2023 in review: Gwyneth Paltrow's ski-gate trial

In late March 2023, actress Gwyneth Paltrow was called to the courtroom to participate in a trial where she was accused of crashing into a retired optometrist at an expensive Utah ski resort in 2016. He sued her for $300,000. She countersued for $1 and legal fees.

Despite the low stakes of the trial, the actress-turned-wellness guru’s outfits became the talk of the town. Much has happened since then. But how well do you remember this strange occasion that made pop culture history?

Perhaps most striking about Paltrow’s looks was her employment of the 'stealth wealth' luxury fashion trend, which includes extremely expensive garments in neutral tones. The garment are so discreet that they almost cross the line back into ostentatious. Her minimal makeup and hardly-done hair added to the severely understated style.

The fashion may not be 'fun' or 'cutting-edge,' but the minimal, toned-down style cost more than most people's cars. She’s likely wore $1,200 Celine boots, a $1,600 Celine bag, a $25,000 necklace, $895 pants, and testified in a $2,220 Prada sweater, according to Fashionista.

The Washington Post pointed out that Paltrow’s looks consciously helped make two key arguments for her case, although they are somewhat contradictory.

The first, perhaps exemplified by the white turtleneck on Day 1, worth more than $500 from her own brand Goop which she paired with a $100+ notebook by Smythson.

But the overwhelming style vibes had to do with her being wealthy, famous, and too busy for this trial. Indeed, part of her defense was that the other skier was only suing her because she’s a rich and famous celebrity.

According to the New York Times, locals say this 'stealth wealth' style reflected the wealthy community of Park City, Utah, where the trial took place. Fitting in with the locals could have helped her chances. In Park City, the average single-family home is sold for $2.25 million in 2021, the highest price in all of Utah.

These looks are part of a larger fashion trend that Max Berlinger of Town & Country called the “low-key rich be-otch (LKRB) wardrobe. There are no garish displays of wealth. Logos, strong patterns, or bright colors are nowhere in sight. It’s for the "woman who doesn’t need to use fashion to broadcast her power—or deep pockets."

Photo: Shiv Roy, 'Succession' by Claudette Barius/HBO (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery)

While the looks are often unremarkable, those 'in the know' can identify that the garments are fresh-off-the-runway and cost oodles of money. Designer Phoebe Philo has been a key designer of the trend, recognized by members of the ultra-rich tribe but not the general public.

Image: Bof / Instagram

Loro Piana is another brand capturing this unflashy aesthetic. Its very expensive pieces have also reportedly been spotted by Paltrow at the ‘ski-gate’ trial, as well as on Kendall Roy in the new season of the HBO satire ‘Succession.’ One of its turtlenecks can easily cost over $1,500.

Photo: Model Irene Kim is seen at 'Loro Piana' Cocooning Collection launch

Experts told Town & Country that these basic, subtle looks prioritizing materials and craftsmanship relate to socioeconomics. During the pandemic, people shifted to more comfortable, practical, sustainable pieces, and the threat of a recession has made people turn toward classics.

Example: Sofia Coppola outside of Marc Jacobs show in 2023

The domineering stealth wealth fashion trend may also have something to do with demographics. In most developed countries, the population is old and wealth is overwhelmingly concentrated in their hands. Given their age, they may be less interested in more experimental or trendy fashions and prefer more conservative pieces.

In a world where inequality has been creeping up (the richest 10% of people have 76% of the world’s wealth, according to the 2022 World Inequality Report), the move to understated fashion choices may be a way to blend in with the 'common folk,' while secretly flashing status symbols perceived only by the wealthy.

Opposing opulence is nothing new, and that’s demonstrated quite clearly by French Emperor Napoleon’s wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. She famously shifted style in post-revolution France towards (Neo) classic simplicity that was obsessed with luxury and craftsmanship over the in-your-face wealth of her ill-fated predecessors like Marie Antoinette.

Image: Portrait of Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814) Andrea Appiani, via Wikimedia

No surprise that this so-called 'classy' style also relates to class. For decades, even centuries in the US, those who came from inherited wealth were viewed as having higher status than the self-made, no matter who was richer. Old money is associated with a more 'classy' understated style, while new money is more linked to flashy consumption that is often looked down upon.

A writer for Vox wrote that Paltrow’s presence at the trial is a "refreshingly and entertaining glimpse into how rich people move through this world." He describes her outfits as those of a "glamourous ski assassin" and says the whole ski-gate spectacle is a reminder that the wealthy are not just like everyone else.

After days of Gwenyth Paltrow memes and obsessive analyses, the nail-biting trail ended March 31. The verdict was in. Gwyneth Paltrow was innocent! The wealthy jury decided she wasn't at fault for the crash. And if all publicity is, in fact, good publicity... she certainly emerged a double winner.

Less than a month later, Paltrow made her first public appearance after the trial after being honored with the Powerhouse Brand of the Year award for GOOP offshoot, the G Label at Los Angeles fashion awards. She wore a sheer top in her now very on-brand beige.

But it wasn't all victories. As she so famously said in the trail, she also had to deal with her own annoyance from the ski crash. When asked how the ski collision affected her, Paltrow quickly and dryly replied: "Well, I lost half a day skiing."