classic style series | preppy style

good morning, ladies! i trust you enjoyed your Easter weekend. here at casa djalali, the weather outside was so delightful that most of the day was spent outside. all of my kiddos and their better halves popped over for brunch. funny story, the house was in order, the table set, and the bloody mary and mimosa bar in place. but yours truly hadn’t shopped for the brunch ingredients. after a day of cleaning the patios and screen porch, i was pooped, so pushed that task to sunday morning, not thinking that Publix would be closed. well…. they were closed as they should be on Easter, and Target too. thankfully for me, Walmart was open, and i scrambled to buy eggs, bacon, spinach, and cheese so i could whip up a frittata for my crew. phew! that was a close one. i have to admit being single, running the blog, and my house, plus chasing after oscar and ollie has its challenges. sometimes i wind up running behind schedule. but i’m learning. if it hadn’t been for the pine pollen cleanup, things would have been smooth sailing. ha!

recently, i started a classic style series on the blog and YouTube. the first installment was where to shop for classic style. today the classic style series focuses on preppy style – a style unique to America. preppy style is influenced by the east coast prep school uniform, which includes chinos, button-ups, blazers, canvas belts, argyle sweaters, crewneck sweaters, and loafers. the term preppy is taken from university-preparatory schools, a.k.a prep school. the style got its start at the turn of the 20th century and more or less has evolved since then. preppy style has also been influenced by the English aristocracy, who once had a strong impact on America and American universities. so you will see an infusion of stripes, plaid shirts, field jackets, nautical-themed outfits, and equestrian apparel.

preppy style fashion for women was epitomized by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, who not only embraced classic style but preppy style. Jackie was known to wear brightly patterned sheath dresses from Lilly Pulitizer and catapulted Jack Rogers sandals into the fashion stratosphere. on a trip to Italy, Jackie spied a pair of sandals she loved. when she returned to the States, she asked shoe cobbler Jack Rogers to make her a pair. the rest is history. women who love preppy style embrace low heels tailored skirt suits, wrap dresses, sheath dresses, shirtdresses, silk or cotton blouses, a-line skirts, and chinos.

while preppy style is unique to America, it has been embraced by other continents and cultures. when Princess Diana stepped onto the fashion scene as a Sloan Ranger, her outfits embodied floral denim and skirts, gingham pants, and bright colors. preppy style retailers include Talbots, J.Crew, Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, L.L. Bean, Orvis, Eddie Bauer, and Lacoste, to name a few.

classic style series | preppy style

today’s ootd is preppy style all the way. it starts with an a-line skirt with a whimsical pattern from Talbots. the queen of preppy style Jenna Lyons from her days at J.Crew, taught us to pattern mix, so i decided a striped tee (old, similar here) was in order with the flower and vases skirt. but to keep the overall outfit from going over the top, i added a white denim jacket. as for footwear, this time of year, the choices are endless. white sneakers, driving mocs, sandals, or ballet flats would all look adorable. the weather is warm in Georgia, and my pedicure fresh, so i slipped into a pair of sandals (old, similar here, here, and here). guess what? the white handbag from Ralph Lauren is back in action.

skirt | similar tee | denim jacket | (old, similar here, here, and here) | handbag

skirt | similar tee | denim jacket | (old, similar here, here, and here) | handbag

skirt | similar tee | denim jacket | similar sandals | handbag

Beth Djalali

is the Founder and CEO of Style at a Certain Age. She writes Sundays-Fridays on all topics ranging from fashion, health, wellness, home design and more.

She’s 63, 5’8, and size 8.

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