To ask - If you are well off would you say that helps how you look?

[evergreen7]

Sorry if it's a bit random but I'm just quite curious wether it's a factor of having money or just finding out a bit more about what works.

I have 2 distant friends who have both recently crossed into what I would consider quite wealthy category. - think buying houses over 500k driving brand new expensive cars etc

I've also noticed how different they both look their skin is lovely, the hair always falls great, their clothes look brilliant on them. They were both good looking women and could afford regular hair cuts and getting their nails done etc beforehand anyway but now they look put together and flawless 24/7.
None of them are particularly girly and usually wear minimal makeup but it looks perfect.

I know it's nosy but AIBU to ask you if you consider yourself well off financially would you say it's a large contributing factor to how you look or do you think it can be done on a low budget once you know what you're looking for?

I think it is easier if you have a higher disposable income/are wealthy, but I think it is more effort if you don't have a lot of money. Therefore proportion of wealthy people that look good is higher.

A couple of examples: I think one of the keys to choosing clothes that look more expensive is the fabric. I have got quite a few items from primark that are made from great fabric and automatically they don't 'look' primark. Fabrics with a higher synthetic material generally don't look good. You can also get some great makeup that's cheap too - the collection 2000 concealer is excellent.

Why wouldn’t you bother? C’mon you have to do what’s right for you...

However, the idea that money makes not a single difference to our lives, not to our healths, our education or the way we look is utterly ridiculous. Just because someone knows someone skint who looks great or someone wealthy who doesn’t care doesn’t change that. Money is power and choices.

God yeah, of course. I'm happy enough with how I look, but if I had more money to spend on myself, I know exactly what clothes I'd buy, how I'd have my hair and nails done, the skin treatments I'd have. And I know I'd look better for it, of course I would.
Though nowadays, even high end clothes can be shit quality and cut. That really annoys me, because when I have the money I'd prefer to pay more for something that's obviously better quality, but you can't be sure of that any more

You certainly need to spend more as you age. Better hair, better cut clothes and a pedicure. I don't necessarily think gel nails/manicures are classy or add to a well groomed look but as I have aged my toenails need a bit of help if they come out and I can't bend to do them myself anymore.

I'd spend less if I didn't work.

Hair, teeth, good shoes and bag, well cut clothes, understated jewellery. Hair is my biggest expense - three colour highlights (brown, caramel, blonde) to blend the gray every six weeks (£150 - great local hairdresser). Chuck in contact lenses occasionally and high diopter specs and sunglasses and it all adds up.

Apart from that it's down to lifestyle and a good diet.

Dd can swish her blonde locks and looks fantastic in a 12.99 frock from H&M and a pair of €15 sandals from a French market.

Utter rubbish. You’re basing your theory on just two people you know and their situations. Go into a nail bar/hair dresser/beautician and there will be people from all income brackets in there, plus the DIY options. Good presentation doesn’t always require a great deal of money. There’s are ways and means for all budgets.

I think what you have picked up on with your friends isn’t the means to look good as you’ve said they’ve always had that. I think it’s confidence. Life is ok for them at present and security and stability does affect personality. Maybe that’s why you can’t really pinpoint what the change is, as it’s not really actually physical?

Unless youre genetically lucky, dental work cost a lot.. skin.. well if youre stressed, smoke (and poorer people tend to be smokers), dont have time for pampering or proper expensive hair cuts... some can DIY and have good genes and taste but of you take that person and make them a millionaire theyd even look better.

I dont think that you cant look good on a budget but i think money definitely can take you to that next level..

If i could afford cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dental work yeah id look way better...

I think it depends how high maintenance you are to start with. We are currently very comfortably off, but I dislike spending huge amounts on clothes and I tend to buy online, in sales, from companies whose clothes I know will suit me. I don't have manicures as the last couple of times, the manicurist has made me bleed, so I do my own nails. I like Clinique, and swear by Boots 7 Protect and Preserve.

The one thing I do spend money on is my hair in that I get it cut every 6 weeks, and coloured or roots done, every 12 weeks. I go to a salon where the cutting is superb, and the colourist is excellent. However, even by Brussels standards, they are expensive.

I live in jeans, as I don't work, so spending tons on clothes and cosmetics that I don't need would be daft. I am also plump, vertically challenged and 50+, so am never going to look like Cindy Crawford. I could ask dh for leg extensions or stilts for Christmas!

Scaryteacher 😂😂😊

Having more money (when I've had it) means that I can replace clothes more often so that they fit better and look fresh rather than faded.

My makeup quality is better and fresher, my skincare is better, my shampoo etc better.

I also eat more healthily (lots more fruit and berries).

When money is tight I squeeze into clothes for too long and they start looking a bit faded after a lot of washing.
Using cheaper products makes my hair look a bit more dull and lank along with my make up too.

