Being Femm: Preppy Girls

One of my new ideas is to present a different type of girl each month or so and discuss what makes her tick we start with my fave girl the Preppy Socialite

How to be a preppy girl.

Preppy isn't just a style- it can become a serious art. The clothes, thestyle, the attitude, the people...it can become more and more challenging with everyday. But if you want to be something, and you have it in you, it shouldn't have to be that hard. If you're sick of getting it wrong and want to know how to perfect your preppy style.

Preppy hair

Wear your hair in a ponytail. Adding ribbons can bring a personal touch, and can even gain you a signature look.
Wear it straight, if your hair is straight. Preppy hair is always natural, with exception to formal events. Break out the straightening iron on special occasions. Try to fix those split ends.
Wear loose waves everyday if you have wavy or curly hair and on special occasions for straight-haired preps. Apply some frizz serum or a little mousse to your hair if it's frizzing up. If you use too much product, however, you'll lose the natural look and look more like a poser.
Go for pigtails, if they are done loose and low under your ears. Tie them with coordinating ribbons with your outfit or the everyday elastic.
Braid your hair; this is a good look for bad hair days. If you feel your outfit is looking a little bland or your hair is being unruly, apply braids liberally. Don't do this if your hair is cut into layers. Hair strands sticking out of your braids makes it look more messed up than preppy.
Wear headbands. In Gossip Girl, Blair Waldorf has a signature look - headbands. An athlete's alternative to headbands are headwraps - slip one around your head and tie your hair in a ponytail.
Apply barettes to your hair. They add the girly look.

Get the attitude. An important quality of a prep is their ability to be happy, bubbly, and very social. Look on the bright side all the time and be happy with who you are, and encourage people to do the same. Act friendly and outgoing... a little shy is OK, but be nice. Smile. Stand up straight. Avoid getting people angry. Forget talking about money or politics-it can put people off. Being snobby shows poor breeding. Preps have a friendly attitude and good manners. Read Etiquette books or take etiquette classes. Good manners are very important to preps. It shows people you have had a good upbringing. Use basic politeness such as please, thank you and excuse me. Be considerate and hold doors for people. Guys, don't wear a hat indoors. Keep your cell phone in check and put it on vibrate when you go to a public place.
Be social; make new friends and practice being more outgoing. Throw a party for no reason every so often. Try to keep the party drug- and sex-free. You can be the life of the party but still be classy at the same time. For example, if you are at a party you won't be anti-social or drinking like a drunk and slobbering all over the place. Rather, you will have nursed one drink all night, socialized, and will not act like an idiot.
Get your clothes from a traditional, upper class store. Get timeless, classic clothes that will always look stylish. DO get brands such as Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines, Lacoste, J. Crew, Martha LeWren, Nantucket Brand, Ann Taylor,Tommy Hilfiger,Burberry, Vicomte Arthur, Lilly Pulitzer, Bloomingdales, & Sach's 5th avenue.
Buy the preppy style clothes. Just because you got some clothes from an upper class store doesn't mean they are preppy. Buy clothes that are classic, and clean-cut. Don't be afraid to splurge on these a little, as preps tend to hold onto clothes for a long time. Remember to make sure your clothes are always clean, and always match. Good fabrics are very important. Get rid of any polyester. Buy mostly 100%cotton, wool and cashmere. Wear preppy colors. Bright and happy, like green, pink, light blue, nautical red, white and navy blue and preppy patterns such as plaid, stripes, gingham, polka dots, argyle, floral, paisley, nova checks, and tartan.
- Here are some suggestions for that type of clothing:
  - Polo shirts
  - Oxford shirts (unlike polos, oxford shirts should always be long-sleeved ***if it is warm outside simply roll up the sleeves)
  - Rugby shirt
  - Cable-knit vests and sweaters (traditional cricket sweaters)
  - A jacket or blazer (navy blue is a staple; try seersucker or madras plaid in summer, tweed in winter)
  - Chino pants-could have cuffs
  - Khaki pants. The prep equivalent to jeans
  - Bermuda shorts (khaki, madras plaid, seersucker, linen or preppy prints and patterns)
  - Skirts (khaki, madras plaid, seersucker, linen, preppy prints and patterns)
  - Tea dresses and summer dresses (in madras plaid, preppy colors, seersucker, or linen). A-line dresses, halters, and flowy dresses are acceptable.
  - Tennis- and golf-inspired shirts, skirts, and dresses