from 1962 to the present.

Styling Changes of Preppy Clothing by Decade

To answer the second research question, “How have these five preppy garments changed during the period under review?” qualitative data was collected about the styling of the garments over time. To align with the results of counting the presence of the five key preppy garments and identification of peaks in appearances, observational data is organized by peak periods. This data is summarized with visual examples in Table 4.7.

Peak 1, 1962-1969

Preppy styling in the 1960s was generally kept “pure” with classic styling, until the casual takeover really became noticeable in 1967. Khaki colored bottoms assisted with creating a more casual look for men in the late 1960s as seen in Table 4.7. Men began wearing shirts without blazers and ties. They even left top buttons undone and

wore sweaters over collared shirting. The relaxed nature of clothing was becoming mainstream. With this transition, the presence of button down collared oxfords began to disappear and the preppy style along with it.

The 1970s brought anti-prep to the forefront. The look was defined by completely casual pieces. Boots and heeled shoes replaced loafers. Loose collars and unbuttoned top buttons made ties less necessary, along with button down collars. In addition to the style changes, Esquire issues began to shift more towards editorials rather than fashion spreads. There was slight reemergence of preppy style in the 1976 issue (Required wearing, 1976), where, Esquire dubbed the style as classic. The spread shows chinos, loafers, and a repp tie. White oxford shirts were present, but it was not possible to determine if the collars are buttoned down.

Peak 2, 1982-1988

Esquire in the 1980s shifted its focus back to fashion rather than to editorials. A strong focus shifted to brand awareness, with logos being a major attraction. This was proved through a three-page spread in Esquire’s 1987 issue featured three trendy brands:

Lacoste, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger (Esquire, 1987, pg. 22-27). Each spread showcased the logo rather than a lifestyle shot that is featured in most magazine advertisements.

The 1990s featured many navy blazers, but almost none revealed the gold button embellishment. After reviewing the 1995 issue, all black outfits began trending for men.

The largest trend for menswear was the oversized look with most pieces of clothing. This was properly executed in Table 4.7. The photo of Tommy Hilfiger displays a loose fitting

oxford shirt with the arms rolled up to show an effortlessly disheveled look for the decade’s consumers.

Peak 3, 2000-2015

The third peak established that key preppy pieces converged with mainstream style. The biggest trend shift came down to the classic loafer. The design of the shoe was frequently made of materials other than leather. Elastic inserts began to be seen as commonplace design for several companies like Rockport (Rockport, 2002). Cole Haan showed a ‘modern’ interpretation of the classic penny loafer (Cole Haan, 2000). The loafer had a distinct ‘plastic-like’ sheen and elastic inserts on the side for a streamlined wearing experience.

The 2010s began the trend of integrating classic American elements into luxury

European designs. This was evident in the 2010 issue where the oxford button down shirt was incorporated in a Prada advertisement (Prada, 2010). The classic oxford shirt may be present, but the styling was not always considered traditionally preppy. The current decade had many preppy pieces incorporated in looks, but the styling consistently differed from the classic looks put together by the loyal followers of this style.

Table 4.7 outlines selected visual and observational data from the periods of peaks and valleys in preppy occurrences in Esquire magazine’s September issues between 1962 to the present.

Table 4.7

Peak and Valley Years for the Change of Styling for the Five Key Preppy Garments

Peak Styling of Five Preppy Garments

And Valley

Years

Peak 1: Peak 1 represents a very

1960-70 unique time in terms of

fabrication. Typically,

preppy garments are

100% natural fibers, but

the 1960s introduced

Dacron blends for pants,

oxford shirting, and

blazers in order to reduce

wrinkle issues. (Dupont, 1963) As time progressed, men

begin dressing more

casually. In the 1965

image, the men are not

wearing their blazers with

their oxfords, which was

very new for this time.

