Preppy Sneakers
Okay so first of all I apologize for using the word preppy in just about every title, but it helps the blog rank better in google, so I get more visitors which is worth it for me. So please bear with me…
Anyways back to the topic at hand. I got a suggestion to talk about shoes and so I thought I would. Today I am going to talk about sneakers, because I am young, and besides sandals, they are what I wear most of the time. Also, I am only going to talk about ones that are under $100. I understand that most preppy clothes are quite expensive, and you are paying for quality, but since it is my blog, and I don’t have the resources to spend $200-$400 on a pair of casual shoes, I am going to talk about ones that I could afford.
When going for the preppy look, there isn’t a huge variety of sneakers, but I do like the selection. I would like to mention first that an excellent alternative to sneakers would be Sperry Authentic Original Tops
iders. Sperry does have a great deal of other shoes, most of which are very nice, all of which are extremely well made, but for the preppy look, you have to go with the classic Authentic Originals. I grew up in these things, and although they can be stiff and uncomfortable at first, once they are worn in they are a damn good shoe. Topsiders, not only have a preppy feel, but unlike sneakers they can be both casual and semi formal. Of course you couldn’t wear these with a suit, but they can certainly be worn to certain parties and summer events. Sperry Topsiders are pretty affordable at $65, but ones like the Gold Cup shoes are a little out of my budget at $160. For a very similar look check out Brooks Brothers Boat shoes here
, or find other traditional ones here at J Crew
When I said before that there wasn’t a very big variety of sneakers, I kind of lied. But the truth is that most of the variations aren’t very appealing to me, mostly because many are uncreative. Preppy sneakers have become almost an after thought, because it is assumed that they aren’t really a particularly preppy item. So while skateboard companies are producing thousands of different shoes, because that is what their customers want, preppy companies make far fewer. So I’m only going to talk about sneakers that I would certainly wear, and ones that I think look good with most clothes that a preppy person would wear.
The main two variations are leather and canvas, and I think I’ve gotten a pretty good mix of both. Canvas sneakers are not quite as sturdy or thick as leather ones, but they have a much preppier feel and look.
Lacoste Shakespeare 3: A sort of blend between the boat shoe and the sneaker. These a
re $130 on Zappos, so a little pricey, but very nice looking. The alligator on the side I feel really adds something and goes well with the navy and white laces. These are good for when you don’t want to wear boat shoes, but still want a slightly preppier look than normal sneakers.
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Next there is the Ralph Lauren Roster 3 Leather Sneakers. Although I am not a huge fan
of the white and dark green, these are a sharp looking pair of sneakers, and the pony on the tongueis a nice touch. These look more like sneakers you would run in or play a sport, rather than just every day use, but they are preppy enough to go with some outfits. At $65 they are reasonably priced as well.
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Third, there is the Lacoste Recoil 2. This shoe is similar to the Roster 3 in that it has a more sporty than everyday feel, but with the flat laces and streamlined shape, it is a little bit more functional with preppy clothes. Like all Lacoste shoes however, it is expensive and somewhat hard to find. Zappos does not carry it and it can’t be found in Lacoste’s online store so I assume its quite new. Like the other Recoil sneakers, I expect it to cost around $125, when it does become available.
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Now on to canvas sneakers. The first pair I like is the Lacoste L34 Canvas Sneaker
s. These cream colored shoes look a little thicker than most canvas sneakers, so I assume they are a little more comfortable. Since they are cream colored, they go with a lot of different outfits and can be worn with both shorts and pants. That’s what I love about canvas sneakers, they can be worn with shorts without looking goofy, when leather sneakers usually cannot. The Lacoste L34’s here cost $90.
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I particularly like these Ralph Lauren Brendall Canvas Sneakers from Ralph Lauren. The gold stripes on the side make them a little more interesting, and the navy with the white toe, is very preppy looking. Just like white or cream shoes, these navy ones can be worn with a wide variety of clothes, and aren’t too expensive at $69.
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The final pair of canvas sneakers that I like are the Ralph Lauren Blake Herringbone Canvas Sneakers. A very simple and slightly retro look, these shoes have a nice logo on the tongue and le
ather back to keep them interesting. Like the Brendall sneakers, they are preppy enough to be worn with most outfits including shorts. At $59 they are also affordable. Ralph Lauren usually lowers the price of their sneakers significantly towards the end of their lifespan, so I picked up a pair of Dungan washed Canvas Sneakers for only $39 recently.
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So there you have it. Event though its the summer now, and most people are wearing sandals, its still a good time to examine your sneakers. I have a friend who thinks he dresses preppy, but he only wears white New Balances. Sorry but that just doesn’t cut it. These shoes show that there are preppy sneakers out there, and that it is still possible to have a good looking preppy outfit with a pair of sneakers.
