Old money. Quiet luxury. Two terms that have ruled the internet the past year. Maybe it’s because of the success of Succession. Maybe people are just tired of looking like slobs. All of a sudden we’ve dropped the matching lounge sets, and it’s all about the neutrals and classic pieces. Less dance club and more polo club. Someone get Loro Piana on the phone, stat! There’s been so much discourse around this style of dress and what people with old money wear etc. So for this installment of State of a Dress: I’m sharing my thoughts on quiet luxury style.

What is Quiet Luxury?

Simply put, quiet luxury is minimalism. Neutral colors, natural fabrics, minimal jewelry and no logos. The idea is that the more you blend in the more likely you are to look like old money. I’ve seen countless videos, articles, interviews etc about how to look like old money and what rich people wear etc. I came of age in the early 2000’s. I wore cami’s over t-shirts with Bermuda shorts. I also wore blazers to the club.

My mama has always told me that trends are cyclical. Nothing is original, everything has been done before. 80’s excess gave way to 90’s minimalism, wash, rinse, repeat. With social media trend cycles are moving faster than ever before. So what makes quiet luxury stand out?

What does Dressing Like Old Money mean?

I talk about personal style a lot. One thing I emphasis is the importance of looking put together. I have a handful of style icons that I discuss here. My style icons always look put together. Never wrinkled, clothes fit properly, hair done, you get the vibe. Typically when you see someone you think looks like old money, it’s because they look put together.

They have on an actual outfit, their clothes fit perfectly, and they probably have a confidence about them that makes you think they most come from money. Everything else is an afterthought.

What Makes Quiet Luxury?

As your resident style maven, you don’t look like old money. I know it hurts, but it’s true. I’ve lived a fairly interesting life so far and been around people from all of walks of life. If you think it’s giving old money, it’s probably giving no money. The real luxury brands don’t advertise. If you’re buying it off the rack, it’s not exclusive. I’m old enough to remember when wearing polyester was an insult. Most people don’t have the charisma, confidence, or cool to pull off only wearing neutrals. You look boring.

It’s not the clothes that make you think someone looks like old money, it’s the confidence. It’s the je ne sais quoi, you can’t quite put your finger on it. Most “old money” people don’t have great style. They wear neutrals because it’s easy, and they don’t have to think about it. They look uniform because they’ve been wearing the same brands and clothes for years. It’s not a facade, it’s a way of life.

One of my style descriptors is preppy. I grew up in private school, and I had to wear a uniform everyday. Button down shirts, knee high socks, monograms, you get the picture. One thing that was always stressed was that when we put on our uniform, we represented our school. I graduated ages ago, but that stuck with me. Your clothes are a representation of you. You can give off old money, new money, gauche etc.

Be Yourself

The truth is you will never give old money to actual old money. They can spot an imposter a mile away. The devil is always in the details. If you like wearing only neutrals, keep doing that. If you’re wearing them because you think it makes you look rich, stop. There’s a deeper conversation here around the resurgence of quiet luxury. We can talk about class, race, WASP culture. Why wealthy people don’t want to dress like the masses. Who gets access to certain circles. It’s all relative.

State of a Dress: Quiet Luxury Style

If you stick to the principles of dressing in expensive well fitted attire, you will get attention. People don’t dress up like they used to. Clothes that used to be reserved for staying at home are now everyday attire. Chances are if you go out fully dressed on a regular day someone will ask what the occasion is. One of my big takeaways from the pandemic is everyday should be treated like a special occasion. Don’t save your good clothes for an event that might never come. Give great style, and if you can’t help it, give quiet luxury.