(A Jaymar slack with…, 1964)

(What’s in on campus…, 1965)

Valley 1: The preppy looks in this

1971-1981 valley 1 are characterized

by the high waisted pants,

thick ties, and patterned

oxfords.

A substantial editorial

was featured in1976

titled, “Required

Wearing.” It took classic

preppy elements and

made them cool again by

giving the looks a laid

back, casual vibe. This

editorial is also

responsible for the (The Gant attitude, 1972).

abnormally high peak in

this valley period.

(Required Wearing, 1976)

Peak 2: There was a clear focus

1982-88 back to the classic pieces,

where men were

classically styled.

Additionally, there was a

strong tendency for

brands to be valued over

the actual garments and

styling. Logos became (Boucher, 1982) vital to portraying

lifestyles and were

featured alone on

advertisements without

clothing.

(Tommy Hilfiger, 1987)

(Polo Ralph Lauren, 1987)

(Lacoste, 1987)

Valley 2: Valley 2 brings the casual

1989-1999 takeover mainstream. All

the clothing featured have

a carefree feel. The

garments are slightly

oversized and create a

baggy silhouette that

characterizes the preppy

look during these years. (Tommy Hilfiger, 1991)

(Chaps Ralph Lauren, 1993)

(Turnbull & Asser, 1998)

Peak 3: In Peak 3, men are

2000-15 beginning to take pride in

their appearance again by

dressing up. They create

cohesive color palettes in

order to have a proper (Cole Haan, 2000) ensemble. Clothing has

unique textures and slim

fitted garments, including

those considered preppy

staples, become popular.

The loafer undergoes big

change with elastic insert (Rockport, 2002) options and modern

looking materials that

have a futuristic feel

compared to the classic

leather loafers.

(Gant, 2002)

(Prada, 2010)

Adapted from The Evolution of Men’s Style (Esquire, Retrieved February 16, 2016).

Summary

Ultimately there were several patterns noticed during the research. Esquire’s

September issues during the 1960s, 1980s, and 2000s showed the greatest amount of identifiable preppy items, recognized as peaks in presence of preppy style. When taken individually, the navy blazers with gold buttons, oxford button down shirts, chino pants, loafers, and repp ties exhibited both different and similar patterns in appearances.

Further analysis of these patterns revealed that the navy blazer with gold buttons and chinos did not reveal clear distinguishable peaks and valleys in the data. When isolating the other three garments (oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie), a clearer pattern of peaks

(1962-1970, 1982-1988, and 2000-2015) was found to be present. Furthermore, in analyzing the two most prevalent of the key preppy garments, the furnishings (loafer and repp tie), a delineated pattern of peaks and valleys in the Esquire September issues between 1962 and the present was reinforced.

When taken as a whole, styling of the preppy look remained fairly consistent over the review period with minor evolutions in detail, fit, and fabric technology based on general fashion trends. The decades with the fewest preppy influence were the 1970s and

1990s. Men’s fashion as shown in Esquire during these decades were found to be full of unique clothing styles such as bohemian or grunge, the antitheses for preppy. The 2010s were notable for their high tally in the five key pieces, but also indicated a lack of preppy styling, displaying a greater integration between those garments considered being key to preppy style and general fashionable menswear.

With both quantitative and qualitative data collected and analyzed, the next section will relate these findings to the literature and draw conclusions about the evolution and transformation of the preppy style.

DISCUSSION

(Merriam-Webster; Retrieved 11-22-15). The purpose of this study was to explore the classic American style labeled “preppy” to evaluate and interpret its static and dynamic elements over time. To address this, a content analysis of Esquire magazine was conducted. Esquire magazine prevailed as the catalog of fashion during the high point of

Ivy Style, the precursor to preppy (The Museum at FIT, 2012).

