These [looks], like much of Polo Ralph Lauren’s contemporary preppy dress, are informed by the celebrated 1965 fashion photography book, ‘Take Ivy’,’ explains art critic and writer Antwaun Sargent. ‘Teruyoshi Hayashida’s images exposed a nascent mid-century style movement of lettered sweaters, sharply tailored khakis, anoraks and blue Oxford cloth shirts that evolved out of the early 20th-century traditional uniforms of American preparatory schools.’ By the mid 20th century this mens preppy dress became synonymous with success and an aspiring American lifestyle. Fashion designs from brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren still incorporate this style into many of their collections. From iconic pieces like the classic blazer and crisp Oxford shirts to vibrant patterns, pastel colours, and tailored trousers, preppy fashion offers a wide range of options to elevate your style. Whether you’re aiming for a smart-casual outfit for a day at the office or a relaxed yet put-together look for a weekend brunch, we’ve got you covered. Choosing the cloth is only the first part of the process. We also carefully source the finest interfacing, zips, linings and buttons to make each item of clothing. President John F. Kennedy and Peter Lawford Aboard the Yacht “Manitou”, 12 August 1962. Credit: Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston

At WISC all our clothing starts with the finest fabrics available as this not only ensures the products will last, but also feel amazing to wear and will drape beautifully. Great clothing always starts with great fabrics. Our fabrics are sourced from a variety of distinguished mills across Europe. This includes shirting fabrics, trousers cloths and water resistant outerwear fabrics. Indeed, his – as was the case for the first wave of preppy – was essentially a minimalistic, classic style. Certainly it was a long, long way from the second wave of the 1980s, with its love of excessive, look-at-me colour and pattern. Really, it’s a shame the two have ever been confused. One trusts that, after reading this, the reader feels somewhat put straight. And is ready to look to an aesthetic more than half a century old for some lifelong style tips. The Best Preppy Clothing Brands For Men However where we are markedly different is our unique styling approach to every product line. We always start with classic and timeless designs, but then add our own unique styling to them. This styling helps us differentiate our clothing from what remains a crowded market place. That said the styling in many cases is often subtle, like a contrasting button or buttonhole on the shirt. For us it is imperative to never stray too far from the original identity of the clothing we design; otherwise we threaten to lose its core DNA. Luxury fabrics | Made in EnglandThere’s nothing sacrosanct in preppy style, but investing in the key staples won’t send you astray. The look has a few fundamental items that are worthwhile investments. Button Downs There is no doubt that many of our men’s clothing items that we sell today do have an underlying preppy style to them. We certainly adhere to the core principles that include using traditional fabrics such as cotton and linen. Further the quality and longevity of all our clothing remains a core principle of our business. As a result we have our own manufacturing unit to ensure best practices are used during the entire production process of all our clothing. Classic handbags like the Chanel 2.55, the Hermès Kelly or the Birkin bag in a strong colour or contrasting print.

Good question. A good prep would tell you that it’s more of an approach to style, rather than a prescriptive set of things to wear. We’re leaning on some expert insight to guide the way. The essence of preppy style originated in early 1900’s. Well-heeled Ivy League college kids weren’t impressed with the stuffy, professorial dress they found on campus. Although preppy style was first donned almost a century ago, its signatures, such as cable-knit sweaters, clean button-down shirts, slip-on loafers and striped polo shirts, are still firm favorites with followers of the trend. Indeed, this is the preppy that’s arguably the single most influential look in 20th century menswear, born of the attire of the US’s elite Ivy League students and their demand for practical, hard-wearing but always at least elegant attire ( the definition of smart casual). This is the preppy of Paul Newman, JFK and Miles Davis. Wear preppy and, while you may not be the height of fashion, you cannot go wrong.Brands like these have a prestigious history of producing Ivy-League style since pretty much forever.They were worn by the original preps, and respect the lineage.