Things that are unintentional status symbols.

[Anonymous]

Doing something that has any hint of multiculturalism is "neat" or "terrific" and will be shared with others with great relish.

[Anonymous]

Armpit hair

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
+1. Yup. This is a New England thing, though, I think. I'm from CT so I get this (though, sadly, I'm not one of the lucky ones). But yeah, we have friends with old family homes on the Vineyard and random little islands in Maine. They wear LL Bean fleeces all summer at said cottages (which are always extremely low-key, weathered, and rustic but at the same time perfectly tasteful and of obvious quality that has aged well). Old Volvos and Saabs and, back in the day, Jeep Wagoneers (remember those? LOVE). Very little jewelry or makeup, but they're always in shape so they can pull of the sporty look well. They ski, they sail, they know art, and they have interesting names for their grandparents. Point being, they don't have to broadcast their money with more high-end fleeces or white elephant summer homes. The low-key approach broadcasts their privilege and family background much more effectively to those who understand the code. I actually find it more refreshing than the flashiness around DC.

YES!!!!!!! Nailed it.

WASP virtues: quality over flash, intelligence over flash, quiet beauty over flash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thanking the waitstaff at a restaurant.

I only see this with the nouveau riche who are trying to prove that they've made it and are superior to little folk. Well-bred people are much more civil and polite.

NP. Seen it with both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Driving to a store that's less than a mile away.

Paying anything for kindergarten.

Taking medication that makes your eyelashes thicker or injecting toxins to make your forehead smooth.

Waxing parts of your body that no one but your waxer will ever actually look at.

This is all wrong. These things are either intentional status symbols (private school) or just insecurity (botox).

The topic is UNINTENTIONAL symbols of status. The person who said "competing in Ironman triathlons" got it right. Not because the competitor is really fit or hot or something, but because only the upper echelon of people can take the time and have the income to train for that.

Those in the know, know this. You need nannies to watch your kids for the HOURS it takes to train, big bucks to fly all around the US, expensive equipment and food, personal trainers/ coaches, elective medical procedures, sports massages, and on and on and on. A good tri bike alone costs $5,000. Look it up.

Joe Schmoe, GS-11 commuting from Burke, Va. and married to Julie Schmoe, GS-10, with 2 kids in daycare at that closes at 6:30, SHARP, is going to have a hell of a time carving out the hours a day to prepare.

The two people I know who compete in triathlons are a grad student who makes almost no money and my mentally-challenged uncle who works as a grocery store checker. It isn't the activity you are commenting on, it is how someone goes about it. You can be into triathlons without an expensive bike or you can be really into yoga without expensive yoga pants.

I said Ironman.

Still doesn't work. Same mentally-challenged uncle did an Ironman in Hawaii, although he didn't finish. He has a really nice group of people he trains with who help him get to races and raise the money to pay his way there. This kind of thing can be a status symbol, but lots of people just like the physical challenge and do it for themselves. Trust me, my uncle does not understand the relative status of anyone, much less his own place in that hierarchy.

To every rule there is an exception. Your uncle is the exception to the Ironman rule.

[Anonymous]

People are confusing the issue. Fancy strollers, clothing (unless very subtly worn) etc are the opposite of what OP is talking about.

I have several extremely wealthy - for generations - relatives who drive medium-level cars, shop at regular stores, etc. they DO vacation a lot, have a lot of household help, live in fancy neighborhoods in less ostentatious houses than their neighbors, and spend an enormous amount on education (one has sent 10 grandchildren through private college).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Northface

No. They've alienated their base. It's Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Patagonia now. North Face is for teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people jumping all over the "unintentional." Every purchase in life is intentional -- you had the free will to buy it or not. I'm guessing the OP wanted to just talk about status symbols -- someone buys a North Face bc they want a fleece and look turns out they're wearing what someone else considers a status symbol.

No one accidentally buys a NorthFace without caring, on some level, that it has a visible NorthFace logo. Don't be dense. If NorthFace is not an intentional, purposeful statement of status, I don't know what is.

Put another way, anything with an obvious visible logo, denoting the item as expensive (overpriced) is intentional.

I think of unintentional as things wealthy people do, for their own pleasure/enjoyment/whatever, that they do NOT do to display their wealth, but somehow inadvertently, indirectly displays their wealth.

I think the best examples were ironmans and SAHMs (where the family is not living frugally.)

It's pretty hard to think of examples because most wealthy people either shout it from the rooftops, or don't want anyone to know. Not much in between.

Sailing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cars.

Rich people drive Mercedes Benz.

Poor people don't.

They drive Kias.

Or Hyundais.

You're missing the point of the exercise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No. They've alienated their base. It's Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Patagonia now. North Face is for teens.

I just bought a Marmot jacket! Tired of the North Face ubiquitousness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No. They've alienated their base. It's Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Patagonia now. North Face is for teens.

I just bought a Marmot jacket! Tired of the North Face ubiquitousness.

Well there goes the "unintentional status symbol" status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Driving to a store that's less than a mile away.

Paying anything for kindergarten.

Taking medication that makes your eyelashes thicker or injecting toxins to make your forehead smooth.

Waxing parts of your body that no one but your waxer will ever actually look at.

This is all wrong. These things are either intentional status symbols (private school) or just insecurity (botox).

The topic is UNINTENTIONAL symbols of status. The person who said "competing in Ironman triathlons" got it right. Not because the competitor is really fit or hot or something, but because only the upper echelon of people can take the time and have the income to train for that.

Those in the know, know this. You need nannies to watch your kids for the HOURS it takes to train, big bucks to fly all around the US, expensive equipment and food, personal trainers/ coaches, elective medical procedures, sports massages, and on and on and on. A good tri bike alone costs $5,000. Look it up.

Joe Schmoe, GS-11 commuting from Burke, Va. and married to Julie Schmoe, GS-10, with 2 kids in daycare at that closes at 6:30, SHARP, is going to have a hell of a time carving out the hours a day to prepare.

The two people I know who compete in triathlons are a grad student who makes almost no money and my mentally-challenged uncle who works as a grocery store checker. It isn't the activity you are commenting on, it is how someone goes about it. You can be into triathlons without an expensive bike or you can be really into yoga without expensive yoga pants.

I said Ironman.

Still doesn't work. Same mentally-challenged uncle did an Ironman in Hawaii, although he didn't finish. He has a really nice group of people he trains with who help him get to races and raise the money to pay his way there. This kind of thing can be a status symbol, but lots of people just like the physical challenge and do it for themselves. Trust me, my uncle does not understand the relative status of anyone, much less his own place in that hierarchy.

To every rule there is an exception. Your uncle is the exception to the Ironman rule.

All of the people I know who do Ironman training have kids who are out of the house. It's not a status thing. It's an empty nest thing.

[Anonymous]

Quietly taking expensive vacations. private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No. They've alienated their base. It's Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Patagonia now. North Face is for teens.

I just bought a Marmot jacket! Tired of the North Face ubiquitousness.

Well there goes the "unintentional status symbol" status.

$100 for a fleece hoody? That's insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No. They've alienated their base. It's Mountain Hardware, Marmot or Patagonia now. North Face is for teens.

I just bought a Marmot jacket! Tired of the North Face ubiquitousness.

Me too. I remember a couple years ago at a Potbelly's near Chicago in a sort of Upper-upper-middle area - practically every single adult was wearing this UNIFORM. Jeans, New Balance, and identical NF fleece. I've never owned it, and it turned DH off - he doesn't want to look like everyone else, so he's actually self conscious about wearing a NF jacket he bought like nine years ago because he doesn't want people to think he's just blending in. He'll only wear Arcteryx of Canada Goose now...