Country-Club Chic

Muffy would be pleased. Thanks to the return of crayon-colored hues in spring and summer fashions, the casual look of the prep-school set is chic again. Standard bearers of the style like Lacoste, maker of the alligator-adorned polo shirt, and Sebago, of Docksides fame, have relaunched their hallmark items with a modern flavor. Retailers like Urban Outfitters, which rode the grunge wave in the past decade, are stocking up on such preppy classics as candy-colored ribbon belts and wood-handled Bermuda bags. Isaac Mizrahi showed preppy-inspired outfits, right, from his latest collection last week in New York City available at Target stores. Even home-furnishings designers like Jonathan Adler are bringing back preppy classics, including needlepoint pillows, above left. But today's version of the look is not a holdover from the 1980s. This incarnation blends the conservative culture of the country clubs where preppy was born with the flirty fun of the nightclubs where most modern fashion trends start.

Lacoste's collared polo shirts, for example, now come in a more fitted shape with a shorter length to appeal to a younger generation that favors looks that hug rather than hang. And instead of seeing the shirt (available in 25 colors) paired with crisp khakis, you're more likely to see it on top of a flared skirt or hipster jeans.

Sebago, now part of the same group that makes Merrell outdoor shoes, is back with its classic Docksides boat shoe, but the company has added more modern, sports-inspired versions and a women's line of sandals. It's even inspiring others: Tod's new moc, above left, borrows from the Docksides standard.

"Everybody's eyes are now open to the fact that preppy can be chic," says Robert Siegel, chairman of Lacoste USA. Now that it's everywhere, at least you don't need the country-club membership to look the part.