On a BUDGET
Avoid logos, reflect your personality and shop your own wardrobe – all steps you can take to look luxe for less
For the past year, money has been a major concern for most of us, with soaring energy prices, escalating inflation and rising interest rates. Just keeping your head above water financially has become a constant concern as disposable income has diminished.
With these constraints, spending on fashion has been trimmed back, if not halted. Yet we still want to put our best foot forward and enjoy the boost we get from looking polished. So how can you look bougie on a budget or convey the impression of sophisticated style when your budget is modest, but your tastes are aspirational?
Be consoled that money does not buy style – just look at the number of logoladen millionaires who confuse status symbols with sophistication. Real style has nothing to do with buying a flashy branded designer bag or the latest viral fad from a hot brand, it’s about expressing your personality visually with confidence and creativity.
The past few years have seen a fascination with how the uber-wealthy dress, propelled in no small part by the show Succession. In the drama, the billionaire Roys dress in the epitome of stealth wealth: a category where discretion is a badge of honour, logos are considered nouveau and anonymous chic is the conduit to express the subtle codes of their class, wealth and power.
For the ‘1 per cent’ – the wealthiest members of society – their unassuming yet unattainable clothes are both extremely spendy and subtle. The brands are unrecognisable to most yet are intuitively known to the other members of their elite circle. The look is epitomised by labels including Loro Piano, Brunello Cucinelli, Valextra, The Row, Tom Ford and Céline – all exquisitely expensive and redolent of an ‘old money’ aesthetic that is burgeoning on TikTok.
This influence has seen quiet luxury enjoying a moment with blander, more subdued styling promoted as a key look. With many acknowledging that fashion has become too shouty, too loud and frankly too unsustainable, consumers are seeking an alternative way to dress, outside of dizzying fashion trends. The result has been a shift away from obvious logos, designer labels and fads, to embrace clothes that are classic, subtle, carefully crafted from quality fabrics and with longevity in every stitch.
Dressing in an expensive yet minimal style is something that can be achieved, even on a limited budget. Looking expensively chic doesn’t have to mean squandering a small fortune – but spending cleverly is key.
Here are my top ten tips to looking luxe for less...
1. AVOID LOGOS
If you really want to look expensive, abandon obvious branding and logos. Instead invest in classic quality pieces where the money has gone into the raw materials and the craftmanship rather than the marketing budget. Too many logos worn all at once look gauche and lacking in confidence. Who wants to be a walking billboard? Also, remember that adornment doesn’t always equate to luxury. Fuss does not look expensive – real elegance is usually characterised by simplicity, quality and restraint.
2. LEARN ABOUT FABRICS
Educate yourself about natural fibres versus synthetic ones so you can appreciate the quality of cotton, linen, wool, silk and
cashmere. Natural fibres have amazing properties that make them alternatively breathable, warm, cool, tactile and comfortable and are generally more sustainable than synthetics. They can also last for years if cared for and some, like linen, become better with age.
Buy the best you can afford, and you will be rewarded with the pleasure of lasting quality. Luxurious feeling fabrics make you feel good and therefore more confident. Conversely, nothing that is uncomfortable ever looks sophisticated or stylish.
3. ADOPT SIMPLE SILHOUETTES AND A NEUTRAL COLOUR PALETTE
Neutral colours and minimal styling always look luxe and more expensive. Black, white, grey, khaki, chocolate brown, taupe, camel and navy are enduringly classic for an elegant capsule wardrobe. By adopting a restricted palette, you also make more
outfit permutation possible meaning you get more value from clothes.
If all this seems a bit vanilla, then you can always add a pop of colour for variety via colourful accessories or knitwear. Learn to maximise what you have by styling garments cleverly: experiment with colours, proportions and layers to create diverse looks.
4. SPEND ON PEDIGREE ITEMS
There are some pedigree items that can justify a higher spend because they will last accordingly. These pieces can elevate even the simplest outfit. Into this category fall leather shoes and handbags, sunglasses, premium jeans, cashmere knits and good tailoring. Great shoes, a beautiful bag, a sharp blazer or a classic coat can live in your wardrobe for decades.
