Rich Face, the Death of Handbags, and the Obsession With Old Money

More and more, it seems like everyone is desperately trying to look rich. Whether it's buying dupes to flex on social media, living above their means, or changing up their whole style to fit into some imagined "old money" aesthetic, people seem more desperate than ever for people to think they are loaded. The most recent trends have taken this to the next level, and our entire motivations for wanting to look rich have stopped making sense. I'm talking about the "rich face" article, and the phenomenon of handbags being on the decline. Shifting standards in beauty and fashion which both seem pointed at the rich fleeing from traditional wealth codes being adopted by the mainstream, and in turn the mainstream stumbling over themselves to copy the ultra-wealthy. Where does it stop? Why are we so possessed psychologically to emulate the rich? I'm interested in your insights here, but I have my own... somewhat negative take on this. We'll dive into the history of copying the aristocracy, changing beauty standards, and capitalism's effect on our identity. What fun! Rich People Didn't Look Like This Before - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/opinion/plastic-surgery-rich-face.html Is The Handbag Over? - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/style/is-the-handbag-over.html 00:00 - Intro 00:48 - Handbag Sales Are Down... But Why? 02:18 - The Shifting Luxury Desirability Trends 03:06 - The "Rich Face" Phenomenon 04:23 - The Succession Effect and Quiet Luxury Aesthetic 05:52 - Rich