Open house attire/conspicuous consumption

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our Big 3, some of the wealthiest parents are the most understated. After all, “New money screams, old money whispers”

Yep.

“Some of” being a key descriptor here.

DCUM desperately wants this to be universally true but it simply isn’t. Lots of very wealthy people, including old money people, wear things that make their wealth recognizable.

Old money that I know are some of the cheapest when it comes to things like cars and clothes. They spend money on real estate, including decorators and very expensive furniture and art; vacations/activities; and for toys it’s sometimes a boat/plane but those aren’t a where the real $$ is.

“Old money”‘isn’t “lots of money” anymore. The Gettys are gone and the Bezos have arrived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok,
Seems like thread only talks about moms?


We are a wealthy family. High 7 figure income.


My wife wears many of the items you mention here on a daily basis to her DC based political job. It’s just part of her normal every day look. Cartier bracelets, Van Cleef necklace or so, some sort of Gucci shoes and maybe even an Chanel/Dior bag among other stuff.

So when we went to open houses, this is “normal” everyday clothing for her. It is not special and she is not trying any harder than any other day of her normal life. What she is wearing is basically a blouse and maybe designer jeans.


What “we” saw as annoying was women dressed up like they were going to a gala. High heels, fancy dress, and of course a full face of a makeup, eyeliner like they were going to a fancy Xmas party. And what’s worse is when you see a women with a full face of heavy makeup on a Saturday morning tour.


Also, the truly rich people, more so than us, are probably the ones wearing Nike sneakers and nothing designer at all. Or possible wearing something high style that is unbranded from the outside that may be worth 10k and you would never know it by liking. But the wealthy “in” crowd can figure what you are wearing.


Kid if like truly wealthy people would never buy a LV bag with LV all over it like college teens do to show off they have a LV bag, they would buy some designer bag with no outside branding worth 15k.

When she gets really dressed I

And she has the 20k bags, 30k plus Cartier/Van Cleef/ other designers you have heard of jewelry that she never wears except some formal event of some sort. All the stuff mentioned above she wears routinely is her basic “cheap” stuff

Dude, it’s so weird you’re on here bragging about your wife’s clothes and accessories. I’d be mortified if my husband did that.

This is not a dude, it's a woman pretending to be someone's DH. No straight man has this much knowledge or interest in women's accessories, brands, shoes etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s sort of funny. DCUM spends so much time telling you “real” rich people don’t wear expensive brands or drive expensive cars. It must be jarring to have that narrative so throughly rebuked.

no it’s just the desperate rich people who dress and live that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's more interesting to me is that it's always the same uniform. I find that sad. I've lived in a few capital cities around the world, and there's a type to these upper middle class or wealthy families, with a few local variations, but the most notable is the stifling and uncreative way they dress and behave.

The question is how much you need to look like that to fit in. If you're socially insecure, you're going to want to make your appearance speak for itself. If you have more confidence and personality, you can let that shine and parlay your way into those groups without looking quite like them.

This! The "style" is to buy things from an expensive, boring, usually frumpy or ugly brand. Buying something less expensive or vintage or trendy and requires actual style is so much more attractive and interesting! You will instantly be fashionable if you can wear something other than Lilly whoever, carry a Kate bag and Van barf bracelet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I swear this is a real question and I’m not trying to stir the pot! This week, I saw multiple moms wearing $10k+ worth of accessories. Think Chanel shoes + Gucci bag + identifiable designer jewelry, all on the same person.

For what it’s worth, DH and I went to private school (not in DC). I went to an Ivy. Our HHI is seven figures. We have some friends who are extremely high net worth. It’s not like I’ve never met a wealthy person. But I’ve never seen people dress like this.

Money can't buy taste or beauty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our Big 3, some of the wealthiest parents are the most understated. After all, “New money screams, old money whispers”

Yep.

“Some of” being a key descriptor here.

DCUM desperately wants this to be universally true but it simply isn’t. Lots of very wealthy people, including old money people, wear things that make their wealth recognizable.

Old money that I know are some of the cheapest when it comes to things like cars and clothes. They spend money on real estate, including decorators and very expensive furniture and art; vacations/activities; and for toys it’s sometimes a boat/plane but those aren’t a where the real $$ is.

“Old money”‘isn’t “lots of money” anymore. The Gettys are gone and the Bezos have arrived.

