A reader question:
Dear Editor,
In the past you’ve curated lists of towns that embody the “The Thing Before Preppy” ethos. As an exercise in contradistinction, I’d be interested to hear the community’s thoughts on towns or cities that are opposite from that ethos. I’d start with: Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami…
Thanks!
As a long time reader, and one who enjoys Muffy sharing life in Salt Water New England, I always cringe when others are insistent that the thing before Preppy, and what we are saying, is WASPy characteristics, can only be found and defined in New England. The question poser referenced Los Angeles as a place that is antithetical to what can be found in New England. However, the thing before preppy can be found in San Marino and Pasadena, technically separate from Los Angeles. They have strong sense of community, historic preservation and garden clubs, old school private clubs for tennis, golf, etc., top notch private day schools, debutante balls and cotillion. People still go to church and hold progressive political views. But when I visit, I'm most struck with how everyone knows and interacts with their neighbors. I'm sharing this just as a caution to avoid thinking that the ethos and behavior we celebrate and share via Muffy's blog are only found in one of the country's regions.
ReplyDeleteExcellent comment!
DeletePalm Beach
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. And having lived there, it's not just for why one would think so.
DeleteThere are clusters of people in both LA and Dallas that most people would consider to be preppy. I'm less familiar with Miami.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably risky business to render blanket opinions on this topic about many decent-sized metro areas from the outside looking in.
Las Vegas
ReplyDeleteHighland Park and University Park are two cities completely surrounded by Dallas and are famously preppy. There are also old money enclaves in Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin. Head for Midland-Odessa, Lubbock, Tyler and other medium-size Texas cities to find the opposites. The search won't be difficult.
ReplyDeleteIs philanthropy part of the preppy ethos? If so much of New England would not qualify as preppy. New Englanders are notorious skin flints. IRS data will verify this.
ReplyDelete