Do wealthy British women really wear suits all the time?
Posted by lastwordymcgee@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 210 comments
Hi, I’m American and I swear I’m not as stupid as this question makes me sound.
I grew up in the Northeastern US, near some places known for generational wealth. It seems like many old-money American women 60+ tend toward suits and similar conservative outfits. Below 50, it’s less staid.
British dramas make it look like generationally women are thrust into a Chanel suit as soon as she gets engaged or turns 25. But I also don’t really have any experience of British women of that kind of wealth. I’ve only had two passing conversations with older women I suspect were of that class, but honestly, they were spectacularly eccentric. it was like they got them from Central casting. I will forever wish I remembered their names.
Anyway, it is really that many suits? I naturally assume TV drama costume department just lie to me, so I thought I’d ask.
Thank you for your kind attention to my ridiculous question.
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
I am incredibly fortunate to come from one of these families. I have literally never seen my mother in a suit.
My mother’s ‘uniform’ is a cashmere jumper, good jeans, boots or ballet flats, and a gilet.
In the winter she’ll be wearing a Barbour that’s older than me, and a pair of Dubarrys or Chameaus on her feet.
miemcc@reddit
Dad out with a shotgun over the shoulder blasting 'vermin'?
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
Haha, no, we had a gamekeeper for that. But he does collect antique throwing knives. Y’know, for all the unexpected ninja encounters in the Cotswolds.
miemcc@reddit
My Great Uncle looked after hounds on a couple of estates.had the Master of the Hunt bugle/horn(?) at the head of his grave.
He was a tough old bugger, bailed out of a Wellington, broke both ankles on landing. He was in one of the Stalagluft camps that had to go evacuated from the Russians. The march was brutal and many died. Not him though.
He never talked about it to me, but got the details from my Dad.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
What kind of wildlife is on your property?
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
My family have a commercial shoot so we have pheasants and French red legged partridges in abundance. Also lots of deer A fallow, roe and muntjac. And then the usual badgers, foxes, rabbits etc.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
I envy your woodlands! I grew up in a home where my backyard ended at a state forest, and I was forever in the woods. I live in Florida now, and I miss the woods.
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
I miss home terribly. I now live in Australia and while I love it here, there is something special about going home.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
Nearly all of my family is here now, but I still have friends back home. So I can get my fix, especially in Autumn and Winter.
porpoise251@reddit
TIL what a gilet is lol. We call them vests in Canada
inide@reddit
Vests are undershirts.
porpoise251@reddit
Lol. In Canada an undershirt is called...an undershirt
inide@reddit
We can forgive you because it's not as egregious as the American bastardisation of the language.
porpoise251@reddit
Thank you! I love the UK...it's like the Mothership calling me home! :)
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
Glad to be of service!
Roxelana79@reddit
Stupid question: to me, a gilet is a cardigan. Is that what you mean or is it something different?
(I don't live in the UK)
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
Not a stupid question at all! A gilet is a fleece or a jacket with no arms. You still have the collar and pockets etc, but no arms.
Roxelana79@reddit
Oh, that is what we would call a body warmer 🙂
SuLiaodai@reddit
I never saw the word "gilet" until this thread. I don't remember hearing it in the UK, but then again, that was long ago and in milder weather. It's interesting to learn something new.
(In the US, we'd call it a down vest.)
illarionds@reddit
Not necessarily down - mine is wool, for example. It just refers to the shape/style of garment - a sleeveless jumper/cardigan, basically.
SuLiaodai@reddit
Oh, for real? Even the definition I looked up online didn't say that. Now I know a new word and what it actually means.
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
Ahh a Schöffel is definitely still a gilet. But is made of beautiful fleece!
saludpesetasamor@reddit
Why is there always a gilet? The moment I read that is the moment I realised it. I’m truly curious about the gilets now.
Beautiful_Hour_4744@reddit
I cant get on board with gilets. For me, if its cold enough to need one then my arms need covering up too
ayeayefitlike@reddit
As a horse person (not rich myself but there is some overlap in the community) - it’s because a gilet keeps you warm but leaves your arms free. Nothing worse than a bulky jacket when trying to ride or muck stables etc.
illarionds@reddit
And if you're doing physical work, gilet keeps you warm at the start, but still lets the excess heat you build up out much easier than something with sleeves, so you don't overheat so quickly.
McKendrigo@reddit
Same here. I've never understood the point of them at all.
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
Depends on what you are doing.
ProgressMiserable878@reddit
Your arms would be covered. So when I wear mine, they go on top of a polo neck jumper usually or long sleeved t-shirt sometimes depending on the type. They keep the body warm but then your arms are free and not as restricted like they are wearing a big coat.
