Plus Size Preppy
When I was in high school (mid-70s) the “look” I most coveted was the preppie look. Polo shirts, khakis, docksiders, a cardigan tied around my shoulders. I could never pull it off. I’m no longer sure what the reason was. Mother still dictating my wardrobe selection? Feeling like a phony cuz I WASN’T one of “those (rich) kids”? Those items were too expensive, not in my size, not sold at my mall? I don’t really remember, but probably a combination of all of the above.
But I’ve always found myself drawn to that classic, sporty look. Being “horsey,” it was so much a part of the “real” horse people’s wardrobes. I so wanted to be a REAL horse person! While I’d been begging for years, I didn’t start taking riding lessons til I was 11. One lesson a week at a crappy hack (trail ride/rentals) barn. It was across the street from the town dump, a stinky mountain of garbage, that in summer heat was practically unbearable. Horses were ancient and arthritic and ring sour, or young and green (untrained), doing anything they could to get their riders off. Even at that young age, I knew this was not where the “real” horse people were.
Jump ahead eight-ish years following years of on-again, off-again weekly lessons, moving to better and better stables, a couple riding summer camps, but still no horse of my own. A friend had a horse so I had a barn to hang out at after school and on the weekends, but…riding someone else’s horse for 15 minutes was just not the same things as having a horse of your own. That was my sole mission in life. I wanted to spend my life working with horses, riding horses, having horses.
After high school I want to an all-girl’s college in Virginia where I majored in Horsemanship. Virginia is quite possibly the birthplace of the preppy look. I was surrounded by it. But I still didn’t feel like I fit in. They were all richy-rich girls with their own horses and cars and perfect hair. I came home after just one year and got a job mucking stalls and leading trail rides at the barn where my friend had her horse. At the same time, I enrolled at a local school of horsemanship to get my teaching (riding) certificate.
At work I soon fell in love with one horse in particular, Elmer J Fudd (he has a mansion and a yacht). He was a big boy with droopy helicopter ears. He was one of those that was fed up with non-riders bouncing on his back and tugging at his mouth…and he started bucking people off. One good kick was all it took to dump an inexperienced rider on the ground. I started using him to lead trail rides as he was becoming a liability on the hack line. And he was a dream to ride. The most comfortable gaits, bombproof, sensitive to the aids. My boss asked if I wanted to buy him, otherwise he was going to the killers. So we set up a payment plan and eight months later he was mine. He was the perfect first horse. A real confidence builder.
By that point I had gotten my teaching certificate and was teaching lessons at the barn as well as barn and trail work. I had one young horse-crazy student who I took on as a half-boarder with Elmer, meaning her parents paid half the monthly board costs and she could come ride him two days a week and use him for horse shows on the weekends with me.
It was on our way home from one of these shows that I, following behind the horse trailer, ran a red light and got in an accident. My car was totaled. I was taken to the hospital – I just had a small gash on my head, but. Someone called my parents to tell them I was at the hospital, and in questioning how the accident had come about, it was revealed that I was following MY HORSE home after the show.
MY horse.
Oh. Have I not mentioned I failed to tell my parents I had bought a horse?? For 15 years I had been told I could not have a horse because it was too expensive and we could not afford it. So, as soon as I could, I did it myself. I WAS however, still living at home, not paying rent, they had bought me my car, paid my insurance, etc. SO. I was in a fair bit of trouble. My father was PISSED. Now they were going to have to get me ANOTHER car, our insurance was going to go up, etc. I GET IT.
BUT. OH WELL. I had a horse. Ha.
ANYWAY. None of that has anything to do with my outfit today 🙂 Just that in my mind there’s a strong correlation between horses and the preppie look…and that story just came to mind.
I recently took scissors to the bottoms of these old Gloria Vanderbilt jeans I haven’t worn in years because they were too small. I figured it wouldn’t be that big a loss if I botched the shortening as I haven’t been wearing them anyway. They’re a little wide-legged – not in a modern “wide-legged” pant way, but…I still like them. I’ve always loved this color – I call it stone. Sort of a grey-hued off-white. First I put on my grey Catherine Malandrino crewneck sweater but it was a little short for a light-colored pant (if you don’t understand that, you’ve never had a droopy belly!). So then I put my white Loft blouse underneath it and LOVE. I love the crisp white of the blouse against the charcoal grey of the sweater, and the length coming out from under the sweater gives coverage where I wanted. The taupe loafers are just grey enough to complete the “greyish” outfit. And I liked the one contrast point of the warm cognac bag against the rest of the cool-toned outfit.
I also love the white blouse alone with these jeans, but that’s for milder weather.
What I’m Wearing
- Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda Jeans, size 22
- White Loft Tunic Blouse, size 24
- Grey Catherine Malandrino Cashmere Crewneck Sweater, size 3x. Out of stock, comparable here and here.
- Taupe Me Too Cairo Slip On Loafers
- Fossil Cognac Crossbody Bag, comparable here and here.
Joanne
You’re outfit is perfect! And thank you for sharing a little bit of your history. You followed your heart! Very inspiring.
bettyewp
Ha, yes, to my father’s dismay!
Bobbie
Love the picture of you on your horse!
bettyewp
Thanks. That was such a nice part of my life.
Linda Root
Enjoyed your stories! I totally “get” the connections you described. Also, your hair and outfit look so nice. You’re just your amazing self!
bettyewp
Ha, thanks Laurie!
Laurie Elliott
That outfit looks so natural on you. And looks great coming or going. Love the horse history connection too.
bettyewp
Thanks, Laurie!
Karen Anderson
I love this story!! I always wanted a horse too, but had to settle for riding other people’s. Your college story is so relatable too! Good for you finding a different way to achieve your dream! Great outfit too… you did a fine job with cropping the pants!!
bettyewp
Thanks, Karen! They’re like my new favorite pants!
Did you ever get a horse?
jodie filogomo
You didn’t tell your parents?? OMG…talk about being a rebel!! I’ve never been a horse person so much. I have ridden one once or twice. But I was a prepster. Well at least a wanna be!!
XOOX
Jodie
PS…LOVE that you DIYed those pants!! That’s so me.
Judi
Your hair looks great. You haven’t changed a bit since your teen years. Elmer is a beaut!
Funny how big groups of people, purporting to be individualistic (as well as trendy and cooool) have “uniforms”. Whether it was Mods & Rockers, Preppies…all the way to Hipsters today, they’re the ones who drive within the lines of their clique and it’s the rest of us who truly are the individuals…even if we’re not being noticed for it, or aren’t even dressing stylishly. Follow the crowd. Even with the enormous popularity of shows like Peaky Blinders on Netflix, people now dress in the 1920s “costume” of the common man, even if it’s just a hat they can afford.
I shudder to think of posting a photo of my rock ‘n roll self in the early 80s. It was either a Catholic school uniform or a a purple ensemble of tight pants and zebra print t-shirt and seven earrings in each ear…oh, and purple shadow, blush and lipstick. Oy vey! But I thought I looked great.
But not nearly as great as you in your riding outfit.
bettyewp
Haha, I think I’ve changed a LITTLE bit (#understatement).
YES, I’M AN INDIVIDUAL! LOOK! I’M DRESSED LIKE ALL THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS! THAT’S HOW YOU CAN TELL US APART FROM THE NON-INDIVIDUALS! Ha, so funny.
Oh I think we need to see the tight purple pants and zebra print shirt!
Donna
What a lovely trip down memory lane, Bettye, I loved it!! You definitely pull the look off now and I love the job you’ve done on your pants and the shirt under your jumper – all round cute look!!
Donna 🧚🏻♀️❤️🐝
https://donnadoesdresses.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Donna. I was excited to find those old jeans…and more excited that they actually fit! I’m always so apprehensive about doing anything to anything for fear of “ruining” it. This way, at worst, I would only be ruining something I hadn’t been wearing ANYWAY, so the pressure was off!
Tammy
Wow. All this about preppiness and going to school in Virginia struck such a chord! I grew up in northern NJ, where, even going to high school from 1974-1977, we were decidedly NOT into preppy clothes. Then I went to college in Virginia — as you said, the center of the preppy universe — at one of the ultimate preppy schools (University of Virginia). I was surrounded by girls who’d attended the posh private schools in Richmond and other places in Virginia. Collegiate, St. Gertrude’s, St. Catherine’s, etc. They were drowning in pink and kelly green, Izod shirts, khakis, belts with little anchors embroidered on them, topsiders, gold bead necklaces (the ones where mummy and daddy gave you a new bead for every occasion — kind of yesterday’s Pandora bracelets) and little Lily Pulitzer sundresses. And bermuda bags with so many interchangeable covers! Miss NJ here had Landlubber jeans and cords and no money to look like the rest of them, though I did like the look. I did invest in ducks, a pair of camp moccasins from LLBean (which I still own!) and one or two shetland sweaters. Long story short, thanks for the memories. I really enjoy your blog. It’s great to read about your clothing choices and thinking.
bettyewp
Did you ever hear of Southern Seminary Jr. College? It was in Buena Vista, VA near VMI and Washington & Lee. That’s where I went. It’s no longer in existence, but. Oh gosh, I forgot “Shetland” sweaters! I did have a couple of those, though no Fair Isle. And I did not lean in the Lily Pulitzer direction, even then that was bright for me! I did always want a Bermuda bag with the interchangeable fabrics and wooden handles. We did high school at almost the same time. I graduated in 1978. Which seems like yesterday… and a hundred years ago!
