Wake Up Preppies, They're Back!!

The most anticipated month of this year has come, and what better way to be woken up on a beautiful September North Carolina morning than by the UPS delivery of the 2 books we've all been waiting for!

I haven't actually had the chance to read them but from taking a few peeks at True Prep I can definitely tell you it's gorgeous and will most likely join its predecessor, The Official Preppy Handbook as one of the staples of any self-respecting prep.

 

I would really recommend getting these two amazing books either for yourself or as a gift!

L.L. Bean Tries Risqué

L.L. Bean, a long established brand of moderation and traditionalism, featured as the staple of preppiness by Lisa Birnbach in her famous "The Official Preppy Handbook", has recently added a couple of pieces that deviate from their standard collections, as part of their L.L. Bean Signature brand. L.L. Bean Signature, much like Rugby and Ralph Lauren, represents an opportunity for them to reinvent themselves. 

I would like to congratulate their brazen move and advise that they continue to encourage such ideas in the future!

The item combination we'll be looking at today is all built on one very (according to L.L.Bean standards) short pair of shorts, a weekender bag, a nice duck motif leather belt and an earthy hand-sewn pair of leather chukka boots to finish it off.

Leather Eastport Handsewn Ranger Moc ($79), Downeaster Sport Canvas Bag ($54), L.L.Bean Corduroy Shorts ($49) paired with a nice Leather Field Duck Belt ($49)

This look is a perfect match for any guy who likes to stick with the good-ole traditional values but also wishes to keep up with the new trends as well. I am really considering purchasing a pair of these shorts for myself, to wear this Summer and Autumn. Remember though, always buy shorts in your size or one size smaller to avoid the common baggy look or having to pull your shorts up every two steps.

THE OFFICIAL PREPPY HANDBOOK or of The Virtues of Wearing Pink and Green

There are a few book in this world that are atemporal and very much enjoyable. Lisa Birnbach's The Official Preppy Handbook (also known as TOPH) is by far one of my favourites.

Written in a half-satirical half-serious manner makes it a highly enjoyable read for anyone who is at least slightly familiar with the Prep culture of the United States. I personally dislike it when people over-analyze it in their reviews as I think Mrs. Birnbach wrote it such that it requires taking it just as it was written, flippantly serious.

I have attached the scanned version of the book for all of you who are having a harder and harder time to secure a copy, although I would suggest eBay or Amazon (new versions start at $179.99 however) if you would like a physical copy of the book.

Besides some of the less updated items in the book, like stores and addresses, most of the information is very much current and applicable although I sheepishly remind you not to take it too seriously ( we all know from history where that lead in the past when another book that chronicled it was followed word-by-word) ! Some of you might discover, either to your liking or to your dismay that you are a prep, while some of you might learn a little about the world that has always seemed so inaccesible for us mere mortals.

If you would like to convert to "Prepianity" however, I would suggest investing seriously in some etiquette classes (The Emily Post Institute can do wonders with all but the most entrenched of troglodytes), a country club membership and of course Prep attire (Ralph Lauren, Rugby Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, L.L.Bean, Vineyard Vines and sometimes Lacoste are all great choices IMO).

Enjoy the book and if you wish to read it offline, please click on the Follow Blog button on the right side and you will receive a message containing the download link for the book in pdf format!


Comments are always appreciated. Let me know what you think about the book, do you think it's contents still apply to our modern society? Is Prep dying out?

I would also like to introduce you to the long awaited True Prep: It's a Whole New Old world, which is an updated-to-modern-times version of the TOPH. Order True Prep here.

True Prep looks at how the old guard of natural-fiber-loving, dog-worshipping, G&T-soaked preppies adapts to the new order of the Internet, cell phones, rehab, political correctness, reality TV and…polar fleece 



Authors Lisa Birnbach and Chip Kidd, giving us a glimpse at the process of getting True Prep ready for publishing!



Here it is: