Why (and how) “Quiet Luxury“ became the biggest fashion trend right now.
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The term “quiet luxury” has exploded in popularity in the past few months. But what does it even mean? And why is this new ‘trend’ so popular today? This video is a deep-dive into everything you need to know about quiet luxury; from what is and where it came from to how you can recreate it (and whether you should even dress that way).
For those wondering, this is the polo I’m wearing in the video (different colorway since the all-white one is not in stock, but it’s the same model):
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:43 What Is Quiet Luxury?
1:16 The Evolution Of Luxury Throughout History
2:47 Why Is Quiet Luxury So Popular Today?
5:18 How To Recreate The Quiet Luxury Style (on a budget)
8:50 Trying A £2,000 Quiet Luxury Piece
10:35 Should You Participate In The Quiet Luxury Trend?
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Music downloaded from Epidemic Sound:
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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that I will earn a small percentage of sales when you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
[Music] Foreign [Music] Has taken fashion by storm in the past Few months have you heard of quiet Luxury quiet luxury is taking over Luxury retailers have seen sales Increase pretty much everything the Trend that ironically doesn't feel that Trendy it's not overly flashy loud or Avant-garde it doesn't Shout At You it Whispers it exudes refinement and Sophistication through subtle details And a minimal aesthetic I'm talking About the rise of quiet luxury Quiet luxury is a term that has risen in Popularity massively since April of 2023 Growing over 300 in the number of Google Searches and earning 35 billion views on Tick Tock but what exactly does it mean Quiet luxury also known as stealth Wealth is a minimalist approach to Fashion that emphasizes Timeless Elegance refinements and everyday Versatility it's the opposite of obvious Logos and branding it's neutral colors Smart tailoring clean cut lines and Elite craftsmanship it's Kendall Roy in A 500 lower piano baseball cap it's Brown and beige cashmere from Brunello Cuccinelli it's well tailored Basics and Accessories that looks like they could Have been passed down as a family Heirloom simply put its new age
Minimalism with a touch of the old money Aesthetic but to really understand how And why this sudden rise of quiet luxury Came about you need to rewind it a few Centuries Throughout history displays of wealth Were often loud and ostentatious you can Observe this in architecture with Buildings like the Palace of Versailles Arguably one of the most opulent Residences in French history and in Fashion with the upper class Distinguishing themselves through Luxurious fabrics and expensive dyes as Was The Color Purple during the middle Age and the lower class have been Emulating the rich and Powerful through Their clothing choices for thousands of Years something the upper class has Never been too fond of so much showed That there were times when they put in Place something called sumptuary laws Laws that dictate what colors and Fabrics people were permitted to wear According to their social rank for Example during the Roman Empire the Emperor was the only person allowed to Wear the color purple and during Elizabeth in England Queen Elizabeth the First decreed that only people above Certain Noble ranks could wear velvet Satin and silk these laws were justified By the Queen by emphasizing a fear of The rise in extravagant spending from
The masses which could potentially Impact the nation's wealth but in Reality the main reason behind laws was An aversion to people dressing above Their rank which Queen Elizabeth Complained was causing disorder and Confusion this tendency of people Emulating the Rich has remained a Constant to this day during the 20th Century we've seen various styles from The wealthy become mainstream such as The ivy league look in the 50s pastel Preppy and the 80s and now quite luxury Or stealth wealth as some would call it But why is this particular style so Popular today After many many hours of research I have Come to the conclusion that there are Four main factors that have led to the Massive popularity of The Quiet luxury Trend number one it is a counter Movement to the new money aesthetic with The Advent of the internet and social Media this has created a lot of new Millionaires that have joined the ranks Of the wealthy and with this new money In the system and the boom of Instagram Flexculture has been rampant in the 2010s it is no coincidence that some of The best-selling products for high-end Fashion houses like Gucci and Hermes are Their Infamous gaudy belts this surge of New money along with people's desire to Flex means trends like logo Mania and
