The style that enchants millions of fans and lets them wallow in inspiration. We’re talking about the famous old money aesthetic, which not only fascinates big celebrities, but also many more fashion enthusiasts.
Everything you need to know about it and how you can easily re-create it.
What is the Old Money Aesthetic?
The old money Aesthetic refers to the appearance and behavior of people or families who have been rich for generations.
The general appearance of people who fall into this category is quite distinctive. While they don’t have a specific appearance, you’ll notice that their clothes and items are of high quality. They don’t necessarily have to be branded, but they’re always of reliable quality.
That also extends to their living places, cars, and the restaurants and cafes you’ll often see them at.
What Does Old Money Outfit Mean?
An old-money outfit means elegance and a high-quality appearance.
As mentioned earlier, not every piece of cloth or accessory needs to be branded, but the selection of clothes, blending of colors, and usage of make-up and perfume is often very neat and cultivated.
What Is Considered Old Money?
Old money is an expression given to people who were born and raised in wealth. They don’t necessarily have to be spoiled, but they’ve mostly not been poor at any point in their lives.
These people often come from families with long-lasting businesses or gigantic companies.
How Do Old Money People Act?
Being laid back, discreet, and calm-minded is the general vibe of old-money people. They don’t talk too much about their wealth, they don’t tell you how much they spend, and they never call themselves old money.
However, their actions and attitude often whisper old money. It’s a vibe that you can easily pick up.
Old Money vs New Money
Old money people didn’t have to work hard to become wealthy.
New money, on the other hand, is when someone works hard to earn their wealth, or simply luck out into it, like when winning the lottery.
Both old money and new money are of great wealth, but many signs distinguish them from each other. Note that these signs aren’t absolute and that there are always exceptions.
Regardless, here are some of them:
1. Bragging Rights
Old money people don’t express or show how rich they are. They might be drowning in valuable items, but they don’t go around telling everyone what they have and how much they spend.
New money, on the other hand, tends to be the opposite. They’d tell you how much they spend on things that could seem completely unnecessary for you, like buying a thousand-dollar pen because it’s “classy.”
2. Habits and Hobbies
Old money people tend to have rather uncommon hobbies and interests. These hobbies are often old-fashioned since they’re passed down to them by their parents.
For example, owning horses and competing in horse riding competitions isn’t as common as other forms of sports. These habits often require a small fortune to start and aren’t just doable by anyone.
New money people are usually more into the habits and hobbies that others without that much money are also into.
3. Attitude and Etiquette
If you’ve seen the Titanic movie, you might have noticed that dinner scene when Rose saw a mother teaching her child some elegant table manners.
That’s actually true in real life. Old money people pay extra attention to their etiquette and manners. That doesn’t mean that new money is rude or messy-looking. It’s just that old money people are a bit more “exquisite” in their general attitude.
How to Look Like Old Money?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dFX3wyKz_M
Fortunately, looking like old money doesn’t always require loads of money.
Sure, you will need money, but not as much as you’d think, as you’re mostly going to mimic the general appearance and habits. Here are a few tips:
1. Take Care of Yourself
Appearance is often the first impression to many people. Give some extra care to your hair, skin, smell, hygiene, and general clothing.
You don’t have to wear branded clothing from head to toe, but pay some extra attention to the colors you combine and the accessories you use. Ignore the chains, excessive jewelry, extra makeup, and pretty much everything that gives a “show off” vibe.
2. Be Polite and Respectable
Politeness is a fading art. Being a decent person goes a long way in getting you what you want, plus leaving a good impression on people.
Even if you are indeed wealthy, you don’t have to be overly expressive about it.
Be nice to people who offer you services, like waiters and hotel workers. Eat slowly and politely in dinners and gatherings, and refrain from using foul language that is often mistaken for giving out the cool vibe.
3. Be Healthy
Taking care of your health is just as important as taking care of your appearance. Eat healthy, exercise, and prioritize food quality over food price.
Always save 30–60 minutes for sports every day. Not only would they benefit your body, but you’ll end up feeling that you’ve accomplished something for the day, which boosts your confidence.
4. Light Colors
Especially in summer, a simple and super helpful tip is to go for lighter colors like white, light blue, pink, yellow, or other light pastel shades.
This is because the rich know that light colors not only protect them from excessive sunlight, but these colors also make them look much neater, friendlier, and most importantly, chicer.
Dark clothing quickly looks dull and can leave a rude, distant impression, which is to be avoided at all costs, especially for rich people.
After all, just because these families are already wealthy doesn’t mean they don’t want to expand their wealth. And for that, good contacts and long business relationships are essential – so their overly bright clothing sets a foundation stone for friendly, open conversations here.
So if you’re also interested in networking with successful, interesting personalities, you should heed this simple but effective tip.
5. High-Quality Fabrics
Bad materials can ruin your outfit within seconds. Because even if you think that most people don’t see the fabric composition of your look: They do, unfortunately.
