Pieces that trick people into thinking you're rich

[PaintingOwls]

Sorry about the wanky title, I don't quite know how to put this!

I have a friend who always looks very expensive and put together but whenever I ask where her clothes are from she will say Zara, Primark, etc. She says she gives off the vibe that her clothes are expensive because she has a few statement pieces that set the tone, so Ted Baker coat, Longchamp bag, Kate Spade purse. People see those and assume everything else is of the same caliber.

The only expensive thing I own is a Hobbs trench coat which I only bought because it was the perfect shade of beige. I have a black Harrods bag that I bought on sale to have a smart interview bag. I've been trying to use it more but it is a bit incongruous with the rest of what I wear.

I have noticed that when I wear the Hobbs coat people are more polite towards me, hold doors open, smile, move out of the way for me, men help me with luggage on trains... When I wear my denim or leather Primark jacket I get ignored and people barge past me.

Has anyone noticed anything similar?

I realize this isn't an exact science but if I was to buy a thing or two to help set the tone, as my friend says, what would that be?

Nope @MrsPear I didn't say that at all. The opposite in fact.

Clothes with shape and ones which fit your own body proportions really well regardless of where they are from. Also clothes without wild and memorable patterns as they date easily and it's easy to remember where they came from and how much they cost. Things which fit well and could have been bought anywhere or any time are the things I go for. Always having ironed clothes looks smart and finishing your outfit with really subtle earrings and shoes and bag etc always makes you look finished.

How do you know if earrings are expensive? Good fake pearl or diamond studs are impossible to spot unless you examine them closely.

It’s quite easy to spot fake diamond stud earrings tbh and many fake pearl earrings are a dead give away because the pearls look too perfect to be real. And not all pearl earrings that are real are expensive, and also the ones that are very expensive like tahiti and South Sea pearls are not easy to replicatie in a way they look like the real stuff.

If your budget is limited, spend the most money on coats and Jackets, then shoes and bags. With regards to bags, if designer bags are out of your price range or you just don’t like labels, buy none labelled bags. A Ted Baker, or Michael Kors bag etc, will still cost you a reasonable amount but won’t look expensive, so you’re better buying a none labelled leather bag.
Also, always buy out of season. Great deals can be found on beautiful winter coats in summer and vice versa. It goes without saying to buy classics that you can still wear in 5 years time. Look after your purchases, get changed as soon as you get home. Sitting around in jumpers and your good jeans for instance will age them quickly.

Jewellery also makes a difference. Diamonds preferably 😃

Have not rtft, but

I love these threads!

I don't know the answer but I do think a lot of it is just about how your carry yourself. Look at Sophie stanbury (amazing hair) Millie Macintosh, Catherine (even in her uni days) they all look groomed and well put together but even when they aren't made up and dressed up you could probably still peg them as 'expensive' because they have the basics, hair, skin, teeth and figure. If they've had cosmetic 'help' it's very subtle.

I see plenty of women dressed in expensive clothes but they just don't have 'it'. I'm not sure if it's something you can achieve if you don't have it already.

As for people picking apart various styles and laughing at clothing combinations some of this is down to area. There is definitely village/country style and town/city style and dont forget different ages. I wouldn't expect a 20 year old city girl to dress same as a 50 year old country woman so sneering at something which may work for one isn't helpful.

Aside from that, I would put my budget towards things you use everyday, I've got a lovely leather key ring and I love it. Way better investment than a dress I might wear once for a wedding/party (not that it was actually that expensive but it did cost more than I would typically spend).

I can’t tell the difference between my diamond studs and paste when l’ve got them side by side in my hand and I don’t believe anyone other than a jeweller could either.

My fake diamond earrings sparkle less than my real diamond rings, but if I keep my hand away from my ear then the difference wont show, presumably!!

I'm not so sure about the earrings. DH bought me 1/4ct diamond studs. I lost one , and replaced it.

I wear them very little now. The best match, paradoxically, is a pair that cost a tenner from H Samuel. However I think because people expect me to have real ones and my rings are valuable, people think the earrings are too.

It boils down to "how do I buy style?" and you can't. You can shop in Bond St and throw money at it, but you could look like a dog, or a Russian escort. Fashionable, yes; minted, definitely, but not born to it. Some people, without money, achieve it and create trends effortlessly, by following their own ideas.

I always find these threads confusing, because like non-rich people, rich people dress in all sorts of ways. There’s not a single ‘rich person’ look and it can’t even be narrowed down to a small number of ‘types’ (eg the countryside wellie-wearers type, the Kate Middleton type, the Made in Chelsea type). And you know what, the ‘footballers wives type’ that are wearing the bling and the designer branding, well they’re rich too.

But, I DO get what you mean, OP.

So to me, I think looking ‘rich’ starts with finding a style you like, and suits you and your life, and just doing that style in the best possible way. So if you’re a jeans and tee person, you could invest in a couple of pairs of expensive or designer jeans and some lovely soft cotton tees. That will, definitely, look better than Primark. You will also look ‘richer’ if that’s what you’re aiming for and more well put together. If you live in the countryside and spend your days walking the dogs, you could invest in a really nice but suitable coat (I guess Barbour or something but I don’t really know!) and boots etc. Again, you’ll look better wearing that than you would if you wore a cheap pac-a-mac. And if you just try and do the best version of you, you’ll always feel and therefore look more confident. Which also helps.

