Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) sophisticated, worldly, rich; also as adv.

[1880		Bulletin (Sydney) 30 Oct. 12/1: An up-town lawyer and a doctor were disputing about a bill a fellow was only able to pay one of them [etc]].
1926		Judge (NY) 91 July-Dec. 31: Upotown - High hat.
1929		implied in uptown v.
c.1950		K. Howard Small Time Crooks 17: No uptown floozie who counts as civilized either knows or cares if the sun gets up before noon.
1955		P. Rabe Benny Muscles In (2004) 192: ‘Who’s on the couch?’ she asked. ‘Uptown trade.’.
1962		S. Paige Maybe I’ll Pitch Forever 247: When you’re sitting down there in last place, you sure get wet in the mouth thinking and asking about how the uptown folks are living.
1966		Current Sl. I:1 5/1 : Uptown Good looking or exceptional in some way; applied to both persons and things.
1988		H. Gould Double Bang 106: She was talking real uptown just to be hip.
1993		A. Rodriguez Spidertown (1994) 57: She had on this blood-red blouse that made her look real uptown.
2006		F.X. Toole Pound for Pound 248: Hard Rock be a Hollywood up-town club for spo’tin folks.