Always underdress. The goal is not to look as if you made an effort for the particular event. If you can dress for a different party (i.e., wear black tie to a cocktail party, or tennis clothes for lunch), so much the better. You give the impression of being much in demand.

If you tell a friend a secret, she will keep the secret by telling only one other person.

Cynicism is more than a pose; it's also a handy time saver. By deflating your companion's enthusiasm, you can cut conversations in half.

Like everything else, Preppiness begins in the home.

Looking, acting, and ultimately being Prep is not restricted to an elite minority lucky enough to attend prestigious private schools, just because an ancestor or two happened to arrive here on the Mayflower. You don't even have to be a registered Republican.

Preppy clothes are built to last, since they certainly won't go out of style.

It is the inalienable right of every man, woman, and child to wear khaki.