Preppy Ranks

A smile was added to my usual 12 minutes of 'lunch' spent cramming a Luna Bar down my throat while using my free hand to tab down a 151 page best seller report. A fellow sorority sister and good friend of mine from college forwarded me a link to the Huffington Post's updated Preppiest colleges list. After scrolling down a ways (past a myriad of snarky comments on the subject) I instantly recognized the stone edifice of Hascall Hall and the winding quad path that is Colgate, and felt pangs of nostalgia for my mint green polo and extra large, red Solo cup brimming with keg beer.

Though the mere waft of keg beer now makes my throat muscles clench, the memory is one that still carries with it a certain amount of tangible joy not easily matched by the working world. While I love the remnants of my college years (a popped collar, Nantucket red pants for men, Vineyard Vines' fleece vests), I draw the line at Vera Bradley tote bags. They are better suited for toting one's knitting needles to and from the bridge game than for carrying your accessories around the city all day. The emergence of floral, quilted carryalls in a vast array of shapes and sizes gives preppy a bad name and should be cast aside in favor of buttery soft leather totes instead. (I apologize to my many friends who love these bags and have entire coordinating luggage sets. Please, carry what makes you happy. Just don't make me hold it for you when we're out and you need to use the bathroom.)

Luckily for me (and all those who appreciate a good pair of oxfords and a navy, gold-button blazer) the prepster scene has mingled and danced with the hipster scene to birth a new wave of urban-dandy that appeals to a larger pool of coeds. (Open any May fashion magazine for an example of the mainstreaming undercurrent that has swept through preppy islands.) Alternative brands that cater to Lower East Side hip, like Steven, are churning out new lines that embrace the classic tenants of east coast dressing. These loafers are flying off the shelves on Bleecker Street, and Christopher Street's Rag and Bone is decidedly taking cues from the movement.

Whether you love or loathe it, stand up and take notice of springs preppy awakening.

All Hats on Deck

What better way to spend a sunny Saturday in early spring than by grabbing your girlfriends, popping your collar, slipping on your yellow Sperry's and heading to Long Island's North Fork with your very own wine glass in tow? (Perhaps the popped collar and boat shoes were my nod to college days an at east coast liberal arts school, but nevertheless, you get the point.)

Pindar Vineyards was the first stop on our thirsty romp out east. As if several middle aged men knee deep in a carafe of 1995 Cabernet before noon was not entertaining enough, in walked a gaggle of 20-something girls decked out in their Kentucky Derby finest. Had it been mid-August, and not early April, the white linen dresses and enormous straw hats might have been apropos. But on a 58 degree day, at 10:45 in the morning, the get up was more akin to costume than couture (assuming that they had been going for the latter). I love a straw hat as much as the next girl, but there is a time and a place for everything (the Hamptons in July? Spring break down south? A Sunday in Central Park?) Perhaps the hat-herd began their wine tour before sunrise, and the warmth from the '97 Pinot Noir eviscerated any need for actual clothing (and all judgment as well). Never a dull fashion moment!

The Dangers of Inactivity

Not that anybody could mistake a large, plastic, tacky Guess 'G' for the no less ostentatious, yet much pricier Gucci tapestry, but the latter wasn't taking any chances. Originally filed in May of 2009, Gucci sued Guess for trademark infringement (namely for use of green and red stripes with interlocking 'G' pattern strikingly reminiscent of the Italian veteran's logo).

For all of us who breathed an enormous sigh of relief (and shed some tears of joy) when news of passing the bar trickled into our in-boxes last fall, we know the physical agony it cost to attain that precious 'Esq' suffix. Why any lawyer would chose 'inactive' status with the State Bar to save a few bucks is beyond me, but according to WWD, Gucci's in-house counsel must have spent all his paychecks on Italian leather goods and had nothing left over for Bar dues. Gucci's main man, Jonathan Moss, had reportedly been in 'inactive' status since 1996, and was hired by Gucci in 2002 without changing his membership capacity. (I better be sure to attend all those annually required CLE classes in a timely fashion to avoid a similarly embarrassing situation, should I ever become a famous lawyer.) Gucci fired the inactive lawyer, so perhaps now he will seek to pay those lapsed dues and regain employment fighting fashion crime, for the good of purses everywhere. I hope he saved all his CLE certificates of attendance, he'd be a prime candidate for audit.

You've Got Male

Now that the March lion has officially receded and pedicured toes can grace the tepid air, the much anticipated closet flip can get underway. But what's to come of the tweed-tailored menswear that bulked up fall wardrobes? Happily for those of us who love to pay homage to Yves Saint Laurent, spring carries the androgynous torch forward.

Though not typically a huge fan of the color pink (but in love with the 80's flick Pretty in Pink, and always thrilled to pieces when I catch it on ABC Family), my eyes fell immediately on these oxfords updated for spring in the fresh bubble gum hue. If you cant quite take the step into the uber preppy oxfords, these mens-inspired spectator pumps get the point across while retaining their femininity. Double breasted blazers in lighter weights and summer-appropriate linen are everywhere. And Vests are not just for stuffy trial lawyers who want to conceal their bellies while leaning over their podium in the courtoom. They can add definition to a bohemian dress or a crispy, classic white oxford.

