A preppy wardrobe of pearl chokers and polos stands for so much more than buttoned-up style. It represents privilege and going by the book. But even though its basic shapes have flitted in and out of fashion since the ’60s, prep lacks cool. Which explains why, in search of a new challenge, the fashion world is getting a kick out of revisiting the out-of-touch wardrobe and twisting it beyond recognition.
There’s something delightful about the perversion of preppiness. Think: plaid pants plucked from a coed’s closet but sinfully low slung with two silver grommets that further reveal skin. It recalls the way that punk artists took the aristocratic Royal Stewart tartan and remixed it—ripping it, adding zippers and safety pins—as a sign of irreverence. That said, today’s subversion hits a slightly different note, one that’s more tongue-in-cheek satire than outright rebellion. It’s about playfully clashing these typically upper-class fashions with something sleazy, cheesy, or otherwise low.
At Balenciaga Spring 2018, for example, Demna Gvasalia mashed up country club codes with old-country eccentricity. Instead of a sweater knotted loosely over the shoulders, he sent out sweatshirts tied tightly over both arms like a straitjacket. Swinging door-knocker earrings replaced classic pearl studs; powder blue and butter yellow cashmere twinsets were paired with fanny packs and flamboyant screen saver–print pants. It meshed beautifully with the season’s best street style, which toed the same line—Kaia Gerber, Chloë Sevigny, and Kate Moss wore their own version of it.
The trick is to take one preppy piece (the polo, creased chinos), then twist its silhouette (cropped, oversize) or color (lime green, leopard print) and offset it with something unexpected (the cheaper, the better). When in doubt, unbutton the collar or flash a sliver of skin for a dash of sex appeal. The trend feels particularly ripe for fall—a good excuse to dredge up an old bit of cashmere or khaki and go wild.