Beautiful_Hour_4744@reddit
Yeah I get that, I didn't word that properly. I meant if my body needs a bit of padding then my arms do too. But then I feel the cold a lot
BG3restart@reddit
I have about 20, some with hoods. My arms feel constricted in a coat, so I prefer a giiet. I'm a knitter, so a thick handknit sweater under a giiet is usually plenty warm enough. I only wear a coat if it's actually raining, or if I'm wearing a thin dress, which is rare
illarionds@reddit
They're just the best clothing. It's incredible what temperatures you can tolerate if your torso is well insulated. I dislike things on my arms, wear a t-shirt the majority of the year - gilet greatly extends how long I can manage that before something with sleeves has to come out.
Likewise you can get away with just a (long sleeved) shirt + gilet when you'd think you'd need an actual coat or jacket.
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
I honest don’t know. I feel naked without a gilet haha. Seeing my mother without a gilet is like seeing someone you’ve always known to have a full beard, suddenly clean shaven. It just feels a bit wrong.
They’re incredibly useful I supposed. It means I have zip pockets and lots of room for my phone, dog treats, keys etc without having a carry a bag, but I don’t need to worry about lugging a coat around.
newtonbase@reddit
I love my gilet. It has secure pockets inside and out and is warm but keeps my arms free. I'm not close to wealthy but I did have a warm house so it's outdoors only.
Motor_Train4316@reddit
This all very Jilly Cooper, I love it.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
They’re very popular here in the US. I noticed a lot of women wearing them this past winter.
iceman2g@reddit
Because rich horse girls grew up into rich horse women. A gilet is ideal when it's cold enough that you can't stay warm from just being physically active, but a coat would be too hot and restrictive.
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
The outer jacket is layers in countryfolk as adding to agility in work in our rural tasks.
miemcc@reddit
Don't knock a a gilet! I have two. They are the perfect spring wear. No sweaty pits, and no chills.
Good-Gur-7742@reddit
I love my gilets. Although I now live in Australia and I get strange looks daily when I’m rocking a Schoeffel!
KatVanWall@reddit
Whenever I used to go to the local farmers market, the place would be full of olive green gilets! Both on people, and for sale lol
Lazy-Field-1116@reddit
I can't think of any British dramas where a woman over 25 wears a Chanel suit, can you give a few examples?
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
The one that is currently sticking in my head is The Lady, because I just watched it. I know there have been others, but of course nothing is coming to my mind right now.
Lazy-Field-1116@reddit
Just seen your other replies too. No, rich people don't wear suits in the UK. They wear gilets and wellies! The men will wear bright red socks and/or coloured chinos and a flat cap. If any labels are involved it's probably Barbour.
miemcc@reddit
Oh dear god, the salmon coloured trousers. Please stop, the horror...
Weird1Intrepid@reddit
Those actually have a history, and I have a pair too.
They are a very solid red when they are new and they are worn by sailors generally when in port and relaxing.
They become pink over time as they get faded in the sun and it's sort of a low-key dick measuring contest who's got the palest pink trousers on.
The more faded they are, the more miles you've done at sea, basically.
Mine aren't quite red anymore, but they're certainly nowhere near salmon or pastel yet lol
OrangeBeast01@reddit
I'm going to go out and buy some solid red Chinos, and boil wash them for months. Then I'll hang around some port towns. When I see some old boys looking over and giving me a slow nod, and they will, we will both know what I'm about. I'll command such respect.
miemcc@reddit
They would probably you more than a slow nod if you asked...
Roxelana79@reddit
Add lots of off-brand Vanish!
miemcc@reddit
Thank you for explaining, I was Army, rather than Andrew (is that jesting now after the old boss was booted after being found to be nasty?).
We have our odd bods too, particularly the Cavalry Regiments, but they are weirdos at the best of times!
birdstrike_hazard@reddit
TIL! I like it so much, I might not even fact check it!
Bitter_Tradition_938@reddit
Barbour? Lol.
Princes_Slayer@reddit
Yes Barbour. Wealthy people have been buying the brand going back decades. Old money doesn’t feel the need to spend cash on Chanel when they just need an oil-skin jacket to wear when heading to the stables
Roxelana79@reddit
I love walking through the Barbour store on Regent Street!!
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
Depends on the activity. We would not wear country wear to a meeting.
winebookscats@reddit
My clients do - I've had them sit down for their annual financial review with straw stuck in their hair and mulch in their wellies 🤣
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
Then you are selling cider.
Gornal-Annie6133@reddit
Suits were huge in the 80’s, the bigger the shoulder pads, the better. I know, I was there!
xian0@reddit
Thing is that show is set in the 1980s.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
Very valid point. Even the trial was over in 2001. Thank you for answering.
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
Watch the series of women as police or diplomatic services.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
And I meant specifically dramas where there’s a lot of interaction with people from an extremely old money, wealth family.
PootMcGroot@reddit
Your typical "old, real, serious money" older woman is likely going to be wearing hiking gear, old tweed, and quality boots.
