READ THIS: True Prep by Lisa Birnbach with Chip Kidd
From Merriam Webster: http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prep
The noun comes first; and it clearly states that it is a derivative of preparation, and then it says prep school, which of course prepares you for college. This is not any old kind of school; it is a very small, smart, LUCKY percentage of the population. It is 2 tenths of one percent they say on page 61. Peachy tries to make it the majority of the population she interacts with because they understand her best and generally pursue excellence. This is all helpful to Whom You Know.
The verb comes second; it means to attend prep school. Peachy Deegan prepped at Farmington and was four-year senior, which is the preppiest. And you know single sex is preppiest too. Whom You Know is not any old kind of site; a high percentage and certainly the majority of the panel prepped. In Connecticut.
So, we are uniquely qualified to comment on "True Prep." Though we loved the first edition, we have mixed feelings about this latest edition and here's why. We were a little surprised to see the cover designed the way it is; it reminds us more of Juicy Couture than Lacoste, Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren...
True Prep is not true to form, for the preppies that are Serious True Preps. A good amount is on target, but the people are off. The overall percentage is that there are more hits than misses here, but the misses puncture a wound in our prep heart. If you ordered crabcakes at Swifty's you expect them to have real crab in it and a good percentage of real authentic crab meat, and not have a lot of filler. You don't want too much breading, you don't want too much sauce, you want to taste quality crab and of course you do at Swifty's.
The last edition that came out in 1980 was like crabcakes from Swifty's. This version is like what we imagine crabcakes would be like at a fast food restaurant: it is totally watered down and not authentic. It is not preppy enough. It is like buying a Ralph Lauren knockoff at a discount store, not at the Rhinelander mansion or its fabulous women's equivalent across the street that just opened. True Prep is filled with people who are not authentically prep and who didn't even prep. Just because Michelle Obama throws a sweater around her neck does not make her a prep; pictures we have seen of her leaving Air Force One in casual shorts (without cute little motifs on them in khaki or light pink, etc like you would see at JMcLaughlin) here is one site that has it: http://www.twirlit.com/2009/08/19/michelle-obama-shorts/ With all due respect to the First Lady, she is not a prep. She did not prep. She doesn't consistently adhere to the style. It is not bad if you are not preppy, BUT it is NOT GOOD EITHER. You cannot teach someone how to be preppy and it is not a surface level style; it is a way of life, and it is timeless. It is also involuntary and innate we believe. But that's just our opinion, and a very Whom You Know thought. We know who we are.
The last edition that came out in 1980 was like crabcakes from Swifty's. This version is like what we imagine crabcakes would be like at a fast food restaurant: it is totally watered down and not authentic. It is not preppy enough. It is like buying a Ralph Lauren knockoff at a discount store, not at the Rhinelander mansion or its fabulous women's equivalent across the street that just opened. True Prep is filled with people who are not authentically prep and who didn't even prep. Just because Michelle Obama throws a sweater around her neck does not make her a prep; pictures we have seen of her leaving Air Force One in casual shorts (without cute little motifs on them in khaki or light pink, etc like you would see at JMcLaughlin) here is one site that has it: http://www.twirlit.com/2009/08/19/michelle-obama-shorts/ With all due respect to the First Lady, she is not a prep. She did not prep. She doesn't consistently adhere to the style. It is not bad if you are not preppy, BUT it is NOT GOOD EITHER. You cannot teach someone how to be preppy and it is not a surface level style; it is a way of life, and it is timeless. It is also involuntary and innate we believe. But that's just our opinion, and a very Whom You Know thought. We know who we are.
Whom You Know of course was borne in the midst of prep; it is named after Peachy Deegan's tenth grade English class at Miss Porter's and even her teacher Rennie McQuilkin is now a Mover and Shaker: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/09/movers-and-shakers-rennie-mcquilkin.html
People who are preppy are consistent and you don't see this kind of deviation of style. You cannot wear your tweed blazer that you inherited one day and look like that coming off a plane. Certainly if you have the good taste to fly Liberty Jet (Peachy's favorite form of private aviation) you look the part. And Liberty Jet's clientele do.
One of Peachy Deegan's chores growing up was to dust on Saturday mornings. When no one was looking she read the Original Preppy Handbook every Saturday morning which of course was on the coffee table (that coffee table shined like nothing else in the house) instead of spending the entire time dusting and she knows it in and out. She wishes True Prep was an update rather than a makeover. Preps don't like change. If you know Peachy, she is pretty much who she was at age 5 just slightly bigger and has read more books and has drank more champagne, or rather Star Vodka in her Mikasa coffee cup like we mentioned yesterday with Bimmie:
Sooo....here is what we liked, and what we didn't like. We never say what we don't like but since we're so uniquely qualified we will in this case. Peachy could have written this....You were so far off on some of the people though, so next time we suggest bribing the Alumni/Alumnae offices for lists and pick from there! Fitzgerald and K. Hepburn were our favorites from last time.
