Illustration
By: Lisa Birnbach
Date: 1980
Source: Birnbach, Lisa, "Prep Persona Number 3." The Official Preppy Handbook. New York: Workman Publishing, 1980, 98–99.
About the Author: Lisa Birnbach (1959–) graduated from Brown University and achieved notoriety in the United States upon the publication in 1980 of The Official Preppy Handbook, a guide to the etiquette, dress codes, and mannerisms of the "preppy" culture. The book was number one on The New York Times bestseller list for thirty-eight weeks.
Introduction
The origins of a preppy style can be traced to the 1890s when the growing number of private schools in England—also referred to as preparatory or prep schools—became increasingly exclusive and competitive. Schools and students perpetuated an image of exclusivity and status by wearing a school uniform which incorporated regal...
Source: American Decades Primary Sources: 1980-1989, ©2000 Gale Cengage. All Rights Reserved. Full copyright.
(The entire page is 877 words.)
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