Key Points
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Quiet luxury celebrates the power of subtlety and sophistication in fashion.
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Many high fashion labels, from Bottega Veneta and Jil Sander to Gucci and Thom Browne, are all pushing the trend forward.
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You can achieve quiet luxury looks at budget-friendly price points.
Fashion is about self-expression. What statement do you want to make? Who do you aspire to be? Getting to know people on a personal level takes time and effort. However, you can divulge who you are and show glimpses of your character with clothing.
A lot of what society chooses to wear comes from those deemed style experts. This means different things to different people, but there's a reason why fashion houses like Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton have been around for so long. They make clothing the world covets. Their respective collections center around trends they feel will grab people's attention. When fashion week rolls around and prospective buyers line the streets of Paris to peruse what designers think will be hot the following year, what ends up strutting down the runways are showstopping staples highlighting bold colors, avant-garde details, and extravagant jewelry.
2023, however, has looked a lot different. The fashion industry is in the midst of the quiet luxury trend. What exactly is quiet luxury? This guide explores the ins and outs of the trend and how to affordably work it into your wardrobe.
What Is Quiet Luxury?
Quiet luxury is a toned-down approach to dressing, where understated pieces pair together to form minimalistic looks. It's a style of clothing in which fabrics and cuts outshine bold and brash. Senior SEO Content Specialist from The Drum Ilze du Toit agrees: "At its core, quiet luxury celebrates the power of subtlety and the beauty of restraint. Instead of projecting wealth, quiet luxury creates a wardrobe full of high-end everyday staples that speak to a more sophisticated understanding of style."
The trend, or lack thereof, is being embraced by some of fashion's brightest stars. In what world could simple T-shirts and jeans strut down the runways of Milan Fashion Week? Bottega Veneta did just that with its Spring/Summer 2023 show. Jil Sander echoed the same sentiment using tonal two-piece suits in its Spring 2023 show. However, not everyone can justify spending hundreds of dollars on a shirt, especially when it promotes sophisticated simplicity.
Now that quiet luxury has taken over, you may wonder how to achieve these looks without breaking the bank. Here's a list of some must-have staples anyone can pull off.
Button-Down Shirt
A button-down shirt is a timeless staple that continues to stand the test of time. It's an essential item that often gets overlooked for other statement tops, perhaps due to its affiliation with age-old office attire. Regardless, button-down shirts are as integral to high fashion as any other item in its history. Most impressive is how these shirts have become objects of affection in streetwear. Brands like Supreme and Aime Leon Dore are showing how integral they are at the ground level.
Uniqlo's Brushed Twill Long Sleeve Shirt is a versatile top that can easily work its way into any wardrobe. Talk about an interseasonal staple that teams well with whatever it's paired with. Wear it with straight-leg jeans and sneakers for easygoing weekend outings or under a bomber jacket and dress pants when you need something more serious.
Blazer
Like collared shirts, blazers continue to move past the rigid structures of stuffy formalwear. It's just as easy to wear a blazer with dress pants and a polo top as with T-shirts and cargo pants. More and more brands are opting to use fluid fabrics like cotton, resulting in a more relaxed silhouette shape. Take the Navy Striped Jonny Jacket from Hartford, for instance.
Its virgin wool construction allows it to hang off the shoulders freely. Rotate between casual and smart looks by pairing it with jeans and a Henley shirt on off days and with a collared shirt and dress slacks when dressing to impress.
Topcoat
When the brisk breezes of fall roll around, many instinctually reach for their billowy puffer jackets. Who doesn't like the warm embrace of fluffy down feathers? Puffer coats will always have a place in modern menswear, but fight the urge to make it your main outerwear option every time you step outside the house. Save it for rugged sportswear looks or when the object of your outing revolves around comfort. This Recycled Wool Topcoat from GAP is a great alternative.
Free from bold typography and outlandish graphics, the coat's straightforward simplicity pairs well with everything. Its shape resembles a longline blazer, putting it in the realm of smart casual. However, its relaxed wool construction suggests its place among other casual staples. Joggers, sneakers, and boots are all fair game.
Cardigan
If cardigans can gain notoriety with fashion-forward youth in 2023, anything is possible. They're a hot ticket item amongst the stars, with icons like Tyler, The Creator and Pharrell Williams embracing them. Thom Browne, Marni, and Dries Van Noten keep the cardigan conversation open, finding ways to modernize designs for today's discerning taste levels.
The Loose Fit Cardigan from H&M is emblematic of the style making waves on the runways of fashion week. Consider sporting an oversized silhouette like this with cropped trousers and loafers for your next social gathering.
Denim Jeans
Jeans are a no-brainer as far as stylistic aptitude goes. Despite its rebellious spirit and rugged demeanor, denim remains an integral part of the luxury fashion space; that won't change anytime soon. The only variable that shifts with time is the physical shape denim jeans take. JW Anderson and Bottega Veneta are champions of comfort, promoting a wide range of relaxed styles, from straight-leg and baggy to exaggerated oversized. The Loose Fit Jeans from Levi's highlight this beautifully.
Wearing jeans with sweatshirts, hoodies, and T-shirts is inevitable. However, taking them into sophisticated smartwear territory is a great way to extend their style reach. Consider teaming these Levi's jeans with a pea coat and Chelsea boots. Gucci formed similar looks for its Fall/Winter 2023 collection.
Chinos
2023 was the year collegiate prepster vibes took center stage. The scholarly aesthetic rose to prominence in the '80s, with brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren spearheading the movement. As with everything else in fashion, it has come back to life in a monumental way. Sitting between dressy trousers and rugged denim, chinos can easily move from relaxed casualwear to structured formalwear.
The Club Monaco Connor Chino is the perfect example. Its ability to move up and down the menswear spectrum is commendable. Not every pair of pants can transition from day to night as readily as chinos. Consider teaming these pants with a knit sweater and a denim chore coat.
Loafers
To say loafers are back in style isn't entirely accurate; they never really left. However, it's fair to say they're one of the most sought-after shoe silhouettes in fashion. Thank the polished preppy trend for that. Not only are loafers staking a claim on the catwalk, but they're out in the streets in a way not seen since the '80s. Brands like Prada, Gucci, and Maison Margiela are making sure of that.
If you're in the market for new loafers, the Dr. Martens Adrian Yellow Stitch Leather Tassel Loafers are a great option. Talk about a shoe made with prestige, heritage, style, and affordability in mind. Although leather loafers juxtapose nicely against cropped trousers, they style just as well with jeans. You can even go so far as to team them with track pants.
Social Impact
The quiet luxury trend is society's response to the changing cultural landscape, where simplicity and sophistication take precedence above all else. Its emphasis on timelessness and craftsmanship is redefining the concept of luxury, influencing the designers who dictate the trends and the consumers who keep it going. As society continues to seek substance in their fashion choices, quiet luxury will continue to shape contemporary style.
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