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What is True Prep:
George Walker Bush
Anderson Hays Cooper
Ted Danson
Jane Fonda
JFK Jr. (Also you were supposed to marry Peachy)
Martha Stewart
A lot of women from Farmington that you missed; should have been Polly Mellen not Rachel Mellen
p.4 Grandmother is power behind the power. Peachy Deegan's grandmother is so powerful she is making Whom You Know work from heaven. Grammy we see you on the right at the bar! Grammy bought Peachy gorgeous preppy clothes in her childhood including Lacoste from Mr. Murphy, and if you don't know Mr. Murphy you must not golf in Farmington.
p.4 Mummy left Georg Jensen Ring to you. We believe Mover and Shaker Carolyn O'Keefe has this experience: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/10/movers-and-shakers-carolyn-okeefe.html
p.43 Yes real preppies are descended from Pilgrims...Peachy is.
p. 43 Yes private education is worth every penny!
p. 45 Yes drink spirits in the air; See Peachy's favorite commercial of Star Vodka on Liberty Jet
p.47 You dont need your own private plane but it helps to have a friend that does. See Christian Deputy, Mover and Shaker!
p. 78 Yes hair is an education and if you care about yours you go to Rodney Cutler:
p. 81 Fashion Rules. Obviously.
p. 82 Yes Preppy women have jewelry designer friends. We mentioned Carolyn O'Keefe above, and Berry Brown is also friends with Peachy: http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/10/rock-your-body-exclusive-interview-with.html
p. 96 Emily went to Boston College. Check.
p. 132-33 Decorate with Books! Obviously. Peachy actually reads them if you read READ THIS.
p. 138 If you ever have something that COULD be monogrammed and you dont send it to us that way you are totally missing the boat, Chez Peachy potential features! Monogram, check.
p. 175 Alcohol is truth serum. Yes. And there is Bimmie on p. 179
p. 185 We worship at the altar of Ralph Lauren though we think he is Jewish and we are Catholic
p. 202 Yes Gossip Girl is wayyyy off
p. 230 Eulogy excellent. We'll have to tuck that away.
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What is NOT True Prep:
Jonathan Adler
Cory Booker
Alan Franken
Dr. Seuss
Barack and Michelle Obama
Gweneth Paltrow (what preppy names their child after a fruit????)
Uma Thurman
p.55 Though we love Google, you guys are NOT Preppy.
p. 56 Ketel One and Stoli? Are you kidding? Go to Shop with Peachy and buy Star Vodka:
p.75 How can Islam be preppy if it is alcohol free? Bimmie, help us here. Come over with your coffee cup.
p. 82 If you have to tell President Obama to not wear phones or blackberries suspended from his belt (is it even Vineyard Vines?) is he REALLY a prep?
p. 127 Mummy is a Yogini Healer? Horrors.
p. 155 Fusion this and Fusion That? This makes us want to crawl under the table at JG Melon if this book was on it.
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We could go on and on and comment on every page because Peachy's really got something to say here.
If you are reading just for fun, this is a tremendous hit. It is a true comedy and bubbles over with entertainment if you read it with the attitude that maybe they are trying to be funny with some of the aspects of "Prep" that are mentioned. Maybe Peachy shouldn't take it so seriously....but she still dresses like she did in 1980, in adult sizes now. What was cool then is still cool now, if you are prep. And it is trendy to be preppy in recent years, but if you're wearing preppy now but haven't consistently for the last 30 years and didn't prep, are you really a True Prep? Read This, and tell us what you think, preppy Whom You Know readers!
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In 1980, with the publication of The Official Preppy Handbook, Lisa Birnbach explained
preppies to the larger world. The book sold more than two million copies and stayed
perched atop best-seller lists across the country for well over a year.
Now, thirty years later, Birnbach has teamed up with designer Chip Kidd to take a
look at everything preppy in the 21st century—updating time-honored traditions and
acknowledging changed customs, allowing for new technologies and cultural changes
that have swept in since the publication of the first book.
True Prep sheds new light on attitudes towards money, schools, work, sports, pets,
wardrobe, decoration, and food and drink. But it also looks at the Internet, political cor-
rectness, reality TV, even scandal—including rehab and prison.
Time has marched on, thus even preppies must embrace change. True Prep will tell you
everything you need to know to be truly, madly, deeply preppy.
preppies to the larger world. The book sold more than two million copies and stayed
perched atop best-seller lists across the country for well over a year.
Now, thirty years later, Birnbach has teamed up with designer Chip Kidd to take a
look at everything preppy in the 21st century—updating time-honored traditions and
acknowledging changed customs, allowing for new technologies and cultural changes
that have swept in since the publication of the first book.
True Prep sheds new light on attitudes towards money, schools, work, sports, pets,
wardrobe, decoration, and food and drink. But it also looks at the Internet, political cor-
rectness, reality TV, even scandal—including rehab and prison.
Time has marched on, thus even preppies must embrace change. True Prep will tell you
everything you need to know to be truly, madly, deeply preppy.