If you choose expertly so that the fabric, styling and quality are enduring, they will repay the initial outlay. Spend the most on what you wear the most. Similarly, invest in a few key pieces of silver or gold jewellery and a classic watch, rather than loads of cheaper pieces.
5. SHOP WHEN DEMAND IS LOW
By shopping when demand is low you get low prices. It takes some restraint and forward planning but by buying coats in summer and swimsuits in winter, you get the most bang for your buck. Explore offseason and discount platforms like Amazon, Brand Alley, eBay, Get The Label, Secret Sales, TKMaxx Gold Label, Yoox and Outnet. At home, explore venues like Kildare Village, which sells previous season styles at a discount. There is nothing more satisfying than scoring an elevated piece at an excellent price.
6. EXPLORE SAMPLE SALES, AND PRE-LOVED RETAILERS
Buying gently-used items from second-hand retailers is good for your bank balance and the environment. The trend for pre-loved and vintage shopping is growing exponentially as we all become more aware of sustainability. You might not be able to find the bag of your dreams from the original maker but maybe you might find it for less from Vestiaire Collective or Siopaella.
There is no stigma attached to shopping second-hand or thrifting, as it is seen as a clever way to get superior quality for brilliant prices. Scope out charity shops in wellheeled neighbourhoods for rich pickings. Designer sample sales are also an excellent way to buy a brand normally outside your range – follow designers on social media to get alerts.
7. KNOW YOURSELF
To dress well, you need to understand how to highlight your best features. Having an appreciation of your body type and style personality is key. You don’t need a lot of clothes to look expensively chic, but you do need to avoid mistakes.
Create a personal moodboard to inspire you. Shop mindfully and don’t rush into purchases or be tempted by impulse buys.
Think and plan additions to your wardrobe to ensure they are useful. Try to buy only one or two items at a time. Always return items that don’t work – never try to slim into a piece of clothing.
Get to know brands that work for you and stick with them – you will develop a co-ordinating range of pieces and become adept at choosing star items as you develop a relationship with a brand.
Cultivate a great alterations person to tailor items to you
individually – a perfectly fitted garment always looks expensive.
8. WEAR A SOLID COLOUR HEAD TO TOE
Adopting a single monochrome shade for your entire outfit and accessories immediately adds polish, makes you look taller and gives an impression of sophistication. Just look at how many fashion editors adopt this strategy as proof of its effectiveness.
Use contrasting textures within a colour palette to add interest: mix cashmere knits, leather, satin, silk, tweed and cotton to add richness. Prints have a tendency to become tired and dated, so limit them to simpler ones or restrict to accessories.
9. SHOP YOUR OWN WARDROBE
Let’s be honest: we all have too many clothes and if we didn’t shop for a year, it would be no loss. When you get the urge to splurge, look to your own closet to see if you have pieces you can reinvent, rediscover or reclaim. If you haven’t worn an item because you have tired of it, then resell it on a platform like Vinted or Depop and reinvest the funds into an investment piece guilt-free. Giving an item a new life via the circular economy is good for your karma and the planet. You might also find items that can be reimagined with the help of an alterations service – clever remodelling can give you a new piece for minimal outlay.
10. GROOMING COSTS LITTLE AND ELEVATES EVERYTHING
Never underestimate the power of good grooming. Even the simplest outfit can look amazing if your grooming is ultra-polished. If you are wearing something inexpensive, if it is clean, crisp and pressed, and you have glossy skin, shiny hair and good posture, that effort will make it look special.
Sleep is one of the cheapest and most effective beauty secrets, so get plenty of decent quality hours. Also, care for all your clothes and accessories properly so they last and give a spruce impression. Good maintenance ensures you don’t constantly have to replace items.
Loving yourself with good self-care and also keeping your possessions
smart contributes to an overall air of confidence and self-esteem. Invest in flattering and supportive underwear as underpinning make a dramatic difference. VPL is never bougie.
Most importantly, someone who has innate taste will have a glow that millions can’t buy. Keeping it simple and being authentic is the best principle. Remember classic subtlety always looks expensive and allows you to shine. Fashion is a deeply personal expression, and the most attractive people are those who assert their style with elegance and confidence.
And as Coco Chanel once said: ‘Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.’