I know everyone remembers this, the 'Bible' of teenage preppiness. Released in 1980, this book, which was perfectly timed to coincide with the emergence of characters like Alex P. Keaton (the personification of the middle-class preppy wannabe), was supposed to be a JOKE. But teens everywhere embraced it as a sort of bible for dressing. Growing up in a working class suburb of New Orleans, I can't say that the Official Preppy Handbook impressed me as anything more than the farce that it was meant to be. As the years dragged on, however, and the New Wave years waned toward the late 80's, I did indeed embrace the wearing of penny loafers, sometimes with bobby socks folded down, sometimes with bare feet (this was exemplary fashion, but it was STINKY!). I was not, however, cool enough to resist the temptation to place coins in my shoes. I know this was poor form, but hey, what does a kid from a rough neighborhood like mine care if Biff and Buffy don't like the coins in my shoes??
I wore loafers straight through until adulthood, finally parting with them about ten years ago. In college, since I travelled overseas quite a bit, I took to putting foreign coins in those loafers (usually tiny Austrian Groschen). And I'm sure I impressed a heap of people with that little maneuver!
Except for donning those loafers, preppy didn't work too well for me. Yes, I worked at 'The Limited' and had to wear some preppier pieces than I would have liked to at times, but there were always the New Wave accoutrements (like strange head scarves or dangly geometric earrings or a fedora)going along with the plaids and khakis - it could be no other way.
Parents, don't you wish the fashions of today were as benign as what we had back then? Can you imagine a 'handbook' for fashion today? It would have to be called 'The Official Bling-Belly Shirts-Make Your Drawers Show Handbook'. It makes the Preppy Handbook seem like something from a REALLY LONG TIME AGO!
Did you know that this old fashion bible is going sometimes for as much as $30 - $40 on Ebay? I guess they are in short supply. Apparently once everyone turned 18 they tossed their handbooks out, finally realizing that the whole concept was a joke - and that the joke was on them.
15 comments:
someone just told me about a 'Preppy Handbook' cookbook. Does anyone remember this later publication that's part of the preppy lexicon?
80smom, we were cut from the same jibe! I worked at The Limited too, well, I worked at Lerner - when it was Lerners. Even though I had to dress their way I would always throw in a little flair just so I could show them I was a rebel. HA!I don't remember the Preppy Handbook but I do remember the preppies. One of my best friends from childhood grew up to be one and it totally seperated us. She was with one clique, I was with another. Too bad an Izod can do that to friends.
Most friendships were divided along the 'Izod Line' ;-)
I remember Le Tigre or Britania was not as cool as Izod.
yeah, inland empire, they weren't. Le Tigre always tried to market itself as on the same level as Izod, but it didn't work.
But I think my mom in 1980 and '81 got me some generic (probably wal-mart) version of an alligator shirt, and I wore it (collar up, of course) since there was no other option. SIGH!
Two words: Leg warmers. I will be honest and say I claimed they were for warmth (being from Michigan I thought it was a pliable excuse). Truth be told, I had fallen into the fad and didn't want anyone to know it. Looking back I don't know which was dorkier...the leg warmers, the giant hair clip or the clogs!
second time to try and leave a note - i enjoy your blog. i really like that preppy handbook.
hey, lakelandmom, clogs were NOT uncool! Especially the Dr. Scholl's kind that were supposed to make your legs shapely - were your legs shapely??
The leg warmers, however, there is no excuse for ;-) Even I did not touch that one with a ten foot pole ;-)
hey jenx67, thanks somuch, hope to see youa round here more!
In Italy the division between "preppies" and "paninari"(the name for the boys)and other kind of people were so strong I would say it was pure racism,although there was no violence.
raf, when i worked for The Limited in the 80s we actually had a campaign one year called "panninaro" and there were all these supposedly really Italian looking things in the collection that season. What would Panninaro have been exactly?
The word "Paninaro" came from "panino" which means sandwich!!That's because in the 80's started to be famous(the place to BE)the MCDonald's!So because there, what you eat are sandwiches..here you go..
but RAF, what did the clothes look like that matched that theme?
I remember lots of white cotton stuff, VERY lightweight pants. I think there were also little shirts with collars that kind of looked like the type of shirt bicyclists wore. Its just a fuzzy memory - that's funny about the sandwiches - it seems uncool to have a fashion named after McDonald's - haha!
By the way RAF, I am so glad to see you posting here, I like hearing more international opinions on the 80's!
Boys were wearing mainly jeans,Moncler or leather(Top Gun style)jackets,and then whatever from some cool and very expensive brands.McDonald just open up,and because it was from Usa it was cool..infact whatever from your country was the best!
raf, oh my goodness, that was a LOOONG time ago that whatever was from here was 'the best'.
I went to Milan in about 1998 or so and everyone looked at me a bit disgusted on the streets because I had the gall to wear obnoxious white tennis shoes (the sign of an American, no?). Not so cool anymore!!
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