At a time when flashy logos and the latest throwaway trends can often dominate the fashion scene, a growing movement is making its mark: quiet luxury style. We love this style as it embodies our love of buying less but making sure it is quality and that we can wear season after season.
Understated elegance, quality materials, and timeless styles characterize this style. It’s not about making a loud statement but about conveying refined sophistication. So, look below into the world of quiet luxury and how to incorporate this movement into your wardrobe.
If you are drawn to this style, check out our article on old money style, which features a similar aesthetic.
What is quiet luxury?
Before we dive in, let’s look at what quiet luxury is.
Quiet luxury is a style that embraces the idea that true luxury doesn’t need to shout to be noticed. It’s about wearing pieces that exude quality and timeless elegance, often without overt branding or flashing details. This trend values the intrinsic qualities of clothing – so think of quality fabrics, good tailoring, and timeless design rather than obvious logos and the latest trends.
Quiet luxury is the opposite of fast fashion. It is rooted in the belief that investing in fewer, better-made items is not only more sustainable but also looks classier and more stylish. It’s the sartorial equivalent of the phrase ‘less is more’.
Key elements of quiet luxury
If you want to embrace this viewpoint, what key elements should you look for?
1. High-quality materials
This is really important. The foundation of your quiet luxury wardrobe lies in the materials. So, think cashmere, silk, fine wool, and high-grade leather rather than synthetic materials like polyester. Not only do these fabrics look and feel luxurious, but they also stand the test of time if you look after them.
When building your quiet luxury wardrobe, do it gradually and prioritize pieces made from these premium materials. For example, add a cashmere sweater, a silk blouse, or a pair of leather shoes. These are investments that will give you style and longevity.
Rails Melanie Cashmere Blend Jacket
2. Impeccable tailoring
Fit is vital when it comes to quiet luxury. The perfect fit can make all the difference to even the simplest of outfits, making you look much more put together. Whether it’s choosing a blazer that fits you well, a pair of trousers that skim your hips in a flattering way, or a dress that fits without being clingy, tailored pieces will give you a more polished and refined look. Don’t be afraid of going to a seamstress to alter pieces you already have in your closet for a better fit.
Anine Bing Quinn Plaid Linen Blazer – Anine Bing Kam Plaid Linen Shorts
Melissa @melissabultburns above combines a classic shorts suit with on-trend booties and a ruffle shirt.
Recreate her outfit with this similar top, blazer, shorts and booties.
3. Timeless silhouettes
Quiet luxury eschews passing trends in favor of timeless silhouettes. So, think classics like trench coats, tailored blazers, sheath dresses, and well-cut pants. These can form the backbone of your quiet luxury wardrobe, giving you extra versatility. You can always add a new trend to your looks but against the backdrop of your classic capsule wardrobe.
Undra Celeste Belted Crepe Double-Breasted Blazer
4. Neutral colors
This aesthetic favors a neutral color palette, with shades like black, white, gray, beige, and navy forming the core of your wardrobe. These colors look sophisticated, and they’re very versatile, enabling mixing and matching and creating the backdrop for other shades. Or think about other rich-muted tones like deep burgundy and olive green.
Polo Ralph Lauren Pleated Sleeveless Mock Turtleneck Midi-Dress
5. Subtle details
If you compare designer wear with high-street purchases, you might not be able to tell the difference standing at a distance. But if you move closer, the beauty often lies in the details. This is the same with quiet luxury. You don’t have to go for designer choices but do look for subtle stitching, quality buttons, and small monograms. You’re looking for small touches that elevate your wardrobe away from the ordinary.
Sylvia @sylviacolella above (read her style interview here) shows how to combine quiet luxury style with on-trend pieces like a pair of silver pants.
Get her look with this similar shirt, blazer, jeans, pumps, clutch, belt and sunglasses.
6. discreet branding
One of the defining characteristics of quiet luxury is the absence of conspicuous branding. So, opt for unbranded or very subtle branding rather than large logos or signature patterns. You are looking at the quality and design of the piece, not on the label.
Strathberry Multrees Leather Hobo
7. keep accessories minimal
In keeping with quiet luxury’s understated nature, opt for minimal, high-quality materials. Think leather handbags and shoes and delicate gold or silver pieces.
Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Puffy Y-Necklace
8. Embrace simplicity
If you have a minimal style personality, you will love the idea of quiet luxury. Avoid overly complicated outfits or excessive layering, and focus your look on clean lines and well-chosen clothes and accessories. This will not only create a chic look but will also allow the quality and craftsmanship of everything you have chosen to shine.
Your quiet luxury wardrobe
Let’s explore a quiet luxury capsule featuring tops, pants, dresses, shoes, and accessories that can be combined in many different ways.
tops
Starting with tops, you’ll want a great shirt and t-shirt, as well as a tank top and polo shirt, in your closet.
