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Original poster

What makes someone look rich / wealthy?

505 replies

cococovido · 13/10/2020 21:44

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.

OP posts:
PegasusReturns · 21/07/2021 21:08

Why is everyone being so bloody deferential?

It’s the middle classes trying to prove how well they know the upper classes. Like they might somehow imbibe their greatness through proximity Grin Hmm

Homeontherangeuk · 21/07/2021 22:16

@Housemum

It seems to start at school - DD2 & 3's close friends go to private school (mine are state school), there is just something different in the way they are. A certain air of confidence, being totally at ease in any situation because they are certain of themselves or at least know how to project that, also a way of making other people feel at ease.
100% agree & the private school boys & girls are always very confident at sport, are outdoorsy & can turn their hand to any sport(at least the ones I know!)
SourAppleChew · 22/07/2021 01:25

I disagree a bit with all the comments about 'the gloss' etc. I think they reflect the demographic on here and the most common types of wealthy people they interact with.

I meet a fair amount of wealthy people working in the construction sector. Land owners, builders, etc. They don't usually have the 'the gloss' lol. Maybe a new SVR/M5/RS4, however.

Homeontherangeuk · 22/07/2021 07:53

I think it's the active lifestyle, ability to pay for wherever you fancy, accent, hair & confidence

brokenbiscuitsx · 22/07/2021 08:13

I think it depends.

New money: a lot of outward wealth, designer labels etc. I went to Riga a few years ago and the nouveau riche there are expensive cars, lots of bling, fur coats. Very tacky.

Old money: Less ostentatious. I went to Uni with someone who would be in ripped jeans and a tartan shirt every day. You wouldn’t know he came from old money.

rhowton · 22/07/2021 09:34

My parents are very wealthy. My dad has an Aston Martin, (and lots of other nice cars/bikes), however, he loves his £400, 15 year old estate that he calls his scrappy car. It is by far his favourite car, and is full of his tools and fixing things. He wears the same clothes he has had since the 90s, and will only shop in M&S as they do the perfect length. He still goes to the pub with his friends who he grew up with on a council estate with him and never shows off his money. If you met him, you would never know. My mum however, looks immaculate, all the time. You would think she had money.

Skysblue · 22/07/2021 10:13

I live near a top public school and most of the teens there have a distinct glow to their faces - especially the sporty guys - I think it must be from eating top quality food their whole lives?

Also expensive haircut, clothes that fit perfectly, gleaming shoes… A lack of false nails / fake tan lol

Yetano · 22/07/2021 23:53

Skysblue I also grew up near a public school. I remember that glow, the perfect skin and hair. I also used to have a theory about the angle they held their head at. It was just ever so slightly higher than everyone else. I assumed it is where expressions like "looking down your nose at people" come from. It was so obvious who they were.

SourAppleChew · 23/07/2021 01:06

@brokenbiscuitsx

I think it depends.

New money: a lot of outward wealth, designer labels etc. I went to Riga a few years ago and the nouveau riche there are expensive cars, lots of bling, fur coats. Very tacky.

Old money: Less ostentatious. I went to Uni with someone who would be in ripped jeans and a tartan shirt every day. You wouldn’t know he came from old money.

Whilst I do understand the point about some people being overly showy and tasteless with money, I've never understood the way people look down on the nouveau rich.

'Old money' usually just means they had a rich daddy and didn't work for it.

SourAppleChew · 23/07/2021 01:09

My new bosses are very wealthy. When I went for the interview, the interviewer mentioned that they didn't show off their money and only spent £200k on their cars.

brokenbiscuitsx · 23/07/2021 07:56

*Whilst I do understand the point about some people being overly showy and tasteless with money, I've never understood the way people look down on the nouveau rich.

'Old money' usually just means they had a rich daddy and didn't work for it.*

I think it’s because old money are used to it. New money aren’t so buy all the ‘bling’ and showiness just isn’t cool.

terrywynne · 23/07/2021 08:16

I think it’s because old money are used to it. New money aren’t so buy all the ‘bling’ and showiness just isn’t cool.

Look at the portraits and houses of old money's ancestors and you'll see where all the bling and showiness is/was... giant gilded clock, gilded ceiling, and yellow silk on the walls (saw that combo just the other week going round a stately home). And of course there is Brighton Pavilion- the ultimate in showy bling (tbf it was considered a tad over the top when it was first built)

Guineapigbridge · 23/07/2021 09:52

Tech money is a distinct genre from 'old money' and 'nouveau riche'. Tech millionaires, now in their 40s and 50s, adopt different norms.

