By You might assume that to look rich, you need to buy expensive things. But looking rich isn’t just about flashy logos and jewelry so valuable it must be stored in a safe. There are little tricks that can make any outfit look more elevated, from ensuring your shirts are always crisp to wearing colors that look high-quality. Some of the best-dressed women I know have taken these styling tips to heart and employ them just about every day in one form or another because they know that good style (and consequently, looking elevated) is all in the details. Things like fit, fabric, and color are the most useful tools in your styling arsenal—as is having a good tailor on speed dial.
With this in mind, I gathered my best intel on how to dress for that wealthy vibe and compiled it into a succinct list of outfit styling ideas, tips, and specific items that are the most effective. Keep scrolling to see the 10 things that will always make you look richer than you are (without sending your bank balance into the red).
Wear All-White Ensembles
(Image credit: @anoukyve)
More often than not, faking an expensive-looking outfit doesn’t involve owning the right pieces but instead knowing how to put the pieces you already own together. Case in point? Tonal outfits, which tend to look far more expensive, especially all-white ensembles. Our tip is to anchor them with shoes and accessories in a darker, contrasting hue.
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J.Crew
Cotton-Blend Flight Jacket
Aritzia
The Effortless Pant
Madewell
Oversized Pleated-Sleeve Button-Up Shirt
Citizens of Humanity
Paloma Baggy Jeans
Add a Leather Belt
(Image credit: @modedamour)
When in doubt, add a leather belt. Even the addition of a simple belt style has the power to take an otherwise plain outfit to completely new heights. Even your average T-shirt–and-jeans outfit will feel elevated when you finish it off with a nice-looking belt.
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H&M
Braided Leather Belt
Dehanché
Louison Belt
Madewell
Triple Metal Keeper Belt in Leather
Nordstrom
Camilla Leather Belt
Focus on Fabric
(Image credit: @brooklynngallagher)
Investing in quality fabrics such as silks, plissés, and bouclés adds an air of sophistication to your look that doesn’t involve any effortful styling. In fact, fabrics like plissé that give a textured look and are inherently wrinkle-proof are the one thing that lets you fake an expensive-looking outfit no matter what because they tend to look double their price.
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L’IDEE
Black Tie Gown
MANGO
Tweed Jacket With Jewel Buttons
Reformation
Neera Satin Skirt
Opt for a Classic Watch Over Trendy Jewelry
(Image credit: @iliridakrasniqi)
A lot of people say that dressing for a wealthy vibe involves piling on the jewelry, but I disagree. Instead of wearing trendy jewelry that’s tied to a certain season or moment in time, opt for a classic timepiece that will anchor your look with an aura of old money, no matter if your watch of choice is a Rolex or not.
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Rolex
Oyster Perpetual Watch Turquoise
TAG Heuer
Aquaracer Watch
Longines
Dolcevita Bracelet Watch
Drape a Sweater Over Your Shoulders
(Image credit: @modedamour)
Whether it’s worn over a plain tee or tank to give your basics a more considered feel or another knit for a modernized take on the sweater set, draping a sweater over your shoulders is a fail-proof method for looking expensive. And for good reason—the lazy-dressing technique is low-effort but transforms just about any outfit into a bougie one.
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MANGO
Contrast Collar Half Zip Sweater
J.Crew
Heritage Cotton Relaxed V-Neck Sweater
Favorite Daughter
Cashmere Crewneck Sweater
Never Skip the Tailor or the Dry Cleaner
(Image credit: @anna__laplaca)
An easy way to look expensive is to make sure your clothes are as immaculate as possible. In our book, nothing looks as luxurious as a crisply pressed shirt. You don’t actually have to go to the dry cleaner; just invest in a decent steamer.
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Lafayette 148 New York
Acclaimed Stretch Gramercy Pant
Babaton
Program Pant
H&M
Slacks
Carry a Top-Handle Bag
(Image credit: @jastookes)
Top-handle handbags have become a status symbol. Hauling all your essentials on your daily commute stops most of us from carrying a bag that you can only wear in your hand or the crook of your elbow, so this bag style gives the impression that you don’t need to do much heavy lifting.
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TOTEME
T-Lock Textured-Leather Shoulder Bag
DEMELLIER
New York Medium Textured-Leather Tote
Stoney Clover Lane
Top Handle Bag
Prioritize Dark-Wash Denim
(Image credit: @sylviemus_)
There’s something utterly polished about dark-rinse jeans, and denim in deep indigo hues is a theme we’ve been spotting more and more lately, especially on slim and straight-fit shapes that mimic the silhouette of cigarette trousers.
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AGOLDE
90s Pinch Waist Long Jeans
Lioness
Eivissa Jeans
Madewell
The ’90s Straight Jean in Norman Wash
Add Structure Through a Boxy Jacket
(Image credit: @symphonyofsilk)
A tailored coat or boxy blazer instantly elevates any outfit. There’s a reason this is a classic Chanel style.
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Reformation
Owen Jacket
Reformation
Marin Jacket
Favorite Daughter
The Emily Bouclé Crop Jacket
Stick to High-Neck Silhouettes
(Image credit: @nlmarilyn)
I don’t make the rules, but the higher the neckline, the more sophisticated the ensemble. From bateau-neck tops and dresses to funnel-neck outerwear, necklines are the newest mode through which savvy dressers are faking their net worth.
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AllSaints
Ryder Leather Jacket
Reformation
Dusk Knit Top
COS
Chunky Pure Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater
This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