Tammy
Southern Sem! I sure have. I live in a suburb of Richmond now, so Buena Vista isn’t that far away.
Ruth Josey
I love that you got the horse without your parents finding out….until……. You’re a girl after my own heart! There were a lot of things my parents never found out that I’d done and it was for their own good, but nothing that actually cost me money (because I never had any…much like my life now). What wonderful pictures of you and your horse – he was a handsome fellow! And…um…your Dad had a Mercedes but couldn’t afford a horse? I think you were being given a snow job :/ So, after the accident, did you still get to keep the horse? Anyway, I love you in the preppy outfit! The pants look wonderful with the rough hems. I’m thinking I need to do that to a few more pairs of my pants, too. And I love the gray with the taupe shoes and beige pants – such a great color combination!
Ruth
https://voguefauxreal.com/2020/02/23
bettyewp
In his defense, at that point my fathers car was over 20 years old and held together with coffee cans and hay wire! He’d bought it in Germany right after I was born and had it shipped here after he retired from the Navy. The value was not what new Mercedes are NOW, by any stretch of the imagination. We lived in a nice area but not extravagantly. I think he was he was just a more frugal type of person. Honestly, my mother spent more in shopping every month than I was spending to keep the horse, but shhhh that was a secret. Yes, I kept the horse after the accident. I was trying to remember how long I had him exactly before I sold him to a young girl w a super nice family. At that point I was back in school full time and working part time and just didn’t have time to get to him as often as he deserved.
I’m definitely going to cut down at least one more pair of jeans. I have a slimmer leg, light wash blue jeans I’ll do as soon as it looks like no more freezing weather.
Andrea Kenner
It’s so cool that you followed your dream!
I have a similar story. My friend Joyce was a true horsewoman. She had a horse named My April Amity, and together they had won many horse show prizes.
In our senior year of high school, Joyce decided that she really wanted a Camaro, so she let me “borrow” April for a year if I would pay for her food and boarding and take care of her day-to-day needs. I’m not much of a horse person now, but I was then, so I gladly agreed.
One day, my sister and I decided to take turns riding April from the barn to our house, which was about three miles away. We wanted to show April to our Mom. (I can’t remember why that seemed so important at the time.) Anyway, we got home right as it was getting dark, and our Mom said, “OK, now how are you going to get her back to the barn?” Duh… we hadn’t thought of that!
So our brother followed us in his car — very slowly — all the way back to the barn. I think we got into some pretty good trouble for that!
I can’t believe I am the same person who did that so many years ago!
bettyewp
Isn’t it amazing the things you did when you were young? Never a thought to consequences – whether it was getting in trouble or getting hurt. I wish I still had a LITTLE of that now!
Andrea Kenner
Yep!
Iris
Love the horse stories and pictures. Outfit is cute too.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Thanks, Iris xoxo
John
I love this story! Preppy style and the equestrian life are indeed inextricably linked, and Virginia was definitely the place to watch it happen in the 70s and 80s. It’s much less so now, as it is pretty much everywhere except coastal New England, but there remain a few stalwart pockets of pink and green, such as Middleburg, Crozet, and Keswick. Horse shows at Sweet Briar College are neon-colored events!
I’ve lived in or around Staunton most of my life, and I must confess I never realized Southern Seminary was such a preppy, horsey school. In fact, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t even know it existed until it had long since gone coed and changed its name. But a lot of people say the same thing about Mary Baldwin, which is my hometown’s educational showpiece. One of the preppiest girls I ever met went there; I remember she always popped her collars and had a pair of fire engine red corduroys. I asked her out once, but I was a hot mess in those days.
bettyewp
Glad you stopped by, John! Always happy to “see a new face”!
Oh yeah, back in the day Southern Sem was like THE college for horsemanship and riding. They were always winning the championships at the Intercollegiate horse shows…sadly, they did this by only taking the very best riders…which is sort of contrary to the whole intercollegiate ethos. It’s really supposed to be for EVERYONE, at every level, whether you had a fancy horse or not. When I returned to Long Island, I rode intercollegiate for two different schools and it was such a great experience. I went on to be the coach for one of the schools intercollegiate teams for several years and it was a great pleasure to be able to have students at every level be able to show – kids who otherwise would not have had the ability or $$ to ride competitively…but they still got to have fun!
Ha, we all had our “hot mess” years!