Wealthy Southerners

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

Yeah this is a lie

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Less taxes, regulation and oversight = more wealth. Try it sometime, yanks.

Unless you're a woman who wants an abortion.

Or someone who doesn't want to live in a state which is at the bottom of every metric.

This. You don't see too many people clamoring to move to Alabama and Mississippi. Bad public education, bad health care, bad environmental rankings...I could go on.

People are clamoring to move to the south, it’s something that’s been going on for several generations now. Granted, Alabama and Mississippi are outliers compared to the rest of the Southern states.

Some people are clamoring to move to South to save 10% of income on taxes and cultural grievance reasons. Kinda sad when you think about the implications of this.

We have some of the highest property taxes in the country and nothing to show for it (bad schools, poor infrastructure, etc). Unless you own a corporate business no one should move here for tax reasons. To work at those corporations, maybe, but then you're paying high property tax and private education, so your take home is less.

Where do you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

Yeah this is a lie

Yeah, +100. Can we please remove the 14 year olds from
This list serve? Coachella wasn’t even a thing when the 30 and 40 somethings on here were in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

Yeah this is a lie

Yeah, +100. Can we please remove the 14 year olds from
This list serve? Coachella wasn’t even a thing when the 30 and 40 somethings on here were in college.

NP. What?? Coachella has been around since 1999. If are 42 or younger in 2022, it is very possible your friends went to Coachella.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people in the South tend to act rich even if they only have $200K income. It is nothing compared to NY, to answer the OP's question. Counrtry clubs and even private schools cost nothing compared to NY. Southern people more than northern people like the pretense of being rich. Sometimes the Southern people are even convinced of it, despite actual dollars, because of supposed family lore. Usually there is not much to substantiate. Southerners are so funny.

Bingo!

We are early 30s and pulled in 1.2M last year, this year around 700k. We live in a townhouse in DC, have one car, modest clothes, hate fancy restaurants, etc.

In DC we are nobodies and want to stay that way. My one splurge is our golf club.

I’d imagine someone in the south with our income and at our age would be in a mansion, big jewelry, and driving a Maserati. Different strokes. Our families are all the same and I think it stems from my grandparent’s frugality. They passed away with a 75M estate and their favorite restaurant was Wendy’s!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people in the South tend to act rich even if they only have $200K income. It is nothing compared to NY, to answer the OP's question. Counrtry clubs and even private schools cost nothing compared to NY. Southern people more than northern people like the pretense of being rich. Sometimes the Southern people are even convinced of it, despite actual dollars, because of supposed family lore. Usually there is not much to substantiate. Southerners are so funny.

Bingo!

We are early 30s and pulled in 1.2M last year, this year around 700k. We live in a townhouse in DC, have one car, modest clothes, hate fancy restaurants, etc.

In DC we are nobodies and want to stay that way. My one splurge is our golf club.

I’d imagine someone in the south with our income and at our age would be in a mansion, big jewelry, and driving a Maserati. Different strokes. Our families are all the same and I think it stems from my grandparent’s frugality. They passed away with a 75M estate and their favorite restaurant was Wendy’s!

A few factors with (some) Southerners:

1) Big fish in little pond syndrome
2) Low cost of living combined with low bar for big-fish success, esp if you are white male
3) Delusions of grandeur passed down through generations, maybe by now encoded in genes
4) Insularity. If you never leave the South, you never have to find out you are a nobody. If you do leave for a vacation, you can just parade around like you are royalty on tour for that short period of time.

[Anonymous]

*goes off to watch the original Dallas *

[Anonymous]

DC is filled with people who were the big fish in their home pond and come here to make it big.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

Yeah this is a lie

Yeah, +100. Can we please remove the 14 year olds from
This list serve? Coachella wasn’t even a thing when the 30 and 40 somethings on here were in college.

NP. What?? Coachella has been around since 1999. If are 42 or younger in 2022, it is very possible your friends went to Coachella.

Yeah, I'll be 40 this summer and I definitely went to Coachella a few times when I was in college from 2000-2004.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

Yeah this is a lie

DP. I also attended SMU and I believe all of this. Lots of not-rich kids, too (I was one).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people in the South tend to act rich even if they only have $200K income. It is nothing compared to NY, to answer the OP's question. Counrtry clubs and even private schools cost nothing compared to NY. Southern people more than northern people like the pretense of being rich. Sometimes the Southern people are even convinced of it, despite actual dollars, because of supposed family lore. Usually there is not much to substantiate. Southerners are so funny.

Bingo!

We are early 30s and pulled in 1.2M last year, this year around 700k. We live in a townhouse in DC, have one car, modest clothes, hate fancy restaurants, etc.

In DC we are nobodies and want to stay that way. My one splurge is our golf club.

I’d imagine someone in the south with our income and at our age would be in a mansion, big jewelry, and driving a Maserati. Different strokes. Our families are all the same and I think it stems from my grandparent’s frugality. They passed away with a 75M estate and their favorite restaurant was Wendy’s!