Darvin’s September 1962 Esquire editorial, “The Basic College Wardrobe” and

Lisa Birnbach’s The Official Preppy Handbook (1980) served as the foundation for this research on preppy after its height in the 1950s. Analysis of Darvin’s and Birnbach’s lists along with Mears exhibition catalog revealed several overlapping elements: navy blazer with gold buttons, oxford button down shirt, khaki pants (also known as chinos), loafers (also known as Weejuns), and repp ties (Birnbach, 1980; Darvin, 1962, Mears

2010). Data collection identified and recorded instances of the five key preppy pieces in editorial and advertising content in the September issues of Esquire magazine from 1962 to 2015 based on specific characteristics and parameters.

Prevalence of Preppy Style

To answer the first research question, "What is the prevalence of the main five garments of preppy style (navy blazer with gold buttons, khaki pants, oxford button down shirt, loafers, and repp tie) from the high point of Ivy Style in the 1950s century to today?” quantitative data were collected by counting the presence of each of the five preppy garments in Esquire magazine’s September issues from 1962 through 2015. Every page of 54 issues was reviewed with a total of 1298 instances of navy blazers with gold buttons, khaki pants, oxford button down shirts, loafers, and repp ties. Data was compiled into a codebook, which was then analyzed and charted by garment and by year.

Review of September issues over 54 years revealed close to thirteen hundred identifiable instances of the presence of the five key preppy garments. The repp tie and loafer most frequently appeared, representing over sixty-percent of the total key preppy garments identified. These were followed by the chino and oxford. The navy blazer with gold buttons was least present in these years of Esquire magazine’s September issues, with fewer than fifty appearing between 1962 and 2015.

Taken as a whole, frequencies of preppy style clothing in Esquire magazine varied over time from a height of 61 appearances in 1966 to a low of two in 1974 and

1981. Data analysis of Esquire’s September issues revealed three peaks in preppy style: the 1960s, 1980s, and 2000s. This was indicated by all five key garments, but further defined when the oxford shirt, loafers, and repp tie were isolated. Additional exploration revealed that the two most prevalent of the key preppy garments, the furnishings (loafer

and repp tie), displayed a delineated pattern of peaks and valleys in the Esquire

September issues between 1962 and 2015.

Pure Prep

The first peak period identified in the data was from 1962-1968. Following Ivy

Style of the late 1950s and early 1960s, menswear was “classically” styled. These findings confirm Martin and Koda (1989), who stated that John F. Kennedy and his signature preppy style influenced men’s dressing in this period. As seen in Esquire’s

September issues, clothing modeled after Kennedy and his “Harvard-educated coterie of advisors” such as natural-shouldered suits, horn-rimmed glasses, and repp ties (Banks &

De La Chapelle, 2011, p. 78) were significantly present during this first peak.

The literature stated that preppy faded into the background in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The data in this study confirmed Banks and De La Chapelle (2011), who recognized a decline in the impact of JFK’s preppy style in mainstream men’s fashion after 1968. These same authors spoke to preppy style continuing in East Coast country clubs and Ivy League campuses, although that was not verified by the data in this study.

As devotees of preppy style were isolated in more exclusive settings during menswear’s “Peacock Revolution” (Tortora & Eubank, 2010), there was less connection with the market served by men’s fashion magazines. “Bluebloods” already understood the components of preppy brands and conventions (Cappello, 2012), so there was little need for new information about what to wear and how to wear it. Perhaps those market segments were also not served by Esquire magazine, and therefore their style not deemed

important for inclusion in editorial content. The focus of the country club and Ivy

League market segment most likely shifted to magazines like Town and Country.

As preppy style faded into the background during the mid-to-late 1960s, the style moved across the globe to Tokyo, Japan during this period according to Ishizu, Kurosu,

Hasegawa, and Hayashida (2010) and Marsh and Gaul (2010). This was phenomenon was not recorded in Esquire during the period studied. While preppy style was in important in Japan, the data proves that this was not a prevalent style in the United States during the 1970s. Results of this study indicate that Esquire and its audience were not globally oriented in this period, supporting the magazine’s mission to define, reflect, and celebrate “what it means to be a man in contemporary American culture” (Hearst.com,

Retrieved: 1-6-16, para. 1).