How to achieve this probably starts with finding the style/s you like (looking for inspiration on Pinterest, Instagram etc and trying on loads of stuff) and then finding the best pieces you can afford.

And you can try and find these on sale, second hand etc etc. So for me, I am fairly casual and often wear jeans. I recently got a pair of MiH jeans on sale for £30 (about £180 originally). Pretty much the same price you’d pay for jeans at New Look. I always get compliments on them, they are super soft and will wear really well. The only thing is that finding bargains takes a bit of patience and effort.

Sometimes it doesn’t mean spending loads - there are some brands or shops that do certain things really well. Just needs some research.

And, I do agree with PPs that looking like the best version of you could also be about looking healthy and well groomed. Yes some people are naturally slim and tall, but this isn’t achievable for everyone - but looking after yourself is and this will mean you’ll look as good as possible. If you don’t currently just start with basic improvements to diet and exercise, skincare, looking after your hair and nails etc.

I think what NOT to do is go to places like TK Maxx and get a 'designer' leather bag - some people do this and believe they are projecting 'expensive' and buying a quality item. I know someone who shops there and I can always tell the stuff is TK Maxx. The bags may be leather, yes, but are always the wrong colour, too shiny, too much bling or obvious labelling, etc.

The other thing is not to fall into the temptation of sales buying. I am increasingly realising that it's better to spend on a full price item I've carefully thought over than go for cheaper alternatives in the sale - 'ooh, that's nice enough and will do for now.' I waited and waited for a pair of Clarks classic black leather over the knee boots to go on sale. It didn't, but other versions of it in different colours and materials did. I stuck it out because I knew I wouldn't get as much value out of a brown/ suede pair of the same style.

TK Maxx has the occasional gem. I lusted after a pair of Karen Walker sunglasses in Liberty but £225 - just no. Imagine my joy when they turned up in TK Maxx for £40.

Placemarking as recently people have been nicer and no idea why...

Before you go spending your hard earn money on designer pieces, near in mind that shops like Primark, George from Asda and Boohoo often copy runway designs. I remember watching TV between Joan Collins and Susanna whatever her second name is (the one off strictly) anyway Joan Collins was wearing a Gucci dress that cost £1,600 and Susanna was wearing the same dress (but hers was a copy) from George that cost £14. Everyone agreed that Susanna looked better. I think it's not what you wear but how you wear it. Invest in yoga or Pilates classes instead to work on your posture and frame and carry yourself like a supermodel.

Since reading thread I've looked at the rich women where I live.
Good haircuts, groomed (but not polished) nails, a Rolex and one of those fleecy waistcoats with a zip up the middle seem to be the wealthy woman's wardrobe in rural southwest.
And a beaten up old banger with the inability to reverse but that's a new thread.

The problem with sales stuff and TK Max is that it's all the stuff that people didn't want - often because it didn't fit right otherwise it wouldn't be in the sale - it would have sold out! You can of course be lucky or really enjoy spending a massive amount of time hunting for a bargain. Better to sign up to your favourite brand's website and wait for a promo offer and get a good discount on clothes you really want! It doesn't always have to be expensive - Uniqlo is brilliant for basics, natural fabrics, I am slightly obsessed with them - over the years Uniqlo have sold me beautiful silk shirts, cashmere & merino knitwear, fine thermals and cotton shirts.. It's my coats & shoes that I spend money on - I buy something that is distinctive and interesting (not whacky) - everything underneath is classic and usually uniqlo!.

A statement handbag. Always.

You can of course be lucky or really enjoy spending a massive amount of time hunting for a bargain.

Or be me. I’m unnaturally talented at TKMaxx shopping - so the things I buy aren’t ‘things nobody wanted’ they’re more likely to be near one-off samples in an inconvenient size, or just items that couldn’t attract enough buyers at their original, terrifying price.

I only ever look through the Gold Label rails - the rest seems a waste of time, apart from the odd scarf - and find it really easy to assess at a glance whether they’ve had a delivery of good stuff or whether it’s all tat. Tbh, nowadays it’s almost the only concrete shop I visit (and not very often). Most of my shopping is done via my phone screen.

Darling ‘statement’ handbags always, always make a woman look kept. And nothing else. The only statement they make is “I slept with a rich man and look what I got in return!”

(I do like beautiful bags - just not the sort that scream.)

Darling ‘statement’ handbags always, always make a woman look kept. And nothing else. The only statement they make is “I slept with a rich man and look what I got in return!”

This is nonsense!! Or that she liked a bag and bought it herself?!?

I tell you one thing that's odd.... I have this North Face jacket - not an anorak, but one of the soft shell type ones.... And I swear to god I have had several people make comments to me about it that kinda infer that I must be rich. Like "Oh I love that jacket....I'll get one someday ha ha!"

And I'm sitting there going "oh I think they think I'm well off!"

It's happened quite a few times cos I've owned this thing FIFTEEN YEARS!

Obvs when I bought it it was a lot cheaper (though probably still around 90 quid). But it's as perfect as the day I bought it and so great for mid-weather I wear it basically 8 months a year.

Who would have thought that would be the item that makes people think I'm loaded?! It's really random. North Face of all things!

I'm not rich but folk always tell me I look 'elegant' even in cheap jeans and an old sweatshirt.
In all honesty I think it's because I'm very slim, with shiny chin length hair and my one and only weakness is spending money on my nails!

Incidentally I think 'statement bags' scream 'I'm trying to look rich/classy' and are the total opposite of classy!!!