However, that isn’t to say that the teenage rebel look hasn’t made its way into the mainstream. Prep school staples like varsity jackets and peter pan collars have proved popular on the runways, while both Christian Dior and Stella McCartney sent off-kilter menswear down the runways for Spring 2013. Both of these trends bring to mind the slightly-skewed attitude of our favorite jaded teen cynic.

How to Add Holden to Your Wardrobe

By integrating key themes from the novel, as well as allusions to the book’s notorious and enthralling history, into your daily outfits, you can pay homage to the mildly-misanthropic teen, without sacrificing too much of your own sense of optimism (but please, everyone, stay in school!).

A Contrast of Attitudes: Mature V. Immature

Product Information: Varsity Cardigan – Delia’s, Oversize Blouse – Chicnova, Tweed Peacoat – Tilly’s, Boyfriend Jeans – New Look, Oxfords – Aldo, Hunting Cap – Yesstyle, Knit Mittens – People Tree, Plaid Scarf – Abercrombie & Fitch.

In true bildungsroman form, Catcher focuses primarily on Holden’s aversion to the adult world, and his affinity for, and need to protect, the unspoiled and innocent; in other words, the Mature versus the Immature.

This contrast of attitudes stems mainly from Holden’s disillusionment with life, and his desire to find meaning in the process of growing up. He wants no part of the “phoniness” and superficiality he sees around him, and comes to idealize the simplicity of youth. Fearful of change, and confused by the feelings in himself that he condemns in others, Holden is the unlikely protagonist, while time, and its unstoppable nature, is the ultimate antagonist.

This outfit represents Holden’s battle with age by incorporating classic preppy styles, alluding to prep school uniforms, while wearing them as a kid might, with oversized fits and loose tailoring. The outfit’s many textures and patterns – denim boyfriend jeans, a knit varsity cardigan, leather oxfords, a plaid scarf, and a tweed coat – represent a youthful take on the sophisticated silhouettes of the adult world. The whimsical mix of fabrics, colors, and patterns, constrained to the uniform of Adults, mirrors Holden’s own internal struggle with growing older.