There's also nothing subtle about spring's accessories. Large, heavy, men's watches fit nicely into the mix (I already asked my Husband to borrow his cobalt-faced Rolex, but he just looks confused and reminds me its a 'man's watch'). This Michael Kors piece is a great price point for such a statement watch if your male companion also won't hand over his timepiece.

Enjoy the holiday weekend, and try a little pink with your menswear (even if its just a Cadbury Egg).

Legally Speaking

Even if your ability to spot at fake is not quite on par with my sixth sense, many can recognize the prevalent, shamefully obvious fakes adorned with cheap, tacky plaid that try to pass themselves off as Burberry. And for all those low budget retailers who assuage their guilt with the justifications that trademark infringement is hard to prove and even harder to win, January brought some news sure to ruffle their parroting feathers.

While it is not about the money, Burberry was awarded a nice $1.5 million in its suit against Designer Imports, Inc. this past Januray (as originally reported by WWD) after alleging the retailer sold counterfeit goods. The US District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) found in favor of the English design veteran and awarded them statutory damages based largely on the distinctive trade dress that Burberry has established (just ask any girl over the age of 15 living in New York for proof that their Nova Check is in fact 'distinctive' within the legal sense). This is a big win for fashion originalists, who, like Justice Scalia and the Constitution, believe contemporary interpretation or adjustment for modern convention is inappropriate when evaluating the law as it was conceived.

Burberry is getting busy. On March 3rd they sued TJX Co (who operates TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods) for selling knock-offs in a variety of apparel-related categories. As such suits gain momentum, expect more 3rd party defendants (real estate lessors, production counterparts) to be named. I'd take it to the streets and begin making citizen arrests of those I see so blatantly and wantonly flaunting their faux bags with the audacity bred by sheer ignorance. (Have you seen FX's new series Justified? I'd be the US Marshall who gets reprimanded for over zealousness on the job.) Perhaps you will take a more critical eye to your coworker's new tote, or that woman's suspicious carryall on the train tomorrow morning.

The Perfect Skins

Besides the rough and tough biker chick often conjured up by the mere mention of the leather jacket, there is a softer side to the new staple. Though I admittedly have a hard time letting go in general, this spring, the new object of my desire has been a shale grey cropped leather jacket. (There is much debate about the proper spelling of the word 'grey' at work. I argue often with others about this very topic, and while it might seem pointless, I had to get to the bottom of it. If you have too much time on your hands, or also work in the fashion world where color reigns supreme, here is an interesting explanation of the 2 variations on the proper spelling of the color.) Either way you slice it, grey is an omnipresent tone for spring 2010 when black can be harsh, and brown feels too fall. (Please don't wear black leather boots past April 1st, regardless of your affinity for American Chopper or LA Ink).

After a long, exhausting, erratic week of work (one day, for example, began at 6:30am with a $50 car ride to the Queens Mall, did you know the mall doors are open at that hour? I surely did not) I came home ready for a glass of Trader Joe Cabernet and a frozen Fresh Direct pizza. To my surprise, there was a grey and cream colored gift bag with coordinating silver tissue on the table waiting for me. Confused at not only the aesthetic composure of the present, but its very presence in my apartment, I looked to my husband for an explanation (though he is the one who practices more traditional law in the household, he is always home before me). He smiled and urged me to open the treasure. To my delight, the leather jacket lay inside like an unearthed gem waiting to be harvested. I proceeded to wear the supple ectoderm around for the rest of the evening. Lets hope the weather is conducive to my new bounty this weekend.

Rags, Bones, and Outsiders

Every now and then even the primmest, preppiest of folks crave a little dash of edge to their wardrobe. Maybe its the electricity in the air sparked by unseasonably warm days, or the early morning darkness that lingers slightly too long post day light savings, but whatever the cause, I too feel the rocker itch creeping down my back.

Two brands leap to mind when hunting for the perfect mix of masculine, rocker, ready to wear glam: Boy. by Band of Outsiders, and Rag & Bone. Since the founding of Rag & Bone in 2002, designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville have taken their mission to "make clothes that they and their friends would love to wear every day" right to the bank. Rag & Bone was a 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award finalist, and won the prestigious Swarovski Award for emerging talent in menswear in 2007. Their edgy offerings are available at a full array of locations throughout the city. I love the tuxedo jacket pictured at left, and this corset cocktail dress available at Barney's Co-op.

Scott Sternberg of Boy. by Band of Outsiders throws plaids, textures, leathers and denim into the cauldron and out emerges downtown chic pieces that go from the Gallery opening to a fabulous loft party where you might hope to be caught in the background shot of an episode of the City or Kell on Earth. (This striped skirt evokes the nautical bliss of spring without falling overboard into the cliche that other seafaring garb can often drown in.) Their website is reminiscent of an ironic Marc Jacobs Vogue ad, and offers a glimpse into the playful minds of the design genius at the helm of the brand. Enjoy a little edge in your morning coffee.