Prep This

Many moons ago when I attended the University of Vermont…preppy was in. The only problem is: I was from Vermont and preppy wasn’t in…my vocabulary. I’m sure there were preppy Vermonters back then, but I had never laid eyes on one. I didn’t know the slightest about dressing preppy. When I entered UVM, my closet did not contain LL Bean boots, Lacoste shirts to be worn with the collars turned up, ribbon belts, Bermuda bags with interchangeable covers. It’s not like I was a hick….or that I wore shit kickers to class, sauntered off the dairy farm, or fell off the turnip truck.

I’m not sure what attracted the flatlanders to go to school in Vermont. Maybe it was the beautiful scenery, the great downtown, or maybe a secret desire to change Vermonters into prepsters. One by one, change the landscape of Vermont. My roommate was the most prepped out human girl you could ever know (by the way…I liked her) and she made it her mission to make me into her preppy clone. I guess I was wearing a sign that said, “Prep This.”

My roommate, Ms. Crompton (name change) was from NYC… and had a coming-out party to proclaim her debutante status. At the time, I had never heard of a debutante….let alone spell the word. (thanks spellchecker.) The closest I came to a coming-out party was…..well, never. For Christmas, she gave me a Brooks Brothers light pink, buttoned-down, long sleeve shirt with my initials KAT on the pocket. I actually still have it. (More about my hoarding tendencies in another blog.)

My hubby and I have a reunion at UVM coming up. So what does Ms. Crompton look like now? Maybe she’ll be wearing Timberland boots, K-Mart blue-light specials, stretchy belts and Duffle bags. Hmmm....probably more like Ugh boots, Juicy shirts, Gucci belts, and Louis Vuitton bags.

Where have all the preppies gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the preppies gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the preppies gone?
Does it matter to anyone?
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Pete Seeger…please forgive me.