She'll look exactly the same as a Yorkshire farmwoman.
Bitter_Tradition_938@reddit
I came here to say just that. Old money people do not need to show off, on the contrary, they hate it. They dress to be comfortable and choose common sense, practical outfits.
FuckGiblets@reddit
You can still tell though. There clothes will always fit better. I live in a small country town that has some very large and expensive mansions around and the richer people here will get their casual T-shirts and their dog walking coats tailored. They seem to avoid wearing visible labels but all their clothes always fit very… well and will always look very new.
OkChildhood2261@reddit
Yup. There will be a woman you always see wearing the same coat everywhere. Except that coat cost £900 and will last 20 years.
Fibro-Mite@reddit
Sam Vimes' Boots Theory of Socioeconomics (from Terry Pratchett's Disworld):
"The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that’d still be keeping his feet dry in ten years’ time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
- Men at Arms"
natatronica@reddit
GNU STP
Charliesmum97@reddit
Exactly what I thought of the moment I read this post.
ossifiedbird@reddit
I had an old-money family friend who kind of lived the opposite of this, he loved scouring charity shops for £3 pairs of trousers and got a massive kick out of it. He had wardrobes crammed with his mismatched, ill fitting clothes, which I suppose is another kind of rich privilege. He never needed to bother looking smart for work or dress a certain way to fit in, and if something fell apart after one wear it was inconsequential to him.
Vilhjalmr_140@reddit
Didn't expect to see this but agree 100%
GNU:STP
Absentmined42@reddit
The same theory was put forward much earlier, by the character Owen in The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell, published in 1914. He says: “This is how the working classes are robbed. Although their incomes are the lowest, they are compelled to buy the most expensive articles – that is, the lowest-priced articles. Everybody knows that good clothes, boots or furniture are really the cheapest in the end, although they cost more money at first; but the working classes can seldom or never afford to buy good things; they have to buy cheap rubbish which is dear at any price.”
Significant-Bat4006@reddit
One of my favourite snippets from discworld :)
DerekW-2024@reddit
Indeed, and the rest of that passage goes on to mention clothing and furniture - high quality, solid build and unlikely to need replacing for a century.
Y_ddraig_gwyn@reddit
those are unlikely to be the true old money and royalty-adjacent posh: these tend to look entirely invisible, and frankly often scruffy ( in decades-old cars). Old money - hereditary and peerage old - whispers. You tell by their names (Hugos, Algies) and diction (‘supper’)
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
old money does not dress scruffy, what even
Small_Coast_@reddit
Idk an old argyle jumper with patchy elbows or a bit of moth, check button down, some very old jeans, decade old Barbour, a flat cap and wellies for stomping around the farm can be about right
Burned_toast_marmite@reddit
Decade old Barbour? Try 30. Yrs plus, or inherited
ramapyjamadingdong@reddit
I beg to differ....
Theres the old trope of the bloke in scruffy jeans and patched shirt walking into the car dealership and being ignored in favour of the customer in the flashy suit. The sales assistant chasing the sale, goes after the suit leaving his colleague to deal with the time waster who probably can't afford this type of car anyway. You guessed it, the suit doesn't buy and was trying to show off to girl friend. The scruffy guy tries out the flashy model, orders it on the spot and pays up front.
It exists because its real. I grew up in that world. Its almost like a uniform. Boat shoes in various degrees of delapidation, chinos, tailored shirt for the men. Women vary, as eccentricity has an impact, but queen at Balmoral isn't a bad shout. No ostentatious labels, natural fibres, high quality shoes.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
you’re a fucking facebook grandma omg
angry2alpaca@reddit
"Only the wealthy can afford to dress like a scarecrow's armpit"
GeminiCheese@reddit
My experience was slightly the opposite, but only in one specific circumstance. I had a friend who was wealthy and well connected. Think peerage. Every single time we went to a black tie event you could tell who the rich people were by the fact that their tuxedo was wobbly, rather than new.
Poor people rent a tuxedo for an event. Rich people buy a very expensive one but wear it for 2 decades.
FreeUnderstanding141@reddit
a) they would never ever refer to it as a "tuxedo" b) not just two decades.
GeminiCheese@reddit
I know, but I'm not rich enough to carry off a dinner jacket, and this is an international website.
Gornal-Annie6133@reddit
We must be minted, as my hubby has worn his for thirty years and he bought it at a charity shop!
Rob1965@reddit
I agree with all, except their clothes being very new.
Old money will buy expensive high quality clothing, but often wear the items for decades.
Fair_Project2332@reddit
The clothes fit because they were tailored for grandpa in 1938 and are still in use by their grandchildren who are marginally inbred and so have an identical frame.
Beautiful-Only@reddit
Don't drive crazy cars either Landrover. Subaru forester, old Volvo estate maybe pre war Bentley
AdeptusShitpostus@reddit
Range Rovers, and some variants of Land Rover have been pretty expensive for a while now.