Maybe not necessarily the direct fabric mix, but still, you see – and worst case you smell – the bad production and manufacturing of these items.
Pieces from predominantly synthetic fabrics should be taboo from now on! They only make you sweat excessively anyway, always look cheap, and make you look anything but elegant.
I, therefore, recommend, especially if you’re on a budget, that you create french capsule wardrobes with 20-30 elegant, timeless pieces for each season, which you can then combine in the most diverse chic ways. This will not only save you a lot of time and stress, but also a lot of money.
So invest rather in a few, high-quality materials, for example, linen, cotton, wool, silk, or cashmere instead of unnecessarily many pieces in poor quality at the worst of almost fashion stores to own.
6. Tie a Sweater Over Your Shoulders
Who doesn’t know this preppy, adorable look?
I actually put together a few outfits in this style myself yesterday and even though I already loved tying sweaters over my shoulders before, yesterday I realized even more how much it makes the outfit more elegant.
And I highly recommend this to you too: tying a sweater over your shoulders has such a great, casually elegant vibe that puts you right into that “right off the tennis court” flair.
It’s basically such a simple trick, but it really works wonders and is practical too. When it gets a little chilly in the evening, you’ll have something you can throw on right away and you won’t have to lug a jacket around.
7. No Flashy Designer Brands
Something that wealthy, “old money” people probably hate the most are flashy logos that literally scream “I want to look rich”.
Since these people 1. don’t need it and 2. don’t find it elegant, you won’t see anyone with old money walking around like this.
And that’s a good thing – it gives us the advantage of not having to wear designer pieces to recreate this aesthetic.
With high-quality materials and a good fit, everything is already done – it shouldn’t even be recognizable from the outside, from which brand an item is. And if you can see a logo it should be a small, minimalist logo such as on Ralph Lauren* or Lacoste Polos*.
Where Did the Old Money Aesthetic Come From?
As I mentioned earlier, so-called “old money” is money that has been passed down and inherited over several generations.
Moreover, families with old money don’t come from middle-class or working-class families, but from businesses or fortunes from several generations ago.
The so-called “new money,” on the other hand, was earned recently. The new rich are first-generation millionaires and billionaires.
Accordingly, the “Old Money Aesthetic” originally came from families with aristocratic titles (titles of nobility) in Europe or also from the WASP culture (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) in the United States, who can afford, for example, the sports of polo, golf or tennis.
In series like “Bridgerton” or “The Crown,” we see again and again such families, who with their elegant, chic style contribute to this style (again) gaining popularity.
What Are the Characteristics of the Old Money Style?
- Bright colors like white, light blue, or rose
- High-quality fabrics like linen, cotton, silk, wool
- The stereotypical tying of the sweater around the shoulders
- Tennis clothes like tennis skirts or polo shirts
- No flashy designer logos
- Hats, silk scarves, and gloves are often-used elegant accessories
How Do I Get An Old Money Aesthetic?
Since there is more to the “old money aesthetic” than just dressing accordingly, I recommend you to become more and more the best version of yourself on your journey to be able to live this lifestyle in the long run.
This means, for example, visiting places where old money people hang out to get inspired by them or maybe even connect with them. These can be fancy restaurants, golf courses, or even tennis courts. You might even attend a polo match near you. The main thing is that you’re surrounded by people who inspire you in this regard.
In addition, you won’t get distracted so quickly and you’ll be able to integrate more and more of the other themes that old money people deal with as well, to integrate these aesthetics not only into your clothing style but also into your lifestyle.
Is Chanel Old Money?
With its timeless designs and cuts, Chanel is definitely one of the pioneers when it comes to “old money” brands.
In particular, the world-famous tweed jackets of the brand enjoy great popularity among the women of wealthy families.
Is Polo Old Money?
Polo Ralph Lauren is also one of the top 10 “old money” clothing brands, and with its classic polo shirts*, it’s hard to imagine a golf course without them.
The Best Old Money Aesthetic Brands:
The old money brands that best reflect style are Chanel, Loro Piana, Ralph Lauren*, Barbour, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brunello Cucinelli, Brioni, and Armani.
In particular, Brunello Cucinelli and Hermès are known for their timeless, elegant designs and quality craftsmanship, as well as their heritage for “old money” clothing.
Other old money style brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balmain, and Prada, however, have more of a new-money vibe due to their flashy logos and oversized fits.
10 Affordable Old Money Brands:
- COS*
- Arket*
- Massimo Dutti
- Veja
- 12 Storeez
- Mango*
- Pinko
- Theory*
- Karl Lagerfeld
10 Old Money Designer Brands:
How Can I Look Expensive? – 7 Simple Tips
These are 7 simple tips that really anyone can follow and look a lot richer and more attractive!