Trendy Prep

The second peak period identified in the data was from 1982-1988. This was the time when Ronald Reagan and conservatism dominated American culture (Mears, 2010).

The traditional preppy style, which had been in the shadows, came to the forefront as evidenced by the popularity of The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach (1980).

This best-selling book made the preppy aesthetic appear attainable to the casual consumer, who may not have ever been considered preppy (Banks & De La Chappelle,

2011).

Young, urban professionals with disposable income began buying recently launched lifestyle brands, such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. As brands began to matter to the consumer, the decade of logos plastered everywhere began (Tortora &

Eubank, 2010). Table 4.7 confirms Tortora and Eubank’s premise (2010) by showing the prominent advertisements focusing on logos rather than clothing. Preppy fashion reflected the zeitgeist of the early-to-mid 1980s, and the desire to communicate status surpassed the clothing itself. This was confirmed by the data, which found a significant number of instances of the five key preppy garments in Esquire’s September issues during this period. Esquire magazine and the preppy style aligned with the ideals of the

1980s, such as conspicuous consumption with branding coming to the forefront.

Integrated Prep

The third peak period identified in the data was from 2000-2015. This data set differs substantially from the other two in that this peak is wider and shorter when plotted. According to Wertheimer’s (2010) interview with Simon Doonan, preppy fashion came back aggressively to combat the trashy reality culture that boomed after the millennium. This was confirmed through the data that formed Peak 3; a focus on preppy style was on trend.

At the turn of the century, preppy fashion, and the five key preppy garments had many ways of being worn. This style and the message it conveyed was no longer exclusive to bluebloods and Kennedy’s. A variety of companies began creating budget options for the preppy look: the Gap and Dockers. This created a disruption in style tribes, which are meant to provide an “immediately recognizable visual guide as to who is a member of which tribal group” (Polhemus, 1994 pg. 14).

Polhemus’ viewpoint is unfortunately disproved for this third peak in the sense that preppy style converged with many others to create a new mélange of sartorial

expression. During this peak, preppy clothes had the same likelihood to be worn in street fashion as at on an Ivy League campus or East Coast country club. But motivations behind the selection of these clothing items differed. Contemporary preppy is not a secret handshake restricted to the upper class, but a quintessential American style, which defines itself through persistence and development of core pieces that have been around since the beginning.

Five Key Preppy Garments

Findings show that out of the five key preppy garments, three emerged as more prevalent than the others in Esquire’s September issues. In Peak 1: Pure Prep, more than three-quarters of the preppy garments shown were oxford shirts, loafers, and repp ties.

This was closely matched in Peak 2: Trendy Prep when eight out of ten of those seen in these seven years were either an oxford shirt, loafer, or repp tie. Although a longer period of time, Peak 3: Integrated Prep also showed a predominance of oxford shirts, loafers, and repp ties, making up approximately two-thirds of all preppy garments identified in this peak. Discussions for each individual garment as well as possible explanations for these findings follow.

Data for the navy blazer with gold buttons remains one of the most peculiar for this study. This garment was noted by Birnbach (1980) as “the wardrobe’s backbone – or exoskeleton…” (p. 143). According to Esquire (1985), “We’re talking the basics here: the blue blazer with gold buttons…” (p. 65). As arguably the most “preppy” garment, this study found that the blazer to have the least presence of all five key pieces in Esquire’s

September issues. This leads one to believe that maybe the navy blazer with gold buttons

was possibly too literally preppy for Esquire’s more general fashion audience. Over the years, many blazers were presented in the magazine, but the inclusion of gold buttons was somewhat rare. Perhaps more niche magazines such as Town and Country or Garden and Gun would be in the position to present this quintessential expression of preppy attire.

