How to Be Preppy, Girly, and Feminine

Reviewed by Kalee Hewlett

Last Updated: December 8, 2024

Have you ever wanted to release your inner preppy, girly, and feminine side? It is possible. You can dress preppy, act girly, and be feminine all at once. This article will tell you how.

This Article has been merged with Be a "Preppy" Girl in High School and Be a Girly Girl in School.

Steps

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Knowing where you stand can help you gain perspective of what you need to do to gain prep status.

1

Looking Nice

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1
Be clean. Being hygienic is an absolute must if you want to be preppy and girly. It helps with your preppy appearance and girly behaviour, as well as with your femininity. So, learn the basics here.
- Use whitening toothpaste like Crest and Colgate, and a good toothbrush. Yellow teeth are not feminine on anyone.
- If you wear braces, don't let it stop you! Braces are not a bad thing. Eventually, they will make you look even better than you already do. You can get clear braces or braces behind your teeth.
- Clean your tongue, a clean tongue avoids bad breath. Tongue cleaners are easy to find at drugstores and supermarkets.
- Use mouthwash after brushing your teeth, Listerine and Act are both top brands that get the job done.
- Baking soda and mashed strawberry will both whiten teeth overtime, but use them sparingly as they can wear tooth enamel off.
- Take a shower. You need to wash your body everyday with a sweet smelling soap or shower gel.
- Use deodorant and perfume. Wear a vanilla or floral scented perfume and a sweet smelling deodorant.
2
Wash your face with warm water in the morning before going to school to look fresh, especially if you are not a morning person!
- Stay moisturised because you really don't want dry skin! Also, try using skin care products such as ProActive, Clean and Clear or anything that works for your skin. You can also make or buy a face mask; this is optional if you have the time. Use a nice smelling lotion after your evening shower to smell fresh and sweet and be soft all day long.
3
Brush your hair everyday to keep it smooth and stylish. You should never have unkempt hair. Have natural and clean hair. Unnatural colors or weird hair cuts are not preppy at all. Your hair should always be clean, shiny, and well groomed.
- Wash your hair every other day with a matching shampoo and conditioner made for your hair. Use conditioner everyday.
- Curling irons and flattening irons are quick go-to's for bad hair days, but they are very damaging to your hair. Use heat protector, so your hair maintains a healthy shiny look.
- If you want to have shiny hair, wash it with cold water after shampooing. Use natural ingredients such as avocado oil and olive oil for smooth hair, tea tree oil for dandruff, and much more. This will make your hair look polished and clean.
- Wear sophisticated and stylish hairstyles. Comb your hair with a comb or a hairbrush. There are many different preppy hairstyles. The side bun, straight hair, loose barrel rolls, side braid, the fishtail braid, or a high-fashion ponytail.
- Add some finishing touches or hair accessories. Wear barrettes, bows, flower crowns, or headbands. These can help you to look cute and stylish.
- If you have short hair, you can do lots of different hairstyles and haircuts that fit you. Make sure haircuts are flattering to your face, and if you wish, use some small hair accessories.
4
Wear a bit of makeup to hide imperfections and highlight your features. Use primer and a moisturizer. Makeup does not have to be from expensive department stores; if makeup from the drug store works well for you and makes you look good; use it! It's all about making you look your best and making you feel good; makeup is not about brands. Makeup is the epitome of being girly. Try watching some YouTube videos to some new learn techniques for applying makeup.
- For foundation, get something with SPF protection from Lancome or Clinique.
- Always wear lip balm to prevent your lips from chapping, and then add some lip gloss to add that glossy and shiny look to your lips. If you want to have some colour on your lips and you love shiny lips, try some tinted/coloured lip gloss. Don't overdo it though.
- You can also wear a bit of eyeshadow. Some natural colors for school are light brown, gold, dark gold and brown.
- Try watching YouTube videos to get the makeup basics.
- Always wear lip balm to prevent your lips from chapping, and then add some lip gloss to add that glossy and shiny look to your lips. If you want to have some colour on your lips and you love shiny lips, try some tinted/coloured lip gloss. Don't overdo it though.
- You can also wear a bit of eyeshadow. Some natural colors for school are light brown, gold, dark gold and brown.
Take up a school sport such as (any type of English riding), rowing, swim, soccer, or whatever else your school offers. Your body doesn’t have to be perfect; being preppy shows more in how you act and treat others around you, but participating in preppy sports never hurts.
6
Adopt the sports. Sports like tennis, golf, dance, lacrosse, polo, volleyball, softball, swim, ballet, gymnastics, cheerleading, and track are preppy and girly. Participate in at least two sports.
- Practice every single living breathing second you can. You need to be an expert to make the team.
- Develop a healthy workout and exercise regimen to keep in shape.
- Don't become overweight, obese, or morbidly obese, as this leads to health problems and problems with playing sports.
- Try to have a healthy diet.

