Saturday 15 September 2007

The Neo-Preps


The Official Preppy Handbook, the 80s bible of prepdom.

Any movement that advances the eradication of poorly spoken, badly dressed, and ill mannered people gets my vote. Let's hear it for the pink and green - hip, hip, hurrah! The legitimate children and heirs of Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart are shiny, happy people. Unfortunately a little too shiny and too happy to be really authentic. They, unlike their predecessors, tend to be easily swayed by new trends. After all, change is anathema to a true prep.
The Neo-Preps are also not very hardy and all too full of 'I don't' s. 'I don't eat this', 'I don't like that', 'I don't ride', 'I don't drink', 'I don't smoke'...etc. This is just boorish and smacks of too much professed self awareness, and is quite frankly NOKD.
Now with regard to their taste - visually also just that bit too shiny and bright, and too concerned with the look rather than the quality (a hallmark of true prepdom). One thing still holds true though, being seen as too intellectual or too cultured is still suspect. It's nice to know that somethings never change.


Ralph Lauren Home the benchmark of neo-prepdom.

5 comments:

Pigtown-Design said...

My mother always said "NQOCD" when she was speaking of someone who wasn't up to snuff...

katiedid said...

Hhmmm, getting warmer, but I think I am not a "neo" anything really. A little too "long in the tooth" as they say. Growing up in the preppy capital of the West Coast has taken it's toll I'm afraid (Pasadena).

Brilliant Asylum said...

I had no idea "The Preppy Handbook" was still in print. I had a copy of this growing up AND "How to be a Valley Girl". I could never decide which one should be my manual. (OMG, I am like totally aging myself here).

HOBAC said...

Brill ,
I know, I know - my copy is signed by the author! And the kick is I don't remember how or why - ha!

HOBAC said...

Brill - Your blog is great and why aren't you on my list ? There's that memory thing again - oops!