Reinvented by one of the most prominent brands, Brooks Brothers, the oxford cloth button-down shirt represents a staple in the preppy wardrobe (Marsh & Gaul, 2010;

Mears, 2010). In this study, the oxford button down shirt loosely followed the peak theory proposed in the results; however, each peak brought the garment further from traditional preppy styling. By the time the data revealed Peak 3, this garment did not follow the pattern as well as the furnishings. This may be attributable to the oxford shirt being one of the easier garments for other style tribes to absorb into their daily options.

Beginning its life as part of Ivy Style, the oxford became a staple of menswear as time progressed. Perchance this factor made the peaks less prominent.

The chino pants remained an enormous presence, but did not staying close to their preppy heritage for long. Chinos became prominent on college campuses in the post-war years due to student preferences for mid-price clothing coupled with advertising and availability at department stores (Marsh & Gaul, 2010; Mears, 2010). These comfortable and durable pants remain constantly relevant throughout the study. Over 54 years, they evolved in fabrication and fit, but did not stay exclusive to the preppy styling. Of all the key preppy garments, the chino pant was the easiest to wear with a variety of styles.

Since it has so many variations in fit, color, and fabrication, the chino is a versatile piece

that easily transcends preppy style, melding equally well with conservative as fashion forward looks.

Preppy is all about the details, and men’s accessories, also called furnishings reflect just that. Presence of loafers and repp ties follow the three peaks very closely and the sheer volume of them throughout Esquire proves the relevance of these key items.

George Bass created the original loafer for the American market in 1936 (Marsh & Gaul,

2010). Many companies followed Bass’s lead including Cole Haan and Alden with the tassel loafer (Marsh & Gaul, 2010). After World War II, the Bass penny loafer became prominent on college campuses and Gucci loafer forged a link between casual and professional with its version (Mears, 2010).

The regimental stripe tie was first used to “signify membership in a military unit, club, or university” (The Thrift Prep Guide, 2013, para. 32). When introducing these ties to America, Brooks Brothers reversed the stripe’s direction, creating the high demand repp ties worn on many college campuses around the country by the 1960s. (The Thrift

Prep Guide, 2013). With roots abroad, both the loafer and the tie were adapted by classic

American brands. Though remaining closely aligned with the preppy look, these furnishings were made marketable to a variety of men over the period of this study.

Ultimately these two items clearly show and define the three peaks for preppy style. The details of men’s furnishings are the most significant intersections between this enduring style and fashion. This finding verifies Birnbach’s (1980) statement, “…preppy styling is all about the details…”

Styling Preppy in the Three Peaks

The second research question guiding this study was, “How have these five preppy garments changed during the period under review?” To address this question, qualitative data about the styling of the garments over time was collected and analyzed.

This included both observations as well as visual documentation of selected examples of preppy garments in the September issues of Esquire magazine over 54 years.

Styling of the preppy look remained fairly consistent over the review period with minor evolutions in detail, fit, and fabric technology based on general fashion trends. The decades with the fewest preppy items present in Esquire’s September issues, and therefore, demonstrating the least preppy influence were the 1970s and 1990s. Men’s fashion in these decades displayed unique clothing styles such as bohemian or grunge, the antitheses for preppy. The 2010s were notable for their high tally in the five key pieces, but also displayed a parallel in presenting the garments along with an absence of what can be considered “classic” preppy styling. This indicates a greater integration between those garments considered to be key to preppy style and general fashionable menswear trends.

In this study, three peaks in prevalence of preppy along with associated distinctions in style were identified. Peak 1, which occurred from 1962-1969, was called

Pure Prep; Peak 2, which occurred from 1982-1988, received the title Trendy Prep; Peak

3, which occurred from 2000-2015, was called Integrated Prep. The following sections will discuss style changes observed in the three peaks.

Peak 1: Pure Prep (1962-1969)

Peak 1 gets its name from the traditional “classic” preppy styling and strong roots of the style before and through the Ivy League look. Of the total preppy garments identified in this study, more than a quarter appeared in Esquire during these eight years.

