Has how to look expensive / polished changed?

[Newpeople]

Inspired by the Chanel bag thread which is a great read.

The many previous threads on here describe (to me) what seems like a very dated look. Even a bouncy blow dry now seems old fashioned.

Anyone fancy discussing what makes someone looked polished / expensive these days? In my experience (people I know and have met) it’s vastly different and much more casual these days.

And certainly nothing cheap about looking that way. It was a statement but not one designed to shock. The man was very properly dressed. The shock was the colour. His suit was a proper Schiaparelli shocking pink, and drop dead glamorous. No idea who he was. But he liked clothes.

I saw a similar couple from Nigeria celebrating Eid earlier this year in Istanbul. They made a statement in a good way, and they were very confident. They knew they looked good.

@SukeDamson really not that deep. Now we're just getting into semantics of one mumsnetter's phrasing.

Polished in general evokes good quality materials and classic styles. Most people here are in the UK, white British, and probably don't have connections to Nigeria, they don't buy traditional dress themselves. Unlikely they've ever been to Nigeria. So their perception of polished might not immediately go to Nigeria. Why would it?

Not one person here has said that it isn't polished. There are some extremely polished looks, Nigerian women go all out for special occasions.

Most people do not think polished is the only way to be stylish anyway, and not everyone likes that look. Someone saying pin-straight hair is needed to be polished sounds quite serious and posed.

I thought Akshata Murty looked so much more polished and elegant in her sari for Diwali than in her usual clothes, but that's just me, and obviously not for most people on here. Rishi Sunak and family light Diwali candles outside No 10 - BBC News

@Lentilweaver I agree.

I don't agree with many on this thread that say you have to be slim.
There are many expensive looking and polished people who are not slim just as there are many slim people who do not look expensive or polished.

I also think confidence, good skin, nicely styled hair, good teeth, good make up also play a role in achieving the desired look.

Also good fitting clothes and nice accessories, shoes, coat , bag etc.
I don't think the above has changed much over the years apart from less flashy logos from top to bottom if that was ever your style.

I agree tbh. I’m a size 10 but I lift weights so I look muscular rather than Pilates babe. (Which is fine by me because I like food). But even as a far from fat person, the massive boxy oversized thing just makes me look bigger than I am. I think I’d really have to be a size 6 to pull it off or 5 inches taller.

I guess as usually there’s a lot to be said for natural fabrics, clothes that fit you properly, and dressing for your shape.

My sister in law's late mother in law. She was the epitome of polished. She was maybe 60 when I first met her, she was blonde and had short well styled hair.

Wore a lot of pale blue which suited her.
She was rich and this showed.
Classy gold jewellery and a few diamonds but nothing over the top.
Drove an E type jag.
Linen in summer, knits in winter.

Was the most boring person on the face of this earth, it was as though she couldn't let the mask slip.

confidence, good skin, nice teeth all play a role in achieving the desired look

'Polished' is so subjective, and on MN it means a very particular look/style, it isn't just grooming. One of the school mums was complaining to me that she was sick of "all the other mums looking like tramps" when she took the time every morning to make as effort. She looked like a very orange version of Kat Slater's twin sister. Very heavily and patchy fake tanned, caterpillar eyebrows, leopard print dress, massive gold earrings and high heels. Hair dyed black and pulled very tightly into an 'up do'. Diamond thingy on her canine tooth. She was very confident she looked amazing, but she most certainly not have met the MN definition of polished.
The "tramps" consisted mostly of the more MC mums, so plain but good quality fabrics, no make up, messy hair and shoes that are practical but not stylish. Wide legged corduroy type trousers with a shirt or wool jumper.

But even on Mumsnet, polished / expensive means many different things, which is why there are always arguments and maybe why the op asked the question.

I don't see the point of of persisting with a generic term for such a niche look. Why not say something like, 'polished neutrals' or 'the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy look'? Or pick your own. At least then you might get to talk about the clothes rather than arguing about definitions all the time.

I think you can’t get more polished than Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. Chic, stylish. The epitome of polished.

