Prep for Less

When I hear the word preppy, I generally think of button downs, bean boots, pearls, and all that jazz. I also think of J. Crew, Lilly Pulitzer, and Vineyard Vines. I love these brands, but they can get pretty expensive. I mean, if most people had the option, they would rather not spend $100 on one shirt, am I right? 

So, here are some of my personal tips on how to get the classy preppy style, without going broke. 

1. To start, let's talk about J. Crew. Now, it is so so rare that I will buy a bunch of clothes from J. Crew the retail store. To be honest, I buy most of my J. Crew clothes from the factory and when I feel like treating myself, I will go to the actual store. If you are not up for spending a great amount of money on a fair isle sweater that you've really wanted, check the factory online to see if they have it. The factory's prices are usually half the price of J. Crew and has big sales pretty often! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love both, but the Factory is great especially for high school and college girls who are looking for something a little less expensive than J. Crew, the retail store. 

2. Buying basics. If there was a preppy vocab list, basic would definitely be on it. By basics, I mean button downs, solid color shirts, and striped shirts. These are essential to every preppy style because they can go with so many accessories, statement necklaces, pearl necklaces, scarves, and vests. If you are looking to buy some basics that have really good prices, I would definitely check out Old Navy and Forever 21. They both have some great chambray button downs, patterned and solid button downs, striped tops, and solid colored tops. In addition, they have some of the cutest preppy patterned pants ever! 

3. I like to think that pearls are the building block of preppy style, starting with pearl earrings and a single strand pearl necklace or bracelet. However, preppy pearls don't necessarily have to be real pearls! Some "fake" pearls can cost anywhere from $5-$15 dollars, and you don't have to worry as much about losing them which is great. If you are looking to get a pair of pearl earrings for cheap, I would recommend looking at local boutiques near you, Forever 21, Francesca's, or Old Navy. 

4. Most teen girls tend to shop in the women's sections of stores, but they often forget about the kids sections! Kids sections tend to go up to about 16 in size, or XL (depending on the brand,) but those sizes are equivalent to a women's small, and they are much cheaper than the women's clothing at stores such as Vineyard Vines, Lilly Pulitzer, and J. Crew. So, next time you go into Vineyard Vines, check out the boys or girls sections (I like looking at boys shep shirts in V.V.) and see if anything fits! If it does, then that is a huge money saver.

5. Invest in key pieces. I know when I say "prep for less," it basically means buying inexpensive items. However, if you have always dreamed of owning a pair of tory burch flats or a michael kors watch, save up and invest in it. I promise it will be worth it because once you have it, you have it and it will last you forever.