Quiet Luxury: Because We Can All Pretend We’re Rich (But, You Know, Subtly)

Ah, quiet luxury. The trend that whispers, “I’m rich, but I’m not about to yell it.” How classy. How sophisticated. How…unattainable for most of us mere mortals slogging through life at 30 without a trust fund or a yacht to cry on.

For those who don’t know (or who have been too busy adulting and surviving to keep up with Vogue), quiet luxury is all about understated elegance. Think cashmere sweaters so fine they dissolve in water, plain white t-shirts that cost as much as your rent, and beige everything. Oh, the beige. It’s like the color palette of wealth is a rebellion against all our vibrant broke-people energy.

PHOTO CREDITS: CAMBRIA

Now, let’s pause and address the elephant in the room: this trend wasn’t made for people like us. I mean, how does a member of the middle class—or, dare I say, the low-income club—pull off “quiet luxury”? Should we just…not talk about our overdraft fees? Should we whisper while showing off our thrifted Zara blazer that kinda looks like Loro Piana from afar? Maybe if we squint?

But here’s the real kicker: quiet luxury screams judgment. It’s the rich person’s way of saying, “Loud logos are for people trying too hard.” You know, like us common folk who splurge on a Gucci belt as a flex. But hey, sorry we’re not rich enough to look poor! My apologies for thinking a little branding might help signal to the world that I’ve “made it” (or at least that I know how to max out a credit card).

PHOTO CREDITS: IN STYLE/GETTY

And let’s talk about the practicality of it all. Imagine wearing a perfectly tailored, cream cashmere suit to your 9-to-5. Except, instead of being a tech CEO, you’re working retail, and you know, there’s a 99.9% chance someone spills coffee on you. Quiet luxury doesn’t do “spills.” It doesn’t do “hard-working 30-year-olds who’ve been at it since their teens and deserve a break.” It does soft lighting, wine tastings, and passive income.

But here’s the thing: we can still embrace our version of quiet luxury. Oh, yes. Quiet luxury on a budget looks like a clean pair of white sneakers (from last year, but we scrubbed them with baking soda). It’s the perfectly curated thrift store haul that makes us look like we could maybe afford brunch with people who say things like, “Let’s summer in Capri.” It’s pretending we’re rich enough to keep things simple when, in reality, simplicity is all we can afford.

PHOTO CREDITS: MENSFLAIR.COM

So, to my fellow 30-somethings who still haven’t gotten their lives together: let’s redefine this trend. Quiet luxury isn’t about being rich; it’s about looking like you’ve got your act together when you don’t. Because, at the end of the day, nothing screams “luxury” louder than someone who knows how to fake it ‘til they make it.

Now, excuse me while I sip this instant coffee out of a thrifted mug and scroll through Net-a-Porter, adding $3,000 sweaters to my cart…just for the thrill of it. Cheers to looking expensive on a budget, darlings!

PHOTO CREDITS: Salvatore Ferragamo

- FASHION DOOHICKEy