Women who come from “old money” are first and foremost, not concerned with looking “expensive.” They are focused on looking elegant, put together, classy, tasteful and feminine.
Garish displays of wealth are the opposite of old money style. However, women who come from money usually have their wealth intact because they have learned the lesson of spending on investments (items of quality) and saying no to trends and meaningless, transient fashion.
The goal is to be remembered, not for your clothes, but for yourself. Like makeup, hair or accessories, clothing should enhance, and not be the focal point of a person’s appearance.
How to Curate A high-end, elegant, and expensive looking wardrobe by following these 12 basic principles:
1. Have everything tailored
A $10 skirt from Forever21 can end up looking better than a $300 skirt from a designer with the right fit. It is worth every penny to take a piece you love to the tailor. I usually take the pieces home first though so I can make sure they’re going to work well with the other pieces in my wardrobe because once it’s tailored it can’t be returned to the store.
2. Switch out the buttons
There are tons of pretty buttons at places like Michael’s, Joann’s and Hobby Lobby for a few dollars. I once switched out the buttons on a skirt from Amazon and had NUMEROUS people ask me if it was a CHANEL skirt — the secret was that I traded the plain, beige plastic buttons for pearl ones in a gold metal frame!
3. Only buy second hand pieces that are in “like new” condition
Immediately deal with stains, rips, loose threads, loose buttons and busted seams. There’s nothing that says “cheap” like a piece of clothing that’s visibly falling apart. If it can’t be fixed at home, by a professional tailor, or by a dry cleaner, donate or recycle the item.
4. Say no to distressed pieces
Distressed fabrics and hardware, as well as excessive patching and stitching in the design, can make even an expensive piece look cheap really fast. There are some exceptions to this rule such as a pair of jeans with intentionally ripped knees, or a gently frayed hem.
I’m totally guilty of breaking this rule myself because I LOVE denim with a “lived in” feel. If you can’t go without distressed jeans make sure the rest the distressing looks like it’s from the result of normal wear and tear, the rest of your outfit is polished, and the jeans fit your body shape in the most flattering way possible.
5. Wash your clothes less frequently
Keeping your clothes clean is of course absolutely necessary, but over-washing them can wear them out faster. Some ways you can extend the life cycle between washes are: Spot cleaning, using fabric freshener sprays, and airing your clothes out overnight or putting them in the freezer (weird, but yes, it works!).
6. Invest in a steamer
Unless the item is pure linen, and can get away with a touch of wrinkle, then keeping even your cheap clothes pressed is an instant way to make something look more expensive. THIS aesthetically pleasing, portable steamer has over 19,000 positive reviews, heats up in less than 2 minutes, and I can have a full dress steamed in less than 5 minutes.
7. Keep it classic
Coco Chanel had a saying… “Before you head out the door, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” What she meant by this was, SIMPLIFY.
Nothing says “cheap” like an over-done, tasteless outfit. It may sound cheesy, but ask yourself what do some of the people you consider to have elegant, expensive-looking and classic style have in common — their look is SLEEK.
As a rule of thumb, for every-day wear (I’m not saying go Plain Jane to a fancy party, but for the most part…) stay away from too many jewels, embroidery, sequins, studs, distressing and flashy colors and patterns.
8. Invest in expensive statement pieces, and timeless classics, and save on basic pieces and trendy items.
The difference between a floral skirt from H&M for $25 and one From Bloomingdales for $300 is almost indiscernible. When it comes to trendy, transient styles try them out for cheap, or use a wardrobe rental service, and put your money towards pieces that will make the biggest impact and be worn the most.
For example, I’ll spend more money on a pair of classic black suede boots that I know I need to last for years, but save on something like a white, cotton t-shirt because even though I’ll wear it all the time, there’s no need to pay 10x the amount that white t-shirt is worth just because it has a designer name on the label.
9. Choose black and navy over brown or olive
Colors like mauve, olive and brown can start to look dingy quickly. When deciding on a piece to invest in that you’ll be wearing a lot choose a color like black or navy that holds its sharpness and crispness longer and can easily be re-dyed when it fades. For example, I re-dye my black jeans once every two years and you can’t tell the difference between a new pair since jeans last forever.
10. Invest in shape-wear and lingerie for YOUR specific body type
Panty lines, bra lines and little pouches and bulges are definitely part of being human, but if you want to look elegant and polished smoothing out your silhouette is an instant way to elevate any look.
11. Keep your luxury items in good repair
One of my best-kept secrets is The Restory. They’re a bespoke restoration and maintenance service for repairing, refreshing and maintaining luxury items that you wish to enjoy for years. I’ve sent many of my investment pieces to them and had them come back looking better than the day I purchased it. Keeping your investments clean and in good repair can make a single item look new year after year. If you’re in the United States check out The Cobblers in Miami. They also do gorgeous restoration work.
12. Invest in a “hero” item
Up-level an entire look with one “hero” aka. investment, item. A piece such as a timeless watch like Tudor or a pair of well-crafted, luxury shoes like those available from Sarah Flint, can instantly take a fast fashion outfit from looking half-priced to heiress.
For more tips and insider insight on cultivating an “Old Money” lifestyle, checkout the books below:
