Photo by cactusthesaint

The richest part of the U.S. population is now working more hours in comparison to lower wage earners. Instead of using the money from a hard-earned raise to lessen their burdens, they are feeling even more stressed and working harder.

This response is due in part to the opportunity cost of taking time off. Time away from work is now viewed by higher wage earners as money lost so they are less likely to step away from their professional lives.

Another contributing factor is the increasing divide in income. While the middle class and poor are holding steady, the richest part of the population is swiftly pulling away from everyone else. Surprisingly, a recent poll of workers in New York revealed that those earning a healthy income of $200,000 a year were most likely to admit that “seeing other people with money” makes them feel impoverished! While the rich are getting significantly richer, everyone else is dealing with the sting of not moving at all.

In his article Rich Men in Uniform, Christopher Tennant details the looks of a handful of the world’s most powerful men. Interestingly enough, these billionaires seem to stick with the same dressed-down looks, no matter the occasion.

Apple’s Steve Jobs prefers the soccer dad classics of a mock turtleneck, Levi’s 501 jeans and white sneakers while grocery store kingpin Ron Burkle looks the part of a weekend warrior in his unchanging black Ralph Lauren polo, boot-cut jeans and classic black Chuck Taylors.

Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that when you’re a billionaire many times over, you have nothing to prove to anyone. And, you probably have bigger fish to fry than trying to decide which pair of handmade Italian loafers you should wear.