For the past couple years, there has been a rise in TikTok creators promoting “quiet luxury” to viewers. Their content — coined “RichTok” — consists of storytimes, get-ready-with-mes, clothing and jewelry hauls, travel vlogs and other videos showing off their lavish lifestyles. These videos, garnering millions of views, casually display influencers’ wealth, making it an integral part of their content. 

As a result, the trend of “quiet luxury” and similar content showcasing extreme wealth has become popular as viewers aspire to be of the same economic status, imagining what their lives would be like if they had the amount of money spent in a TikTok.

Class admiration is nothing new. Historically, wealth and luxury have consistently been sought after, but never has it seemed so palpable as with the rise of social media. Previously, exorbitant wealth was something that merely existed rather than something the average person could achieve. Politicians and celebrities were understood to be wealthy based on their material possessions and lifestyle choices, such as travel. There were no platforms like Instagram, X or TikTok, where the rich could directly connect with others and show off their daily lives. 

For example, TikToker Becca Bloom posted about buying a custom, matching Hermès bag with her mom, mundanely describing the process of bickering with her mom about the design, traveling to the store, picking up the bag (and a few other items while they were there) and traveling home. Content like this makes living lavishly feel not only normal but also approachable. As a result, the line between RichTok creators and their viewers blurs as viewers form parasocial relationships with these creators, seeing their luxurious lifestyle as an achievable ideal.

It is not surprising that viewers of this content, usually Gen Z or Millennials, have formed such strong parasocial bonds with these creators. According to the Pew Research Center, in 1983, the median wealth of upper-class families in America was 3.4 times that of middle-class families and 28 times that of lower-class families. In 2016, this had risen to 7.4 and 75, respectively. 

Along with rising income inequality, the cost of living has steadily increased, making it extremely difficult for lower and middle-class households — including Gen Z and Millennials just beginning their professional careers — to earn a livable wage. As such, it is not surprising that in the face of a growing wealth gap and cost of living, viewers of RichTok who are suffering under economic circumstances would imagine what their lives would be like if they had the same financial security.

Bloom, currently the most popular RichTok creator on TikTok, creates content focusing on designer apparel hauls, outfits-of-the-day, reviews and advice videos. Many of her videos receive mixed reactions, with some commenters saying she should spend her money elsewhere and that the amount she spends in one video could change their lives, while other commenters insist that she can spend her money however she desires.

These conflicting views reflect two sides of the same coin: Both the negative and positive comments reflect a desire to be as wealthy as Bloom. However, it is the comments defending her actions that reflect a parasocial relationship. Because Bloom’s viewers admire the money she has and her financial freedom, they support her actions because they wish that they had the same spending power.

This is the result of the growing closeness that comes with using the internet and social media platforms. It is easy to meet people online and interact with strangers on a daily basis. This closeness has become so common that it is hard to tell whether this level of interaction is a good thing. Social media platforms provide a voice to people who otherwise may not have had one, but this can also be said about people who should not have platforms. 

In the case of Bloom and other RichTok creators, their entertaining content simultaneously emphasizes the growing class divide between themselves and their viewers. Providing a day-in-the-life perspective on wealth means viewers can also see what their life would be like if they were rich, leading to greater class aspirations. 

Forming this parasocial relationship allows viewers of these creators to separate themselves from reality, making it very difficult to remember that the wealth displayed on RichTok is not ordinary — it’s exceptional.