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).

I met a woman recently who must be 70+, grey and at a guess 14-15 stone. She always looks amazing. I don't know where she gets her clothes but the are beautiful, understated, fit perfectly, good shoes and decent, immaculate haircut.i never get it, no matter what I spend on clothes, hair, nails, I never seem to carry it off well.

MaybeDoctor it helps to be blonde? Really? As a black woman, I find that extremely offensive. Sadly, it’s an attitude I see all too often on Mumsnet. It makes me furious.

thin
tan or sun glow
expensive sunglasses
smooth hair whether it is straight or curly
fine jewellery like thin gold layers
a blue shirt
skinny white jeans
tan handbag

i see this look soooooo much its like a uniform

I’m weirdly uptight about things that look too try-hard, so that includes white jeans, sunglasses unless it’s really bright, that half tucked in thing, and anything in fashion. That’s just me though. I’m small boned so clothes tend to wear me unless they’re incredibly understated.

The biggest thing for me in terms of looking well put together or not is sadly weight. When I’m streamlined, which hadn’t happened since dc, any cheap old thing looks stylish.

I assume you're joking YorkshireTeaIsTheBest?!

While I agree that weight is a huge factor to looking polished (for me anyway) most women never see six stone after childhood. I'm only 5 2" and pre-DC was around 8 stone and really quite slim. Unless you're very, very short surely six stone is severe eating-disorder territory? That's never a good look...

Let’s be gentle with each other though, it can be a very painful subject. A short small boned person might be fine at 6st. I’m 5’5” and honestly was extremely healthy at 7.5st. Otoh people can get into difficulty not realising they’re too light.

On topic again, I think I find it easier to identify things that look unpolished rather than are polished... having said that, I think tops with collars are a winner

Agree with some of the things mentioned already such as outfits (I said this on a thread recently), neutral colours and natural fabrics. I'd say plain fabrics too despite my collection of printed tops and discreet jewellery.

I now want that book!

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.
I agree with you.

Sometimes I find some of the 'how to style yourself to look wealthy' advice sounds quite dull. I can't get excited about classic staples, but maybe that's because I still have a camel trench in my wardrobe from when I stupidly listened to the claims that it's a must have staple and goes with everything.

Maybe I should try it again. 🤷‍♀️

So disappointed to see all the ‘tan’ comments too. So it helps to be ‘tanned’ but god forbid you might be black. Casual racism once again.

The blogger on page 1 is v slim and younger than me. I own a big white shirt and jeans but I'm never going to look like that !
I always tend to look messy tbh

I didn’t agree with the blonde =more expensive comment anyway. If anything I would have said the opposite unless it’s very good condition and shiny.

Georgiana, I think posters are assuming the OP is white. And the odds are that she is. That's not really casual racism, given that most people in the UK are. Presumably the OP would have said if she wasn't, since she presumably wants comments that are applicable to her personally.
OP doesn't specify whether they are female either but it's not unreasonable to assume they are.

Fwiw I also don't agree with blonde = expensive looking. Blonde hair has to be natural or very well coloured. It's easy to get blonde dye wrong and for it to look cheap.
Shiny, thick, dark hair is gorgeous. It's quite hard imo to make thin hair look expensive without a really good cut.

I'd say less is more is important. You want to look clean and effortlessly chic. No fake eyelashes, fake nails and definitely not any oversized body parts. Ie no fake boobs, no Kardashian bums etc.

Think Kendall rather than Kylie.

Don't agree that being blond is a requirement at all. I think the Italian and French women are the ones who pull off the wealthy look the best.

@GeorgianaD I see so many stunning, classy black women so please don’t think it’s just a white woman thing. Off the top of my head I think Jodie Turner Smith is absolutely stunning, I like how classy Jada Pinkett Smith looks doing the Red Table series, as does her mother. I’ll attach some photos.

Generally as soon as something is slightly shabby and has lost its shape throw it out or downgrade to gardening wear immediately. Some exceptions could be things made from natural materials. Spend an extra 5 mins on your look and re check throughout the day. Be toned and well rested (easier said than done)

Very disappointed to see so many are still of the opinion that thin & blonde is the gold standard for looking great. It’s just lazy, vacuous, exclusive and discriminatory. I expected more diverse views. I don’t think weight, build, skin colour, or hair colour have anything to do with looking polished. It’s what you put on the body and how you combine it that makes the difference. You might as well say if you weigh more than six stone and your hair is any colour than blonde then you will never look good. Clearly that is complete nonsense.

I don't subscribe to the notion that thin & blonde = looking great however there is no denying that if you are in a wealthy environment lots of women are very thin & many have dyed blonde hair.

@GeorgianaD

I apologise if I caused any offence - none was intended. That was why I used the word 'mostly' in brackets, because I recognised that it doesn't fit all people or situations.

I live somewhere where a lot of women have or aspire to the 'look' that the OP seems to be aiming at and was just describing what I have observed. According to my local council website 90% of my county is White British or White (other), so it isn't surprising that what I see isn't particularly diverse.

Agree @Flatpackback - it’s so dreadfully dull.

@MaybeDoctor

I think it tends to come down to:

Being blonde (mostly)
Being slim
Wearing pale or neutral colours (mostly)
Leather, linen and cashmere

I am not saying that any of these are 'better' but that is what I observe.

In the case of women of colour it often helps not to be blonde. I am Indian and nothing screams cheap more than bleached hair on thick, coarse Indian, East Asian or Arab hair. It never looks expensive.

I'm not into the looking rich & polished thing as I think it's a bit twee. However the celebs/models I do like for style inspiration are generally very thin. There are larger celebs who I think are very beautiful but Im not necessarily into their styling.

@binkydinky

I'm not into the looking rich & polished thing as I think it's a bit twee. However the celebs/models I do like for style inspiration are generally very thin. There are larger celebs who I think are very beautiful but Im not necessarily into their styling.

I don’t know, I love Mindy Kaling’s style more than the skinny celebs I see. It’s that preppy / smart-casual look that I think you can’t really go wrong with. She definitely looks as well dressed and expensive as Priyanka Chopra who is taller and slimmer.

Nice shiny hair. Short or long. As compared with the tightly pulled ponytail of the chavs

No one is saying that this look is better or the only way to look great. I definitely don't attain it myself - I like something a bit brighter, more eclectic. But this look is a distinct fashion phenomenon, often observed 'between the Commons' or in certain bits of the Home Counties.