Vineyard Vines is a brand started by brothers Shep and Ian Murray in 1998. After quitting their corporate jobs, they started making ties that they sold at Martha’s Vineyard quite informally. The business quickly caught on and they were able to pay off their credit card debts from buying the silk they used to make the ties. Since then, Vineyard Vines has expanded their product line to men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, shoes, tech, and sportswear, including Kentucky Derby apparel. They also sell apparel in big and tall sizes. Men’s t-shirts start at USD 23, ties start at USD 27, pants start at USD 60, and shoes start at USD 100. Women’s t-shirts start at USD 23, scarves start at USD 70, pants start at USD 98, and shoes start at USD 75.
Other preppy apparel like Vineyard Vines are the following:
Southern Tide
Allen Stephenson created the Southern Tide brand in 2006. He was in Italy studying university when he became enamored by Italian craftsmanship. When he went back to the US, his university professor encouraged him to pursue the business plan he presented in class. After studying polo shirt construction from around the world, he came out with the iconic Skipjack polo. The brand targets men, women, and kids who love classic styles. Aside from apparel, they also sell accessories, collegiate apparel, fragrance, drinkware, linen, and towels. Men’s t-shirts start at USD 38, ties start at USD 55, and pants start at USD 125. Women’s t-shirts start at USD 38, and pants start at USD 125.
Sperry
Paul Sperry, the creator of the Sperry brand. The design was inspired by a minor mishap Sperry found himself in when he slipped off his boat into the water. It moved him to design non-slip shoes and got the idea of a shoe sole akin to a dog’s paws. The first Sperry Top-Sider shoe came out in 1935. Over time, the brand had been owned by the Commonwealth Shoe and Leather Co., US Rubber Co., Stride Rite Corporation, and Payless ShoeSource. The Wolverine World Wide and Blum Capital Partners bought the brand in 2012 and still owns it today. Although the brand’s best-selling products are its shoes, it has expanded its product line to include apparel, socks and liners, and hats. Men’s t-shirts start at USD 14 and boat shoes start at USD 49. Women’s t-shirts start at USD 14, scarves at USD 17, and shoes start at USD 45.
Southern Proper
Emilie Claire Howard and Reagan Hardy Cowell started the brand in 2005. Their first product were ties, which was a staple in southern fashion and paid homage to Howard’s grandfather. The brand specifically creates apparel that fits the classic, Southern clothing style. They mainly target men’s fashion. Once upon a time they expanded their line to include women’s apparel and kids clothing. Unfortunately, the expansion was too much for them to handle. After suffering losses, they discontinued both lines and focused on the men’s clothing line. Aside from apparel, they also sell ties, hats, drink holders, throws, calendars, and flasks. Men’s t-shirts start at USD 16, ties start at USD 40, pants start at USD 99.50, and hats start at USD 20.