What Is Quiet Luxury, Really?
Instead of loud and attention-seeking logos or designs, quiet luxury is defined by soft color tones, high-quality materials, and incredible craftsmanship. Items that fall under quiet luxury are usually made from luxury fabric such as cashmere, merino wool, silk, full-grain Italian leather, or linen to name a few. Besides being expensive, these materials are highly durable and very comfortable.
While some mainstream clothing items prioritize looks over comfort, quiet luxury is all about feeling good in your clothing and providing a comfortable fit. To guarantee the clothing is comfortable, it’s not uncommon that brands like The Row, Loro Piana, or Brunello Cucinelli offer custom tailoring either by booking a private visit or sending them your measurements.
Instead of seasonal hype, these brands focus on creating pieces that are timeless and can last for decades to come. Designs with little to know logos and graphics are very common and often mistaken for “boring”. And while they might not fit into most seasonal trends they can be matched and styled with almost anything due to their earthy and neutral colors – examples are: black, midnight navy, beige, white, camel, burgundy, or pastel colors. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sofia Richie are perfect examples of quiet luxury and worth checking out if you need some inspiration.
Why Elegant Dressing Is Making a Comeback
The 2000s and 2010s were the era (well, decades in theory) of loud, flashy, and casual styles. But around 2020 social media has reignited interest in chic and elegant outfits – often labeled as “old money”.
But besides fashion trends, people are becoming more aware of sustainable fashion and ethical manufacturing, leading to more demand for clothing items that don’t have to be thrown away after a year due to quality issues or because they went out of fashion.
Well-Dressed People Get Treated Differently
The first impression of a person is always based on their appearance – what they look like, how they dress, how they carry themselves, and what confidence they exude. And while this is annoying to accept, looks unfortunately do matter in this world.
I experienced this firsthand, shortly after I arrived in Spain when I had to deal with some annoying paperwork at a Spanish Sabadell bank. I remember going there after my hot yoga session in trainers and a cut gym set. The bank wasn’t particularly full, but I still had to wait and once my turn the employee attending me was as unmotivated and bored as a person could be.
The next morning I jokingly told my coworkers about my experience and to make a long story short, one of them suggested that if I had gone wearing a suit or office outfit they would have treated me a lot better. So the next time I had to deal with even more expat paperwork I decided to try my friend’s suggestion and went full “real estate mogul” – suit, high heels, and some heavy make-up. The difference in the way I was treated was honestly mind-boggling.
Read Also: Ultimate Fashion Tips to Ensure You’re Always Stylish
Same as last time, I got a ticket with a number and was prepared to wait my turn, when an employee from the back office walked up to me and offered to take care of my needs in a separate office. I felt bad for the other waiting, but for the sake of the experiment, I still went and was in and out of the office in a quarter of the time it took the first time.
Admittedly I was completely overdressed, but still, this experience showed me how well-dressed individuals are perceived as more competent, trustworthy, and important.
An interesting Harvard pilot study from 2023 showed that people judged a man in a suit to be significantly wealthier than the same man in jeans. I find this rather hilarious, since dressing elegantly doesn’t have to be expensive.
Dressing Elegantly
Dressing yourself elegantly is easier than you might think.
Let’s start with colors – black, gray, and white are basics you can never go wrong with. They can be matched with a variety of other elegant colors such as pastel browns, navy blue, burgundy red (also called wine red), cream, and beige.
But color itself won’t make the outfit elegant – the materials used and how well the items fit are very important parts. Look out for items that are made from premium materials such as cotton, linen, wool, silk, cashmere, or real leather. The human eye can’t always tell when something looks cheap, but can usually tell when a clothing piece is made from premium materials.
Start with the classics such as straight trousers, pencil skirts, A-line dresses, blazers, and suits, and then add other basics or items without large logos and without huge print designs.
Elegant Accessories
The brand Ludosati recently did a questionnaire asking their customers what adjective they would prefer people to describe them as. They gave them multiple options (sexy, casual, elegant, expensive, classy) from which they were supposed to choose one. Interestingly, the option with the least clicks was “sexy” and the options with the most clicks were “elegant” followed by “expensive”.
To take your outfit from elegant to expensive looking, you can start investing in a couple of high-quality accessories. Quality leather and metals are your best friends when it comes to accessories, since they are durable and people subconsciously recognize their value. Contrary to clothing pieces, leather accessories can hold up for decades and should be seen as an investment in your wardrobe.
Timeless accessories any woman should have:
- Minimalist leather bag in black
- Chic leather waist belt in black or burgundy
- Silver or Gold Jewelry
- A light scarf
- Black leather shoes & high heels
- A beret hat
- High-quality sunglasses