Veronica Beard Emily Johnny Collar Rib Knit Polo – BOSS Bonelia Front Wrap Top – ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Slub Jersey V-Neck Tee – Maje Striped Patchwork Shirt
MANGO Crop Suiting Jacket – Veronica Beard Emily Johnny Collar Rib Knit Polo – Cinq à Sept Benji Cuffed Wide Leg Jeans – Sam Edelman Bayley Pumps – Strathberry Multrees Leather Hobo – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Puffy Y-Necklace – Olivia Burton Grove Rectangular Bracelet Watch
Coats
You’re looking for classics, but you can add a little twist, like a blazer in dark denim, for example. Also, choose trench coats, waistcoats, and short styles.
MANGO Crop Suiting Jacket – Wit & Wisdom Crop Denim Blazer – Open Edit Tailored Long Vest – BCBGMAXAZRIA Belted Trench Coat
Kim @kimair above (read her style interview here) opts for a beautiful combination of a white dress and green blazer.
Check out this similar blazer, dress, sandals, handbag, earrings, sunglasses and watch.
Pants and jeans
When it comes to your bottom half, you’ll want dark denim jeans, pleated and straight leg pants, and a great pair of shorts that you can dress up or down for warmer weather.
Cinq à Sept Benji Cuffed Wide Leg Jeans – Alice + Olivia Simon Pleated Wide Leg Trousers – BOSS Tanuri Wool Straight Leg Pants – ASTR the Label Pinstripe Tailored Bermuda Shorts
BCBGMAXAZRIA Belted Trench Coat – BOSS Bonelia Front Wrap Top – BOSS Tanuri Wool Straight Leg Pants – Tory Burch Double T Buckle Pointed Toe Flats – Aimee Kestenberg All for Love Convertible Leather Shoulder Bag – Open Edit Polished Teardrop Stud Earrings
Dresses and skirts
Choose luxurious fabrics like wool, cashmere and silk. Make sure you opt for styles that won’t date. You can wear more ‘casual’ materials like denim. Just pair them with quality accessories for a luxurious look.
Jenni Kayne Rove Silk Midi Dress – Nordstrom V-Neck Long Sleeve Wool & Cashmere Sweater Dress – Lauren Ralph Lauren Denim Belted Long Sleeve Midi Shirtdress – Anine Bing Bar Silk Skirt
Jona @the50plusgirl above mixes a satin skirt with a more casual jacket for a stylish look.
Steal her look with this similar top, jacket, skirt, flats and handbag.
Shoes
Make sure you have a combination of heels and flats that you can wear with all of your outfits. Loafers, pointed flats, slingbacks, classic sneakers, and heeled or flat boots will all go well.
Tory Burch Double T Buckle Pointed Toe Flats – Sam Edelman Bayley Pumps – OluKai Ha‘Upu Sneakers – Dolce Vita Auggie Boot
Open Edit Tailored Long Vest – Jenni Kayne Rove Silk Midi Dress – Dolce Vita Auggie Boot – Veronica Beard Small Crest Lock Trap Bag – Argento Vivo Sterling Silver Puffy Y-Necklace
Accessories
Your accessories are a crucial part of your look for quiet luxury. You will want bags in leather and suede without obvious branding, quality jewelry, and cashmere scarves.
Aimee Kestenberg All for Love Convertible Leather Shoulder Bag – Cole Haan Mini Mainline North/South Leather Bucket Bag – Veronica Beard Small Crest Lock Trap Bag – Olivia Burton Grove Rectangular Bracelet Watch – Open Edit Polished Teardrop Stud Earrings – Nordstrom Tissue Weight Wool & Cashmere Scarf
Patricia @patriciaafricaiglesias above (read her style interview here) chooses wide-leg jeans with her bouclé jacket.
Check out this similar top, jacket (another option here), jeans, pumps, clutch, earrings and sunglasses.
Brands to try for quiet luxury
If you love the ‘quiet luxury’ aesthetic, these are some brands to look out for.
Your quiet luxury outfits together in one capsule
Below, you can see the outfits from above together in one capsule. You can mix and match the clothes and accessories to create different outfits. For example, the white polo top would go with any of the bottoms. You could wear a waistcoat with shorts or a blue shirt with either pair of pants.
Continue reading:
- Old money style: What is it and how to get old money style without an old money budget
- A capsule wardrobe for the classic style personality
- How a minimal wardrobe need not be boring
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Feature image by Sylvia @sylviacolella
Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.
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I love a similar style like this, Victoria Beckham. LOVE her clothes and cannot afford them. But they are different from the normal understated elegance, which (in my humble opinion) can be quite boring. But then again, I am loud so my clothes are loud. I am afraid I don’t want to change that.
Greetje