Yup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The suburban privates are more nouveau riche and label conscious. STA and the urban schools are less showy and more down to earth.

LOL. Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes there are a lot of basic moms in private schools, they have money so they wear basic things.

What does it mean when you call someone "basic"? Obviously a mild insult? Can you explain the pop culture connotation? it's not a descriptor I use or have heard my tween employ

Basic means a sheep, follower, no creativity or imagination or personality or style. Think Uggs, lululemon, pumpkin spice, LiveLaughLove and the richer version apparently is the Open House mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballet flats are super in this fall. Chunky loafers are out. They were last winter.

Even I know this--49 year old mom who follows a dozen or so influencers on Instagram.

Fashion is so dumb. It’s just meant to suck money from our pockets.

Self-expression isn't dumb. What's dumb is paying thousands for some chain brand bracelet that doesn't express anything other than "I can afford it and I look like everyone else here."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our Big 3, some of the wealthiest parents are the most understated. After all, “New money screams, old money whispers”

Yep.

“Some of” being a key descriptor here.

DCUM desperately wants this to be universally true but it simply isn’t. Lots of very wealthy people, including old money people, wear things that make their wealth recognizable.

Old money that I know are some of the cheapest when it comes to things like cars and clothes. They spend money on real estate, including decorators and very expensive furniture and art; vacations/activities; and for toys it’s sometimes a boat/plane but those aren’t a where the real $$ is.

“Old money”‘isn’t “lots of money” anymore. The Gettys are gone and the Bezos have arrived.

Yup.

Uh, there’s an handful of tech billionaires WHO DO NOT RAISE FAMILIES ANYWHERE NEAR DC. DC and other East Coast cities still have old money. If you don’t know that, you arent anywhere near the club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our Big 3, some of the wealthiest parents are the most understated. After all, “New money screams, old money whispers”

Yep.

“Some of” being a key descriptor here.

DCUM desperately wants this to be universally true but it simply isn’t. Lots of very wealthy people, including old money people, wear things that make their wealth recognizable.

Old money that I know are some of the cheapest when it comes to things like cars and clothes. They spend money on real estate, including decorators and very expensive furniture and art; vacations/activities; and for toys it’s sometimes a boat/plane but those aren’t a where the real $$ is.

True about clothes and cars but in my experience old money families also tend to inherit much of their real estate/second and third homes, furniture, art, jewelry, and boats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The suburban privates are more nouveau riche and label conscious. STA and the urban schools are less showy and more down to earth.

LOL. Nope.

This is ridiculously inaccurate!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our Big 3, some of the wealthiest parents are the most understated. After all, “New money screams, old money whispers”

Yep.

“Some of” being a key descriptor here.

DCUM desperately wants this to be universally true but it simply isn’t. Lots of very wealthy people, including old money people, wear things that make their wealth recognizable.

Old money that I know are some of the cheapest when it comes to things like cars and clothes. They spend money on real estate, including decorators and very expensive furniture and art; vacations/activities; and for toys it’s sometimes a boat/plane but those aren’t a where the real $$ is.

True about clothes and cars but in my experience old money families also tend to inherit much of their real estate/second and third homes, furniture, art, jewelry, and boats.

We're European and absolutely not true about being cheap with clothes. My mom wears a lot of max mara and loro piana and she gave me her Kelly. When I'm home, I must be put together all the time. True about art and jewelry - I rarely buy jewelry, I have beautiful stuff from my grandmothers and grandaunts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had to google the Cartier bracelet. Man, what a boring way to blow thousands of dollars.

Likewise! And, ew, you need a special screwdriver to take it on and off? I wouldn't call this a symbol of love, more like...servitude? Do men ever wear them? Yeah, I didn't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had to google the Cartier bracelet. Man, what a boring way to blow thousands of dollars.

Likewise! And, ew, you need a special screwdriver to take it on and off? I wouldn't call this a symbol of love, more like...servitude? Do men ever wear them? Yeah, I didn't think so.

This!! I don’t understand those horrid bracelets. Imprisonment is love?

I’m poor by DCUM standards, but even if I were wealthy there’s no way I’d wear something like that.

But, fwiw, my kid is in a DC private school and I rarely see anything like that or any of what OP describes. But I could just be clueless (and poor).