Slim Aarons and the Aristocrat Obsession
Beautiful people. Tanned, poolside, ostensibly doing nothing other than hanging out and reveling in leisure. You’ve probably encountered the work of Slim Aarons somewhere on the internet before. His photos are glimpses into the lives of the 20th century upper crust, and have only endured and become more popular as the years go on.
The images are great fodder for a sect of online-trad types. The anons who whinge about needing to “live a certain way”. In all likelihood most of these people don’t hail from aristocratic backgrounds. Very few folks led the idyllic lifestyles portrayed by Aarons. It’s a reflection of a desire for a different time and place. A longing for there to be a high society that is aspirational, instead of the modern elites we see today.
Aarons himself wasn’t born into riches. He grew up in a poor immigrant family on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. At 18 he enlisted into the army where he served as a combat photographer in WWII and earned a Purple Heart. He moved to California after the war and began to befriend the celebrities out there. Looking back on his career in a 2002 interview with The (London) Independent Aarons said “I knew everyone. They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them”
Aarons signature approach used no stylists or makeup artists. He was quoted as saying he made a career of simply “photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” In the age of face filters and AI photos, there’s something refreshing about leafing through his collections.
Where are the aristocrats today? The idea of a leisure class exempt from work is generally frowned upon, while hustle culture is promoted. The uber-wealthy technocrats now dress in jeans and t-shirts like regular stiffs. Prince Harry is out crying like a dog in front of the press instead of enjoying the spoils of royalty. Certainly there’s old money families lurking in the background, but these WASP elites are not looked on positively in the mainstream and try to keep a low-profile.
The world that Slim Aarons captured seems to be more distant and inaccessible these days. Conversely, his photography becomes more engaging and popular. As you look around at a society seemingly trending toward chaos, you can flip through his photos and for a moment be back in time. A fly on the wall among the upper crust, surrounded by beauty.