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"FacebookPinterestfecastleberry20110222_0379.jpeg \n\nFred Castleberry is a &amp;quot;go-to-hell&amp;quot; pants wearing, collar flipping son of a gun. He\u2019s also at the helm of the most influential menswear blog for well-turned-out WASPs and the ones who love them, Unabashedly Prep. See, Castleberry manages to take some pretty killer snaps without getting his tweed in a bunch: his resume reads like a who\u2019s-who of cyber sartorialism. Call the man a Lisa Birnbach-loving lunatic and you\u2019ll be selling him short, cuz there\u2019s no free bowl of soup with that hat and this man doesn\u2019t eff around. We asked the Nanny-Red rockin, mixtape jockin,\u2019 beboppin\u2019 guy-behind-the-guy a few questions and he gave the type the answers you\u2019d expect from an upstanding member of society. Not to mention, the last response made us laugh...\n\nThe GQ Eye: Why do you think there\u2019s such a worldwide fascination with American prep, especially now? We all have our theories on why it\u2019s appealing, but what is yours?\n\nFred Castleberry: The recent fascination with American prep seems to be especially localized in Japan and, of course, the States. I believe the latest recession in our economy contributed, in part, to our return to classic Amercan style. Workwear, prep, and traditional clothing styles are outward expressions of a pilgrimage back to core values this country was founded on: resilience, frugality, resourcefulness, integrity. In uncertain times, we cling to that which is familiar, that from which we came from, that from which we unearth our identities. There is a security of sorts in a tweed blazer, a worn chino, a handed-down blue oord...a familiarity in a time of uncertainty.\n\nFor me personally, I simply believe the prep lifestyle is the best way to live life. The family values, love of the water, appreciation of sport, and clothing leave little else to be desired...\n\nGQ: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your past, your interests? What \u2019prepped\u2019 you for starting Unabashedly Prep?\n\nCastleberry: I grew up in a small town outside of Fort Worth, Texas. As a kid, I was interested in developing my own personal style in large part because of my mom\u2019s eccentric sensibilities. I was wearing white jeans in the fifth grade--and that takes a little bit of fearlessness, even as an adult. My attention pinballed between sport, art, and fashion. Fifteen years later not much has changed.\n\nA few key elements &amp;quot;prepped&amp;quot; me for starting Unabashedly Prep: my curiosity for effective branding, my previous career as a wedding photographer (which prepared me for the rigors of blogging everyday), and a clear vision of what I wanted my site to be and what I wanted to accomplish.\n\nGQ: You\u2019re a photographer and have done work with a bunch of classic or neo-classic menswear brands - Brooks Brothers, RL Rugby, etc. Are you working on any new projects you can reveal? What\u2019s been the most fun you\u2019ve had since starting the blog?\n\nCastleberry: Some work I shot for Penfield should be dropping soon and I\u2019ll be shooting some campaign imagery for Kiel James Patrick up in Rhode Island. Of course, I\u2019ll continue working with my regular clients like Norman Hilton for fall. The rest of the projects I am not going to talk about right now, but I will give you a hint--it has nothing to do with photography...\n\nThe most fun I\u2019ve had since starting Unabashedly Prep has been forming relationships with designers and attending (and occasionally sneaking into) New York fashion shows.\n\nGQ: What are your must-have items for the summer?\n\nCastleberry: Smart Turnout nylon watchbands, Cole Haan boat shoes (the secret is in the Nike Air sole), a great madras shirt (Polo typically reintroduces a nice one every summer), Randolph Engineering aviators and Matt Singer Turk\u2019s Head rope bracelet (black that fades into an aged navy).\n\nGQ: Tell us something about you we\u2019d never guess by looking at you.\n\nCastleberry: I\u2019m straight."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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