How A Broke Generation Became Obsessed With “Old Money Style'

In this episode, Chelsea dives into the current obsession with "old money" looks, and how trends change based on cost of living fluctuations.

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[Sewicide]

I'm German. If you're old money here, it means your great-grandparents did shady stuff between 1933-1945, absolutely zero exceptions.

[pisceanbeauty]

As I say, these conversations are people arguing about the virtues of “new money” versus “old money” who have virtually no money. You’re not going to be able to fool most affluent people simply via fashion choices of your class status.

[smanGTA]

I love that this proves a personal theory ive had for a long time;

no one focuses on looking rich and impressing others more than poor people.

[Callista]

Honestly, as a person who went to a private school in one of the top 4 most affluent school districts in America (I was on scholarship) and had a lot of very affluent classmates, the biggest marker of old money is not the way they dress or what they own but is actually “phd in random thing that wouldn’t usually be paid for by a company with no student debt” or “sent all 6 kids to expensive private colleges and none of them have student debt”, or “gap year where they paid no expenses to find their passions” and stuff like that. And even that’s a broad generalization

[Hila]

I hate branded products, but my reasoning is not that they're tacky or "gauche" but simply that after I paid good money to own something, the company that made it doesn't also get to use me as a free walking advertisement for their shit.

[skipp]

I feel like every few years the preppy aesthetic gets popular again. This is basically the same thing

[lisalowrey]

Another reason old money people do not wear logos: personal safety and security. Logos attract unwanted attention, and can be an invitation to thieves.

[anindieeducation]

Yes my friends at university went to school at the same place as Kate Middleton, and another had loads of horses and lived in a massive house. They usually wore Primark (£5) leggings that had holes in them, and sweatshirts. Then they would do things like go on a night out and book a same day flight to the Mediterranean, and turn up there. Then you’d notice they were rich 😂

[marykay]

i will NEVER understand how "new money" is an insult and "old money" is a compliment. its not only cooler to have money that you yourself have earned due to formal education or entrepreneurship, than having it handed to you from your parents or grandparents or spouse - and i BET it also feels much better spending it.

[ashleyduckworthyt]

I’ve work for extremely wealthy people. I dress just like they do and they can still recognize I’m a regular ass person- no matter my exterior- due to how I behave.
I find that the wealthy have an out-of-touch view without realizing it and can immediately zero in on people who are in touch with reality. They normally seem to have a weird sense of “they don’t get it” because I can’t fathom just booking a flight to Greece on a days notice, for example. I just find it all comes down to your behavior and they can tell just like we can. 😅 We are NOT alike haha

[natashabaars]

I have another theory: With economic instability, people long for durability etc. and that'll be reflected in aesthetics. You add fast fashion and the fact that most people walk around with bad looking shein clothes, many want to distance themselves from that. It's not individuality and trendiness that counts anymore but more a sense of class, quality and durability. At least that's what I see happening around me.

[susmitachoudhury]

I think that the glorification of old money has to do with wanting to have wealth due to the gap widening but also looking down on wealthy, “new” money people as classless, show offy etc. I put new in quotes because I’m sure actual old money people aren’t somehow the exceptions of human nature and inherently better than new money. Basically, the glorification of old money by people who will never encounter them is dripping with envy, in which you want to live like the rich but also indicate that you’re better than that.

As much as logomania as an aesthetic was annoying, I can’t help but feel the bland beiges and lack of ornamentation or self expression has its roots in Protestantism mixed with capitalism. You look down on what you consider gaudy as self indulgent while still associating wealth with virtue.

[mauishopgirll]

Make no mistake, the old money and quiet luxury media trending topic is about trends and consumerism. It is not about buying thrift. It is about getting folks to buy more items or switch out their style. I’m not young and have seen the cycle repeatedly. Every so many years we see the no logo or label talk trend again, with a different name. In the 90s it was all about minimalism for example. Through it all both minimal and classic logo styles continue to exist, are purchased and are carried. What is especially insidious this time around is the classicism and racism that is part of the conversation. Also the promoting that everyone needs to fit into a sanitized mold rather than being their own unique selves that may include a different style due to culture, body type and creativity. I for one can’t wait for this topic to stop trending.

[VirgoLunaris]

Old money generally exists because of compounding, vile acts of human atrocities throughout history that allowed a few people to obtain obscene wealth and keep it familial. This should be unattainable and uninspiring as we progress in society. Hopefully, we'll collectively evolve past the moral gymnastics necessary to allow for the creation of that kind of wealth in the first place...aspire for better!

[Azura]

Influencers believe cosplaying is the same as the real thing. 🤣

[PriHL]

This is so true and also applies to British upper class people - they'll wear the most battered clothes, not caring about its appearance at all, they've got absolutely nothing to prove and it shows. And it confirms that fashion is to a large part a product of the unspoken pressures of society.
In the snubbing of anything flashy and with logos safety concerns play also a huge role. The Loro Piana coat is the fashion equivalent of a panic room.

[carmelasantana]

I think another aspect of the popularity of "old money" aesthetic makes it okay to wear unbranded clothes. A person does not need to spend buckets of money on a flashy logo'ed piece to keep up appearances; you can wear a neutral sweater, or a hand-me-down from your parent or nana without feeling self-conscious or "less than". Yes, a true denizen of the "old money" crowd might be able to tell the difference (if they care to), but noone will care enough to call you out on it. Besides, neutrals are timeless and wear better. Even cashmere looks a little less quality in strong colors.

[mspishposh]

A 23 yr old recently told me their ideal aesthetic is old money. Couldn’t exactly contextualize why it sounded very weird & tone deaf. Thank you.

[mausklick]

My guess is, escapist fantasy coupled with total abolition of upwards social mobility since at least 2008.

[Dan_Chiron]

I think young generations are obsessed with this aesthetics mainly because it represents a chance to belong. Kind of a "fake it 'til you make it", especially in scarcity scenarios like the ones we live nowadays.