Wintertime Prep
September 16, 2011 1:00 PM   Subscribe

Young preppy guy looking to add some new items to my fall/winter wardrobe!

That fall chill is in the air already so I figure this would be a great time to start picking up/thinking about some clothes for the fall & winter months, and I need suggestions!

Just some background info:
20 year old male college student. Height is 5' 8", and I'm very slim.
I dress pretty preppy most of the time. For reference, in the summer I normally wear Polo/Oxford + Bermuda shorts + ribbon belt + boat shoes. Nearly all of my clothes are from Brooks Brothers, Lacoste, J.Press, occasionally I shop at Ralph Lauren or J.Crew.

For the winter I would like to have more preppy staples in my wardrobe because as of now I normally just wear jeans and a sweater from Brooks.

Bonus points for any recommendations that 1) Fit well on a slim person like myself and 2) I can find at a store in Manhattan

(Also keep in mind I'm a guy who isn't so great with 'putting together' outfits and such)
posted by Funky Claude to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Obviously, you are in college, and you should be wearing a hoodie with jeans during the winter months rather than trying to prep-it-up. But I have a feeling you're not going to listen, so I would go with a dark gray tweed sport coat like this one from J. Crew. There are similar, but more expensive versions at Brooks Brothers. Pair it with a nice pair of black wool pants and dress boots like these. Get a v-neck argyle sweater.

Of course, this is a huge expense when, honestly, in college, no one really cares and you should take this opportunity to grow your hair long, shave as little as possible, and wear t-shirts and jeans as much as you can (this is a great opportunity to collect tshirts, by the way, that mention different events, departments, and employers that you'll look back on with nostalgia). But if you must go for the extreme-preppy look, those are your starting points.
posted by deanc at 1:09 PM on September 16, 2011


I love Put This On... their blog often features sales, good outfits/items, and eBay listings of interesting clothing options.

Their first video series just ended, and was awesome.

Check them out.
posted by smitt at 1:11 PM on September 16, 2011


Best answer: Oxfords? Brooks has a slim cut now, don't they? Added advantage that you can wear them under the sweaters. Also they look nice with the sleeves rolled neatly up.

Wide-waled cords - more distinctive than jeans or khakis, yet autumnal and casual. Can also be worn with the oxfords and the sweaters.

What about some kind of cardigan? Or a sports jacket (although you'll probably need to get it tailored.)

Also, I personally really like those polo sweaters, the ones with the collars - but you wear them over a collared shirt, as if they're a regular pullover.

Keep everything within a narrow range of tones if you're not sure what you're doing - ie, if your sweaters are mostly blue, get your cords in navy, grey and camel or maybe (if adventurous) maroon. If you get your sweaters and cords in the same tone range, what about some oxfords in related but slightly contrasty colors? Also, how about those striped oxfords?

I like J Crew's shirts, too, even though I'm in the minority as far as classic men's dress goes.

Maybe a bridle leather belt. Chukkas are pretty much the winter version of boat shoes, although I don't like them much myself.
posted by Frowner at 1:15 PM on September 16, 2011


You should hit up Collared Greens for all of your tie and belt needs. It's what all the eco-conscious young southern gentlemen are wearing these days. I don't think they've got a retail location in NYC, but buying accessories online isn't as problematic as other clothes.
posted by phunniemee at 1:23 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


I also feel like rugby shirts and tennis sweaters are trending, but perhaps that's a drawback - depends on whether you dress preppily because it's au courant or because it's in the bones, so to speak.
posted by Frowner at 1:27 PM on September 16, 2011


Also, someone earlier on AskMe mentioned the Black Fleece line from Brooks Brothers which might help you as a style guide. The models are dressed a bit over-the-top (you don't need to wear a blazer with EVERYTHING), but the point comes across.

Duck Boots are also a winter-version of boat shoes.
posted by deanc at 2:01 PM on September 16, 2011


Best answer: Gant is another preppy brand. They have a new line called Grant Rugger that seems aimed at the younger, trendier set (which means slimmer cuts).
posted by mullacc at 2:11 PM on September 16, 2011


Best answer: Oh, preppy boy clothes. Don't disregard big wool fishermens sweaters, the "fleece vest over Oxford shirt" look and "full sleeved fleece over Oxford shirt" look. See also; vineyard vines, Patagonia, LLBean, North Face and (in manhattan if stuffs on sale) facconable and Thomas pink. Light cashmere sweater over dark rinse jeans and boots is a great look. Top with a suede jacket? Win.
posted by slateyness at 5:13 PM on September 16, 2011


Response by poster: Thanks guys, appreciate all the responses!
posted by Funky Claude at 8:15 PM on September 16, 2011


Oh, I adore the men's preppy look. I like these sites for inspiration:

http://thetrad.blogspot.com/
http://www.unabashedlyprep.com/
http://www.ivy-style.com/ - Lots of vintage pictures for inspiration
http://www.muffyaldrich.com/
Especially this post of hers: http://www.muffyaldrich.com/2011/07/basic-preppy-wardrobe-staple-essentials.html
posted by Lycaste at 10:20 PM on September 16, 2011


You should start accumulating some season specific ties. What's popular for fall now is thin wool ties, in muted earth tones or tweeds. These can be dressed down with chambray work shirts or casual oxfords. As a college student you probably don't often wear ties, but as you get older you realize there's no such thing as too many ties in your wardrobe, and I try to add a couple every season.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 10:46 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


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