I think the worry of money affects the way I look too, so when there is no worry, you naturally look better and might sleep better too

Money can't buy you the ability to put an elegant stylish look together. There are plenty of people with oodles of money who look dreadful and you either have that or you don't. Clearly your two friends do.

Just as an aside, buying a £500K plus house doesn't put you into the wealthy category, certainly not here in the south east. I'm guessing they don't live in London, and the cars could be on finance.

Loads of people where I live drive very expensive new cars, I'm pretty certain they haven't all shelled out 30 grand or so in cash.

Spring We have more money than we've ever had, but I have insomnia through on by the perimenopause, so am not sleeping!

It also depends on your underlying health. I have an autoimmune disease that is worsening as I get older. It makes me so damn tired, but the insomnia adds to it. I would rather have less money and more platelets.

@scaryteacher
Totally, sleep is major affect in how I look along with health.

Currently with a 10 month old that is in and out of hospital so I look bad. My face starts to get puffy and I'm living off hospital sandwiches and coffee.

I am well off but not very interested in clothes, hair or make up. Never been in a nail bar in my life. But people remark on what a lovely complexion I have and that is down to eating well and food is increasingly expensive.

Stress also shows on people's faces if someone is constantly worrying about money then like any other stress it can show on their face.

I find it incredibly peculiar how nails have become such a hot topic as some sort of indicator of alleged wealth. The only person I know who has their nails done in a nail bar is the woman who was my cleaner. I know she is really very hard up because she was having some serious legal issues that involved money and asked for advice, my friend is a soliciter so I arranged for some free advice.

Those nails were her only treat in life, she never went out to lunch or dinner, had a holiday or a day out absolutely nothing else.

I'm time-poor and find that a higher food budget can help - eating well and staying thin can be expensive in my experience. Dentistry makes a difference too. Other than that, having a decent-paying job can have the opposite effect. I get so drawn into work, I neglect myself and end up cutting my own hair and pulling on clothes that don't need ironing, even if they don't go together very well.

No having been poor and wealthy I would say there's very little difference. I've always kept fit so have always looked well and healthy. My clothes and hair haven't changed much either.

Eating prunes daily is very anti aging. They aren't expensive either.

I find it incredible that people are denying a link between wealth/health and good looks.

It is utterly mind-blowing to me!

I’m reasonably comfortably off. I pay top whack for my hair cut and colour but that’s about it. Never had a facial, use budget skin care and mid range cosmetics, exercise at home rather than in a gym, and don’t have expensive taste in clothes, shoes or accessories. But I do have good taste. Pride myself on being able to find stuff that looks good quality.

All things being equal it is undoubtedly easier to look good if you have money.

I get regular botox, hair cut/coloured, facials, spend a lot on clothes etc. Obviously I would still look shit next to a 15 year old in the best of primark but it is easier for me to look better now because I have more money.

Oh and money can buy you taste - it buys you an interior designer, stylist and if you shop a lot in certain stores eg netaporter then you get a free personal shopper too.

However I know plenty of people who look great and don't spend a fortune on their looks. Using sunscreen, keeping an eye on your weight and not smoking are the big things I think.

Also I have assumed this thread is about people who do care about what they look like however much they earn.

Absolutely, even on a basic level you can afford to eat better and do things like the gym/exercise classes, rather than eat cheap stodgy/fattening food all the time as that’s easier to get more of.

Also if you are living on the breadline life is harder, securing food for the kids and paying the gas bill etc can be an ordeal, stress like that ages a person - worry shows on your face and takes it’s toll on your skin/wrinkles etc.

And of course if you have more disposable income you can afford the things that make you look ‘done’ - blowdrys, manicures, fancy make up, spa treatments, face creams - and if you’re that way inclined -cosmetic treatments and plastic surgery.

I think it's easier to look good if you have more money but as long as you can afford healthy food and get enough sleep you can look good with a lot less money too.

You probably can't pull off the same 'looks' though unless you are a very good ebayer/charity shopper.

I think things like nails, eyebrows etc are just extra polish though, there's lots of people who can afford it but aren't into it.

Probably you are right OP. But not in the horse world, where the majority of us look a bit frazzled, have farmer's tans all summer and smell of horse piss 90% of the time.

I have always prioritised looking my best, but as you get to 40+ looking your best gets harder and costs more. Luckily I can afford regular pedicures and Shellac manicures so my hands and feet always look pretty. I can afford a quality hair salon for a stylish cut and colour. I only have to work PT so have the time and energy to invest in a good skincare regime and get plenty of sleep. Compared to my colleagues who have to work FT and survive on a tight budget of course I look fresher and more groomed.

One thing which has been life changing though was discovering Depop. I already had a small wardrobe of decent clothes but now have two large double wardrobes filled with All Saints, Finery, Modern Rarity, Whistles, Reiss, Karen Millen, Chloe, Sezane, Ralph Lauren, & Other Stories, Tod's, for a fraction of their original price. I have never been so gorgeously and expensively dressed or accessorised