Linking the Past to Present: 90’s Fraternity Style

The style known as Trad owes a lot to the Ivy League style for its heritage. However, this traditional American style was shaped by not only heyday Ivyist, but by each generation after that was interested in the traditional American look.

Just this week I read an interesting post that covered late 90’s fraternity style. This post featured Wallabee Clarks and polo shirts. Two items that were also included in the, “Definitive Late 70s Prep Checklist” post. This post on the 90’s in conjunction with the late 70’s Prep post helps to illustrate the path from Ivy style to Preppy to Trad.

I encourage you to head over to Red Clay Soul to read the article: LATE 90’S – EARLY 00’S FRATERNITY STYLE

oxford cloth button down
Jerrod Swanton is a simple man interested in simple, classic, and traditional style.

7 Comments on "Linking the Past to Present: 90’s Fraternity Style"

  1. Roger C. Russell II says:

    This is a fun post. I took a very extended tour in college. I graduated high school in 1986, however I lived through all of these items. I guess about 1988-89 Bass Weejun left the seen as a popular item and Cole Haan entered the scene really strong. I think I had about about 4 pair at one time. Also, due to this post I see the demise of the L.L. Bean Parka ( an awesome product).
    I am sure you guys will notice there is a lot of regional flavor in Red Clay Soul that some of you may not really relate to. The big shocker is I see no Camp Mocs,Bluchers, or Sperry. I am sure it is the Wellington/Western boot items that some of you guys may not get. I am from Mississippi and these items are all part of my wardrobe. I live in Patagonia 5 inch shorts.

  2. JRS says:

    Thanks for the look, OCBD.

  3. oxford cloth button down says:

    Russell – I thought that it was a fun post as well. There are definitely some regional differences in what is and what is not included. I noitced that neither Sperry’s or Camp mocs made the list either.

    Another interesting tidbit is that I was wearing a pair of chinos (heyday), Tretorns (70s Prep), and a Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T (80s-90s Prep) when I wrote the post.

    JRS – You are very welcome. I like what you do over there. Keep it up.

  4. MRS says:

    All – not to speak for JRS but I think he’s talking a pretty specific time frame. But I went a similar school around the same time, and Sperry’s were everywhere. Still are. Camp mocs not quite as often, but driving mocs were and still are huge.

  5. Gary says:

    It’s an interesting article but it doesn’t really match my perception of what frat kids were like then, though. We used to live right down the street from some Greek houses, and I remember that the frat guys looked pretty much like any other guy on campus, meaning backwards baseball caps, Green Day t-shirts, jeans, flannel shirts, and Converse or Pumas.

  6. MRS says:

    Gary – where were you located? RCS is recalling life at universities along the lower Atlantic and Deep South in a particular time period.

  7. Roger C. Russell II says:

    In the South a fraternity or sorority member can usually always be spotted on campus by their style of clothing. This is usually a good thing. Of course there are a few exceptions. I will have to say that in about the past 7-8 years the students are looking much sharper than they did in the few prior years to that.
    Hopefully that little surge of Preppy fashion we had over the past few years will develop some Trad type consumers. What I have not picked up on is young people concerned about cloth, leather, and details in general. The parents of a lot of the present students are from the Business Casual era. Their fathers wear and enjoy micro-denier pants.
    I am thankful for the preppy style influx we have had. However, I wish these kids did not think that a $30.00 t-shirt was a proper casual shirt.

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