Beyond the Trend: The Quiet Luxury Guide

The 1% may have no need for a two-shoes-in-one mule, but not everyone can afford to turn down such genius efficiency. These chameleonic mules allow you to change up your shoe’s style with detachable straps (opal snakeskin, perhaps?). Plus, this 3-inch block heel is great for wedding season and any late summer soirée you’ve been meaning to RSVP to.

Sporty chic is a fail-proof way to embody quiet luxury. This one-piece calls to mind Princess Diana’s famous black and white number. The cut is elegantly low-key and an extra-low back ensures it doesn’t look like you’re about to throw on a swim cap and start doing laps. Wear it on the all-white side or opt for the black with white trim reverse.

Quiet luxury doesn’t have to be expensive so long as it looks expensive, which is the case with these (faux) tortoiseshell sunglasses. A slight cateye flatters all face shapes and polarized lenses protect your eyes from harmful rays.

The centerpiece of a QL capsule collection would necessarily be a cardigan. I love that this creamy one is modernized with a cropped hem so it pairs well with high-waisted pants (and doesn’t have that fusty grandma look). The cable knit pattern and branded monogram are also on brand.

Nothing screams ‘I grew up rich’ like a lacy dress made just for sleeping. Gorgeously feminine and perfect for rolling out of a four-poster canopy bed, this nightgown has a ruffled hemline and flower-shaped buttons. Pro tip: it doubles as a beach cover-up.

The best QL pieces are the ones that you and your mom could share — flattering silhouettes that have the approval of your Gen Z little sister and your grandma. This delicately designed polo-cum-cardigan has scallop trim edges and meets the requisite beige quota for a QL look.

It’s hard to eliminate the athletic-slash-schoolyard vibe of a backpack but this polished bag will mesh seamlessly with a trench coat and Shiv Roy pants. It pulls off a stylish no-frills look without forsaking features: you’ll enjoy separate laptop and tablet compartments and a discreet pass-through strap.

Off-duty feet deserve quiet luxury, too, and these wool felt slippers are ostentatiously low-key. The elfin shape and nubby fabric is The Row meets Lauren Manoogian and they’ll make you feel like you’re padding through a tertiary home even if you’re in a studio apartment.

What does a quiet luxury workout look like? I’d say something that looks equally appropriate on the courts and sipping an Arnold Palmer in the clubhouse. This racerback dress has built-in shorts and bra for a pulled-together look even if you’re down a set in the end-of-season championship.

Crisp white linens are the foundation of a QL bedroom. An upgrade from purely linen sheets, this set combines 70% linen with 30% hemp for exceptional softness and breathability. The hemp blend makes them less rumply looking than traditional linen sheets and the fabric is naturally antimicrobial because it doesn’t hold moisture.

No one does QL like Gwyneth Paltrow — her nighttime routine famously finished with an emphatic application of lip balm. This lip mask goes the extra hydration mile with a combo of ghee and olive squalane oil to nourish lips and target pigmentation.