With the predictable announcement of Gossip Girl 2.0 getting the axe prior to its sophomore season finale, many within the fashion industry have been left to question Gen Z’s loyalty to the classic “prep” aesthetic. Is prep dead? Or perhaps better addressed, what happened to our love for the ol’ bowtie blouse, and plaid mini-skirt? Simple answer: it got stale…really stale. Although fashion is cyclical, those of us born in the late nineties/early two-thousands were old enough to participate in the first yuppie-style reconnaissance triggered by the original Gossip Girl series.

Follow the diagram. If our chart is shaped like a circle, and we have four equidistant points labeled clockwise around it as peak trendy (i.e. when the aesthetic is scooped up by the mainstream and is receiving the highest praise), in style (or the norm), out of fashion (regarded as gross, tacky, and overdone), and then largely forgotten (the silent period prior to a possible resurgence), we are not due to fall in love with boat shoes again for some time. Our marker is hanging out between points three and four, and as we have seen, no television saga is going to speed it up anytime soon.

With that said, there are elements of the trend that we can pepper into what we wear today. It won’t grab headlines, but it will look cohesive, and give you a chance to incorporate some older items that have since been banned to your storage box. Scroll below for some inspiration on how to revive elements of your old-school wardrobe, combining current trends to master a subtle hybrid.

CORE COLORS

Plaid is married to prep like peanut butter to jelly, so the use of it in your ensemble anywhere is enough to allude to #campuscore. Navy blue, velvet green, and crimson—if done right—can also harken back to academia if it can appear in universally recognized pieces within the genre like lapel-collared blazers, and thin-knit tights.

CRICKET SWEATERS AND COLLARS

Those drastic V-neck cricket sweaters can still help you in 2023. Wearing over a **basic button** down, or sporting an oversized as a dress saves you time, and keeps you looking put-together. Streetwear sightings have also shared the trick of layering sweaters over sweaters this season, and I am surprisingly okay with it. It’s warm, cozy, and makes you look like the main character of a Nicholas Sparks adaptation.

PATCHES AND LETTERING

Why not try your hand at some bold lettering detail? Although the thought may seem slightly juvenile, with the public’s attraction to fun, “girlie” brands this past season, it might grant you some creative brownie points on your next outing. Patch-up your outfit by adding statement logos or type to your tote, coat, or even footwear to add some life to your look.

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