Preppy/"Old" Money DC - tell me everything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the term was actually intended to describe this exact group: people who were old DC (or at least one spouse is) but largely apolitical. I'm not saying that is what these people are, but the term might not be far off. Here is their profile:

- Wesley Heights/Spring Valley/CCV/Georgetown
- Christ Church (Georgetown)
- Blue Igloo/Little Folks/Little Graces
- Beauvoir
- STA/NCS (but more Holton lately)
- Ivy for smarties/athletes, mid-tier northeast lib arts for the rest, UVA/UNC/Vandy/Duke for Southerners, Sewanee/Trinity for non-academically inclined
- Commercial real estate
- Met Club, Sulgrave, CCC
- MV, Nantucket, Gibson Island, Jackson Hole, Maine

Did I miss anything?

A friend belongs to one of these clubs and was invited to a “meet up” with some other ladies. She arrived and it turned out to be a meeting of women trying to get others to write negative letters about a woman applying for membership. When she asked them why they didn’t like her - none of them could give a concrete answer or example. They didn’t like her because.

This is what you are dealing with. The mean girls in middle school….

Idk, I have a friend in one of those clubs mentioned and I don't see the people she knows from there going to enough trouble to do that. Lazy dolts riding their coattails on daddy's money.

That is great that your friend does not seem like that but there are others that absolutely do engage in that behavior. They rally against certain people that they are threatened against. Saw them do it to a man in DC trying to get in - he is very handsome and younger than many of the others at the time and I think the dads were jealous. They blackballed him. Really bizarre. Yes it absolutely happened even though would can't imagine adults actually behaving this way.

This happens at every club and private school, it isn’t notable.

It does NOT happen at every club. We belong to multiple clubs across the country - old old money clubs and I have never not once had anyone approach me either in DC or elsewhere to help them blackball someone. It is not a thing. If a member likes someone enough to try to have them join the club and they obtain the required letters in support then most people are fine with that. The clubs above have a lot of families that seem to have a lot of time on their hands that they care who eats dinner or swims at their club.

I will add that while it does NOT happen at most clubs - it has and still does I hear happen at one or two of the clubs above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the term was actually intended to describe this exact group: people who were old DC (or at least one spouse is) but largely apolitical. I'm not saying that is what these people are, but the term might not be far off. Here is their profile:

- Wesley Heights/Spring Valley/CCV/Georgetown
- Christ Church (Georgetown)
- Blue Igloo/Little Folks/Little Graces
- Beauvoir
- STA/NCS (but more Holton lately)
- Ivy for smarties/athletes, mid-tier northeast lib arts for the rest, UVA/UNC/Vandy/Duke for Southerners, Sewanee/Trinity for non-academically inclined
- Commercial real estate
- Met Club, Sulgrave, CCC
- MV, Nantucket, Gibson Island, Jackson Hole, Maine

Did I miss anything?

A friend belongs to one of these clubs and was invited to a “meet up” with some other ladies. She arrived and it turned out to be a meeting of women trying to get others to write negative letters about a woman applying for membership. When she asked them why they didn’t like her - none of them could give a concrete answer or example. They didn’t like her because.

This is what you are dealing with. The mean girls in middle school….

Sure this happened. Are you a member of any of them? Were you there? Otherwise. Stfu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

We could tell you’re not multigenerational wealth because you are impressed with yourself.

Kudos for your achievement, but old money would find this all as normal and routine as working the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

You'rw right - Working ass off and "unusually intellectually gifted" are not what comes to mind when thinking of WASPS. No one would assume multigenerational wealth if working ass off at a law firm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the term was actually intended to describe this exact group: people who were old DC (or at least one spouse is) but largely apolitical. I'm not saying that is what these people are, but the term might not be far off. Here is their profile:

- Wesley Heights/Spring Valley/CCV/Georgetown
- Christ Church (Georgetown)
- Blue Igloo/Little Folks/Little Graces
- Beauvoir
- STA/NCS (but more Holton lately)
- Ivy for smarties/athletes, mid-tier northeast lib arts for the rest, UVA/UNC/Vandy/Duke for Southerners, Sewanee/Trinity for non-academically inclined
- Commercial real estate
- Met Club, Sulgrave, CCC
- MV, Nantucket, Gibson Island, Jackson Hole, Maine

Did I miss anything?

