When you meet other moms and their kids, what signals upper class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

MC live in a 1500 square foot house or less and camp for vacations.

What if the 1500 sq ft house cost $2M ? Because that's how real estate works is some markets.

This totally counts. As the PP said location and quality matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

MC live in a 1500 square foot house or less and camp for vacations.

+1 the mom in OP's post clearly has lots of money. No one doing those things is "middle class." That said, there are all kinds of rich people and they act differently. My parents are very wealthy and they would never live in a 6000sf new build house in a suburb, nor do they have any interest in St Barts or Aspen or scene-y places like that. They live in a 150yo house on a horse farm and wear rubber boots most of the time.

^ See, that's the giveaway. If they have a horse, never go on vacation, and only wear rubber boots. That's how you know. Anyone else is just a poseur.

But only if you're British, which we aren't. There are MANY different type of UC Americans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

We have a HHI that puts us at the top 1%. I do not consider ourselves UC. We live a very UMC life. Our lifestyle hasn’t changed much from when we earned 500k to now earning more than $2m+.

[Anonymous]

A SAHM with an educated American or British nanny with her and the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

We have a HHI that puts us at the top 1%. I do not consider ourselves UC. We live a very UMC life. Our lifestyle hasn’t changed much from when we earned 500k to now earning more than $2m+.

Your lifestyle doesn’t change what socio-economic class you’re in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

We have a HHI that puts us at the top 1%. I do not consider ourselves UC. We live a very UMC life. Our lifestyle hasn’t changed much from when we earned 500k to now earning more than $2m+.

Your lifestyle doesn’t change what socio-economic class you’re in.

Why not? Isn't there a social part to it? It's not just income derived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

NP. Fair point, but many areas are more densely populated with statistical UC that don’t conform to “expectations.” We’re statistically 1%ers, but nobody would ever think so. According to DCUM, we behave more like garden variety MC, but the house price/location and single income indicate UMC. It gets muddled in areas like this and OP doesn’t quite know how to classify (ha!) what she’s observing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

We have a HHI that puts us at the top 1%. I do not consider ourselves UC. We live a very UMC life. Our lifestyle hasn’t changed much from when we earned 500k to now earning more than $2m+.

Then "what you consider" doesn't match objective reality. You're UC, choosing to live a MC lifestyle. It exists, and you are living proof. You are also not alone in living below your means!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

We have a HHI that puts us at the top 1%. I do not consider ourselves UC. We live a very UMC life. Our lifestyle hasn’t changed much from when we earned 500k to now earning more than $2m+.

Your lifestyle doesn’t change what socio-economic class you’re in.

Why not? Isn't there a social part to it? It's not just income derived.

Ahhh, now you're thinking lie a European with all the tastes and habits and snobbery, etc. Socio- in the American sense means that you focus on education, will probably pay for your kids' educations, give them opportunities, etc. You don't necessarily need to have all the tastes of the UC, just the ability to buy the opportunity other UC folks buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

NP. Fair point, but many areas are more densely populated with statistical UC that don’t conform to “expectations.” We’re statistically 1%ers, but nobody would ever think so. According to DCUM, we behave more like garden variety MC, but the house price/location and single income indicate UMC. It gets muddled in areas like this and OP doesn’t quite know how to classify (ha!) what she’s observing.

Ok, so normalize all those numbers to your local area then. They are going to be so dramatically different. Maybe a few people fall out the bottom, but not many.

[Anonymous]

Do some of your brain cells self-combust when writing idiotic statements such as '[all] UMC women are pretty'?

[Anonymous]

If you need to ask, you will never attain your desired spot in your perceived rarified upper class social strata.

Be nice. Be kind. Be gentle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking of a mom who is very well put-together, trim, and pretty. Her kids are well behaved, other than a short-lived pout, and the family lives in one of those nice custom homes spanning 5 or 6,000 square feet in a good school district. The kids are wearing nice clothes, brand name shoes and go to nice camps.

The family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and may travel back to their home country in August.

Is this spot on? If not, what signals wealth with families in the DMV?

This is MC.

Upper class is articulate, confident kids who can communicate with adults and children alike. All family members are trim and fit. Vacation at St Barts, Aspen, and Europe. Have at least one vacation home. Multiple kids in private school. Kind and not snobby. Live in 2500+ Sq ft house.... I say that because size doesn't matter as much as location and quality. House (no matter size) probably cost 1.5+.... I say this because some people just don't trade up as they age. They stay put, like Warren Buffet. Nice cars, may or may not be expensive, all in good condition.

It’s upper MC.

No it takes being in the top 2% in this city (or country) to sustain this. That is quantitative not qualitative. The only other way to define UC would be the way Europeans do, by royalty and titles. This is America, we define it by money. The top 2-5% are UC. Most have the above lifestyle. There will always be someone with more, but it doesn't mean you are UMC because you know someone with more.

+1

Top 5% income in US is 200,000. I don’t consider that upper class.

If you have top 5% wealth ($3M in assets) combined with HHI of top 5% (~300k in 2022), you are UC statically. What "you consider" is not an objective measure and therefore doesn't matter.

Interesting. We have both of those (but on the lower end - DH makes about $325-350k and our assets are just over $3M) and I SAH. No nanny, no private school. Fun camps but nothing ritzy. No second home, nice vacation but modest lodging (not ritz or 4 Seasons.) Standard 90’s colonial in a nice enough but not posh suburb. Drive Hondas.

DCUM would laugh their a$$es off if I tried to claim UC status.

[Anonymous]

Genuinely who cares??? When I meet people I might think they are nice, rude, boring, cool whatever but I’ve never thought “hmm that person really comes off as a very rich person”. Unless they are planning on giving their riches to me, why would I be looking for “signals of wealth”? I seriously could not care less what the wealth status of another mom at drop off is…