Nowadays they’re quite squarely a luxury “SUV” brand rather than the farm trucks the old Series, 90s and Defenders were.
Fibro-Mite@reddit
And ones that last for years, so they pick things that aren't "fashion" friendly. The "lady of the manor" wearing a tweed skirt, cotton or silk blouse, and a wool cardigan comes to mind. The late queen in tweed jacket & wellies that she'd probably had for 20+ years tromping around her estates... and never forget her headscarves (yes, they might have been silk from Hermes, but they could equally have been polyester from M&S) when she wasn't being "on show" - there's a rule with headscarves I recall being told way back in the 1970s when I was just hitting teen years: tied under the chin = upper class; tied at the back of the head = middle class; tied on top of your head (think Ena Sharples, go Google her) = working class.
Roxelana79@reddit
The Queen had the most beautiful ball gowns, but I read multiple times that she was quite frugal wrt her "everyday" clothes. (Well, frugal is probably relative, but still...)
October 16 I will go see the exhibition about her fashion!
Roxelana79@reddit
But their outfits are very well made from the best material.
Mountain_Strategy342@reddit
Very much a "buy once, buy well" attitude.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
I like that so much better.
Easy-Plant-8783@reddit
Have a look at Princess Anne's casual attire that gives you a clue on the top wealth fashion
Fine-State8014@reddit
How many medals does she wear on the casual attire?
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
We wear medals at our duty representations that are ceremonial. She is the same. But her awards are as Commander of as honorary too.
Fine-State8014@reddit
Are you generally worth more in scrap than you are as a person though?
Roxelana79@reddit
Why are you do frustrated?
Fine-State8014@reddit
I'm not frustrated. I'm just not a fan of parasites.
Would you cheer on a tapeworm?
No_Pea-1@reddit
What have you got against the woman?
Fine-State8014@reddit
I think most adults playing dress up are ridiculous.
Dependent_Worry7499@reddit
None because it's casual attire
Fine-State8014@reddit
Are you sure? She does love a medal.
vastaril@reddit
This is part of one of my favourite quotes from a Terry Pratchett book:
(This is the lead in to the fairly well known Sam Vimes Boots Theory Of Socioeconomic Unfairness https://terrypratchett.com/explore-discworld/sam-vimes-boots-theory-of-socio-economic-unfairness/ )
timeforsomegoodnews@reddit
Absolutely, I came here to say Duchess Sybil Vimes is the absolute peak of this look!
parsuval@reddit
You are absolutely correct.
I’m pals with a lord and lady. When we last had a BBQ together (at her farm) she was wearing wellies and a fleece. Her husband was the same.
This is a woman that grew up in a massive estate, had servants, and lived in an enormous stately home. They have a helipad. Worth a few hundred million I believe.
When I won a business award from the Queen, they came along. They also know how to dress up. He was wearing a sword as part of his outfit (ex military, he stood guard over the queens coffin)
Roxelana79@reddit
A family friend is "more rich than the see is deep", but you would never guess when you see him. Basically wears the same decathlon jacket and walking shoes as me to walk the dog. His cars however, are in a way different league than mine, lol.
Grand_Equipment5292@reddit
A Schöffel fleece, of course and Le Chameau wellies!😉
nikadi@reddit
Basically this. I've worked for some old money wealthy families and I've never seen the women wear suits (or their friends/family).
PaleozoicQueen@reddit
I agree. Came here to say similar.
British_Flippancy@reddit
They all look like they’ve got straw in their hair even when they haven’t.
misskittygirl13@reddit
And a wax coat from the middle ages.
Low_Emu669@reddit
Haha. I have a 1983 Barbour, which qualifies nicely
widdrjb@reddit
The proper ones, shiny with wear, and repaired every 10 years.
Fanoflif21@reddit
Or a full suit of armour. If I had a penny for every time I have been stuck behind an octogenarian dressed like one of the round table in Waitrose, I'd be a wealthy woman.
Lonely-Chocolate2587@reddit
😂😂😂
artrald-7083@reddit
Yeah, this describes my grandmother perfectly. She owned posh clothes. She only used them on posh occasions. Otherwise she wore well-fitting indestructible ancient hiking gear.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
I like that so much better.
UnpredictiveList@reddit
Money talks, wealth whispers.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
ah yes, my whispering stately manor
AdeptusShitpostus@reddit
Kind of, you don’t always see the manors of the very wealthy - you see a gate, and a fuck tonne of trees with a somewhat generous dirt or gravel track running through it
UnpredictiveList@reddit
This whole topic is about the people and perception. It’s pretty obvious when you see a manor that someone wealthy owns it.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
no it whispers, you’d think it was just a 2 up 2 down terrace if you didn’t know any better apparently!
EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit
Yeah I get what you're saying. This sub is talking about just clothes though. But you are right, that money talks, wealth whispers, is only true to an extent. Certain things scream old money.