2

Dressing nicely

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1
Wear cute shoes. Make sure you're comfortable in them, but make sure they're also cute as well.
- Boots are great. This doesn't mean rain boots, just boots such as ankle-high boots and knee-high boots. Boots look great with a nice skirt.
- Wear ballet flats to look elegant in school. If you want to look elegant while making a bold fashion statement at the same time, try wearing a pair of slippers. Again, they match well with a skirt.
- Avoid high heels. They hurt your feet and cause knee problems. Kitten heels or shoes with a slight heel are fine though.
- You can be creative by making your own pair of shoes.
2
Wear good-looking, put-together outfits if your school doesn't require you to wear uniforms. It doesn't have to be extravagant - simple outfits can do wonders!
- Wear skirts rather than jeans. You will look - and feel - much more girly, especially if all your friends are in jeans. You can match this with a cute jacket or sweater on top.
- Casual dresses with a bold belt (studded belt, neon belt etc.) can look really awesome if you put the look together properly.
- There are certain stores that cater to the "girly girl" image. Try checking out those stores and seeing what you can find. Be careful, though - they can be expensive!
3
If you're in a school that requires a uniform, jazz up your uniform. Depending on how strict your school is, you may be able to get away with some alterations to the uniform. However, make sure you don't do anything that would get you in trouble for messing with the uniform!
- Wear a cute, girly scarf or put a jacket or a sweater on top.
- Don't make your uniforms look dull and baggy, make it look as lively as possible.
- If your school won't let you alter your uniform, just act more girly in general. By doing this, people will see the more girly you! Be polite and kind to others, always listen and get rid of any nasty vocabulary you might have been using.
  - Don't overdo it. People won't like you if you start acting like a snob.
4
Learn to dress preppy. Wearing certain brands, styles, and outfit combinations create the preppy look. So, learn the secrets of success in preppy dressing.
- Shirts should be polo shirts, oxford shirts, tunics, dresses, solid colored shirts, and T shirts all either in pastel or bright colors and solid or with a simple pattern like floral, polka dots, or stripes. They should be made of soft material like silk, cotton, or spandex.
- Try to add blazers in black, white or navy colours to your clothes to give a preppy look. Having them unbuttoned looks best.
- Pants should be skinny jeans, khakis, slacks, Bermuda shorts, proper length skirts, dockers, and dresses in colors like navy blue, khaki, brown, and black. They should be solid colored or skirts with minimal patterns. Also, materials should be denim, corduroy, cotton, or polyester.
5
Be classy and fashionable. Never wear excessively revealing clothing! Stay away from extreme fads as well!
- Good brands to buy from are Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Banana Republic, Vineyard Vines, J. Press, Lilly Pulitzer, or any other place that sells good quality clothes.
- Wear a lot of polos, rugby shirts, blouses, cardigans, cable knit sweaters, khakis, bermuda shorts, quality denim,and tea dresses.
What is important is to dress for the occasion--do not let these labels slip into your everyday wear.
Wearing those brands is not preppy, and everyone knows it. You can find cute outfits at thrift stores. No-one knows how many previous owners your clothes have had unless you tell them. If you are low on cash, check out discount stores such as Goodwill and Plato's Closet. They will almost always have designer clothes for a fraction of the cost!
Monogrammed bags from L.L Bean are also a plus.
Wear conservative ballet flats, top siders, loafers (Penny loafers are recommended.), dock siders, conservative wedges, and nice sandals, to name a few.
10
Accessorise lightly. A ponytail with a ribbon tied at the base is very classic. Try family heirlooms, such as your mother's silver bracelet or your grand mother's diamond necklace. A simple charm bracelet (preferably gold in color) or sparkly headband should do the trick. Try to look simplistic, never gaudy. No need for 20 bracelets, necklaces, or piercings. This doesn't have to be limited to what you wear - try decorating your bag or school supplies, too!
- Wear simple jewellery. Always wear a pair of colourful earrings, a cute necklace, and sometimes a bracelet. However, don't go overboard; you don't want to jingle when you walk!
- Pearls, gold, sterling silver, and diamonds scream girly. Faux or legitimate, as long as they look real, you're fine.
- If your bag looks boring, decorate it. Put cute badges and key-chains on it or sew different fabric swatches on your bag to add a creative and artsy yet girly flair.
- If you have school supplies that belong to you, such as a binder or a notebook, don't be afraid to decorate it! Glue photos to it, put stickers on it, or do whatever you want. However, if you have something that belongs to the school, such as a textbook, don't decorate that. You don't want to get fined for vandalism.
11
Dazzle up your nails. French manicures are good because they are sophisticated and simple. You can also go bold with your nails by adding some colorful nail art to your nails or by using a bright or sparkly nail colour.
- If you go to a strict school, you may not be allowed to wear nail polish or nail decorations. However, a clear polish won't be noticed and will make your nails look shinier.