@Wimbledonmum1985 so agree, CBK was absolutely flawless. I always think Meghan Markle is trying really hard to emulate her style but really, no one can.

TOTALLY agree re being very slim @Usernamen @Eigen

I think Megan Markle looks polished - beautiful luminous skin, perfectly styled hair which has that 'lots of effort to look effortless' appearance, expensive well cut, simple clothes with no unnecessary fussy details, subtle makeup. She is definitely in CBK standards to me.

I always think the character of Claire in Lupin looks very well put together. Clean shiny hair, subtle make up, slim fitting jumpers in merino or cashmere, great boots, belts and bags, nice oversized wool pea jacket or coat. I am feeling a bit scruffy having got used to wfh, so am trying to be more Claire.

I always think the character of Claire in Lupin looks very well put together. Clean shiny hair, subtle make up, slim fitting jumpers in merino or cashmere, great boots, belts and bags, nice oversized wool pea jacket or coat. I am feeling a bit scruffy having got used to wfh, so am trying to be more Claire.

@LadyBird1973 I agree with thinking Meghan Markle looks polished.

I keep seeing lots of boxy, expensive understated fleeces. It's a look that can only be pulled off if all the other clothes/ shoes fit the aesthetic.

It's not a look I can afford to invest in as I feel like the clothes will be incredibly dated in a year or two - maybe that's part of it - being able to spend on clothes that won't be wearable for years.

Meghan Markle is one of the least polished-looking people I can think of. She sometimes looks good. But not polished.

<Longs for a ready-made spreadsheet …>

When I first started meeting rich people, their outstanding characteristic to me was how CLEAN they looked. Someone else pointed out that they never have to get the Tube or a bus, or battle through busy streets in the rain, and rarely pass 10-12 hours a day without access to a shower and a change of clothes.

This was in the city; I imagine the horse/dog country wealthy get dirty fingernails, muddy boots and rain-fuzzed hair, but the underlying cleanliness is probably still there.

They used to have their newspapers ironed so the print wouldn't transfer onto them (King Charles still does). Wealthy 'polished' women have their hair done every day. Their clothes are never wash & wear; they're either dry cleaned or professionally laundered; always pressed. Loose threads, buttons and scuffs are immediately fixed. And, as others have said, clothes are made to measure or altered for the wearer.

If you're really bloody determined, you can replicate this without spending a fortune although it will take up extra time. But you'll still accrue a light veneer of daily grime so, once you've been up and fully 'polished' for more than a couple of hours, the rich will be cleaner than you.

Layering shades of beige in silk & cashmere isn't enough - in many cases, it simply makes you seem over-anxious about your wardrobe. Looks good on a very clean, lightly-tanned blonde, though [shrug].

“Actually (flaming imminent…), being very slim in general.

I just don’t think you can really pull off the look without a thin, toned body.”

I agree. I have neither!! but people skirt around it and of course you can look good if you aren’t slim but you can’t carry off any look. I would say creams, beige colours seem to be in. I don’t think you can emulate ‘expensive’ though. It shouldn’t matter, as long as your clean and feel comfortable- you (probably) aren’t famous - nobody cares!

I disagree strongly. She has a west coast casual vibe which I think some Brits don't understand. She also takes much greater fashion risks so people who don't like pushing fashion boundaries at all don't get it but she really very chic. I can imagine anyone suggesting she guest look polished here

She looks very nice in those pics (though I don’t think the cream is flattering) but she wears a lot of clothes that simply don’t suit (or fit!) her. She also wears clothes that are inappropriate for the occasion. No matter how chic or fashion forward the clothes, that’s not what looking ‘polished’ means to me.

When does she dress inappropriately? Whatever her personality faults may be, she is a stunningly beautiful and very well presented woman. Personally I love her style - it's elegant and I and think she has perfected the rich girl look.

Tbf she was pregnant in the cream outfit. I think it's even rarer to look chic and polished whilst pregnant yet she managed. I don't think she's dressed any more inappropriately than anyone else. She is more fashion forward so sometimes people think she looks wrong but then in a year's time someone like Kate will wear a very similar outfit to a similar event and people have become more accustom to the look and praise the outfit.