Old Money is an aesthetic based around a wealthy, classic style. Old Money refers to people who have inherited their wealth instead of working for it. In the United States, Old Money is associated with WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) culture, and in Europe, Old Money is associated with titles of nobility.

Old Money is always contrasted with New Money , also known as the bourgeoisie, who are middle class but came into wealth rather than being raised in it. As a result, the visual aesthetics of Old Money are to be low-key and subdued in contrast with the supposed ostentation and tackiness of New Money.

In the 2020s, New Money has become an aesthetic prominent on TikTok and Pinterest, which show examples of Old Money lifestyle in photos and videos but are accessed by people who do not come from this background. The fashion of these people is also mimicked by social media accounts, which leads to non-luxury brands mimicking the sophisticated style of this archetype.

Old Money is most prominent in countries where there was no aristocracy but instead an elite social class held a  status nearly equal to an aristocracy.

In the United States, the oldest Old Money families are the ones which can trace their ancestry back to the passengers on the Mayflower. Other families are considered Old Money when they can trace their ancestry back to the founders of a prestigious town such as New York City, for example the fictional van der Woodsens in Gossip Girl, who are descendants of Dutch settlers in New York.

The Social Register , a list of the wealthiest and most influential American families was first published in 1887. Some major cities have their own versions of the Social Register. In recent times, it has become less of an indicator of Old Money pedigree.

In the 1930s, Old Money families traced their wealth back to at least the American Revolution. Those who had gained wealth around the time of the American Civil War and during the Gilded Age, were not yet considered Old Money. Today, families whose wealth dates back only to the Gilded Age are considered Old Money.

Later, in the 2020s, Old Money became a search term and trend for classic, timeless fashion styles and luxurious European visuals, especially since the term "Preppy" on TikTok became a bright and neon style associated with sorority girls.

Blue Blood is a term used to refer to people descended from nobility. Although not all Old Money families have Blue Blood, a family with Blue Blood is more likely to be Old Money than not.

In 1844, the phrase The Upper Ten was used to refer to the 10,000 richest people in New York City. During the Gilded Age, The Four Hundred was used to refer to the four hundred wealthiest families in New York City. The list included the Astors and the Vanderbilts.

Many Old Money families are also WASPs (white Anglo-Saxon Protestants).

The Boston Brahmin , First Families of Virginia , and Old Philadelphians are location-based terms for Old Money groups in the US. They refer to the Old Money families from Boston, Virginia and Philadelphia, whose ancestors were the founders of that respective city or state.

Posh is a term most used in Great Britain to mean a wealthy, upper class person, although the term includes both Old Money and new money. It has spread to other English-speaking locations.

This aesthetic can be described as very sophisticated and classy. The visuals indict wealth and history.

The key is understated elegance . The clothes may appear plain or boring, but they are high quality. Old Money fashion is sometimes confused with Prep, but the color palette is more muted, and black and purple are used. In recent times, the terms "stealth wealth" and "quiet luxury" have been used to describe the Old Money aesthetic. The terms were first used to describe the clothing worn by characters on the television show Succession , however, these characters are not part of a true Old Money family. In March 2023, Gwyneth Paltrow was praised for her elegant, understated clothing worn for her court appearances.

Media focusing on Old Money tends to contrast the wealth of the lifestyle with darker themes like murder, tragic deaths, depression, and drug and alcohol abuse. Characters often have difficultly expressing real emotions due to not being shown the love of a parent during childhood.

Another common element is the conflict between Old Money characters and New Money, or Nouveau Riche, characters. Media often centers around conflict with individuals who were not born into pedigreed families and made their fortunes recently, such as on Wall Street or in show business. Old Money characters often look down on New Money because of their ostentatious displays of wealth, and use it as evidence as to why their money is inferior.

As Old Money has become a TikTok trend, many users online criticize the popularity on TikTok for not being unique. Those with an interest in fashion describe it as a rebrand of business casual popular in Europe that did not require a style re-name .

For the TikTok trend, users also criticize the aesthetic culture surrounding it. For example, some TikToks include "Old Money finds from H&M," which is the superficial appearance of Old Money, rather than a more accurate use of Old Money practices, which are more modest and attainable, such as reusing clothes, rather than changing aesthetics with fast fashion.