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The most recent season of The Crown, which focused on Prince William’s university days, was also a lesson in posh preppiness. Both are a reminder of how pervasive and recognisable the style is, but also how far it can be stretched. Especially now.

This is evident in the slew of designers who have put their own twist on tropes of preppiness.

As cultural critic Avery Trufelman said in her seven-part deep dive into the history of preppy style on her podcast Articles of Interest, the fascinating thing about such prescribed pieces – from polos to chinos – is that they inspire both creativity and opportunity to experiment. It’s an invitation to rebel.

“American fashion is bringing itself back, and we want to feel like we can play around in the canon a little more. That’s why you can have Bode pants with writing all over them. We’re getting back to that advanced level of self-styling. We want it to be a little toyed with,” she said in a recent interview on the allure of preppiness and what we want from it.

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The rugby stripe is perhaps the prime example of preppy and its perversions right now. A little muddier and sturdier, thanks to its hurly-burly sporting origins, the rugby stripe is prime for toying with.

Indeed it’s long been worn by true arbiters of style like Chloë Sevigny, Mick Jagger and even artist David Hockney – and more recently Rihanna, and model and beauty entrepreneur Hailey Bieber. The styling of rugby shirts now is what makes them less “freshers on the walk home from a bleary night at the pub” and more, well, cool. At Dries Van Noten, they’re worn with sheer skirts and tailored coats. Bieber wears hers under an oversized blazer. Rihanna wore hers cropped to show her pregnant belly, because of course she did. It’s also not the first time rugby stripes have infiltrated luxury fashion. Marc Jacobs did them for spring 2017, and for the Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2022 collection, they were paired with sheer frilled floral floor-length gowns. Oh, and Rihanna wore the Jacobs one in 2017 too.

Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear at Matches, agrees that a huge appeal of the new preppiness is that it can be adapted for almost any occasion and sense of style.

“Spring/summer 2024 has a preppy new mood as designers reimagine the classic polo and rugby shirts. We have grown our edit for the season by 48 per cent versus last year with options to suit any style – from Sacai’s pleated polo dress to Raey’s black and white cashmere jumper and Dries Van Noten’s colourful oversized rugby shirt,” she says.

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“Whether styling with wide leg denim for the day or dressing up with sequins as seen at 16Arlington, polos and rugby shirts are super versatile. For a more classic take on the trend, look to Ralph Lauren who has always offered great polo and rugby style,” Wiggins advises.

Libby Page, market director at Net-a-Porter, agrees. She says a “chic sportif” mood is infiltrating customers’ wardrobes right now.

That said, Page is also a fan of Dries Van Noten’s spin on rugby stripes – and says the Belgian brand, which has always moved to the beat of its own drum, is truly resonating for the luxury retailer.

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“Dries Van Noten showed us a masterclass in high-low dressing with rugby-striped pants paired with couture-like coats. This brand has quietly soared for us, and we’ve grown our buy across all categories. We’ll be stocking the sneaker shown on the runway in all four colourways,” she says.

Other brands to look for, says Page, include Loewe for its polo-top dresses and fisherman sandals, and JW Anderson.

Accessories such as oversized totes, like Bottega Veneta’s luxurious basket bag and Balenciaga’s charm-adorned top-handle bag, complete the look.