As seen in the results of this study, the high point of Ivy Style was during the 1950s and the Kennedy influence was still influential during the Pure Prep time frame. Clothing in this period fell into the traditional fit category, which closely aligned with British tailoring that companies like Brooks Brothers and J. Press were aspiring to portray.

Brooks Brothers even carried a blazer with a fit titled, “Fitzgerald” after John F.

Kennedy. Many men during this period wore these clothes as a way to embody tradition and make their family proud. These findings confirm the literature associated with the first peak including Mears (2010) and Banks and De La Chappelle (2011). These brands and the style of wearing as seen in Esquire in the period from 1962-1969 represented

American preppy in its purest form.

Peak 2: Trendy Prep (1982-1988)

This peak is characterized by an intersection of economic prosperity and association with success that fueled the rise of preppy brands. Close to one quarter of the entire sample of preppy garments seen in 54 Esquire September issues occurred during this seven-year peak. The prevalence of preppy style in this period aligns with the popularity of Lisa Birnbach’s The Preppy Handbook (1980). In the Trendy Prep period, the styling was a bit slimmer fitting than its Pure Prep counterpart. This coincides with

Banks and De La Chappelle (2011) who said the American customer was ready for a

reinvigorated style of preppy. Closely aligned with certain brands, preppy style in this peak was morphed with fashionable trends of the time. It was impacted by design management to express a brand concept. Preppy and the concept of preppy as a reflection of success was harnessed by Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and others.

Customers were eager to manage their appearance to reinforce an ideal that the preppy lifestyle conveyed. Men chose to wear these garments to communicate their ability to fit in with their desired social and style tribes. The Trendy Prep period shows how, in this period and beyond, fashion labels possessed the power to reinforce images and even change perceptions of individuals wearing the clothes.

Peak 3: Integrated Prep (2000-2015)

In this peak, preppy style converged with mainstream fashion, being adopted and adapted by other styles. Of all the key preppy garments counted in this study, one-third were found in these peak years. The prevalence of preppy style in the most recent period supports the theory that style tribes began to merge together to create a hybrid not seen in previous decades. One reason these items blended with so many other styles has to due with the newer generations trying to express themselves as individuals and originals. In

2010, Simon Doonan recognized conservatism in reaction to the lowbrow trend in popular culture stating, “…people might rediscover the sort of simple WASPy elegance of preppy style” (Wertheimer, 2010, para. 3). Menswear styling as seen in September issues of Esquire magazine, was a mixture of luxury fashion and classic preppy looks that were also being replicated by budget fashion retailers like American Eagle and the Gap.

This phenomenon verifies Ngo’s (2008) statement when he declared that fashion is truly evolutionary.

In this last peak, key preppy garments in September issues of Esquire were styled differently, made of different materials, and fit options were expanded as seen in Table

4.7. Furthermore, the garments began to be worn by other style tribes and the purpose for wearing preppy garment changed. They became integrated as basic wardrobe pieces for the masses rather than just the preppy clientele they catered to originally. Simply stated, this evolution in style confirms Banks & De La Chappelle (2011) who said preppy is, “American to its core” (p. 155).

Implications

The third question in this study was, “What implications can we draw about the relationships between preppy style, fashion change, and presentation of self for American men during this period?” Ultimately, the research proved that clothing truly has meaning.

In each decade studied, clothing reflected the mindset of that generation and its various influences: music, politics, world affairs, and celebrities. Preppy specifically proved to be intriguing due to the same garments reappearing in Esquire editorials and advertisements.

The five key preppy garments were constantly reinvented and the styling along with reasons for wearing evolved with changing consumer tastes.

