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.

girls typically wear peter pan collars with cardigans and smoke dresses

Smoke dresses! I know that you meant ‘smocked’.

oops yes indeed bloody corrector!

I grew up in a very wealthy area and this sums it up:
Truly wealthy people don't advertise their wealth.

They also don’t follow ‘fast fashion’ trends.

I agree with the PP all the rich people round here have dogs and horses, bad hair, bad teeth, old crappy cars and wear gillets and old battered Barbour jackets.

@Lolaloveslemonade

I grew up in a very wealthy area and this sums it up: Truly wealthy people don't advertise their wealth.

"Money talks, wealth whispers."

How interesting that posh people with £10m are ‘wealthy’ whilst non-posh people with £10m are merely ‘rich’ or ‘nouveau riche’.

The original question was "what makes someone look wealthy".

A lot of posters are giving examples of rich people or landowners in the country side looking scruffy, and are confusing being "cash rich" with being "asset rich". It's not the same and I think the OP is referring to the former. As always these threads always end up in nouveau riche bashing. I believe deep down it is due to jealousy.

You really can't just put it down to what people wear/drive etc. Some of the richest looking people I know are up to their eyes in debt, and some of the genuinely rich with land and property look like they're homeless.

Rich people never wear synthetic clothing. It's all wool, silk, cashmere, linen.

And good shoes. Leather sneakers or leather sandals.

Ha, ha - I'm living on a JSA and I never wear synthetic clothing , and I also wear leather sneakers and sandals. Never judge a book by its cover.

So to answer the question ‘what makes someone look wealthy’...
They have an inner confidence.
It is nothing to do with having designer clothes/bags, expensive cars etc.
Really wealthy people never compare themselves to others materially. They don’t need to. All their material needs are met and they don’t need to prove themselves to anyone or aspire to anything.
It’s quite fascinating.

[quote Coconut2010]@W3dontdoduvets Perhaps, but that's the reality. I am sorry if you don't want to hear about first hand experience, I thought it was one of the "raison d'etre" of these forums, to exchange with people you wouldn't necessarily be mixing with in real life.
I come from what many PP would call a posh background (old money, landowners etc) and have been told that no matter how scruffy I think I am, I will always look posh.

As a sideline reading the whole thread, I am amazed at some of the generalisations... Not all "titled" people are kind and down to earth and treat people well. Fortunately many do but I know more than a handful (big titles + lot of money) that are absolutely obnoxious. Some rich people let their children look scruffy and some don't. With mines I have given up this battle (except for special occasions) but my SILs' children always look smart, with the perfect haircut, having to wear shirts instead of t shirts, no hoodies, rarely wear denims, girls typically wear peter pan collars with cardigans and smoke dresses (pink and frills and very long hair are a big NO for girls).[/quote]
You can say whatever you like, no need to apologise!

Really wealthy people never compare themselves to others materially. You'd think that should be the case but you are so wrong - you can never have enough money - someone always has something you want but can't afford.
How much more money do you think Phillip Green would want - the greed never dies!

Rich people never wear synthetic clothing Lots of expensive clothing is synthetic...unfortunately - sportswear for a start - technical fabrics are rarely natural.

Once more, ‘wealthy’ now encapsulates all the virtues of this mythological upper class.

They NEVER compare themselves to anyone.

They are kind and paternalistic and help to deliver papers in snowstorms (PP upthread)

They are all tall and thin with perfect hair and teeth.

Etc etc

sportswear for a start - technical fabrics are rarely natural.

I thought this too. All that Sweaty Betty gear that PPs have seen rich (sorry, ‘wealthy’) women wearing in London isn’t made of linen and cashmere, is it?

New money = glossy and 'rich' looking, very groomed, expensive accessories, fancy car, etc.

Old money = well spoken, but frequently not glossy at all and may well be driving an old Land Rover while wearing muddy boots and an old Barbour.

Good skin from being able to afford to eat well.

@1Morewineplease this is spot on for 'old money'.

You can tell old money by what they do and what they don't.
Generally they are thrifty, and will always go out of their way to help others.

*Iamthewombat

a balanced, intelligent view of life, and a respect for others.

What, ALL rich people? Including Philip Green, say? Mike Ashley?*

I was answering the question about what makes people look rich, not what do rich people look like .

@zatarontoast

IME, the more money someone has, the scruffier they look, the older their Barbour and Volvo estate car (both of which are covered in hairs) and they often smoke, probably Dunhill or B&H (perhaps the more elegant lady may have Sobraines for a night out). The women always seem to know a lot about Scotch

It's nothing to do with tidiness or how new their clothes are. 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 'Habsburg Jaw' or the aristocratic weak chin? Queen Victoria was short and obese, the Queen Mother was short and 'portly'. The reason why (some) British aristocracy are becoming 'better looking' is because they have in recent years embraced 'outbreeding'.

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.

I'd assume that where there are multiple generations who are wealthy, any net genetic advantage in appearance was a consequence of wealthy men having children with beautiful women.

I think it's being able to take care of themselves as soon as an issue arrives or before it even becomes a problem - so expensive dentistry, being able to afford facials, or a physiotherapist, or expensive glasses. None of that you s immediately obvious but it does affect appearance. They don't need to suffer with niggling health issues (which are easily fixable if you have immediate access to help) that makes them look worn out, while they wait for the NHS to have a slot free.

Added to that, it's being able to buy clothes which fit perfectly, in natural fabrics. They have access to experts who can make them look appropriately dressed for any occasion.

And I suppose it's leading the kind of life where they mix with a variety of people and have been educated to know what is appropriate behaviour for every occasion - this gives an innate confidence.

[quote planningaheadtoday]@1Morewineplease this is spot on for 'old money'.

You can tell old money by what they do and what they don't.
Generally they are thrifty, and will always go out of their way to help others. [/quote]
and will always go out of their way to help others

I work with very 'old money' and, like the rest of our species, some of them are kind and some of them, not so much. The wealthy are not homogeneous in character just as the 'lower' economic classes are not all wheeler dealer duckers and divers.

I've been told I look rich which is laughable. My little car is a bit scruffy, I wear a gilet when I work in the front garden and am often seen out in a tracksuit. Sadly I don't have the bank balance to go with the image.