"In 1896, tennis champion Bill Tilden shocked the sports world by appearing at Wimbledon in what we now know as tennis whites - but these weren't originally meant for style. The all-white dress code was instituted because early tennis players found that sweat stains showed embarrassingly on coloured clothing. This practical solution would go on to become one of Preppy style's most enduring and iconic factors, influencing everything from polo shirts to summer trousers."
In today's podcast, we discuss "The VOU's Preppy Style Manual." Written by Laurenti Arnault, PhD in Luxury Fashion with over twenty years of front-row fashion experience, and Ru Amiri, PhD in Sustainable Fashion and collaborator with haute-couture houses, this book provides an unparalleled perspective on cultivating authentic old-money style with Preppy sophistication. You'll see how innovations born from necessity shaped America's most refined fashion tradition, discover why Brooks Brothers began making their shirts with button-down collars in 1896 - they were copying polo players who buttoned down their collars to keep them from flapping in their faces during matches, and how the now-iconic penny loafer got its name: prep school students in the 1930s would insert a penny into the shoe's distinctive front slot to pay for emergency phone calls.
Even more fascinating, the ubiquitous crew neck sweater, now a preppy staple, was initially created for football players in the early 1900s to prevent their shoulder pads from chafing their necks. And the famous "Sack Suit" - the undarted, natural-shouldered jacket that became a hallmark of preppy style - was created by Brooks Brothers in 1901 as a rebellion against the overly structured European silhouettes of the time. Featuring rare archival photography documenting how Preppy style evolved from practical campus wear to a global fashion phenomenon, "The VOU's Preppy Style Handbook" isn't just another fashion book for men - it is your gateway to understanding a heritage style where every detail, from the 3 2/8-inch roll of a Shetland sweater to the exact width of a watch strap, carries a fascinating story of American ingenuity and tradition.
A Men's Styling Podcast Made with LOVE by The VOU's Expert Image Consultants.