Twisted_paperclips@reddit
Having spent much of my youth around low to mid level aristocracy, and now working a lot of my time with people from low income backgrounds, the phrase "money talks, wealth whispers" is incredibly accurate.
The more noticeable a designer label is on a person, the less they grew up with.
Wealthy folk remain wealthy because they can afford to buy quality clothing that they are able to wear for years (decades) - as has been mentioned here, brands such as Barbour, Hunter, Tom Ford, Cucinelli. Casual attire for everyday wear, the same as you or I.
Young money like to show their labels off, falling into the trap of paying a lot but wearing little, and often from outlets. Often, these are brands that used to be associated with wealth, but have fallen out of favour - think Ralph Lauren (but more their RL Polo range), Burberry (certainly post ladette culture), and Armani Jeans. Very much fashion designers where logos are visible, even from a distance.
Sportswear / athleisure is seldom worn unless actively going to an activity where it would be worn - clothing is definitely functional. Often, this is also indicative of upbringing - if worn to grab coffee/walk the dogs/ lunch, then it would be unlikely the person wearing it grew up with wealth.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
fuck me….
Twisted_paperclips@reddit
As in they invest in pieces that will last years. Not fast fashion false economy clothing.
Purchase an item that costs a few hundred now, but able to wear for around a decade (or more), as opposed to purchasing something for less than a hundred that can only reasonably be worn for a short time before it requires replacing. Replace with the same, and in the amount of time the investment piece has lasted, the cheaper items has ended up costing more due to the regularity of replacements.
Lower incomes don't have the luxury of an upfront high cost, so the result is that over the years they spend more money.
I'm not suggesting it's the only reason they remain wealthy, but the long term frugality is a very minor contributing factor, as well as indicative of a mindset.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
talking about old money here you were.
Aye Lord suckdick brought a nice barbour jacket rather than zara now he owns an estate dead on
sycophantic dicksucking in this thread is wild
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
Scrap? The award is not a bit of metal.
EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit
They used to dress a lot smarter than they do nowadays. Like men used to wear smart attire all the time. Not only wealthy people but people of all classes used to dress with a lot more care than they do nowadays. I never saw my mum wear a flat pair of shoes until she was in her 70s, and jeans didn't exist for her, let alone joggers/leggings - skirts only. We weren't wealthy at all. I remember going out in the 90s and my parents complaining that my uncle was embarrassing because of his brightly coloured clothes, that he didn't know how to dress appropriately. And if I look at photos now, yeah he did look a little out of place for the time, but he was still wearing a shirt and tie. Something I rarely see these days.
Everything is far more casual now than it once was. When I started work in 2007, everyone still wore something suitlike, a couple of stylists were brought in to talk to my graduate cohort about how to dress in the workplace. Now noone wears ties unless they are meeting someone externally, and I see men wearing jeans and women in trainers at work quite commonly.
nova75@reddit
Dressing smartly is not comfortable. These days we've a lot more understanding that: A. What you wear doesn't have any brewing on who you are, or what you're capable of B. That being comfortable is more important than presenting yourself.
EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit
I disagree. How you present yourself is actually very important. First impressions matter. If you turn up to an interview in pyjamas, I can guarantee you won't be getting the job.
winebookscats@reddit
There's a middle ground though.
I work with (generationally) wealthy clients and, as they tend to dress for comfort rather than style, so do we. If someone rocks up to an interview in a suit and tie, they wouldn't automatically be disqualified (although it indicates a lack of research of the company, our website is full of employees and none of them are wearing suits) but we'd soon make it clear that clean jeans and a hoodie are totally fine 🙂
illarionds@reddit
Eh, I wouldn't call that a lack of research. Having seen your website, I would absolutely still wear a suit and tie to an interview - I think you run the risk of being seen as not taking it seriously otherwise, that it's unprofessional.
I would drop into conversation early on that I love the informality though.
winebookscats@reddit
I totally see your point. However, we also put it into the email inviting them to an interview - 'formal business dress not required, no sportswear please.' If any applicant is in doubt, there's an HR number to call, and our HR department will very happily chat through the requirements of the day, including dress code.
illarionds@reddit
If you've directly specified that, that's a different story.
Absent that, I would always rather be over-dressed than under-dressed, if in doubt.
EnjoysAGoodRead@reddit
Yeah but this still shows that presentation matters. The guy above says that how you present yourself has no bearing on who you are, and that being comfortable is more important than presenting yourself, but what you've said here clearly shows this isn't the case. In your case presenting yourself too smartly shows that you did no research (ie it speaks to your inability to prepare), and that people prefer you to present yourself in jeans and a hoodie than a suit (even if you are more comfortable in a suit) because it blends better with the company aesthetic and that of its clients.
nova75@reddit
Yeah, absolutely fine. Present yourself well in the right environment. But dressing smartly all the time is not seen as a common thing to do anymore because being comfortable is viewed as more important. In years gone by people would often dress smart as the time. Now it's not common.
dan19821@reddit
I tend to disagree here.
