Quiet Luxury And Stealth Wealth Are Not New

In Spring '23, a certain daughter of a famous prolific musician got married in the classiest style possible, spawning content creators, many of them on TikTok, to give their own take on quiet luxury and stealth wealth. Quiet luxury is not a new style aesthetic. Stealth Wealth is not new. Many millennials have been wearing quiet luxury for years. A decade ago, a multitude of V-neck sweaters, long coats and monotone outfits in camel brown (the unofficial color of both aesthetics), and black could be spotted on pedestrians strolling the streets of New York. In actuality, millennials also borrowed this type of aesthetic from previous generations. If we peel back the layers of quiet luxury, like cashmere scarves, somewhere buried underneath would be East Coast fashion which is associated with the storied academic institutions of New England. It is ironic that a West Coast girl reminded us of stealth wealth and now epitomizes quiet luxury for Gen Z.  Perhaps it wasn’t only about Sofia Richie’s style, but onlookers projecting their hopes onto her. Not every girl will be lucky enough, and yes, privileged enough, to snag three custom-designed Chanel couture wedding dresses. We’d wager that in Sofia onlookers wished also for their own metamorphosis.  Perhaps it isn’t entirely about the clothes, but rather Sofia's transformation, which, yes, is displayed through her sartorial choices. Her wedding stylist, a friend of her big sister Nicole, whom Sofia has been working with for the past few years, helped to develop her look on the big day. Through social media, Sofia gave us an inside glimpse into her wedding day. Sofia’s wedding weekend was a study in contrasts. Years prior she donned a sparkly body-hugging, bubble-gum pink jumper recently replaced by tailored crisp tans, whites, and blacks. Cleaner lines and silhouettes. There is something satisfying about Sofia's ascension. It occurred organically through something as wholesome as her wedding. It happened when she least expected and it wasn’t forced. Some commentators praised Sofia's PR team for her rise, but the reality is even with a well-greased PR team, the most well-crafted campaigns sometimes flounder. Simply, it was Sofia’s moment to shine. This wedding spotlighted Sofia on her own terms: her first go at TikTok. Her lightly applying makeup on herself. Her wedding preparations and celebrations. And décor & details which she had a hand in choosing. Sofia’s wedding aesthetic could be best described as timeless, from the dress to her au natural look.