Radford University - Beehive Yearbook (Radford, VA)

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i 1:1111.: ' l.l Ml K- r:ry Bruce I)c i “Muffy and “Biff' are the essence of this preppy seenerio. Mr. “Izod Lacoste and Ms. Lisa Birnbach have cashed in. commercially, with their preppy paraphernalia. Robin K:. ! reppy Trend 31

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Welcome to preppydom Watch out! Alligators are on the loose. Almost every campus has them and Radford University is no exception. Unbelievable? Walk across campus on any given day and you’ll see them — Preppies. Preppies have been around for years, but not until The Official Preppy Handbook was published did they begin to get noticed. You can pick them out a mile away, and their clothes are often the first giveaway's to their identity. Preppy favorites in the clothing line include: khakis, button-down Oxford cloth shirts, Lacoste shirts (the more you have, the better), Shetland sweaters, and the all-time favorite, Top-Siders.” Variations of this dress code can be seen once in a while — preppies must have some type of identity of their own. Speaking of iden- tity, most preppies have their initials put on everything they wear just so everyone knows who they are and the preppy doesn’t forget himself. The list of accessories associated with preppies is endless. A necessity for ladies is a bead necklace to be worn with every outfit from your Brooks Brothers dress to your nightgown. For the gentlemen, matching two-tone belts and watchbands are required. Whatever the accessory, make sure the color is outrageous (hot pink, kelly green, or lemon yellow are all acceptable), and a monogram should be present (so you can tell whose purse is whose). Why has this Preppy craze been so successful at Radford University? No one really knows, but most people guess that The Official Preppy Hand- book and all the preppy araphernalia might ave some connection with the craze. This preppy craze has gone beyond classic clothing. According to The Handbook, there are preppy cars, television shows, books, vacation spots, schools, nicknames, and even a type of preppy language which includes abbreviations. In fact, there are specific rules to determine if you’re a “true Preppy”. However, the preppy craze has done more than produce more preppies. The I hate Preps” have become a class in themselves. They, too, have a handbook and proudly wear buttons saying “Save an alligator — eat a prep”. Many of these students can be seen on campus, too, and they’re proud to wear their uniform of jeans, sweatshirts, and sneakers. From traditional pageboy to penny loafers, this Radford student is “preppod” out. The anti-preppy movement is equally present, as shown in this nationally-distributed poster. ...EATA PREPHE. a 30 Student Life Feature

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The making of a preppy happiest decade of anyone’s life.” In relationships be- Lisa “Bunny” Birn-bach, the reigning queen of “Preppydom,” delighted her preppy fans on October 23, 1981 in Preston Auditorium. According to writer Eric Segal, “preppy” was a derivative of preposterous. He could be right. What students witnessed was, to say the least, a preposterously funny presentation on the virtues of the preppy lifestyle. Birnbacn appeared in a blue Brooks Brother blazer, khaki skirt, a cotton turtleneck covered by a hot pink sweater, green knee socks, and penny loafers. Birnbach is the 24-year-old editor and cowriter of The Official Preppy Handbook, by Workman Publishing. She gave, in a lecture slide show, some of the necessary elements that make up a preppy. “I believe cigarettes are a good asset to any preppy,” she said. Birnbach smoked the Parliament brand. A vital requirement for any preppy is that he or she must drink. “Preppies live to drink,” said Birnbach. According to her, a can of beer adds the finishing touch to any preppy look. “You should never be caught up,” said Birnbach. “It’s not preppy.” When parties and partying were discussed, she said jokingly, “I like to think of college as the tween preppies of the opposite sex, Birnbach said there’s a special vocabulary used by preppies. “Preppy guys refer to their girls as tunas; preppy girls refer to their guys as beaus.” There are even preppy forms of entertainment these days. Preppies should read the two all-time preppy books, A Separate Peace and Catcher in the Rye, and watch the preppy television shows “M-A-S-H,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Lucy Show,” and “Gilligan’s Island.” If that’s not enough, Birnbach stated that preppy can even be found in the automobile market. Preppy cars, called “prep-mobiles,” are foreign-made, non-Japanese models like BMW, Audi, Volvo. Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen. With automobiles like BMW, Mercedes and Volvo, one might think being a preppy requires a lot of money. Not so, said Birnbach. “You can lead a very nice life without being wealthy.” Princeton is considered the most preppy Ivy League school. But Birnbach feels Hampton-Svdney, near Farmville, Ya., rates as one of the top preppy schools in the nation and is definitely the most preppy school in the state. She used slides to illustrate preppy looks, then followed with a “most” preppy contest which involved members of the mostly student audience. Eleven students were chosen by a preliminary judge at the door and were given green tickets. These students appeared on stage with Birnbach for her final selection as “most preppy.” “It was really exciting,” said Susie Lavin, a freshman from Middle-burg, ra. Lavin said she’s a born preppy and refers to her hometown as “true Preppy country.” For her future plans as a preppy, Lavin said, “My goal is to convert third floor Trinkle into preppies.” Birnbach’s book has been highly successful. “The book is in its 21st printing,” she said. It was originally the idea of a writer named Jonathan Roberts. With a team of three other writers, he and Birnbach put the book together with “research day and night for two-and-a-half months nonstop.” When she isn’t traveling to promote her book, Birnbach enjoys such hobbies as watching soan operas, especially “All My Children,” writing, and “summering.” One of Radford's preppicst students demonstrates the ''Gator”. Lisa Birnbach judjees a line of Radford's preppy students to see who is the preppiest of all. 32 Student Life