If you’re not comfortable, it’ll usually be because of one or two things.
Badly fitting clothes. Poor material choices (poly suit vs wool suit.)
And, without being elitist, that is a question of money.
Lots of people don’t know how to measure for clothes, and end up with tight collars.
Knowing how to size clothes is a skill that most people don’t know.
Most think about the immediately I tried it on in the shop and thought it was fine, but don’t think how it’ll feel after 12 hours of wearing.
Then there is material.
A polyester shirt cost £5, a cotton shirt costs £30 (quick google search.)
Guess which is most comfortable!
Same with a suit. Good suits are expensive, tailored suits are prohibitive.
Buying something ‘off the rack’
Something that is blended polyester, viscose and elastane, feels rough. Will be hot to wear, so you end up uncomfortable and sweating
But only costs around £100 for the jacket. £30 for trousers.
Wool poly blends feel better. But are around one and a half to twice as expensive.
A 100% wool suit is more comfortable, feels cooler. Fabric is softer etc. easy comfortable all day wear… but, the cost jumps up like that again.
If you’re headed to a wedding, or one day a week in the office, an interview.
You’re more likely to feel less comfortable because you’re not used to wearing clothes like them, and because you hardly wear them you bought the cheap (uncomfortable) ones.
That’s the issue. Even if a person who is not rich tries to look rich, they won’t be comfortable because they can’t afford the clothes of the rich,
illarionds@reddit
In the 90s? I was a teenager in the 90s, and I struggle to imagine anyone calling a shirt and tie underdressed. (But circles you move in, I suppose).
But yeah, agree on the main point. There's a photo at my mum's of her mother and grandparents at the beach in the 1920s. Her grandfather is holding a bucket and spade, on the sand - and literally wearing a suit. Just seems bizarre to modern eyes.
Hell, watch Animal House, as I happened to the other day. Set in 1962 (filmed in 1978), it's presenting a story about frat boys, the American Pie of its day - but all the guys are wearing suits. The whole time, except for the toga party. I think I wore a suit... maybe once during my entire time at uni. They're wearing them not just to class, but even to frat parties! That really stuck out to me. The difference 35 years makes.
I haven't worn a suit even to work for over 20 years now (IT).
BlondBitch91@reddit
No, they wear Barbour, tweed, wool, cashmere, and leather boots.
Agathabites@reddit
There’s a big difference between old money in the US and real aristocrats. The former are trying to keep up with each other. The latter don’t give a fluff what anyone thinks.
Spare-Television4798@reddit
You're thinking of new money. That's how you tell the difference in the US between old money and new. Old money isn't trying to keep up with anyone.
Sopzeh@reddit
I think that's their point, old money in the US is still new money on a UK timeline.
Spare-Television4798@reddit
But they're not trying to keep up. I'm of neither group, but I grew up around both (old and new), and there's a marked difference, even in the US.
OkIncrease6030@reddit
Sure, but that’s not how they think of themselves and that’s not their position in society.
jake_burger@reddit
Not really. Chinos and polo shirt is about as likely as tweed or other practical outdoors wear, or jeans and a tee shirt or whatever else. You are thinking of formal or business settings.
People tend to wear clothes that fit the situation or occasion, and since most of time it’s casual so is the dress.
Puzzled-Horse279@reddit
Old money wealthy families dont represent most of the UK
AWingedVictory1@reddit
Rarely see a woman in a suit….
Wasps_are_bastards@reddit
I had a friend who was mega old money. Her mum turned some nice curtains into a dress.
moist-v0n-lipwig@reddit
Was she in the Von Trapp family?
AgingLolita@reddit
Those curtains possibly cost more than your car though
Massive-Specific-761@reddit
My experience from international conferences is that the women from the USA tend to dress in power suits much more than anyone from any other country.
PaleozoicQueen@reddit
Lol no, you would be more likely to see her looking like a farmer in wellies on a horse.
Mobile_Falcon8639@reddit
No they don't I know an aristocrat Lady personally, so I can't mention her name be she wear jogging pants a hoodie and a tatty pair of trainers, and she's from old money. So the answer is I guess no.
LolaWithTheGreenEyes@reddit
Its also because old houses, especially big ones, are drafty and bloomin cold in winter. Wearing wool keeps you warm.
bondinchas@reddit
In Britain you cannot tell how wealthy someone is by what they wear. Male or female, an old pair of trousers, with a worn shirt and knitted top with a hole in the elbow can be an indication of poverty or wealth.
It's mindset thing, you don't accumulate money by spending it on non essentials!
Ask any car dealer, the person most likely to not need car finance is often the one who enters the showroom looking like a tramp.