A few factors with (some) Southerners:

1) Big fish in little pond syndrome
2) Low cost of living combined with low bar for big-fish success, esp if you are white male
3) Delusions of grandeur passed down through generations, maybe by now encoded in genes
4) Insularity. If you never leave the South, you never have to find out you are a nobody. If you do leave for a vacation, you can just parade around like you are royalty on tour for that short period of time.

All of this applies to southern whites of both sexes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people in the South tend to act rich even if they only have $200K income. It is nothing compared to NY, to answer the OP's question. Counrtry clubs and even private schools cost nothing compared to NY. Southern people more than northern people like the pretense of being rich. Sometimes the Southern people are even convinced of it, despite actual dollars, because of supposed family lore. Usually there is not much to substantiate. Southerners are so funny.

Bingo!

We are early 30s and pulled in 1.2M last year, this year around 700k. We live in a townhouse in DC, have one car, modest clothes, hate fancy restaurants, etc.

In DC we are nobodies and want to stay that way. My one splurge is our golf club.

I’d imagine someone in the south with our income and at our age would be in a mansion, big jewelry, and driving a Maserati. Different strokes. Our families are all the same and I think it stems from my grandparent’s frugality. They passed away with a 75M estate and their favorite restaurant was Wendy’s!

A few factors with (some) Southerners:

Yes. And family name/lineage is everything. Even if the family money is gone, your last name is the ticket to social circles. And although PP above makes $1.2 a year and came from money, they would not be included in this circle because they don’t have the right name. Unless your old money was local, it still doesn’t matter. It’s really funny to someone who grew up just becoming friends with people we liked.

1) Big fish in little pond syndrome
2) Low cost of living combined with low bar for big-fish success, esp if you are white male
3) Delusions of grandeur passed down through generations, maybe by now encoded in genes
4) Insularity. If you never leave the South, you never have to find out you are a nobody. If you do leave for a vacation, you can just parade around like you are royalty on tour for that short period of time.

All of this applies to southern whites of both sexes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

How tacky! I’m so glad I went to a preppy old money college where there was none of this gross display of money. No one wore labels and these were the wealthy elite families on the east coast. Lots of old money. Simple basic cars and not flashy at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to SMU!

Actually, you'd be surprised. I went to a private prep school $30,000 a year, here in DC. And I can tell you that I saw way more wealth at SMU. And by wealth, I mean anywhere from millions to tens of millions to hundreds to billions.

I mean, I couldnt even count on three hand the number of kids I knew with private jets. It was so common.

Our RA's had to order us that no one was allowed to leave their entire wardrobe behind at the end of the year, as apparently it was somewhat regular for girls to do this and buy all new clothes for the next season. (Crazy, right?)

Girls used birkin bags to carry their books around.

As for cars- you name it, someone had it. Lambos, maseratis, ferraris, and of course your standard range rovers, bmws, mercedes.

I remember two girls got passes from school my freshman year so they could attend Paris fashion week and all the major shows. They posted pics of them on their jet, school books laid out.

Yachts were not uncommon, as was attending yacht week.

I knew a girl who flew my friend out to Coachella- she decided last minute, rented a jet (She didnt own her own- how gauche, right?) and bought everyone tickets.

So yeah. Now this was not every student, this was the upper echelon.

Which meant that the midline was still multiple designer bags, a really nice car, and European vacations.

Also, Dorothy Wang was in my year (though she transferred out). So that should give you some perspective of what was happening.

How tacky! I’m so glad I went to a preppy old money college where there was none of this gross display of money. No one wore labels and these were the wealthy elite families on the east coast. Lots of old money. Simple basic cars and not flashy at all.

To you it is. If they showed up to your preppy NE college they would think you looked frumpy.

[Anonymous]

My husband's mom is from TX oil money - his grandfather was an Oil Exec. While not uber rich by today's standards, it gave him (us) a very nice life. She has alzheimer's now - so I have been helping prepare/go through her home for sale and auction which gives a glimpse of the old school lifestyle. MIL was a Dallas deb - her gorgeous deb portrait from the 50s still hangs in her bedroom. Then onto Ole Miss where she was in an "old" sorority where she was active until she got sick with Alzheimers While she downsized from the "big" house, she still has lots of valuable original oil paintings and portraits of family members, hundreds of pieces of silver and English/Irish crystal, including 3 complete sterling silver sets with every fork, knife and spoon you can imagine, vintage clothing, including gowns and furs from the Neiman Marcus Trophy room (Mr. Marcus' private collection from the original Dallas store), 14 pairs of Ferragamo shoes in every color, 6 Chanel bags in all sorts of colors and a special cedar closet where all of the "good" clothes, coats and Chanel suits are stored. Now onto her children? How does that work. Well - at age 18 , each of the three kids received a trust of roughly 18 M each doled out by a trust manager until age 30. My husband received his back in the late 1980s so it paid for all of his schooling plus his first car and our first house. Anyway - you would never know that we even have this money - our house is nice but modest. Maybe we should have lived it up a little more! But I think this is a pretty basic mid level Texas "rich" story.