3

Being preppy and girly

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Don't shake your hips too much; many people find that strange or annoying. Don't skip or run around the school. After all, girly girls are also cute, and how is getting in trouble cute, sweet, and innocent?
Don't act like you're suddenly famous and rich. Be kind. Meet new friends, and just have fun!
3
Do Well in School.
- If you can't attend a preparatory or grammar school, at least try to take advanced placement (AP) or accelerated courses in almost everything you can. If your school offers electives, choose preparatory vocational training classes (such as culinary, architecture, or agricultural science) rather than an "easy A" class. Taking student council or a physical education class is also good.
- Try to focus your high school career on getting good grades and participating in clubs, sports, and organizations. It's okay to have fun sometimes, but it's important to realize that school is important. Use your school's resources (pre-ACT/SAT classes, tutoring, library, etc.) and try your best to earn scholarships!
- Take a foreign language if your school offers it. Many universities require 2-3 years of a foreign language for admission, and you will look very educated. Preps take education very seriously, and can always hold up a conversation about any topic; be very well rounded.
4
Develop good manners and class. Good manners are a necessity to being feminine, and it's just good to have them. Feminine girls act properly in all situations. They know how to speak, act, write, eat, and be at all times. And they do it all with poise and grace. Here are some simple things you can do.
- Real preps are always polite and kind. Preps are never rude, mean, or unpleasant. They are never bullies, and should always be able to make others feel good about themselves.
- Preps do little to no cursing. They treat adults with respect, and follow their rules. They surround themselves with positive, kind people, much like themselves. They are people you can go to with a problem, and they will help.
- Saying "Thank you", "Excuse me", "I'm sorry", and "Please" is basic etiquette. Don't blow up when someone does not display manners, simply ignore them and carry on as normally and politely as you can.
- Stand tall, shoulders back and chin up. When you sit, learn to keep your legs together.
- Love the dictionary and thesaurus! 'Don't type Or write Lykee This' on the internet, you should know how to type, write and speak correctly.
- Learn table manners. If you don't have time you can search it at Google. For the basic and most common table etiquette, you should keep your elbows off of the table, don't slouch, keep your mouth closed while chewing, don't smack and don't talk with your mouth full.
5
Begin girly hobbies. Girly hobbies come across as preppy and girly.
- Examples of good hobbies relating to fashion: jewelry making, sewing, designing fashions.
6
Be polite and friendly to everyone--not just other preps. It is quite unmannerly to be rude to someone simply for their difference. Don't be confrontational or aggressive, as that will cause people to view you negatively.
7
Maintain your reputation.
- Don't be vulgar or shout when you talk. People view that as being obnoxious, rude and annoying.

Community Q&A

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Question

Is it girly and preppy to write in a journal?

Community Answer

Yes, it is! Just make sure you hide your journal well if you don't want anybody to read it!

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I'm a curvy girl and don't like sports, can I still be preppy?

Community Answer

Of course you can! You don't have to follow all the rules, just pick and choose what you like from here, and you'll still be preppy. If you don't like it, don't do it.

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Should I have short hair if I want to be preppy? I look horrible with long hair.

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If you want, you can totally have short hair. Just make sure you take care of it, though, grooming and styling are still essential with short hair.

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Tips

Be someone who could help someone in their time of need.

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Don't only hang out with guys or girls. Try to have both boy and girl friends.

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Don't stop being yourself for being popular. People should love your true personality.

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Warnings

Never brag about money.

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Helpful 9 Not Helpful 2
Do not do this if you are not being true to yourself.

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If you're trying to be a girly girl to be accepted by a group, think about why you're doing it. Are you doing it for approval, because you want a different scene, or because you want to be popular and liked? Keep in mind that if you're not already somewhat girly, suddenly becoming all-out girly will cause people to think you're faking it.

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You may get shunned by your friends.

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Don't change overnight or people will call you a poser.

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People may tease you for being classy.

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People might think you are trying to be fake. Be careful. This change could affect your personality, too. Try to be as much like you as possible.

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