Before I had any idea what style even was, I was drawn to the preppy look. I have told you before about my affection for The Official Preppy Handbook, but I was equally influenced by a 1976 Texas Monthly article that ran down the style choices of the University of Texas’s top sororities (I’m pretty sure this is behind a paywall, but Texas Monthly is a publication worth supporting, and a digital subscription will run you just $15 a year). I’ve gone through multiple style evolutions over the years, but I always return to this look, because it’s so clean and snappy, and easy to build a uniform around. One of the most important components of this look is a pair of khaki chinos, and I think these are pretty great.
A button-down in an end-on-end fabric—meaning they use both blue and white thread to make it, which adds dimension.
A slightly shrunken unstructured blazer that looks as easy as it does spiff.
I think this conductor stripe chore jacket is just about the cutest thing ever. I have a kind of fixation on chore jackets and own a few, so I can’t possibly give myself permission to pull the trigger on this one. But I wish I could.
Such a cute striped polo sweater; I also like this one in navy, which looks like it’s not as cropped.
An polo shirt with dramatically oversized dimensions: so slouchy cool.
A denim skirt is a key component of this look for me (I’m mightily inspired by this vintage image of Lauren Hutton in one) and I like how faded-out this one is.
A cute striped tee at a very easy-to-digest price.
This Breton stripe sweater comes in about a zillion colorways, but I’m partial to this classic blue and red (with a fun pop of white on the sleeve)
I really really dig these Gola sneakers—they’re pretty cheap, and cute, and a slightly fresher choice than Tretorns or Stan Smiths.
I always like a woven belt because it provides an effortless pop of color; here’s one that’s cool and cheaper.