How to Look Classy & Expensive (Inspo From Crazy Rich Asians!)

How to look classy and expensive (especially on a budget) is nothing new here, but the inspo behind today’s post is: Crazy Rich Asians! Well, the movie isn’t new new, but drawing inspiration from a movie on the blog is! And not just any movie, but one of the richest (fictitious) families in Singapore!

Though we may not all be billionaires (at least I’m speaking for myself haha), we can take some inspo from this movie to upgrade our wardrobes!

How to Look Classy & Expensive

1. No jeans- only dress pants if you don’t want to wear a skirt or dress

I can’t recall a single woman wearing jeans in the movie. (Obviously, I wear them and think you can make them look expensive, but this post is based off inspo from CRA)

They do wear pants though and when they do it’s dress pants or suit pants.

camel coat | shoes (thrifted, similar here and here) | bag (Charming Charlies, similar here and here)

2. Wear hair pulled back

Not everyone wore their hair pulled back, but the majority of the women did for the film, and especially Eleanor! And we all know, Eleanor is the picture of class in this movie.

It doesn’t have to be super sleek without a stray hair in sight either…wispy works as Astrid models for us!

top (local boutique, similar) | camel coat (thrifted, similar)

3. Wear pointy heels

Do you see the shoes that Eleanor is wearing in the photo above Astrid? They’re shiny, black, and pointy! No sneakers, flats, or especially flip flops for them!

shoes (thrifted, similar here and here)

4. Wear drop pearl earrings

Your hair is pulled back…now what else do you need? Earrings of course! But it has to be drop earrings…and especially pearls.

5. Wear blazers or suit sets

A fancy couture gown may not be a possibility for us, but blazers and/or suit sets definitely are!

blazer (target, similar) | bag (Charming Charlies, similar here and here)

6. Midi to floor-length gowns

I’ll never have the type of lifestyle where I need a bunch of formal gowns in my closet haha, and you may be the same, but we can have a couple of slip dresses that will get us ready for whatever we need! Though they might not compare to a $5,000+ custom gown, they will be something we’ll actually wear again! The right fabric still gives a touch of luxe.

slip dress (forever 21, similar)

7. Don’t be afraid to look “extra”

As the Radio One Asia girls showed us in the film, looking classy & expensive isn’t all crisp pleats and straight lines. Sometimes it’s looking a little bit “extra” (tastefully) with a neutral faux fur coat, a nice blouse, and of course, pulled back hair and earrings.

coat (unavailable, similar here and here)

That was a lot of info, so now it’s RECAP TIME on how to look classy & expensive!

• No jeans- tailored dress pants or suit pants instead
• No sneakers, sandals, or flats- neutral heels, preferably pointy-toed. Shiny/ patent is good too.
• No mini dresses- midi or floor length instead
• No obvious logos- we all know they’re wearing designer but they’re not covered in logos head to toe
• Yes to blazers and suits!
• Yes to sunglasses!
• Yes to wearing your hair pulled back!
• Yes to drop earrings & pearls!
• Yes to pretty blouses!
• Yes to minimal prints!

Are you a fan of the movie? Or maybe you like the books? I just started reading them so I’ll see if they’re any good or not!

You’re going to want to check out these posts before you go!

9 Tips on How to Look Expensive + What to Avoid
9 MORE Fabulous Ways on How to Look Expensive
How to Look Expensive On a Budget
How to Look Chic On a Budget