Want to Rock the Old Money Aesthetic? Try These 3 Elegant Outfit Ideas

What is Old Money?

Old money is basically generational wealth, also known as inherited wealth.

You might have heard of some famous families in the U.S. that are considered old money, such as the Kennedys, the Astors, the Vanderbilts. In Great Britain, you have aristocratic families with titles. For example, Princess Diana was from the aristocratic Spencer family.

You can learn more about Princess Diana's fashion in my tutorial on how to dress like Princess Diana.

Old money wealth comes with a particular mindset, and I would call it an investment mindset because it keeps quality and longevity in mind. The things that old money people invest in, whether it's a car, real estate, or fashion pieces, are timeless and more traditional because they're not going to go out of style.

All of this is opposed to new money. I would describe new money as that very L.A., Kardashian, influencer look - flashy, gaudy brands, and tight clothing. The new money aesthetic is all about a blatant flaunting of newfound personal wealth.

There is a saying, “money talks but wealth whispers.” Old money people don’t have to show off that they’re rich - they just are. They’re not out there flaunting it; they’re whispering it.

The old money aesthetic is aspirational. None of us are actually going to be old money unless we come from an old money family. The aesthetic is not about being old money or how much money you have in your bank account. It's about achieving that elevated preppy look.

With this in mind, let's play around with some old money outfits!

Old money outfit 1: Tennis chic

A theme that you will see a lot in old money style is tennis: a tennis match, a tennis skirt, a tennis motif. In particular, a white tennis skirt is incorporated into a lot of old money outfits.

I’m wearing my white tennis skirt with a button-down shirt, a white headband, and a pearl necklace. A pearl necklace is another staple in old money outfits. As an extra, I grabbed a pink cardigan to tie around my neck. This is always a fun little sporty look.

Old money outfit 1: All white

For outfit number two, I’ve gone for white on white with cream and beige. There is something about white on white that always looks really elevated and expensive.

Across my shoulders, I’ve draped a beige cardigan for that preppy, upper-class feel. Wide brim white hats are also a big thing. Hats can take an outfit from zero to a hundred.

Old money outfit 1: Black & white

The next outfit that crops up a lot in old money circles is the white and black combo, so I wanted to do my own take on that.

I have this white shift dress, and I’ve paired it with black accessories - black heels, a little black bag, and then some cat-eye sunglasses. This look, to me, is very New York socialite.

The old money aesthetic

I hope that my old money outfits give you a bit of inspiration for trying out the old money aesthetic. The key is timeless elegance and classic pieces. Just because you’re not part of the elite, doesn’t mean you can’t dress like you are!

Let me know which of these old money outfits was your favorite in the comments below.