I've never heard Sewanee described as for non academically inclined. Wbery alum I know is an attorney, dentist, or doctor.

I’m not seeing the contradiction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is gross. But for those wondering what a cave dweller is it’s basically the very wealthy non political (meaning not in government as a president, VP or cabinet member - mostly business men) in Washington DC in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And the exact people that those professing to be “old money” today on DCUM would call “new money” and social climbers.

Thanks for the education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

What's up with all the rich Catholics in NW DC? Seems way more prevalent than the rich WASPs these days.

-West coast interloper married to a MoCo Jew, both of whom need to work for their supper until retirement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

What's up with all the rich Catholics in NW DC? Seems way more prevalent than the rich WASPs these days.

-West coast interloper married to a MoCo Jew, both of whom need to work for their supper until retirement

Yeah,I live in Chevy Chase, which people think is Waspy but almost everyone I know I Catholic or Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

Meh.

I am all of the above and started life so far behind the norm it’s ridiculous. Not even sure I am smart. Certainly not credentialed. But I learned early. So many of you school killers have zero common sense and less street smarts.i have run circles around you in my Barbour jacket (which I actually
use to hunt) that it makes me laugh. Notwithstanding my lack of pedigree I have financially outperformed and am at all the clubs and old school stuff. 330 off the tee, know great wine and make mid seven figures and things can happen for you too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is gross. But for those wondering what a cave dweller is it’s basically the very wealthy non political (meaning not in government as a president, VP or cabinet member - mostly business men) in Washington DC in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And the exact people that those professing to be “old money” today on DCUM would call “new money” and social climbers.

Thanks for the education.

The “educator” is a tool. Those cavedwellers had nothing relative to the wealthy in other cities. Financially, DC arrived about 30 years ago. Before that even lowly Baltimore had way more money. In fact, the wealthiest dc residents back when were those who had landing spots here but didn’t live here full time. The Cavedwellers could only look to other cities with envy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR most of this. I'm most of what OP describes. White, rich (by any normal standards), Catholic (so not WASP), live in NW DC, and kids were at top privates in DC. And I have a Barbour jacket filled at all times wit dog poop bags.

And, I worked my ass off to be able to do what I do, professionally and personally. Am neurotic, and have been ultra high achieving through school (public high school ivy college and law school). I'm blessed to be unusually gifted intellectually, and have put that gift to very good results. If you were to see me in the neighborhood, you'd have no idea my background, and might assume multigenerational wealth. This is similar to several friends in my neighborhood. All to say it would be incorrect to assume certain clothing or other external attributes indicates a person's background, talents or work ethic.

What's up with all the rich Catholics in NW DC? Seems way more prevalent than the rich WASPs these days.

-West coast interloper married to a MoCo Jew, both of whom need to work for their supper until retirement

Yeah,I live in Chevy Chase, which people think is Waspy but almost everyone I know I Catholic or Jewish.

Maryland was founded as a safe haven for English Catholics in the 17th century. Georgetown, is a Catholic university with lots of successful alumni. I’m not surprised there are old money and well to do Catholics here.

[Anonymous]

This thread has been so interesting

I have two former classmates who would know my name still in the DC region, one is a US Senator and one is a state Senator. The 2nd one is from a family with Ivy buildings named for her family. There is actually still generational wealth there.

The one who is a US senator came from a regionally wealthy political family who has probably turned her fortune into who knows what. I kind of don't like to think about it because I have been kind of disappointed in her. "Kind of" is putting it lightly.

[Anonymous]

FWIW last time I checked, the Preppy Handbook has been out of print, but everyone had a copy of that in the early 1980s and if you used it as a primer, you were young. And the whole book was basically the analog version of "how to dress" without being able to order online and how to appear. I think.

[Anonymous]

There’s many families in the area who deliberately pose a certain way to appear old money wasps who are anything but.

[Anonymous]

Semi-off topic but I just learned that the National Debutante Ball here in DC every Black Friday is a cash bar????? Gross. That doesn't seem very waspy/old money.