SnooBooks1701@reddit
Well, you can tell if someone's new money rich though, because they act and dress like they've got a chip on their shoulder
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
It’s not that, because the people you describe are old money, people born in to it, rather than new money where the wealth has to be built
SnooDonuts6494@reddit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjgMrIuyWLI
winebookscats@reddit
No old money there!
The old money is probably in wellies and jodhpurs trying to coax their race horse out of the 30yr old horse trailer.
Linden_Lea_01@reddit
None of those people are old money lol, it’s Aintree
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
Petrichor_ness@reddit
I often pass an old lady with her dogs when I walk mine. She's dressed like a bag lady most the time, tatty old clothes, wild crazy hair but we'd always call 'hello' to one another and make a comment about the weather.
One day, I'm walking around an open garden at a beautiful country estate and I spot her. Assuming she's just another visitor (and as our dogs are with us) I say hi to her and 'I almost didn't recognise you without your dog' and we started talking.
Turns out it was her estate and she was a Lady with some ties back to the royal family. Lovely women, very friendly and although very well spoken, no airs and graces and was very helpful explaining what she must have felt was gardening 101!
LaurenNotABot@reddit
Nope, old money dress like hobos here
winebookscats@reddit
I work with high net worth clients and they usually turn up to meetings looking like something the cat dragged in. A 20+ year old land-rover, baggy jumper, a coat that's older than most of their adult kids, Wellington boots. And then they'll sit and we'll discuss their £20m estate, how their investments are doing, changes to agricultural tax reliefs, inheritance tax mitigation....
Not a Chanel suit in sight.
Amazing-Visual-2919@reddit
TV dramas aren't real.
They'll be showing you people in suits like that as shorthand to show you they're wealthy.
ElJayEm80@reddit
I’m neither wealthy nor a woman, so can’t say.
sf-keto@reddit
Depends on whether they are “city” or “country.”
Those who still have & live on “the estate” are wearing Wellies, corduroy trousers or sturdy denim, old wool sweaters & waxed coats because they are walking their land, checking the livestock, or feeding the horses & hauling in some hay.
If they are more city or even “Sloan,” they will be wearing an updated kind of Diana style, with the core basics still in place: the tweed, the argyle, the wax coat, the knife-pleat skirts, the French sailor shirt, polo shirts, straight legged jeans, crisp tailored shirts, blouses with small sequins, tasseled loafers, brogues, tasseled scarves & the current medium sized “bowling bag” purses without logos.
This look was highlighted at Spring-summer 2026 London Fashion Week.
If they have Chanel, they might wear the jacket by itself with jeans. But to wear a full suit nowadays on the street is “trying too hard,” “new money,” & gauche. Don’t overdress!
BeanOnAJourney@reddit
Proper rich women, like generational wealth, country estate-owning women, or at least those i encounter in real life are usually wearing a stinky, manky old wax jacket and Dubarry boots, or jodhpurs and riding boots with a stripy polo shirt.
Cheap-Vegetable-4317@reddit
I've only ever seen women wear a suit when working in an office, and not everyone wears a suit even there. I don't think any women wear suits outside of work.
Hertfordgal@reddit
The answer is no. Costume dramas are not real life.
anabsentfriend@reddit
It's usually waxed jackets and wellies from.what I see. I encounter wealthy landowners often through my work.
Suspicious_Steak_696@reddit
The old rich ones wear blazer jackets everywhere when they get to an age.
Boofagoofdoof@reddit
Green wellies and a tatty gilet covered in dog and horse hair, with pockets full of string, penknives, rolling tobacco etc
wildflower12345678@reddit
Old money don't flaunt their wealth. They buy quality gear that lasts for generations.
CoolJetEcho117@reddit
Less and less men even wear a suit to work nowadays.
Historical_Heron4801@reddit
Check out The Crown. You'll see the Queen in practical clothing when at leisure, as are the rest of the family. You'll also see her driving an old beat up land rover type vehicle. Old money knows what money is worth spending where. It doesn't have a need to let everyone know how rich it is is, or feel the need to dress in a way that's 'better' than everyone else.
Remote-Ad5853@reddit
ignore their big ass homes and estates then.
I mean as you can tell by the crown, they dress up for events and can do so in lovely outfits. You don’t dress casual to big events
PresidentPingu1@reddit
Further to this there’s a rather fun episode of the Crown where Margaret Thatcher is invited to Balmoral. She rocks up in her 80s power suits and is utterly embarrassed as the Royals are all in Barbours/tweed/ancient jumpers etc etc.
