Want to appear preppy, privileged, and prosperous? Want your wardrobe to grant you the appearance of that country club, fresh-off-the-yacht, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant exclusivity? You bet your bottom dollar you do! After two years of studying the fads and fashions of the Boston College campus, I have determined five essentials that every female college student on the Eastern Seaboard should have in her closet in order to achieve this desirable look. 

1) Boat shoes 

Boat shoes are the staple footwear of the East Coast college girl. What could be more casual and classy than a canvas shoe with a rubber sole initially intended for use on a boat? From March to November, Sperry Top-Siders take on a ubiquitous presence on the East Coast college campus. Just don’t wear them with socks, unless you wish to be victim to the wrath of a thousand judgmental stares. 

Women's Bluefish 2-Eye Boat Shoe - $85

2) Blazer 

Nothing ties an outfit together quite like a great blazer. Thrown over everything from a dress to a tee, an outfit becomes instantly chicer (i.e. more expensive-looking). It’s like the tuxedo T-shirt of jackets, even though the only people who wear tuxedo T-shirts are the ones who were voted “Most Likely to Attend Summer School” or “Most Socially Uncomfortable” in high school. A blazer says I’m sophisticated, but I’m also capable of “gettin’ down.” 

Wool Little Boy Polo Jacket - $298

3) Pastel pants and shorts

Leave it to the East Coast college girl to make something as classic as blue jeans seem passé. Every East Coaster should own at least a few pairs of form-fitting pants and shorts the color of Easter eggs. It doesn’t hurt that sporting a pair of these is just like grabbing a megaphone and proclaiming to the world, “Hey everyone! Take a gander at my glutes!” But in a much subtler manner, of course. 

Colored Ankle Crop - $68

4) Patterned scarves

Both utilitarian and fashionable, a scarf is another piece that can turn a relatively drab outfit into, well, a good outfit. Whether striped or patterned, knit or cotton, you just can’t go wrong. My personal favorite brand is Tolani, as Tolani scarves are beautiful and versatile and Jessica Alba wears them. Who wouldn’t want to wear something one of the sexiest women in the world has deemed cool? 

Stripes Fuchsia - $74

5) Cardigans

Jackie O. may have made them classic, but the East Coast college girl has made them a wardrobe staple. Plain or patterned, every East Coaster should have at least half a dozen of these hanging in her closet. If you want to go the extra mile and get that just-came-from-the-tennis-courts look, tie one of these bad boys around your neck—how edgy! 

Featherweight Cotton Cardigan - $65

There you have it, girls: the essential pieces every respectable East Coast college girl should own. Go invest in a couple of these items, and you’ll be looking like a blue-blooded New Englander before you know it.