Quiet Luxury: Redefining Style in the Fashion Industry
Embrace a sophisticated and understated elegance with our guide to mastering the coveted quiet luxury style that has captivated the fashion world.
At the heart of quiet luxury is a celebration of subtle tailoring and a minimalist approach to styling. Reminiscent of true confidence, true luxury exudes a refined aura without the need for ostentatious logos or designer labels.
The beauty of quiet luxury lies in the adaptability to various tastes. By prioritizing natural fabrics and superior quality when selecting pieces, you can achieve a stunning look no matter what your style.
What are quiet luxury colours?
Ordered and restrained, at first glance, the quiet luxury style looks like it would have dozens of strict rules around colour. The aesthetic actually allows for freedom. There’s just one rule to keep in mind: choose muted tones. Steer clear of anything neon or too bright and you’ll rock the dress code.
The quiet luxury palette is dominated by the classics: white, cream, black and navy. A tonal, cream on cream outfit will also get nods of approval from fashion editors. If you’re in need of some colour, try splashes of cherry red, sage green and olive green.
What are quiet luxury materials?
There are some precious materials that will always help you accomplish a high-end look. These are the natural textiles linen, cotton, silk, leather and cashmere, that represent sophistication and classiness whatever the fashion trends. Linen clothing is the uniform of the jet-setting old-money crowd and the perfect match for a Positano getaway.
The quiet luxury style is elegantly simple, so there is nowhere for poor craftsmanship to hide. Choosing a quality fabric will do wonders for elevating your outfit. As a bonus, quiet luxury fabrics complement each other effortlessly and can be paired together in countless different combinations. All that’s left is to embellish your ensembles with delicate gold jewellery.
Quiet Luxury Must-Haves
White button-down shirt
A white button-down is the perfect starting point for any quiet luxury look. It’s got the cool-girl tick of approval from everyone from Hollywood starlets Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall to modern-day darlings like Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell, and any other icons with impeccable fashion taste.
What makes a white shirt the definition of quiet luxury? The colour alone already fits the aesthetic, exuding clean elegance. Then add the shirt’s simplicity, soft tailoring and understated energy. A white button-down isn’t a passing trend. It has already proven itself—celebrated every decade.
Slight tweaks to the white button-down shirt help make it feel fresh and new for each season. High collars, contrasting buttons or prominent lapels are all details that can add a unique twist to this classic and help make this piece truly your own.
Crisp cotton poplin and airy linen are the best fabrics for a white shirt. White linen shirts feature just the right balance of nonchalance and elegance, matching well with jeans, midi skirts, and linen pants. You’ll instantly look like you own a holiday villa in Capri.
For an ensemble with endless quiet luxury appeal, pair your white button-down shirt with roomy black trousers and loafers. Finish off the look with a sleek leather belt and be inspired by the effortless style of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
Billowing bottoms
No quiet luxury collection is complete without slouchy trousers that ooze effortless cool. They combine meticulous tailoring with a slightly oversized shape that looks easy and uncomplicated, just like quiet luxury should. Always complete the outfit with a belt for a touch of polish.
With fashion, you never want to look like you’re trying too hard, and voluminous trousers help you pull that off. They’re the go-to uniform of intellectuals and glamorous professors alike and make it look as if you’re too cultured and artistic to care about style trends—no, you’re above them.
Wide-leg pants in linen, cotton and wool for the cooler months are the new must-haves for the fashion crowd. Billowing white linen pants are a must for warm weather. They’ll give you so much wear and are ideal for work events, dinners with friends or when you want to feel like an off-duty model.
The versatility trousers give you is endless. But here are a few fashion-approved styling ideas, just in case. Achieve the quiet luxury dress code by pairing roomy trousers with a slinky ribbed tank and barely-there strappy sandals. You can layer with a light cashmere knit tied around the neck like a Vogue cover star. Or wear an unbuttoned linen shirt over trousers and a simple fitted tee that looks expensive but doesn’t have to be.
Breezy white dress
Add a breezy white dress to your capsule collection without any regrets. Quiet luxury is all about easy elegance, where you glide through life while others rush. There’s almost nothing easier than a clean white dress that’s not too tight or loose. You’ll be slipping into it every summer.
Dresses that are fitted at the top and drape down into a soft midi skirt, deliver a flattering design that won’t go out of style. You can choose from cotton poplin maxis to linen dresses as airy as the afternoon ocean breeze.
Linen dresses symbolise all the ease of the quiet luxury aesthetic. These wardrobe essentials speak in hushed whispers, complementing whatever else you’re wearing, never overpowering. This natural fabric has always been and still is a favourite of the ultra-wealthy. Don’t visit the yacht-filled island of glitzy St. Barts without it.
Match pared-back dresses with personality-packed sneakers to nail the balance between high and low fashion. Delicate gold jewellery and a straw sun hat elevate a white dress even further and create an outfit you’ll want to repeat again and again.
Minimalist leather footwear
Rock the quiet luxury look from head to toe with classic leather footwear. The most covetable designs are ones without any logos or flashy buckles. Quality leather shoes are designed to get better with age, so they’ll also give you plenty of wear as well as plenty of style points.
Loafers are the stylish choice for the office or when you need to impress and will be some of the most worn footwear in your collection for years to come. You can choose from more classic colours like black and brown or opt for beige-coloured loafers to make a statement.
Minimal, barely-there strappy sandals and classic leather loafers are the perfect finishing touch for your outfit. The magic of delicate strappy sandals is that you can choose flat ones for extra comfort, but they’ll still look dressy and polished.
Ballet flats are everywhere right now and quiet luxury-approved. Sleek designs in versatile black and navy are essential in every modern woman’s capsule collection.
