I Studied Heiress Style for Years. Here Is What Actually Makes a Woman Look Expensive.

Body

At 3 p.m. on Anfu Road in Shanghai, a girl walks out of a café. She wears a white shirt, black straight-leg trousers, black loafers, and carries a canvas tote. Her hair is tied low, with no split ends. She tosses her coffee cup into the trash. Her nails are short and rounded.

Beside her, another girl wears a Chanel-style tweed jacket, a logo belt, and a sequined bag. The jacket cuffs are pilled. One heel is worn down. Her nail polish is chipped.

You look at the first girl. The heiress look shows in what is exposed, in the shoulder line of a garment, in the material of an accessory, in how slowly you walk.

What is exposed

Hair: wash it, blow-dry to about 80 percent, then apply hair oil. Trim the ends regularly. Keep the color close to natural, and don't let dark roots show.

Skin: within three minutes of a shower, put on body lotion. Use sunscreen before you leave. For exposed arms, legs, and neck, dust on a little body foundation and highlighter. Blend it evenly. Avoid a ghostly white cast.

Teeth: floss, get cleanings, whiten. Smile without covering your mouth.

Nails: cut them short and file them round. Nude or clear polish works. Keep them from getting long or chipped.

Posture: pull your shoulders back about a centimeter and tuck your chin slightly. Don't walk with your head down staring at your phone. Don't slump when you sit.

Energy: sleep enough. If you didn't, wear sunglasses instead of forcing it. When you feel flustered, stand still before you move.

Clothes

Touch the fabric before you buy. If it scratches, is flimsy, or is see-through, leave it.

Check the shoulder line. It should sit on the shoulder point, not too wide or too narrow. The collar should lie flat. Buttons should be flat and straight. Zippers should glide.

In the fitting room, raise your arms to see if the underarms pinch. Sit down to see if the stomach pulls. Walk two steps to see if the hem floats.

A white shirt should have a high thread count, no transparency, no wrinkles, and a stiff collar. Knitwear should be cashmere or worsted wool, and it should not pill. A trench coat should have weight, and its belt buckle should not feel flimsy. Trousers should be straight-leg and drape without pulling at the crotch. A skirt should fall below the knee and not feel tight. A dress should have a simple cut and a clean color.

Avoid holes, fading, sagging, sequins, big logos, lace trim, decorative bands, and hardware. If it looks like a viral hit from a few years ago, don't buy it.

Color

Use two or three colors total. Black, white, gray, beige, camel, and navy are safe. For bright colors, try peach pink, sky blue, or goose yellow. Put them on your upper body, close to your face.

For example: a peach pink knit with black trousers and black shoes. Or a white shirt with a navy skirt and pearl studs.

Don't mix gold and silver. Don't wear bright colors all over. Don't use more than three colors.

If you are unsure, set your phone to black and white and see if the outfit still works.

Accessories

Own one set each of gold, silver, and pearl. Wear earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet. Three pieces is enough. Don't go beyond three.

For example: pearl studs, a pearl necklace, and a thin silver bracelet. Or small gold hoop earrings, a thin gold necklace, and a gold bracelet.

Put them on after makeup and perfume. Take them off before you shower. Store them in a sealed bag. Don't buy a pile of cheap ones. They should not fade or tarnish.

Styling

If you can't style an outfit, copy runway looks. Search Bilibili for "CHANEL ready-to-wear runway," "Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2022," or "Burberry trench coat." The Vogue website has a Runway section. Find a look you like and copy it: clothes, shoes, socks, hair, accessories. Copy five looks per season. Basics are easy to mix and match.

Example: a white shirt, black straight-leg trousers, a black belt, black loafers, and pearl studs.

Don't randomly mix things yourself. Copying a complete look is easier and usually better.

Care

Use a garment steamer and iron before you go out. Keep a fabric shaver and a lint roller. Trim threads on new clothes first.

Wear a sweater one day, then hang it for two. Hand-wash silk. Wash cashmere rarely. Wipe shoes clean. Repair worn heels. Put bags in dust bags and don't overload them. At night, hang and iron the next day's clothes so they are ready in the morning.

Effortlessness

Speak slower. Move steadily. Don't make everything a focal point. After you dress up, take off one accessory.

When someone compliments you, say thank you and leave it there. Don't run when you walk. Don't rush when you eat. When you panic, breathe first, then speak.

You have time. You don't need to panic.

Closing

At that café on Anfu Road, the girl in the white shirt sits by the window. Her canvas tote rests by her feet. She takes a book out of her bag. The pages are clean. Her nails are clean. She doesn't look at anyone. When she sets the coffee cup back on the saucer, there is no sound.

You remember the clean pages, the clean nails, and the quiet way she sets the cup down.