- Cashmere is your best friend
- Wear more navy blue than black
- Invest in a glamorous little black dress (and don’t just wear it to funerals)
- Let your everyday jewelry be a big statement
- Carry a clutch purse that’s smaller than you think you need
- For evening, definitely go sparkly and sheer, but keep it classy and elegant, not racy or low-cut.
- Stick with classic, timeless cuts instead of trendy ones
Takeaway: These tips will help make you look wealthy!
Do Wealthy People Buy Luxury Brands at all?
That’s a challenging question, which we can only answer very stereotypically again.
It’s clear that wealthier people, in particular, also buy from more expensive brands. But just because a person wears a designer brand, it doesn’t mean they are affluent. There are far too many good tricks for faking wealth these days.
But I can say from experience: the really wealthy people hardly ever wear clothes where you can immediately recognize the brand. In most rich circles of acquaintances, it is simply indecent, if not inappropriate, to wear clothes with a thick inscription or an all-over print with a designer logo.
They are much more likely to go for genuine quality in the form of proper material, cut, and durability. But in the end, most of them don’t care about the brand – it’s just that quality often comes at a price, and that’s why wealthy people tend to spend more on their clothes.
Of course, there are also just as many people who wear these “flashy” clothes who have money, but usually, these are then rather nouveau riche than really rich.
How Can I Make My Face Look Rich?
The rule here is quite clear: less is more! Full-face makeup not only hides your true beauty, but it also looks super unnatural – and just not luxurious!
Being a high-class woman also means knowing your value and accepting yourself. Sure, it’s hard to always feel comfortable in your skin, but it’s about not having to pretend or put on a mask.
Only when you accept yourself as the fabulous woman you are and love yourself (to come back to the topic of charisma ;)), you start to shine from the inside and outside. Charisma comes to 99.9% of your inner beauty and how you perceive yourself.
So dare to feel comfortable in your skin, and you will notice what great things you suddenly attract.
How Can You Tell if a Woman is Old-Money (+ How Does She Behave)? – 20 Unmistakable Signs
Finding out whether a woman is a wealthy or old money isn’t so easy these days.
Because nowadays you can not only buy a driver’s license or a high school diploma and fake it, but also the status of being “rich”.
In truth, it’s often the other way around: the really rich are usually less conspicuous and also often very restrained, relying on timeless, minimalist pieces.
Those who are forced to look rich often tend to want to show very obviously what they have:
This can be through (fake) watches or other designer pieces that very obviously show the brand’s logo.
Nevertheless, there are less obvious signs that tell you that a woman is old-money and wealthy:
- Well-groomed hands
- Manicure and pedicure (not too long nails, well-groomed!)
- Natural make-up or none at all (NO full-face make-up!!)
- Shiny, voluminous hair
- Fresh scent (not too heavy perfume!)
- Never without a little souvenir when you are invited
- Better overdressed than underdressed
- Decent jewelry (don’t overdo it!)
- The colors of the outfit match your complexion & hair color
- Shaved
- Well-groomed (no bad breath, no smell of sweat!)
- A valuable watch
- She takes care of her figure (healthy diet, sports!)
- She does not drink much alcohol
- Natural tan (no solarium or self-tanner!)
- She is friendly and smiles a lot
How to Get the Old Money Manicure Look in 3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Start with a Good Base Coat (Light Pink or Beige)
We’re going to start with the foundation of any good manicure. A good base coat.
Unfortunately, many people skip this important step. Whether you’re a professional manicurist or a mani-curious newbie, you want the base coat to be light pink or beige to help the color of your nails pop.
A white base coat makes your nails look yellow and is not flattering to any skin tone.
A good base coat should be thin, runny, and dry quickly.
It should also be chip-resistant, form a smooth, tight, and even coat, and stay on your nails for at least three days.
Step 2: Use Nail Stamping Polish to get the White Tip
Now that we’ve covered the foundations of a perfect old money manicure, it’s time to move on to the star of the show.
Stamping nail polish has been around for a while, but it’s recently become a sensation because of the new money manicure craze.
Stamping involves using a small silicone stamp with a specialized polish that dries clear. The pattern in the stamp will appear on your nail, leaving you with a beautiful, white-tipped manicure.
Stamping is perfect for the old money manicure look because it allows you to skip the tedious white nail polish application process.
Step 3: Apply Topcoat and Enjoy!
The final step in achieving a perfect old money manicure is to apply a topcoat.
When you apply a topcoat, you seal your manicure, preventing chipping and protecting the longevity of your manicure.
The topcoat also gives manicures a nice shine. It’s like a final touch that takes your nails from ordinary to extraordinary.
When it comes to topcoats, there are hundreds of options on the market. What should you choose?
Your best bet is to go with a quick-dry topcoat. This ensures that your nails are cured quickly, which is essential for the look we’re going for.
Topcoats vary in thickness, viscosity, tackiness, and more.
*Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
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