Maximalism were at the Forefront of Fashion but this generation is tired of The flex culture and influencers Flaunting their wealth with designer Logos I really like Gucci polos every Time they come out with one I pretty Much just get them tailored super subtle Too right you know and quiet luxury is a Direct counter to that so what's Happening now more than ever is people Seem to be putting this old money Aesthetic and Lifestyle on a pedestal Which has been apparent with countless Videos on social media comparing new Money versus old money women voicing Their desire for an old money husband And in more recent events the wedding of Public figure Sophia Richie has driven Millions to praise her new quiet luxury Style [Music] Foreign Number two the rise in popularity of TV Series about the one percent with shows Like succession industry billions White Lotus and bling Empire just to name a Few topping the charts that are about The lives of the upper class it is no Surprise that a rise of the interest in What the one percent are wearing would Happen hand in hand number three Economic downturn with the economy going Downwards we've seen many public figures Dress in a more understated manner in
Order to lessen criticism directed to Their financial privilege we've seen This happen on red carpets for example Where many celebrities have stopped Wearing necklaces it is a common Occurrence during times of wider Economic downturn for the affluent to Shy away from wealth signifiers hence The shift towards more muted luxury Number four it's easy to emulate as Opposed to new money and its loud Displays of wealth where you would Actually need to spend exorbitant Amounts to have those designer logos it Is far easier and more attainable for Someone to emulate the quiet luxury Style without the price tag so it's no Surprise that many people would flock to This aesthetic but you might be Wondering how can you actually recreate This style without spending five Thousand dollars on a jacket or 1 000 on Trousers [Music] Understand the mindset quiet luxury is All about conveying class sophistication And simplicity it's a style that comes From families who have had wealth for Generations and have developed a refined Understated taste that does not aim to Boast or show off with flashy logos There's a scene in the TV show Succession that epitomizes what quiet Luxury and old money are about who the
is this love cousin Greg makes the Great mistake of bringing a date to Logan's birthday party who is very Visibly Nouveau riche loud practical and Clearly looks like she doesn't belong Which Tom doesn't hesitate to make Greg Aware of so I hear you've made an Enormous faux pas and everyone's Laughing up their sleeves about your Date what why Why because she's brought in ludicrously Capacious back quiet luxury is rooted in Tradition and Heritage and the clothing Worn is more of the if you know you know Type of clothing rather than statement Pieces that shout the brand name you Want to exude quiet confidence and class Without needing to say much what what's Even in there huh flat shoes for the Subway or lunch pail I mean Greg it's Monstrous it's gargantuan Take it camping you could slide it Across the floor after a bank job Color palettes quiet luxury is not about Bright bold colors that instantly draw The attention in a room instead you want To lean towards a neutral color palette Think shades of white black Grays Tans Cream tones Navy blues and Olive greens When these colors dominate in outfits They can give off an effortless Luxurious vibe step 3 buy or Thrift the Essentials quiet luxury is not about Reinventing the wheel you want the bulk
Of your wardrobe to consist of Timeless Wardrobe Staples in high quality Fabrics Some of the pieces that most give off That quiet luxury Vibe are crisp Tailoring especially when worn casually Without a tie or even without a dress Shirt for example you could replace a Shirt with a polo or a t-shirt white or Cream polo shirts both short sleeve and Long sleeve versions will have you Fitting right in with the nepo babies Knitwear and smart trousers this combo Is the go-to casual attire for quiet Luxury and bonus points if the trousers Are pleated anything Linen in summer Anything cashmere in Winter the more Budget-friendly alternative would be Wool or even more affordable wool Polyester Blends loafers black or brown If you go leather beige or brown if you Go suede the real old money quiet luxury People will get these Essentials at Brands such as lower piano Baro or Brunello cuccinelli but if you're just Trying to emulate the aesthetic without The Hefty price tag you can get very Similar looking pieces from High Street Brands like Zara cause h m or Abercrombie granted you might not get The same quality of fabrics but you can Still put together similar looking Outfits Step 4 if you can invest in a nice Timepiece I know I know that's
