Fall 2010 Trend: The New Prep

It is soon to be Fall again, the season that rings the bell on a new school year, which brings back to us those days of stocking up on pencils, erasers, college ruled paper, and most importantly, a new back to school wardrobe.

Even though many of us never had to wear a school uniform to school, the collegiate prep look is still a fall fashion favorite among chic students.

Think Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, or the always polished wizard students from Harry Potter. Crisp collared blouses, woolly knit sweaters, plaid skirts, knee high socks, and practical loafers plan on making their way back into your wardrobes this upcoming season.

But thanks to brands like Balenciaga (futuristic prep), Jason Wu (tomboy prep), and House of Holland (punk rock prep), the new kind of prep school look is less refined, and a tad more quirky.

Wear your favorite school crewneck sweater in a flashing electric neon hue. Throw a pastel striped blazer over your Sunday school plaid skirt. Rock a pair of beat up combats with your knee high socks.

Take the usual shapes and prints of the distinguished school uniform and wear them baggier, tighter, or shorter than normal. These distortions and juxtapositions makes for a striking and exciting new way to wear prep.

To be a studious A+ student doesn’t mean you have to look like one all the time. The more confident you feel in your back to school clothes, the better you’ll do in school. 

The new prep is less about conforming, and is more about experimenting, redefining, and recreating what it means to be prep.

In fashion’s new book, prep can be anything you want it to be.

Whether you’re an actual student, or just love the look, there’s no better time than now to start throwing together your own take on the preppy school look, inspired by the latest fall runways.