Specialist_Emu7274@reddit
No lol. Unless you’re at work, even then most places don’t expect a full suit. What shows have you seen with that? I’ve never seen a series where that happens
brushfuse@reddit
Country-aspiring types often wear horse riding clothing even when they have no intention of riding a horse. Looked really weird in Kensington or Chelsea.
f8rter@reddit
No
TabularConferta@reddit
There are some b&bs run by all sorts. I stayed at a simple one and turned out that the owner was a Lord. Both worked around the farm, wore wellies and worn clothes because...they worked on a farm. Lovely couple who made sure my kid has a wonderful stay petting the horses etc...
pigadaki@reddit
No, the suit is just an indicator that the woman is rich. Like Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once - just sitting around, relaxing at home in a blazer, as you do.
Lynex_Lineker_Smith@reddit
In regards to your first statement, are you sure ?
Aeysir69@reddit
No. Feeding the horses, walking the dog or popping into town require a thirty year old wax jacket, sturdy boots or wellies (probably also from last century), whatever jumper isn’t stained with food or mud, likewise trousers/jogging bottoms and finding the keys to the Defender that out lived the Queen. There’s likely a hat in that mix or hair ties because brushing is for people with time.
Plane_Cut9127@reddit
We look after a huge garden where the family is very wealthy and only ever see the lady of the house. She is usually dressed in leggings and wellies or scruffy shoes, jumper and a ripped gilet with whistles and other dog paraphernalia hanging off it as she trains her gun dogs in the fields around her house. She's extremely lovely and always brings us drinks and snacks, has a chat and rootless off with her dogs in tow. I've never seen a label on her clothes, even when she's going somewhere nice.
Old-Presence-9160@reddit
lol as a 53 year old I can confidently say no. Most of us have a decent outfit or two for going out, then we’re in jeans or sweats. All of my girlfriends certainly have style and all have a suit and dress etc for occasion. Style would be more urban and cool and less Chanel designed suits. a vintage piece would be nice though! thrifting and vintage stores are of much greater interest.
science_puppy@reddit
Username fits
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
I should’ve been more clear and I will try to edit so I am. I’m talking about women who are from very wealthy old families.
inide@reddit
"Money talks, wealth whispers"
The people you see flashing their cash and wearing big names are those that became rich as adults. The people who come from wealth are more likely to be wearing a 30 year old sweater than the latest fashion.
Old-Presence-9160@reddit
Also Fergie was regarded as “flashy” and having poor fashion sense 😂
Old-Presence-9160@reddit
Well many of my friends are privately educated from averagely affluent backgrounds, still not wearing the things you’re suggesting. I’m also from a big city. You may well see women in certain circles in London or Manchester wearing more designer items. I worked in a top 10 global PR agency and certainly some did. In many “old money” social circles and families it’s regarded as poor taste to be overtly flashy and you’re more likely to see them in a wax jacket and wellington boots. Think Hunter Wellingtons and a Barbour jacket.. not to say they don’t have designer pieces for events etc..
No_Jellyfish_7695@reddit
No brown in town, though
chocklityclair@reddit
Old money - all day in an old wool skirt covered in dog hairs, and wellies.
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
We wear a two piece for our presentation as a uniform in the armed forces as Number 1 dress. It is filtered to dress that is for our roles. I wear a pale blue Masters gown as a delegate over my suit with high heels in my duty service
blitznbobstoo@reddit
Old money and I live in Jodhpurs and a hoodie. Don’t own a chanel suit…
Best-Belt3196@reddit
Wealthy British women do not usually show "how rich" they are, they are usually very humble. So no...they do not wear suits everyday
BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit
I would suggest we have a similar generational divide in business attire but there are a few distinctions to be made, too.
I’m a company director and younger associates at senior level are well polished but much more casual where older associates have a tendency to still power dress, even if they’re ultimately less senior in job role… This applies to both men and women…
If we’re talking about “real old money” then a good friend of my Grandma’s was an aristocratic lady and she literally wore the same anorak absolutely whenever she could get away with it… The bourgeoisie wear prominent labels and rotating fashions, old money own a hard wearing capsule wardrobe that is utilised to death.
One_Complex6429@reddit
Only if they are tweed suits and brogues. More likely a candy pink striped shirt and expensive jeans and a prinkle sweater.
Sasspishus@reddit
I met a Duke a while ago and that's exactly what he was wearing!
DeniseGunn@reddit
I’d suggest you watch Made in Chelsea.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
I got downvoted so I’m apologizing if I caused any offence. I am not familiar with the show.
lastwordymcgee@reddit (OP)
Is it interesting or is it “Real Housewives”?
Icy_Ear7079@reddit
Barbour jackets, custom tailored tweed not Chanel suits
OverCategory6046@reddit
Generally no. It depends what kind of wealthy we're talking about though and where they're from and what their background / social class is.
They will often look well put together, but not suits (unless it's an important meeting etc)
Just like poor people, wealthy people aren't a uniform block. There's all sorts.
qualityvote2@reddit
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TheGeordieGal@reddit
I don’t know any super wealthy women myself but based on what I’ve seen they wear what they want. You’re probably more likely to find them in jeans and a tshirt or something!