What Is Stealth Wealth?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Jun 26th 2007 at 2:09PM

The days of the over-the-top and "in your face" styles of being rich (think Donald Trump) are numbered it seems, as the trends of wealth and luxury are leaning ever more toward quiet, discreet, and as invisible as possible. A team from Newsweek has done some research and exploration of this latest move toward ultra-exclusive living, with their findings published in the July 2-9 edition of Newsweek (available on newsstands now). Getting a glimpse at some of what goes on is truly a treat, as everything from building and real estate architecture to the names and addresses of exclusive bars and clubs are going so understated as to be nearly invisible. And worn and used by the superrich? Obscure brand names, often without labels and logos, that are only known by those who can afford to know and appreciate their quality.

As fun as it is to witness some of the ridiculous extravagance some celebrities are so open about, I think this trend is definitely a good one as far as taste and class go.

Tags: celebrities, celebrity, famous, luxury, magazine, news, newsweek, rich, stealth, stealth wealth, StealthWealth, stealthy, trend, trends, understated, wealth, wealthy

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Denny Jul 3rd 2007 1:18AM

Not a comment on the subject here, but rather, "a comment on the comments."
NOT AN INTELLIGENT COMMENT MADE THAT WAS ABOVE A THIRD GRADE SPELLING, GRAMMAR, OR PUNCTUATION LEVEL! Take the time to learn the english language fellow bloggers, instead of taking time to hideously comment on such a mundane issue. Who Cares?

spotelmo Jul 3rd 2007 2:15AM

wow. looks like the liberal class warfare tactic has been working well. At least Jeff makes some sense here. The rest of you need to worry less about how others spend the money they earned and more about what you would do if you got rich tomorrow. I'd be willing to be not one of you would give it back and not one of you would be living "cheap".

Josh Jul 3rd 2007 2:59AM

Who cares? People should live their own lives instead of worrying about everyone else. We are in a state of war and people are dying. Most Americans only think about what "other people" own, and what "other people" wear and what we should buy next to keep up with the "other people." Class or no class, expensive or cheap, tasteful or tasteless, can't we all just mind our own business and pay attention to things that matter.

wesley griffin Jul 8th 2007 11:36PM

This is in response to #19 Claudia. You should do more research on Mr Trump. his father was fairly succesful in Manhattan real estate and did in fact start him off with about 3 million dollars worth of apartment buildings. He did not start with nothing. Please give some thought and research to your comments in the future instead of listening to rumors that were likely started by Trump himself. Wesley Griffin

Susan Jul 3rd 2007 4:27AM

I cannot think of any way that people are created equal other than we all come out of the womb naked and start off as babies! The majority of us come out healthy with all the right working body parts - that is it folks.
Two of the sayings I hate the most are: "Money does not buy happiness", and "You can be anything you want." BOTH are dead wrong!
Number one, buying things with money does make one happy. How about a home, food, clothing, education, car, vacations, etc. You need money for ALL those things and those things do provide happiness. Money does NOT buy LOVE - that is an entire different matter. End of Story.
Number two, every person is NOT equal intellectually or physically. While I am of above average intelligence, I could not be a rocket scientist nor am I built to be ballet star, and I do not have the voice to be a singer. I have no musical talents and could not be a musician.
The only equality I THINK we all have is that of freedom and free will. One was given by our forefathers, and one by the ultimate Father.

joshua Jul 3rd 2007 4:45AM

all i got to say is i dont trust anyone "rich" or "poor" . i dont care if you think you look good in other eyes to have or to give. if people would jus think about helping themselves to be better people, to do and be more that makes more of a difference that really needs to be done like maybe some justice in this world instead of all this pity.instead of all this "gimme gimme when i dont need it". and all this "look at what i got when i dont know what to do with it" .then we would all be richer for it. wealth in and of it self can be a ghetto. poverty can be liberating. you have to love yourself before you can truelly care about someone else.all of this stealth wealth is jus saying i dont have to be seen as rich to be rich. maybe its jus another trend. we will see how much class these trendys truelly have when and if all the problems in this world start being solved once and for all. cause in the end only kindness matters.lol

