Old money: everything you need to know and 10 outfit ideas

Fashion

Jun 26

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of #fashionpedia. I describe a specific aesthetic in this column and give you 10 outfit ideas to replicate. Today's episode is about a huge trend, the old money aesthetic.

It's fascinating, escaping, and so quietly luxurious that I could not miss it in this column. While looking for information, I went to another era, lived in another world, and didn't want to return.

But let's go for steps.

The old money aesthetic comes from the New York high society, like the one we saw in the first Gossip Girl. But everything started with The Four Hundred, a list of the most influential and fashionable names of the New York Society. Lady Astor began this list and decided who was the first group of the high society. Her family was the first Dutch emigrates on the Island in the first half of 1800.

The names included in this list were the most wealthy and fashionable in New York, like the first influencers. Their lifestyle was made of a specific style, endless estate, luxury travel, and elitism. Fast forward to the 1960s, the New York high society is in full bloom, with memorable parties, unique style, and American designers climbing success alongside European designers. Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Oscar de la Renta, Diana Vreeland, and Frank Sinatra are some of the names of this incredible period. This aesthetic is still elitist but also aspirational. The people involved in this era are legends that we'll remember forever. So, from this incredible legacy, we can live the old money aesthetic focusing on timeless and high-quality clothes and quiet luxury pieces not to manifest your wealth. If we search Old money in the Oxford dictionary, we find this definition "wealth that has been in a family for many generations; people whose families have been wealthy for many generations."

Your style is understated, curated, elegant, tailored, and neutral. Some of your icons are Lady Diana, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn: chic, elegant, sporty, and appropriate. Some of your favorite brands to shop from are Loro Piana, Chanel, Hermès, Ralph Lauren, Ermenegildo Zegna, or Emilio Pucci: no logo pieces but discernible from an expert eye, timeless pieces and impeccable tailoring.

Your old money must-haves

What's inside the perfect old money closet? Let's see some must-haves. Wool and linen are a must starting from perfectly tailored and high-quality blazers. Silk scarves, cable-knit cardigans, baseball caps, and tailored trousers are the fundamentals of an old money closet. Kitten heels, riding boots, and loafers are the perfect old money shoes. Something in tweed, pleated skirts, linen and cotton shirts, and pearls are chef kiss in the old money closet.

You don't need to look like a granny to embrace the old money aesthetic. Quite the opposite, you want a timeless look that you can wear in your 20s or 50s because your closet is made of excellent quality fabrics and perfectly tailored to your body. It could be more of a capsule wardrobe than an ample closet. Still, you can mix and match every piece to create endless outfit combinations. That's why your color palette is focused on whites, blues, tan, and other neutrals.