Quiet luxury and loud inequality: why do we want to dress like the 1%?
What is causing the latest trend of people wanting to dress like the wealthy? What are the cultural contexts and motivations for aspirational dressing? Explore what psychology has to say about our latest obsession with luxury dressing in this article.
‘Stealth wealth’, ‘Quiet luxury’, #OldMoneyAesthetic, and Gen-Z’s fixation with Sofia Richie’s luxe French wedding - it appears we’re all obsessed with dressing, living and in some cases, being like the rich and upper-classes.
But with a cost of living crisis, rising inflation and strikes over pay, what is driving this infatuation, which is so clearly far away from the realities of many people?
Psychology may be able to illuminate why aspirational dressing seems to be making a comeback (if it ever left?) and what is fuelling this obsession with all things luxury.
The Rise & Fall of Soft Life Living
Social media trends come and go at a dizzying pace, with new trends popping up nearly weekly, but one sentiment that has been consistent across these trends is the idea of an easier life. A life that, in the present day, seems to only be reserved for the well-to-do.
Noticeably, on TikTok the ‘soft life’ trend found resonance among users - the idea being that you want a life of enjoyment, comfort, and minimal stress and effort. The latest iteration of this trend, sees users advocate for ‘lazy girl jobs’, comprising stress-free roles and easy work schedules.
Coinciding with this, day-in-the-life videos of employees at Big Tech firms having seemingly very easy workdays, filled with free food, workouts and sponsored happy hours, shot to popularity on the platform. However, the layoffs at these tech companies somewhat burst the aspirational bubble and shifted the content towards worker solidarity and employment education.
These trends point to the collective wanting for a more relaxed life. Times are hard and people want a reprieve from the inequalities of modern life. Emerging from the pandemic and The Great Resignation that followed, it seems we have been growing tired of late-stage capitalism for a hot minute.
Thus, might aspirational dressing be a way for people to obtain the idealistic lifestyles they so desperately want? To bring them ever closer to the present moment?
Research has shown that people use clothing and personal style to actualise their ideal selves. Therefore, dressing like someone whose life we wish to have may be a way of them making that life possible, in the present.
Social Status and Symbolism
Buying and wearing luxury fashion is an indicator of status. Young adults have been found to compare themselves with successful others and the desire to achieve similar status and success motivates their intention to purchase luxury goods.
In other words, as a way to appear like well-to-do others, and have their same high status conferred to ourselves, we may be motivated to consume luxury goods. Therefore, the trend in aspirational dressing might be a way of obtaining the status we associate with those ‘better off’ than we are.
Further, what you wear matters for how you are treated. Judgments about someone’s perceived social status can be made by the clothing and accessories that they wear, which can lead to more positive interactions. Research has found that displays of luxury consumption promote favourable treatment in social interactions.
Therefore, aspirational dressing may be a way to boost one’s perceived social status and treatment by others.
Aspirational dressing for aspirational living
Aspirational dressing may be popular due to the nature of society at the moment.
Aspirational living, at least in the UK, has been a common theme for the past few years, from prosperity-focused political campaign slogans to alleged class traitorism in voting patterns.
Compounded by climate change and public efforts towards sustainability, the future, and creating a better version of it, has been front of mind for many.
Thus, might this focus on a “brighter tomorrow”, inspire us to dress for it?
In a process known as enclothed cognition, what you wear impacts how you think and subsequently act, suggesting your behaviour can be shaped and changed by altering what you wear.
Additionally, there are suggestions that aspirational dressing may even be ushering in a more sustainable way of purchasing clothing. There is some evidence to suggest that this chic, minimal aesthetic focused on good quality products is highlighting a way of dressing that is better for our wallets and the planet in the long run. Research even confirms it, showing that high ends goods can be more sustainable than mid-range products.
If brands are able to respond to this shift, in ethical and affordable ways, it could be a nudge in the right direction towards bringing about the social change to consumer habits that are needed. Although, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Dressing to escape
Alternatively, our penchant for aspirational dressing may be for less rosy reasons.
Might we want to dress luxuriously as a way to take our minds off how dire our own situations are, in comparison to those who dress this way ordinarily? Could we be playing dress-up, quite literally, as a way of making our Pinterest boards become real life?
Ultimately, allowing us to better cope with everyday struggles and leading us to feel we are in fact living a different life, even just for the short time we dress in those clothes.
Aspirational dressing may be a way for us to escape our own worlds for a little bit. Nostalgia is a powerful tool for escapism. Research has shown that people may be more inclined to consume nostalgia-inducing media during a crisis. Other research has shown that nostalgia increases after instances of distress. serving to relieve it.
Dressing in a way which is reminiscent of the past, such as in the #OldMoneyAesthetic could be an effective way to soothe our present-day woes.
The rise of aspirational dressing
The rise in aspirational dressing can be explained by changing social conditions and a shift in our collective desire towards a life that is centred around ease, comfort and luxury. As well, our fondness for the past could lead us to embody those aspects which echo a more idealised way of existing. We may also be wanting to dress like the wealthy as a way to actualise our ideal selves, to improve our status and manifest a brighter future.
Whether the aspirational dressing trend continues is yet to be seen but some of the underlying reasons behind it could suggest that we may see more manifestations of the same desires - aspiration, comfort, inspiration, to come.
Final thoughts:
Have you participated in the aspirational dressing trend? Why, or why not?
What other reasons do you think can explain why we are seeing a rise in aspirational dressing?
What benefits (or drawbacks) do you think there are of dressing aspirationally?
Let me know in the comments!
Key points - Why do we want to dress like the 1%?
Social media trends suggest that at the moment we are obsessed with dressing like the ultra-rich
But with a cost of living crisis, rising inflation and strikes over pay, what is driving this infatuation which is so clearly far away from the realities of many people?
Psychology may be able to illuminate why aspirational dressing seems to be on the rise
The rise of aspirational dressing can be accounted for by a shift in our collective desire for a life that is centred around living easier
Our penchant for the past could lead us to tap into aspects which hark back to a more idealised way of existing
We may also be wanting to dress like the rich and upper classes as a way to actualise our ideal selves, improve our status and manifest a more positive future
Further readings
There’s nothing silent about Quiet Luxury
Why do we buy into ‘Stealth Wealth’?