Whether it will be for school or an Ivy League university, preppy school outfits will sometimes be required but can also elevate the personal appearance a lot. But how do preppy school outfits look?
As a whole, preppy school outfits are often worn in those preparatory schools or Ivy League universities. Nevertheless, you can find a timeless combination of khaki pants and a blazer in high schools too. Also, pleated skirts and Oxford shirts make up a great preppy school outfit.
In this article, you will find some general information about preppy schools and their lifestyle and later on receive some practical tips on how to style preppy school outfits as well as some additional inspirations. So, read on!
Definition of preppy
Preppy derives from the expression preparatory and means the form of preparatory school students attend to prepare for the famously known Ivy League universities. This is also the origin of the preppy aesthetic which first occurred in the 1950s and 60s. This was also the place where the people wore preppy clothing at first. In general, schools are where the preppy style is worn the most.
Later on, in the 1980s the “Official Preppy Handbook” by Lisa Birnbach led the preppy style to be more in the focus. Though meant as a joke, this book quickly became the icon of prep and is still followed by today. To this day the preppy style went through some changes and adaptions to make it into what we know it for these days.
What are preppy schools?
Before we will discuss some outfit ideas and what to wear in school if you want to look preppy, we first have to look at what preppy schools are, where the style originated from.
Preparatory schools are private schools that you can start at about the age of 14. Their sole purpose is to prepare students for attending a university. With only a small class size and high too many applicants, these preparatory schools are suited for an elite group.
Also, because they are private schools, the entry and general student fees are pretty high. This excludes people from not-that-wealthy families and leaves an elite group of students.
As preparatory schools are associated with high academic achievement, upper-middle and upper-class people traditionally like these schools and are willing to pay lots of money to grant their children this sophisticated form of education. As these children start attending preparatory schools, they bring their own, by their parents exemplified, styles of living with them.
What do preppy students wear in school
To achieve preppy school outfits, there are some things you should take in mind. The most iconic type of clothing that the preppy style likes to imitate is the school uniform. Especially, the school uniform of Ivy League universities is something the preppy style in general opts to look like.
So, what do preppy students wear? In general preppy students wear either an imitation of the school uniform or other preppy clothes that we will discuss now. These preppy clothes are items like cable-knit sweaters, cardigans, blazers, button-down shirts, and polo shirts. Combined with chino- or dress pants or simple blue jeans they create a preppy look.
Preppy school outfits also feature some unique patterns and colors. These are patterns like checks, stripes, or plaid and colors like navy blue, beige, khaki, and forest green. A less colorful option should be the shoes. Neutral-colored loafers, Mary Janes, Oxford shoes, and elegant sneakers will suit preppy school outfits great.
For a general idea of what to wear as a child at any age to look preppy, check out my recent article about preppy kid clothes.
VSCO preppy
VSCO preppy is a very modern style that arose in the late 2010s in the TikTok generation. The expression VSCO derives from the popular image-sharing and editing app VSCO (Virtual Supply Company). This style got associated with prep because of the expression “preppy girl”.
As a general rule, the VSCO preppy aesthetic combines the luxurious preppy style of plaid skirts, boat shoes, and khaki shorts with more modern and relaxed clothing items such as oversized t-shirts, hoodies, denim shorts, or scrunchies.
Typically, this style comes with some bright colors and patterns. Colors like pink and blue feature this style at best. Additionally, patterns like cheetah- or giraffe-stitching are common in this style.
You can also wear this preppy style in school, but I wouldn’t recommend it daily. For some more inspiration on VSCO preppy check out my article about what VSCO preppy is and some outfit ideas.
Preppy school outfits
This section will show preppy outfit ideas to wear in school. There are different ones for boys and girls so we will have outfits for each gender.
School uniform
The most remarkable outfit to look preppy in school is a school uniform or if you don’t wear any, an imitation of it.
For girls, this school uniform consists of a skirt, a button-down shirt as well as a blazer, and a necktie. The shoes should have a neutral color like black or dark blue. Regarding accessories, opt for a simple necklace and some rings or a bracelet.
Also, you may check out my article about preppy accessories where I will show you everything you need to complement your timeless and sophisticated ensemble.
For boys, a school uniform consists of khaki or suit pants, a button-down shirt, and a blazer. Additionally, you can wear a necktie. This very formal outfit should also consist of neutral colors and a white button-down shirt. For accessories, a watch or rings can be suitable.
If you don’t want to dress that kind of formally for school, the next outfits will suit you better.
Casual preppy school outfit
This outfit will work for both genders to look preppy in school. For this one, you will need a polo shirt and chino pants. Whilst the chino pants should have neutral colors like grey beige, khaki, or navy blue, the polo shirt can be more colorful as long as it matches the outfit. Also, a combination of a cozy sweater and a tennis skirt will give you a sporty look.
Rings and bracelets are great accessories for girls and a watch will do the job for boys. Also, you may add a preppy backpack.
If you want to know more about preppy backpacks, check my article out here.
A-line skirt and a button-down shirt
This outfit is solely fitted for girls. If you are a little older and really want to stand out in school, this preppy outfit will do a great job.
You will need an A-line skirt, not too short, and a button-down shirt. Depending on the season and weather you can either wear sneakers or sandals as they will look great with this outfit. For colder seasons you can add a tucked sweater over the shoulders.
Sweater and chino pants
This outfit can be suitable for both genders but we will look at the male version in this article. This outfit consists of a pair of chino pants and a sweater. If you want to, you can dress this up by either wearing a blazer on top or a button-down or a polo shirt underneath.
If you want to dress it down though, some comfortable pants or shorts that don’t look too sloppy will do a great job. The shoes should match the color of the sweater ideally.
If you want more inspiration, check out my article about the 23 preppy outfits for men and women.
How to incorporate prep into your school style
Now we will share some brief tips on how to easily incorporate the preppy style in your school outfits.
If there is one general rule to it then it should be: Don’t go overboard with this style. Try to keep it simple and don’t change up everything just to walk around looking like a manager. Another rule is to buy quality items as otherwise, the preppy style will look sloppy.
Now to the tips:
- Start finding combinations with other items
- Keep it simple
- Start layering
- Start wearing accessories
- Be confident
If you follow these tips and start to slowly incorporate the preppy style into your school outfits, it will look great on you.
Final thoughts on preppy school outfits
As you can see in this article, there is more to being preppy in school than just coming from an upper- or upper-middle-class family and wearing a cable knit sweater.
This aesthetic will look great on you if you opt for quality items, make slow changes, and wear them with confidence.
If you found this article helpful and want to know more about the preppy aesthetic, check out my other blog posts, and don’t hesitate to write me a comment on what you want to hear next.
FAQ
What should I wear to school preppy?
As a girl, a combination of a pleated skirt with a hoodie or cable knit sweater will make a great preppy school outfit. For boys, combine an Oxford or polo shirt with some khakis pants or chinos.
How to look preppy in a school uniform?
If your dress code allows it, add some Mary Janes or loafers and opt for a blazer or sweater vest on top. Generally, the school uniform already looks preppy on its own.
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