Gwyneth Paltrow’s courtroom fashion during her recent eight-day trial or some super-wealthy men like Mark Zuckerberg and Simon Cowell who are mostly spotted wearing outfits that look super casual – people associate their fashion to high-end brands simply because it is them who are wearing it and as you guessed it, all their attires are branded.

The Meta owner’s choice of clothing for instance includes a simple-looking grey T-shirt which is actually a Brunello Cuccinelli estimated to be about HK$2500. The X-Factor judge’s laid-back white or black T-Shirts are Armani. Likewise, if it does not look obvious to the unfamiliar eyes, the wellness icon and Goop founder was decked in Celine, The Row, Prada, Ray-Bans, Foundrae, Gucci and other luxury brands during her appearances in the courtroom.

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These simple-yet-luxurious styles, which resemble the ‘money talks, wealth whispers’ phenomenon, are what is gaining traction in 2023 and are referred to as quiet luxury or as social media platforms have popularised it – old money aesthetics. So, what exactly is quiet luxury?

Quiet luxury is a fashion trend that focuses on dressing simply and sophisticatedly. It follows the minimalist approach while sticking to investment pieces usually falling under the colour palette like neutrals such as black, white, grey, beige, olive green, caramel and more that allow for endless possibilities of outfit combinations to wear. In other words, it does not boast monograms or logos that make it very apparent that they were purchased from a high-end brand.

Instead, quiet luxury prioritises the quality of the clothing and sticks to closet essentials that will be in vogue forever. The easiest example has to be something like a white T-shirt. Quiet luxury encourages you to buy one that is of great quality and that you can wear comfortably for many years to come without worrying about its wear and tear. Precisely, it is also a smart and sustainable way of shopping because by opting for clothes of better quality, you are not inclined to do an annual purchase of your basics. You are cutting down on fashion waste.

Another important rule of Quiet luxury is that the clothes are always very neat, ironed and well-tailored because if you agree or not, quiet luxury is definingly the fashion of the ultra-rich so the trend is also an extension of their lifestyle. These are people who are driven in their cars thus never having to worry about their shirts or blouse getting crinkled while taking public transport and the material itself is less prone to wrinkles. They also have their own personal tailors who will alter anything they buy to fit them perfectly. As a result, these people’s styles always look prim and proper and that is the aesthetic Quiet Luxury is going for.