Deborah Jul 3rd 2007 4:56AM

I will say this: Money cannot buy happiness which is what our government workers apparently believe. Families are torn apart daily and it's all about the money! Google search "The Money behind the Madness" and see how it is destroying our families. There's dcrally2007, among other rallies that are taking place in Washington DC because of what is happening and it is because of the greed for Money! It's what you do for others that truly makes you happy and that's all that money can actually do for you!

ernest Jul 3rd 2007 12:07PM

Igrew up in a single parent home, money was tight, and my mom worked night and day to support my sister and myself. sometimes I would wish that someone would drop a bag of money on our doorstep or if my mom would get her nursing degree like she always talked about doing. I live in florida now and I have a comfortable living, I dont work too hard and I live comfortably. despite the fact that I am not donald trumps hier I still feel like I have more class then him, paris, or any of the other ones. scandel after scandel we watch these people dig there grave deeper and deeper, yet we look up to them becuase they have "a bag full of money."
maybe just maybe if paris would donate her money to worthy causes other then a 5000 dollar luis vuetton bill, or another dog shell never take care of, how about donating "time" to a soup kitchen, or a salvation army donation center, or ring a bell at christmas, then she would see what "real" living is all about. Despite donalds childish behavior over the last year, he still does a lot for cancer, AIDS, and education, hes a good guy, he just needs to learn how to control his childishness once in a while.

Dmitry Paradis Jul 3rd 2007 4:49PM

#12 JEFF: Your candidness is very refreshing on this matter. I especially like your view of Paris Hilton, I've never thought of her in that regard, very well said.

#26 ernest: This 'class' that you consider to have more of than Trumps and Hiltons is not very discerning in countless grammar and spelling mistakes in your post.

Bobby G Jul 4th 2007 11:15PM

Spelling and class. You know why so many American companies are outsourcing jobs overseas? It isn't because they work cheaper. It is because they can spell and they have class.
I used to train adult students in Oakland, Calif. to work for a large telecommunications company as service representatives for business customers. These adults would show up to class with boobs hanging out the side of tank tops, asses hanging out their short shorts and attitudes that gave me nightmares, bling getting tangled up in their headsets. Most of these American born and raised individuals could not speak proper English let alone spell it. I don't know how they got hired. Most wouldn't be able to spell "stealth wealth" or even grasp the concept.
Overseas workers want to work, they speak English better, they don't grumble when given direction.
If it was your company, who would you want to represent it? It's not because it's cheaper to outsource overseas. It's because they can't find qualified people in the U.S. to do the job properly. This is what first came to my mind when I heard the phrase, "stealth wealth".
As far as "rich" people being modest or secretive as being "stealth wealth", I'm with the side that says, "Whut-Ever". It's just another goofy term like, "metrosexual". And, besides, how do you know if someone is 'stealthily' wealthy. They wouldn't be very good at it if you knew. Happy 4th!

cris Jul 4th 2007 11:50AM

Denny,
Careful! You forgot to capitalize "English." Judging makes one vulnerable.

cris Jul 4th 2007 11:53AM

Susan,
A home, food, clothing, education, car, vacations, etc. are not costly unless...we want to impress others. It s relatively inexpensive when one does it QUIETLY.

cris Sep 22nd 2007 12:04PM

Susan,
Please look for your exceptional ability. It is your gift. The fact that you don't recognise it means you are not using your natural riches.
There is no such thing as external Freedom. It exist only in the mind.

cris Jul 4th 2007 12:54PM

Susan,
Please look for your exceptional ability. This is your gift and your powerful wealth during this life. Look for this wealth through your inner eye and not the eyes of the world.
External FREEDOM does not exist. We only have internal FREEDOM that leads to your discovery of who you are and your exceptional talent. Maybe you are a singer, or a dancer, or a painter. Who can tell?

Pat O'Connor Aug 2nd 2007 3:43PM

Felicia Dear:

I would hesitate to brag about the expensive secondary education you were supposedly beneficiary of; it would appear you slept through some pivotal classes. However, your point is well taken.

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