What is it that makes someone look wealthy / polished?

[goingtothe]

Piggy backing onto the thread a few weeks ago about what looks 'common / tacky'.

It's a mystery to me - for instance I know someone who just looks so elegant and wealthy and it's effortless and interestingly carries a logo'd Louis Vuitton bag which was unanimously voted as tacky on here. But on her, it looks great and chic.

Do you know the vibe I mean, an inner confidence / calmness paired innate style!

On paper I could and should be polished but frankly I look disheveled (at best).

Have a hunt for the 'how to look expensive', 'how to look groomed' threads on here.

I assume those people don't have children

Or animals

1. Being thin
2. Light natural all over tan and perfect teeth
3. Really good hair cut and colour
4. Good nails and skin
5. Simple, classic clothes that fit really well and hang beautifully
6. Really good quality staples: shoes, coats, bags, accessories.
7. Natural fabrics: cashmere, silk, linen knit, bamboo knit.

Good posture.

Everyone I know who looks polished has good hair, clean neat/polished nails, is usually but not exclusively slim and wears outfits rather than clothes (ie nice belt/shoes, coordinated, pristine and ironed, simple but well thought out accessories)

Slim and really good thick hair - which is why I'll never achieve this look!

There’s an old book from the 80s called ‘More Dash Than Cash’ which addresses this, and fashion statements of the era aside, some sound advice that’s durable. Some of it includes: better to have interesting good quality costume jewellery than poor quality gold. Keep your clothes mended and get them altered to fit. Shop outside your usual places, these days vintage would be listed, then they suggested charity shopping and army surplus for quality basics. Being healthy and taking care of your hair and skin.

No extremes in hair, clothes, and have to say it, no visible tattoos. Not 'high' fashion, but good staples with the odd nod to current trends.

An American waitress once told me that they always wanted the customers who wore a good watch as this was the sign of someone who was wealthy. Something like a Tag Heuer or a Rolex. However, not flashing it around was the bigger indicator that they were going to get tipped well. Those who flashed their watches and brand new iPhones in people’s faces very rarely tipped well!

Why do people want to look wealthy and polished anyway?

Sounds pretty boring.

My mum has More Dash Than Cash @Craftycorvid

I seem to remember it involved much beige trench coat wearing. Whilst simultaneously rooting for bargains at the Army and Navy Stores

I find people who look wealthy generally are wealthy. The year round glow from lots of holidays, good skin from facials etc, time to exercise & get sleep, expensive well cut clothes. etc

AuntieJoyce I confess to owning a beige trench coat (shuffles off). Army and Navy ain’t what it used to be, and the book was written before ‘fast fashion’ went crazy. It’s still on the shelf - for the sake of nostalgia of course.

Well tailored clothes in mostly neutral colours.
Discreet jewellery.
No logos or brash names on show.
No heavy makeup.
Nails short and natural looking.
Hair shiny and well maintained.
Good posture and manners.

Nothing that screams 'look at me.'

Dd was at boarding school - my late DF had set aside a fund to pay for her education - and the truly wealthy parents tended to wear mismatched, clashing clothing and drove old, bashed up Land Rovers - had no need to impress anyone.

@Craftycorvid it could be a modern classic

Although my mum spent most of the 70s wafting round like Margot Leadbetter so clearly didn’t take the advice on board

had no need to impress anyone

Exactly. Trying to look wealthy is Hyacinth Bouquet petit bourgeois stuff for me and you'll just look try-hard. Just be clean and tidy and develop your own sense of style, that's fine.

Look, if you are not rich (and no shame in that), wanting to "look" rich is in itself try too hard and defeats the purpose. My super rich relative wears moth eaten cardigans at times, and diamonds more expensive that a house another time. Most people (unless they are new money and show-offy) have enough nonchalance and confidence not to care.

Anyway, I do know the look you are talking about, and it does cost. You can't do it on the cheap, you need to spend thousands on PT and pilates, dermatologists, facials, hair, nutritionists etc to achieve that look.

If you want to dine somewhere and "fit in", just be confident and don't act as if it is something special. Don't spend tons of money buying a chanel bag or gucci belt or recognizable brands, it's again try too hard. A rich person may spend thousands on clothes from brunello cucinelli or loro piana and they could look like what you buy from j crew.

Well kept shoes and clothing that fits is key. Simple understated accessories and clothing that look effortless. Lots of neutrals and classic pieces. Timeless stuff. Like someone else has said - outfits that have been put together thoughtfully, not pieces that just been thrown on for the sake of something to wear. What may look good on one person due to their body type may look terrible on another. It's all about tailoring and finding clothes that fit your shape.

For me, I think a really classic understated look that can always have the potential to look expensive is a nice pair of jeans, classic white shirt and sunglasses. But it's the putting together the other elements of that outfit that will elevate it. A belt, shoes, simple pearl earring s or gold hoops, perhaps rolling up the cuffs of the jeans, or the sleeves of the shirt. And it would be the way you would do that as well if that makes sense.

See the pics below, the one in shorts (obviously not the same as jeans) looks a bit grumpy to me. Not terrible, but I think her jean shorts could be worn higher on the waist, the top looks frumpy, the bag is pretty casual and the sandals are pretty casual and common looking. It's not a terrible outfit by any means, and she definitely doesn't look cheap. But she could make it much better

The most polished lady I see day to day isn't slim by any means, but ticks the other boxes. Dresses well (casually, very casual area), healthy tan, good skin/teeth/nails, cool hair. She just looks put together, never in a flap.

I don't like any of those looks particularly, but the second one is attention-seeking, try-hard and chavvy. The shoes are bloody awful. First woman looks like she needs a good tailor, none of her clothes fit and her shoes need a good clean and probably pinch like fuck.

Third woman I think looks the best of the lot, laid back and comfortable.

That's a blogger in the 3rd photo & I really like her style. I think she manages to make very casual dressing look good. I see her as a cool though as opposed to looking wealthy but I'm not into that look. She likes £££ bits though.

toodlesmoon can I ask her name/Instagram account please? I like her style and she looks petite - it's not often bloggers are short like me!

My theory is that if you are slim it’s much much easier to do understated and classy.

Yes I vaguely know who she is. I do like her style in the other pics you've shared. I just like the style of the other two pictures better.

The first picture is of Olivia Palermo (highly regarded as the queen of fashion) and the second of Alessa Ambrosia (fashion model). I suppose it's just a matter of taste though. I think they look effortlessly chic. I think the same about some of the other pics just posted though. I just didn't think the one I posted of her looked as chic or "wealthy" but there wasn't a whole load wrong with it.

Everyone's got their own style preferences though. If we all liked and wore the same stuff the world who'd be very boring