Contradictory to the whole budgeting Thing but a common denominator that you Will notice with quiet luxury is people Sporting a nice watch usually not a big Bulky one think more subtle black or Brown leather straps a smaller dial some Iconic designs like the Cartier tank or Digital reverso will set you back in the Thousands but there are many more Affordable watches from reputable brands That still feel luxurious and are made With great craftsmanship from the likes Of Seiko for example with their cocktail Time range the presage automatic or the Tiso PRX with these four elements in Mind you can recreate outfits that exude Quiet luxury without the Hefty price tag Just remember it's all about subtlety And elegance but what if we were to try A real quiet luxury piece the stuff That's normally reserved for the one Percent of the one percent I'm quite Curious myself and I want to see what The fuss is all about Let me just check Mr Porter oh cashmere Mock neck sweater 2525 pounds they don't have my size Though they don't have a 46 let's see What else they got oh my God 5 200 Pounds what is this I kind of like this Green one you know oh I did the office Like 46 no we got in blue size 46 let's Do it All right the package has arrived let's
Try this on this is pretty much supposed To be the best that money can buy the Highest tier of luxury fashion so let's See what 2 000 pounds can get us this is The Laurel Piana ribbed cable knit Cashmere sweater Wow this might be the softest sweater That I've ever put on so this is Officially the most expensive sweater That I've ever worn in my life not super Slim I'd say it's a pretty classic fit You can see the detail on the knits it's Just incredible we've got two by two Ribbing on the cuffs and on the Hem of The sweater and then this intricate Pattern here on the rest of the garments This feels like quite a luxury at its Finest it's subtle yet distinctive and Intentional in the design it really is The if you know you know type of Clothing if you see someone wearing this Walking in the street you might not turn Your head but when you really come up Close to it that's when you're like whoa That sweater is looking really nice There's something different about it Like where did you get it from what's The brand I mean this is an absolutely Beautiful piece and I would love to keep It if I was in the Roy family or Something I could definitely see myself Wearing this right now it's just a Little bit outside my budget range so I'm gonna have to return it
So is it worth participating in this Quiet luxury Trend well I guess it Depends first of all I wouldn't say it's Really a trend although yes it is Absolutely a trendy bus term in fashion Right now quiet luxury has always Existed in some sense there's always Been expensive unbranded clothing that Only the wealthy could afford it's not a New thing in some way quiet luxury feels Like an alternative word for minimalism Except this time it's high-end but in Reality if you're going to try to Emulate this aesthetic you're probably Going to get the cheaper stuff from High Street stores anyways unless you are Very wealthy so it kind of feels like Just a marketing term that sells you on An aesthetic that's been around for a While but rebranding it to make it feel Fresh and current and more unique and Ultimately to sell you more clothing but Let's not get all pessimistic here that Doesn't mean that it's all bad and you Should tune out of it completely I do Think there are important takeaways from This in a way many elements of quiet Luxury are things that I like to preach A focus on quality rather than quantity The importance of Versatility the use of Neutral colors and investing in good Fabrics so I would say the core tenets Of quiet luxury are for the most part Really solid valuable principles as far
As dressing in that quiet luxury Aesthetic well I would say that depends On your style you could take elements of It and apply them to your style if they Suit you like any Trend in fashion I Think it's important to be intentional With your purchases and not wasteful so When you see something new that's Popping off whether that's a certain Style or a trendy item take a movement To reflect breathe And think about whether that style or Item feels authentic to you does it feel Like something that you genuinely want To have in your wardrobe and where on a Regular basis or does it feel Inauthentic for example for myself when It comes to the quiet luxury Trend a lot Of the clothing seem to lean towards Slimmer tapered cuts which at the moment Is not really what I gravitate towards The most however I do very much resonate With the use of warm neutrals and soft Luxurious knitwear so I'll take Inspiration from those elements and then Remix them in my own way with roomier Silhouettes for example it's up to you To look at the whole picture take the Things you like and leave the rest That's actually a pretty good General Life advice when you think about it just Remember Trends come and go but style is Perpetual so try to minimize the outside Noise the external influence and dress
In accordance with what you like what You feel comfortable and confident in Dress with intention dress authentically
