Fashion Impact: Prep School

Not all of us have attended Prep school, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dress like the kids who have. Here at NL Collective Group, we’re loving the prep craze that’s being sported all over runways, fashion showrooms and retail stores everywhere. Hey, haven’t we all wished we were Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf at some point in life? Whether it’s an exaggerated collar, conservative silhouettes, sweaters, oversized buttons, or whatever it may be, certain elements evoke the preppiness that reminds some of us of our youths. The prep look is youthful, yes, but it’s also classic, elegant, and, depending on how much you play it up, fun. So many different pieces can be categorized as “preppy” but can also be wearable look for everyday life; perfect for marketing to every fashionista out there (even the ones who think their styles are more Jenny Humphries than Blair’s.) One of the top brands in the fashion business, Lacoste, has made a name for themselves simply by providing the public with high-end, wearable, chic, but most of all, innately preppy and sporty clothes. Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger have done the same for their brands. Now, other top designers are catching onto the craze and sending their own sporty looks down the runway. Fashion industry powerhouse Diane Von Furstenberg recently took up the preppy look in a collection. Luxury brand Blake Andrews has several preppy looks in the Fall/Winter 2012 collection. We’re especially loving the structured collars and peacoat-esque buttons. So go ahead and rock this youthful look with style, you don’t have to be a schoolgirl to pull it off. Time to prep it up!

Lacoste

Ralph Lauren

Tommy Hilfiger

Diane Von Furstenberg

Blake Andrews