Wealth's the Word: 42 Items That Don't Shout But Scream Expensive
It was once far too easy to spot a non-designer item in a sea of designer ones, but these days, designers have gotten quite good at whipping up pieces that would leave even the most advanced luxury experts stumped. Under-$150 tops, shoes, and dresses can appear just as pricey as over-$1000 ones, if not more, making it significantly easier to build a wardrobe of both designer and non-designer items that blend seamlessly together.
As a fashion editor who wants to look expensive but can't afford to buy only designer pieces, there's hardly anything that brings me more satisfaction than discovering these sartorial anomalies. Because of that, I decided to turn my obsession into work by going through all of my favorite retailers—from Nordstrom and Moda Operandi to H&M and J.Crew—and plucking out shockingly expensive-looking and actually expensive pieces that go together like two side-by-side pieces of a puzzle. A perfect fit.
Scroll down to shop the selection.
Turtleneck tops are a classic for good reason. They're eternally chic.
This dress is giving chic Laura Harrier vibes.
Tortoiseshell sunglasses can sometimes feel even more elegant than black ones.
This brand's website is basically a treasure trove for gorgeous ready-to-wear.
If it's off the shoulder and slightly drapey, I want it. You can hold me to that.
If I didn't know better, I'd think this belt cost more than $300.
This braided Anthro tote will bring forth all the compliments. Trust me—I've read the TikTok comments.
If a white vest is good enough for Sofia Richie to wear it to her wedding, it's good enough for you—end of story.
I just tried these on at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview, and I was extremely impressed.
I've Slacked my entire team about this stunning Abercrombie dress.
This top is perfect for showing off a great pair of earrings.
I'm sick over this dress. For real, someone call a doctor.
I tried on so many pieces at Madewell last week, and these white trousers were my favorite.
The shape of this bag is gorgeous, but it's the color that really won me over.
This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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