TOP 10 MUST READ PREPPY BOOKS

1. Take Ivy, by Shosuke Ishizu

2. Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style, by Jeffrey Banks and Doria de La Chapelle

"The authoritative fashion history of the roots, growth, and offshoots of the quintessentially American preppy style.  Preppy offers the first definitive and in-depth volume on preppy fashion, exploring its evolution from its pragmatic origins and presence on elite Eastern campuses in America to its profound influence internationally and metamorphosis on the runway. For the first time, the preppy story is told completely and beautifully with iconic and never-before-published archival and editorial photographs and personal snapshots from the original Ivy elites. 
Exploring all facets of men’s and women’s preppy fashion, this vibrant volume is replete with photographs and vintage ads illustrating the iconic elements of prep: from Oxford shirts, khakis, and Shetland sweaters to Peter Pan collars, madras pants, and Lilly Pulitzer tropical blooms."

3. A Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style, by Susanna Salk

"At once glamorous and mysterious, the WASP lifestyle has influenced countless trends in the worlds of fashion, home design, and pop culture. Today, one no longer has to be a WASP to embrace its casual-yet-elegant attitude and sense of style. With lively text and over one hundred images from world-renowned photographers, A Privileged Life: Celebrating WASP Style is the first book of its kind to unveil this rarefied way of life, one that many emulate though few truly understand. "

4. In The Spirit of Palm Beach, by Pamela Fiori

"Established as a luxury vacation destination for the rich and famous in the early 1900s, Palm Beach is synonymous with old-world glamour and new world sophistication. In this exquisite volume, longtime visitor Pamela Fiori shares with readers the heritage of this tropical paradise. From its world-renowned resorts, dreamy estates, and flashy cars to its endless shopping opportunities and impeccable golf courses, In the Spirit of Palm Beach presents a full spectrum of everything the island can offer. An insider’s guide featuring Fiori’s selection of hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops completes the book."

5. In the Spirit of the Hamptons, by Kelly Killeen-Bensimon

"From May to September every year, society’s elite migrates to a small strip of land on the South Fork of Long Island, the Hamptons, one of the most exclusive and chic spots in the country. From the glamorous parties and unparalleled beaches to the mega-estates and its storied history, the Hamptons are magnetic. This beautifully illustrated updated edition of In the Spirit of the Hamptons by Kelly Killoren Bensimon, including a new foreword by Pamela Fiori, sends the reader on a personal tour of the many hamlets that make up the Hamptons—each with its own charm—from iconic restaurants such as Southampton’s Sant’Ambroeus or the renowned Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill or the ultra high-end shopping scene in East Hampton."

6. I am Dandy: The Return of the Elegant Gentleman, by Nathaniel Adams

"The dandy is back! Gone are the days of arbitrary fashion, casual sportswear, and slick metrosexuals. Today, more men are discovering dandyism and giving it their own contemporary look. Even today, men who devote themselves to the finer things in life --especially when it comes to fashion --mostly arouse suspicion. Vanity is frowned upon and lavish grooming is generally deemed superficial or unmanly. Fortunately, a small but tenacious movement has been defying these social dictates for more than 200 years. Its adherents indulge in their love of quality clothing and accessories not only privately, but also very publicly. Photographer Rose Callahan and writer Nathaniel Adams have spent years exploring the fascinating phenomenon of dandyism. They visit contemporary dandies in their homes to document their impeccably designed lives in both words and images."

7. Rowing Blazers, by Jack Carlson

"Classic American style was born in British boathouses, where the very first blazers were fashioned for college rowing clubs. This book, created by champion rower Jack Carlson, offers an insider’s guide to the elaborately striped, piped, trimmed, and badged garments, as well as the stories, elite athletes, historic clubs, and races associated with them. Featuring lush photographs by “prep” guru F.E. Castleberry, Rowing Blazers is a definitive visual feast, transporting readers to the highly atmospheric boathouses, campuses, and team rooms of clubs around the world." 

8. The Official Preppy Handbook, by Lisa Birnbach

"The Official Preppy Handbook explains and satirizes what it takes to be a preppy person in the 1980s, parodying the lifestyle of the WASP elite. Lisa Birnbach reveals through an ironic tone where preps go to school, where they summer, what brands they wear, and how they decorate their homes. Birnbach divides The Official Preppy Handbook into 7 sections, each devoted to a different period of the preppy lifestyle."

Read online here!

9. Kate Spade New York: Things We Love, by Kate Spade

Image: A Beautiful Mess

"Within the four walls of kate spade new york, personal style is applauded and cultural curiosity is encouraged. Long before the days of pinboards and social sharing, the brand’s in-house creative team began amassing a collection of things we love on their website: a crayon ring, a cocktail doodle, a particularly dreamy photograph.

People began visiting and chiming in with suggestions. Now, the things we love have come to life in celebration of the brand’s 20th anniversary. Each of the book’s 20 chapters is filled with things we love—from the color red to a well-placed bow to a sense of humor and handwritten notes."

10. The Sartorialist, by Scott Schuman

"Scott Schuman just wanted to take photographs of people on the street who looked great. His now famous blog ['the bellwether American site that turned photo blogging into an art form'New York Times] was an attempt to showcase the wonderful and varied sartorial tastes of real people - not only those of the fashion industry. The book is a beautiful anthology of Scott's favourite shots from around the world. They include photographs of well-known fashion figures as well as those shots of the anonymous passerby whose imagination and taste delight the viewer."