What makes someone look rich / wealthy?

[cococovido]

Piggy backing onto the LV bag thread - so many responses saying you can tell if the bag is fake / real depending on the persons hair and general look.

I've really noticed this where I live during lockdown - even though we're all predominantly in scruffy clothes / gym gear (just me?!) you can just tell some people look 'rich' - for lack of a better word.

What is it? It's like an unspoken code or something.

@BrummyMum1

It's about generations of better nutrition which is why in terms of bone structure old money always looks well. Rarely an obese/short person amongst them.

You haven’t heard of the Habsburgs then?!

Yes, it has to be said that the richest "old money" person I've met had a general appearance that could only be the product of several generations of Aunty Mum and Uncle Dad.

His Rolex does!!

I often wear really cheap clothes but I accessorise well. People always think I'm wearing a designer (sometimes I do but mostly I don't) - I got stopped in Prada and asked where my dress was from - it was 10 quid in the next sale. Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise is my tip - spend the money on the shoes, bags, necklaces etc and everything else looks good. You only need one good piece to lift an outfit

So dull though, who cares if they're rich?
Do they have brains, ideas, resilience, creativity, kindness, humility? Not necessarily, just money and time to spend on making themselves look good. So self indulgent and they might still lead boring uninspired lives.
I'd rather see someone with their own take on style (not fashion) - vintage, goth, hippy - anything rather than that kind of bland 'lux' style.

I’m probably the opposite. Very well off financially but nobody would know it to look at me. Even my closest friends have no idea.

I'm very rich and I'd say what gives it away is just the air of confidence with which I carry myself. People automatically look up to people like that.

@TwistAndTout

I'm very rich and I'd say what gives it away is just the air of confidence with which I carry myself. People automatically look up to people like that.

I read that in that Harry Enfield characters voice

What a laughable thread this is. Wealthy celebreties tend to present very differently from titled ladies living in the countryside. There are plenty of short wealthy people (the queen is tiny). To point out which members of the aristrocacy are overweight would be rude. People are talking about social class not wealth. Very British! The only thing that wealthy people have in common is that they can afford regular high class haircuts etc. I also agree that many of the aristocracy didn't have great bone structure etc until they started to marry beautiful commoners.

@areyoubeingserviced

Doffing of cap

I think I prefer your original expression - “ diff capping”!🙂

I mean “doff capping”.
( Must use Preview!)

Well they'll all go to private schools - so they are part of the 7% of the population that do that - so you start off with a feeling of privilege and knowing you are more fortunate ?better than the rest of the population.
Also you are most likely getting a better education and more opportunities in sport/ music etc

This is a weird thread. I mean what even is looking expensive?

It just means looking as if you have lots of money. It’s a strange Mumsnet shorthand.

at twistandtrout. The cap doffing reminds me of the two Ronnies 🎶 so doff, so, doff, so doff, so doff, so doff your hat I pray🎶

Wombat,
Who is buying all the superyachts then?
My Brother is chief engineer on a superyacht, owned by a Russian oligarch. Just being wealthy doesn't hack it, it costs about £3 million a year to run!

Who wants a super yacht anyways?

Confidence, especially in old money, from decades or longer of being free from financial worry, adding in education, nutrition.
Also more obvious displays of conspicuous consumption show off wealth /ability to afford the debt.

I don't know why but people always assume I have money (even though I don't talk about money and am neither rich not poor and don't wear designer clothing). I think a really good haircut helps as does poise. Walking without slouching. People are always surprised by my height too as they refer to me as tall when I am only 5'4".

How about...

living in a darkened hotel room for ten years,
rarely washing,
having long, unkempt hair
and uncut finger nails..?

I'm thinking of Howard Hughes here - he was pretty rich / wealthy.

Not a look I'll be pursuing just for the moment

Do they have brains, ideas, resilience, creativity, kindness, humility?

This! I want to know how to dress so I look like I'm really clever and kind

My BF is mega rich but always has messy hair, crap nails etc because she owns a gazillion horses so always has hay in her hair and mud up her trousers etc.

@TwistAndTout

I'm very rich and I'd say what gives it away is just the air of confidence with which I carry myself. People automatically look up to people like that.

Really?!!

Very often the ones who look rich and act rich don’t have as much as we all think! I know quite a number of people who look the look and talk the talk and it was a front all hidden behind massive unsustainable mortgages, car loans and credit card debts!

I’ve heard that if you go to test drive an expensive car they look at your shoes and your watch to figure out if you can really afford the car We test drove an expensive car - none of us made an effort to dress up - can't think why we would care what the sales person thought....do people really try to impress sales people. We bought the car a week later - online, the only way you can - no need for heavy sales patter - just the way I like it!

I don’t like people in real life knowing we are very high earners. It’s embarrassing. My sister once remarked that I didn’t look like I could afford to shop at M&S!!!

People are very surprised when they see my house (they don’t expect it to be as nice) but I like that we don’t look high earners.

If I looked rich then I would be very cautious of being mugged etc

@Pyewhacket

An Aston Martin .

Not necessarily! DH bought an old, non-runner 1970s Aston before classic car prices soared, and spent years doing it up. We used to love cruising around in it with 2 toddlers in the back (still do but they aren't toddlers now....) and heads always turn - but we are nowhere near rich!

We do have a lot of fun though (in between breakdowns....)