This led to the idea of the three distinct peaks of information brought up within the study. The first peak, Pure Prep, showed preppy garments from “classic” brands made in traditional fits. The garments showed family heritage and reflected the conservative appearances coming off the 1950s and impacted by John F. Kennedy along with a greater

attention to college students as a distinct market. The second peak, Trendy Prep, portrayed preppy style in a new, slimmer fit with many pops of color, reflective of general fashion trends. The feeling of the decade of the 1980s was of economic liberation and accumulation. Young urban professionals embraced their newfound success by buying into the American dream, which was expertly depicted by Ralph Lauren, followed by Tommy Hilfiger and other lifestyle brands. The third peak, Integrated Prep, signaled the true convergence of preppy style with contemporary fashion. This was reflective of a period where fashion style information and products were readily accessible, and not solely attached to certain brands or social classes. The “previously preppy” garments blended with both high and low end brands, ultimately being absorbed by other style tribes.

Fashion proved that it is an unspoken form of communication. It can reveal each individual’s desired social status and lifestyle and an ability to manage appearance to communicate that message. In current society, fashion is a way to align with aspirational brands and celebrities. Humans naturally want to fit in and one of the easiest ways to identify people with similar interests is by their fashion choices. Preppy style can be easily distinguished through its rich historical lineage and strong presence since the early twentieth century. Preppy fashion is truly just an evolution of classic American style that’s been blended with other style tribes to create the unique entity we see today. This study evaluated and interpreted preppy’s static and dynamic elements over time. The peaks of popularity along with the reinforcement of the attention to detailed

characteristics of preppy style adds to our knowledge of the communicative aspect of clothing: yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Limitations of the Study

The limitations of this study began with the fact that only one magazine, Esquire, was analyzed, and one month was selected for each year. Throughout the earlier issues magazine, many advertisements and editorials were in black and white, which truly limited the data that could be gathered. This was especially present in identifying the

“blue” blazer, which possibly resulted in an underrepresentation of this garment in the sample. In addition to unusable photos, when seeking additional information for inclusion, many of captions did not provide clear enough descriptions for those potential instances to be utilized. There were also images that were so small, even with zooming in on the photos; specifics of garments were unidentifiable due to low image resolution.

The five key pieces and parameters also presented limitations. The navy blazer required gold buttons, which dramatically lowered the total as opposed to simply including a navy blazer for the study. The oxford button down shirt required specific button detailing on the collar, which blazers or sweaters concealed many times. This impacted the possible total.

Chinos presented an anomaly in 1976, where the garment was styled many times, which resulted in a noticeable spike in tallies. The editorial focused on bringing back classic styles, which were considered preppy. Almost every outfit worn by the group of boys was styled with a pair of chino pants.

Parameters on the loafer limited its appearance tallies, most significantly the restriction of no any active closures, such as laces or buckles. Repp ties presented a unique quality for data collection in that they were tallied along with regimental ties since the stripes appear so similar to the common consumer. Most individuals do not even realize the difference of the diagonal stripe direction, but only diagonal striped ties, regardless of the direction, could be tallied. This reflected the commonly held understanding of a striped tie being “preppy,” but it is important to note that the counts may have been different had the tie been restricted to the English “regimental” or the

American “repp,” made popular by Brooks Brothers.

Suggestions for Future Research

This study presents the possibility for many future research opportunities.

Additional investigation could be conducted with the same research questions, but by using March issues rather than September. This will help determine if preppy garments are more prevalent during certain seasons. There could also be comparisons to see if the spring tallies would align with the three-peak theory presented. Other time periods could also be researched, such as exploring preppy fashions prior to 1962.

Another possibility to consider is using another magazine for the study. Perhaps focusing on niche magazines that specifically cater to preppy audiences: Town and

Country or Garden and Gun. The methodology presented could be used for other style tribes and magazines more relevant to those tribes. Ultimately this methodology could be utilized for women’s styles as well as topics outside of fashion like home decoration and

frequencies during specific times periods in magazines such as Good Housekeeping or

Coastal Living.

