Junior Fashion Apparel Trends: What is the “prep” clothing style?
If you lived through the 80’s, you are probably familiar with the term “preppy”, which usually referred to an Izod-shirt wearing crew of crisply attired, self-centered young men and women with a more conservative approach to dressing. Instead of sporting some of the faddish contemporary wholesale apparel like leg warmers, Chinese jackets and Sassoon jeans, the preppy crowd always looked “prepared” for success in pressed chinos and pastel-colored oxford shirts. Think Buffy and Biff in their Volvo convertible and you will get the picture.
A lot has changed since the 80’s. Instead of munching on Pop Rocks and listening bands like Culture Club and the Knack, today’s preps are more tuned into political and social issues. They’re just as competitive in academic and social circles too. And while they represent the lion’s share of spending on junior fashion apparel, they are less flamboyant than their peers. This group is extremely brand-conscious, hence their obsession with the recognizable moose and birds stitched onto their favorite clothing, but they stick to these labels because they are more widely acceptable as the “right” ones.
Unlike the “preppies” of previous generations, preps are not superficial; they are simply more conservative with their choice of colors and patterns. You will rarely see a prep wear black in their everyday clothing. They tend to choose contemporary apparel in shades of navy, pea green, maroon, cream and grey. Partly inspired by the luxury generation, preps are motivated by the appearance of wealth. Try buying a teenage prep a top from a department store that looks exactly like their favorite brand-name clothing and you will find yourself in line to return it a few days later.
Wholesale fashion apparel buyers know that to attract a wealthy “prep” audience, they must look for well-fitting brand name clothing in stripes and solids. Despite any claims they make to the contrary, preps care very much about their reputation, and any deviance from the junior clothing apparel labels approved by their crowd will make them feel like an outsider.