Next time I’ll talk about Loafers and mocasins, the other types of casual shoe, and after that Sandals. I don’t know if there’s really a need to talk about formal shoes, as there aren’t really any that are considered preppy. Preppy people dress in nice clothes , and since all formal clothes are nice clothes, formal shoes don’t really have anything to do with preppiness…
Preppy Clothing Sales
I went to the mall the day before yesterday to get new Ipod headphones and as I was walking past all the stores I saw that nearly every one was having a sale. Express, Banana Republic, Gap, Am
erican Eagle to name just a few. I picked up this shirt at Express just because everything was on sale.
Does anyone know why everything is on sale right now? I mean it was like a Tuesday at the beginning of summer. I guess they were just trying to make room for new summer stuff, but I assumed they did that earlier, like in the Spring…
Summer’s comin’ Time to get preppy
Which means its shorts season. Okay, so people have been wearing shorts for a while now, but I haven’t worn pants for over a week, and since I only have three good pairs of shorts. I thought I would write about them, since I am in dire need.
First of all, when it comes to shorts there are five main different preppy styles.
First there is the classic Madras. Madras was popular in the sixties, because it had non-colorfast dyes so it bled every time it was washed, making the plaids look different each time. This is just what I’ve read though, does Madras shorts today still do that? I had never seen Madras before last year, but I kind of like it now. I guess its grown on me, because I used to think it looked a little wacky with all the different plaid patches. I like these ones from J crew, but I don’t know what they would look good with since the colors are so random. Probably a white shirt of some sort, but I’d definitely try them on in the store first with something else, just so that you know you don’t look like a preppy hobo.
The second style is the Khaki Dock Short. This is a very simple refined look that looks great with a nice belt. Leather can be good, but vineyard vines whale belts like the one shown 
are really the only way to go in my opinion. One thing to watch out for is to make sure that the shorts are long enough. Sure models can wear shorter shorts but normal people really shouldn’t. I would say that the length of the ones in the picture is acceptable if they are shimmied down the waste a little bit. Dock Shorts don’t have to be like board shorts, but all to often there are guys wearing expensive shorts that are far too short. Maybe it is society’s fault for making us dislike guys wearing shorter shorts even if it looks acceptable, but for goodness sake, please just get shorts that fall around the knee. No one wants to see your strange tan lines, or upper thighs… Anyways I think everyone should have a good pair of khaki dock shorts, or another color, to replace that pair of cargo shorts that nearly everyone has. Okay, so cargo shorts can be not that bad. after all J Crew is advertising a pair on their main page, but for the most part cargo shorts convey a sense of college douchebaggery. Get a pair of Dock Shorts (God knows I need a pair) and you’ll look a lot more refined. Who needs those 5 extra pockets anyways?
The third style is the Seersucker. Seersucker is a really great unique cotton, that looks very preppy in the summer. People make suits out of this stuff they like it so much. Like the dock shorts since it is just striped and unpatterned, it is a good idea to get a nice canvas belt from Vineyard Vines or somewhere. I think one of the best things about seersucker, is not only the feel and the look, but since it is cotton, they are very light shorts without being see through or anything. Therefore they are perfect for really hot summer days. These ones are from Ralph Lauren, and are pretty well priced at $50. I realize I tend to just show clothes from the same few brands; Ralph Lauren, J crew, Vineyard Vines, but I promise I’ll try to branch out to more Brooks Brothers and other lesser known preppy brands. (I chose these because they all looked good, and were moderately priced for shorts.) .
The fourth style is the patterned bermuda shorts. In the last few years, the patterned shorts became very popular with nearly every company associated with preppiness embroidering some sort of symbol, whether it be a martini, a swordfish, or a map of nantucket. The trend for this year seems to be moving towards bigger logos, and less embroidering. I’m not sure I like this, it reminds me of gangster clothing, like Billionaire Boys Club. Either that or boxers… Maybe it just hasn’t been done well yet. Regardless, I really like these Ralph Lauren patterned shorts on the right the right. They took a similar logo to the one on their match crest polos and patterned it on the shorts. I really like this idea, and I think its a really good way of taking something that’s been done, a lot, and instead of just smacking a normal pony on it, being creative and putting their match crest polo scene.
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One thing that ’s nice (or also kind of not so nice, depending on your income) is the price of all these shorts. Apart from a few exceptions, nearly every pair of shorts I’ve seen in a preppy variety is between $49-$69. This is a little steep at first if you don’t have a very good income (like me) but its nice that nearly every pair of shorts is in this price range, when other things like shirts and pants can vary greatly. Hey, most Vineyard Vines belts cost around $40 - $50 so shorts being that much could almost be a steal. Moral of the story: if you’re preppy, make sure you have a fair number of different shorts. There are a lot of sale going on, and with everything in the same price range, its the perfect time to pick up one of each kind to expand your wardrobe. As for the new theme of large logos on shorts, its up to you. Maybe wait until they’re a little more refined looking, but if you like them, don’t let me stop you. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to make sure that the shorts you buy are at least upper knee length : )