An art historian explains why Sánchez Bezos “will never be elegant.”

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Let’s talk about Sánchez’s fashion more broadly. How would you describe her style? What is the story that Sánchez is trying to tell us through her clothing?

Her clothes are self-objectifying showcases of Bezos’ wealth. There’s this brilliant economic historian, Thorstein Veblen, who wrote these essays about what he called “conspicuous consumption.” Even though it’s from the 1890s, my students just love this concept and totally understand why it’s as relevant now as it ever was. He said clothing can manifest conspicuous consumption to show everyone that you have money to waste. Veblen also made a brilliant gender point by noting that we live in a world that is controlled by men, and the ultimate way in which [men] show their wealth is how their wives or mistresses dress. It was the ultimate show of power, because they got to do all the conspicuous consumption with none of the bother of having to wear the clothes that were not comfortable or practical in any way.

Some have argued that despite the expensive clothes, Sánchez often comes away looking cheap or tacky. Why?

That’s because her clothes have to be screamingly expensive. Style has to do with individuality and an affirmation of one’s aesthetic place in the world; it’s very much an affirmation of self. And the greatest style in the world is the most confident, understated style, which we call elegant or chic. Sánchez Bezos is neither. She’ll never be elegant, ever.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/lauren-sanchez-bezos-met-gala/