About SFP

This is me. Or, should I say, we. 

The teenage years are ones of rebellion, angst, self-discovery, revelations, possible diaspora, etc. In regards to style, youth typically eb and flow with the comings and goings of the trends that dictate any given time (case in point). But some style is classic. Some style stands the test of time; it looks fads in the face and stares it down with tenacious ardor. 

Here enters prep. 

What defines prep?
Well, that's a rather loaded question. My generation of prep is the Vineyard Vines wearing kind, with Sperry's and Nike crew socks on their feet, Polo shorts around their waist and a surcingle belt tying it all together (obviously this is not unique to my peers, it is an amalgamation of modern style and classic prep). Perhaps this can be defined better as frat, though true frats may ditch the Nike socks. And while I have no problem with frat style, I find it rather...worn. Do not misunderstand me, there are many elements of frat that I emulate and find desirable; in fact, I would argue at this point my wardrobe is more fratty than anything else. What I don't like is when people become frat stars (photo credit to one of my heroes Tony over at College Trad). Frat stars, for the uninitiated, are those who take being preppy/fratty to the extremes: three or four GTH (go to hell) colors in an outfit, lacrosse tank tops with LL Bean boots and chino shorts, etc. Here too, I must admit that I have no qualms with the occasional FS moment (on the odd outing I wear my Wallabee boots with high socks *gasp*). But in an effort to stand out from the crowd, and at the same time develop a style that will carry me not only through college, but hopefully grad school, and get this, MAYBE even into real life, I wish to educate myself on the finer elements of traditional preppy style.

Here enters trad.

Trad, short for traditional, is the father/better looking brother of prep. When thinking of trad, think 1960's Ivy League; for a blunt representation, look no further than JFK. The struggle to dress trad-ly is defined well in this quote from Ms. Susan Crawford, an anonymous, albeit wise, reader of some trad blog or the other:

"Building a personal style, creatively understanding oneself, seeking out those whose work and vision coincides - this is not something that can be accomplished overnight, or by giving in to the ever-changing whim of the moment. It is the work of a lifetime. And it is only possible when a sense of self is present: knowing every facet of oneself, trusting one's "eye" and heart, and being fearless."

So that is this blog in a nutshell: my eternal struggle to rise above the monotony of a look I find somewhat common (yet still pick and choose parts that I enjoy) and truly find a style of my own. 

When reading this blog, keep in mind that I am still learning, and I will more than likely wind up breaking my own rules, contradicting myself, or coming across as a moronic ass that knows nothing of which he speaks.

Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: This is not particularly a how to or an advice blog. I will not pretend to be an expert on anything. Please excuse grammatical errors, factual mistakes and other things along those lines.