Conclusion

Preppy menswear constantly reinvents itself to remain relevant, yet also holds onto its roots to remain authentic. Not many styles can boast this incredible feat. As it turns out, the key to identifying whether preppy fashions are back in style, are to look for the details. This means noticing the ties, shoes, pocket squares and socks. All of these attributes have the potential to reveal whether or not an individual belongs to the preppy style tribe, or are channeling a sentiment of class, wealth, and privileged lifestyle. This study shows, that for American menswear, it’s all in the details.

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APPENDIX

Table A.

Frequency Breakdown by Year of the Five Key Preppy Items in September Issues of

Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

% by Year Blazer Oxford Chino Loafer Repp Tie Total Year 1962 1 17 5 8 22 53 4.08% 1963 2 9 4 4 5 24 1.85% 1964 1 9 2 8 30 50 3.85% 1965 2 6 1 10 14 33 2.54% 1966 4 12 8 19 18 61 4.70% 1967 0 11 12 22 1 46 3.54% 1968 2 4 7 21 3 37 2.85% 1969 1 4 7 20 9 41 3.16% 1970 2 0 2 7 2 13 1.00% 1971 0 0 2 4 3 9 0.69% 1972 1 3 4 4 1 13 1.00% 1973 2 1 2 3 1 9 0.69% 1974 0 0 0 1 1 2 0.15% 1975 1 1 1 3 6 12 0.92% 1976 1 0 26 3 6 36 2.77% 1977 1 3 2 3 2 11 0.85% 1978 0 0 1 3 6 10 0.77% 1979 0 0 1 2 2 5 0.39% 1980 0 0 3 1 4 8 0.62% 1981 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.15% 1982 1 5 4 14 14 38 2.93% 1983 0 7 4 11 7 29 2.23% 1984 2 2 9 8 10 31 2.39% 1985 2 9 3 12 10 36 2.77% 1986 1 4 1 11 26 43 3.31% 1987 2 8 11 11 10 42 3.24% 1988 0 1 7 24 1 33 2.54% 1989 0 0 3 3 2 8 0.62% 1990 0 1 2 3 2 8 0.62%

1991 0 4 5 4 2 15 1.16% 1992 0 0 3 5 4 12 0.92% 1993 0 2 3 1 3 9 0.69% 1994 2 2 2 3 5 14 1.08% 1995 0 2 2 6 6 16 1.23% 1996 0 0 11 11 2 24 1.85% 1997 0 1 4 9 1 15 1.16% 1998 1 1 10 2 3 17 1.31% 1999 0 0 2 10 0 12 0.92% 2000 0 3 10 16 4 33 2.54% 2001 1 1 4 8 1 15 1.16% 2002 0 1 3 6 1 11 0.85% 2003 0 4 3 11 14 32 2.47% 2004 0 0 2 5 23 30 2.31% 2005 1 2 6 11 12 32 2.47% 2006 1 1 6 9 16 33 2.54% 2007 2 2 9 7 17 37 2.85% 2008 2 1 5 1 14 23 1.77% 2009 1 4 4 5 6 20 1.54% 2010 1 8 8 3 9 29 2.23% 2011 2 4 6 8 11 31 2.39% 2012 1 2 2 5 10 20 1.54% 2013 3 8 5 7 12 35 2.70% 2014 0 3 2 3 6 14 1.08% 2015 2 6 12 3 3 26 2.00% Total 49 179 263 402 405 1298 100.00% % of 100.00 Whole 3.78% 13.79% 20.26% 30.97% 31.20% %

Table B.

Frequency Breakdown by Decade of the Five Key Preppy Items in September Issues of

Esquire Magazine (1962-2015).

Repp Total by Decade Blazer Oxford Chino Loafer Tie Decade % by Decade 60s 13 72 46 112 102 345 26.58% 70s 8 8 41 33 30 120 9.24% 80s 8 36 45 95 86 270 20.80% 90s 3 13 44 54 28 142 10.94% 00s 8 19 52 79 108 266 20.49% 10s 9 31 35 29 51 155 11.94%