My thrifted $8 dress got mistaken for a designer piece at a wedding and now I'm questioning everything about expensive looking fashion

I went to a cousin's wedding last month. Being over budget in terms of gifts and transportation costs, I needed to have something affordable and quick. I got this amazing slip dress in a deep emerald green from a thrift shop for $8. There were no tags and no brand, but a nice cut and a great material that reflected the light well. I steamed it, added some gold earrings and there you go.

At the wedding, an older lady I did not know approached me and told that "Okay, I need to know who made that dress, it drape is incredible." I froze for a second and answered "Oh it's vintage" feeling that it is easier to tell her that. Later, the bride's sister asked me whether it was a designer dress because she had seen something like that in a fashion editorial.

Not one person there turned out to be rude about it. On the contrary, several ladies started getting interested in it and even asked me where I went shopping to. It gave me a chance to see how much being expensive looking does not depend on the actual price. In this case it was a perfect color, great fit on my body and, to be honest, confidence when wearing it.

Now I am slightly obsessed with finding similar things on purpose rather than accidentally. Has anyone ever experienced such a situation? What was the item that made people think it was expensive?