by Here’s some exciting news for anyone like me, who can’t get on with the so-called ‘stealth wealth’ outfit: the era of the understated wardrobe with its snore-fest neutral palette and lanuid silhouettes may be over end due to the increase in demand. bolder and brighter fashion styles that Gwyneth Paltrow wouldn’t look dead in.
That’s right, loud luxury, known as ‘porous rich’ fashion, is back and it’s emerging through two very different trends. In one corner, we have the girly, overdressed-for-everything look of a Park Avenue princess, in the other, the racy bad girl style of a mafia wife.
The main connector that binds all these contradictory looks is the idea of evoking your wealth (whether you have it or not), which in my opinion is much more visually appealing as a fashion faux pas than a burden. beige.
The biggest trend to take over Tik Tok is the latest look that draws inspiration from the sleek styles of cinema’s most iconic wives including Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elvira Hancock in Scarface, Anjelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor and Sharon Stone as Ginger McKenna in Casino looks, as well as the lighter ‘riches’ of Carmela and Adriana from the cult TV show The Sopranos.
Translated into today’s scrolling globe, this means a smart mix of satin slip dresses, long sequined dresses, vintage fur coats, feather trims, leather, chunky gold jewellery, leopard print and anything black and figure hugging with a plunging neckline, always accessorized with a supersize pair of dark sunglasses.
But that’s not all: TikTokers are adding a touch of kookiness to this combination of trophy-wife-feisty-hellraiser glamour. Consider Marisa Tomei in her Oscar-winning turn as Mona Lisa Vito in My Cousin Vinny, in which she donned a stunning skin-tight ensemble including a full-body floral print dress, copies of which have sold out on Etsy with more. 4000 positive reviews posted by wannabe (mob girl) Mona Lisas.
This trend involves channeling your favorite gangster diva, and my Jennifer Tilly in the 1996 neo-noir thriller Bound, mainly because she has survived an incredible shootout that was directed by her menacing mafioso husband while looking seductive in a tiny red velvet dress. As a tribute to Tilly’s sassy character, I’m tempted to knot up Merel’s 90s-Reformation-inspired bodycon dress cut from claret-colored velvet, although I’m not sure I could give it the sultry life it deserves.
Indeed, there’s no shortage of slinky dresses, chunky gold costume jewellery, leather trousers and animal prints online and on the high street, everywhere from Marks and Spencer and Asos to Ganni and Whistles, not forgetting Dolce & Gabbana, which the father is mafia. wife style in the luxury area.
And it’s no surprise given Domenico Dolce’s Sicilian heritage and penchant for true sculptural couture. Monica Bellucci has been their name for decades and her signature look is a black lace mini dress inspired by D&G lingerie. Very chic gangster.
It’s the femme fatale style of Bellucci and Pfeiffer’s Elvira Hancock that is harder to nail. The outerwear is easy if you take inspiration from Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa who were recently photographed wearing full-length fur coats (Jenner’s was vintage; Dua’s was faux) paired with long high-heeled boots, channeling Ginger in a casino that wanted extravagant animal pelts.
Another gangster designer is Polish couturier Magda Butrym whose pre-spring SS24 collection features a dramatic silver sequin floor-length dress with a bold thigh slit and a tight-fitting black leather blazer paired with a matching pencil skirt. Butrym looks sex appeal and you can easily imagine them on the screen, worn by the type of double crossing seductress who could make enemies out of lovers, and lovers out of enemies.
Understandably, glamourizing the mafia and its ruthless business practices, even within the creative realm of fashion, may be too much of a moral compromise for some.
But this does not rule out the other antidote to stealth wealth dressing that is rapidly emerging on the social media platform, also driven by a desire to display power and success, albeit motivated by cleaner influences.
Leading this second style is Parisian fashion brand Jacquemus, known for its vibrant and playful designs and innovative marketing campaigns. The latest muse is Sex and the City’s Kristin Davis who fully embraces her prim and proper Charlotte York persona in a new viral video for the label in which she is seen unboxing, ironing and wearing a new gray wool sweater.
It’s not the look she’s wearing that sets the sartorial tone (the jumper and her crisp white shirt are definitely ‘quiet’ classics), but what Charlotte envisions as the label’s new face is the ultrasound to bring back. -a polished feminine style that no longer promotes wealth but scares the status of the top of the pile.
Usually, this look is full of nipped-in waists, flounces, blooms and frills. It’s beautiful, romantic, tidy and immaculately kept – never wrong but always a bit overdone. In short, it’s as competitive as you’d expect from a style associated with Manhattan’s moneyed Upper East Side. But how does this attitude translate to us Brits?
According to Liane Wiggins, Head of Womenswear at Matches, it’s about being more aware of the purpose of dressing up.
“This style really speaks to the art of dressing and knowing how to dress for all kinds of occasions and social engagements – not just for events and dinners but understanding how to dress for breakfast, the office and more casual at the weekend,” she added. say. Her style recommendations reflect the effortless allure of a stylish socialite with a certain confidence and hauteur:
“For a modern feminine daytime look pair the Emilia Wickstead jumpsuit with ballet flats. Carolina Herrera’s sweetheart neckline strapless dress is my ultimate in super feminine evening wear, styled perfectly with a boxy satin clutch bag from Hunting Season. Bernadette is also a great choice for evening wear. I love their strapless dresses because they offer so much versatility – you can wear one with a light cashmere roll neck and flats in the day and then with heels and jewelery for the evening.”
The Mob wife aesthetic may be the look going viral right now but I understand that Park Avenue Princess style will soon take over due to two star-studded TV dramas airing in mid 20th century. on the fashionable lives of the wealthy elite.
The New Look stars Ben Mendelsohn, Juliette Binoche and John Malkovich based on the life of Christian Dior (expect silken hourglass dresses) and Ryan Murphy’s Capote vs The Swans, the second installment of the anthology ‘Feud ‘ of the director about historical matters. competitors, including Naomi Watts, Calista Flockhart and Chloe Sévigny as socialites or glamorous New York ‘swans’ betrayed by Truman Capote.
The costumes, which are thought to include vintage pieces by Balenciaga, Valentino and Givenchy, are thought to be as spectacular as the spectacle and dramatic fights.
So perhaps great new trends are based on old tensions, scraps and tussles, after all, it was Christian Dior’s own enemy, Coco Chanel, who once wisely said, “Dress like you’re going to meet your enemy today is the worst.”
Get the look
Princess Park Avenue
Cashmere cardigan, £179, Gobi Cashmere; Wool coat, £310, puzzles
Jennifer Behr Velvet headband, £180, Net-a-Porter; Pearl rings, £250, Deborah Blyth; Patent leather shoes, £279, LK Bennett
Wife Mob
Stretch silk dress, £548, Veronica’s beard; Felt fur coat, £485, Rixo
Gold-plated rings, £310, YSSO; Leather boots, £239, & Other Stories; Acetate sunglasses, £197, Black Eyes