Homeontherangeuk · 23/07/2021 10:15

@Guineapigbridge

Tech money is a distinct genre from 'old money' and 'nouveau riche'. Tech millionaires, now in their 40s and 50s, adopt different norms.
Please elaborate on the tech millionaires different norms!
HundredMilesAnHour · 23/07/2021 14:19

I work (in London) with someone rich. He's early 30s and Swiss. His parents bought him a house in the Cotswolds for his 30th birthday. And by house I mean 10 bedrooms, lots of land etc. He struggles to understand why his mother chooses to live in their 3 bed apartment in Monaco rather than their much larger family home in Gstaad. He wants to take me to his club for dinner (he gave me a choice of clubs that he's a private member of) and fly me to Jersey for the day (literally fly me with him piloting the plane). He complains that the women he meets (on Instagram!) are all after his money and not very nice. I suggested he join Tinder and say he's an East European plumber and see how that impacted the women interested in him. He refused. Wink

He's an absolute bloody nightmare to work with - and notorious for being a nightmare. He despises almost everyone. For some reason, after some initial shouting matches, he likes me. My background is Northern working class (but I now work in the City on good money hence how I know him). I suspect he has never really interacted with a "normal" person before and it's the novelty factor. I refuse to meet him outside of work. I find his lifestyle fascinating (novelty for me I guess) but don't want the headache that comes along with him.

PleasurePrinciple · 23/07/2021 15:09

@terrywynne

I think it’s because old money are used to it. New money aren’t so buy all the ‘bling’ and showiness just isn’t cool.

Look at the portraits and houses of old money's ancestors and you'll see where all the bling and showiness is/was... giant gilded clock, gilded ceiling, and yellow silk on the walls (saw that combo just the other week going round a stately home). And of course there is Brighton Pavilion- the ultimate in showy bling (tbf it was considered a tad over the top when it was first built)

Absolutely! That’s pretty much the definition of a swagger portrait — someone painted to look important, surrounded by their bling. Huge numbers of what we now think of as ‘English country houses’ were once the equivalent of architect-designed blingy mega-mansions designed to show off.
DrSbaitso · 23/07/2021 16:26

@terrywynne

I think it’s because old money are used to it. New money aren’t so buy all the ‘bling’ and showiness just isn’t cool.

Look at the portraits and houses of old money's ancestors and you'll see where all the bling and showiness is/was... giant gilded clock, gilded ceiling, and yellow silk on the walls (saw that combo just the other week going round a stately home). And of course there is Brighton Pavilion- the ultimate in showy bling (tbf it was considered a tad over the top when it was first built)

This can't be said enough. How do so many people not realise?
SourAppleChew · 24/07/2021 01:48

Agree. The vast majority of rich people don't drive around in battered old cars, wearing slacks and old cardigans, but emitting 'the sheen'. Where I live a lot of them are Indian.

OlympicProcrastinator · 24/07/2021 11:24

Being really reeeeeally thin. Like Amal Clooney and Kate Middleton.

TerraNovaTwo · 24/07/2021 11:28

Why should the majority of mumsnet care, about keeping up appearances?

SourAppleChew · 25/07/2021 03:49

@brokenbiscuitsx

I think it depends.

New money: a lot of outward wealth, designer labels etc. I went to Riga a few years ago and the nouveau riche there are expensive cars, lots of bling, fur coats. Very tacky.

Old money: Less ostentatious. I went to Uni with someone who would be in ripped jeans and a tartan shirt every day. You wouldn’t know he came from old money.

I think it’s also an age thing.

Young people would see the nouveau rich you describe as fashionable (range rovers, fur coats, etc) and the old money as fuddy duddy (Giles with his country mansion and hunting clothes etc).

Sillysuzie · 25/07/2021 06:16

@TerraNovaTwo

Why should the majority of mumsnet care, about keeping up appearances?
Cause everyone here earns 100k 🤣
shallIswim · 25/07/2021 09:45

@HundredMilesAnHour

I work (in London) with someone rich. He's early 30s and Swiss. His parents bought him a house in the Cotswolds for his 30th birthday. And by house I mean 10 bedrooms, lots of land etc. He struggles to understand why his mother chooses to live in their 3 bed apartment in Monaco rather than their much larger family home in Gstaad. He wants to take me to his club for dinner (he gave me a choice of clubs that he's a private member of) and fly me to Jersey for the day (literally fly me with him piloting the plane). He complains that the women he meets (on Instagram!) are all after his money and not very nice. I suggested he join Tinder and say he's an East European plumber and see how that impacted the women interested in him. He refused. Wink

He's an absolute bloody nightmare to work with - and notorious for being a nightmare. He despises almost everyone. For some reason, after some initial shouting matches, he likes me. My background is Northern working class (but I now work in the City on good money hence how I know him). I suspect he has never really interacted with a "normal" person before and it's the novelty factor. I refuse to meet him outside of work. I find his lifestyle fascinating (novelty for me I guess) but don't want the headache that comes along with him.

Fascinating (true life) character study there. Really enjoyed reading that. And am picturing you too, cast as earthy workmate side kick.
FittedSheet · 25/07/2021 10:07

Marty him for research purposes, @HundredMilesAnHour, and report back from his Gstaad Bond villain lair?

Lampzade · 25/07/2021 10:15

Since this thread is about generalisations

Old money doesn't have disposable cash which is why they wear ‘ripped’ clothes. They are asset rich , but cash poor so probably can’t afford the Rolexes and fur coats ( unless it is inherited)

New money is cash rich and asset rich