Things that are unintentional status symbols.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a big distinction that needs to be made here: blue bloods vs. upper middle class. Upper middle class people are generally much more concerned about education and dietary restrictions than blue bloods. BBs may have gone to Harvard because they were legacies (much tougher today) but it's not because they like sitting around the fireplace discussing great literature. Intellectual pursuits and dietary concerns are more of an upper middle class thing.

There's definitely some overlap, of course. There are plenty of people in the DMV area who are upper middle class with blue blood ancestors. Along the way much of the money got spent (sounds like PP's friend who refuses Asian cars), so economically they're upper middle class, but they still cling (fear of status loss?) to BB values.

But the thread is about status symbols generally, not just upper crust blue blood legacy type of nonsense.

Yes, of course! But some people have linked dietary restrictions to BBs, and I was trying to sort out that difference.

[Anonymous]

Wearing a non-plastic Timex watch.

[Anonymous]

Moving your family from Potomac or McLean to DC.

[Anonymous]

Inherited furniture

[Anonymous]

heirloom jewelary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:heirloom jewelary

The ability to spell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bitching about not being able to get parts for your 15 year old Saab. But refusing to give it up.

Who said I'm bitching? I do take a secret pride in thinking it's much more elegant than your Explorer, however.

Why are you more concerned about elegance than functionality?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thanking the waitstaff at a restaurant.

Actually, quite the opposite. The Kennedy girls would always say "thank you so much" in a slightly breathy voice.

So true. Well bred people are always polite. It's nouveau riche people who act like asses to servers and customer service workers.

I agree with much on this thread, but I also agree that a lot of people aren't "getting" it. Some of the claims made me laugh... organic milk? I buy that because it lasts much longer than regular milk. Traveling abroad? My dad was a career fed for DoD... we lived practically everywhere NATO was. A lot of third culture kids speak other languages; I do (German and Spanish). Old car? My parents drove the same Volvo for 25 years, because it was a good car, and that's the ONLY reason. No makeup? That's only because I'm rushed in the morning and five year olds don't care. Correct grammar and spelling? Well, that's just how I roll. Some of the assumptions here are ridiculous.

I'm a teacher, BTW, living in genteel poverty in a third floor walk up in DC. I can't afford to move. My apartment is rent controlled so I'm stuck here. And yes, I do WALK to the grocery store with a granny cart, which is not meant to signify anything to anybody. It's just how I get to the store.

Are we the same person?!?

[Anonymous]

Returning beer to the store

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Returning beer to the store

Huh? Returning wine to the sommelier after you've tried it is upper middle class (although not BB).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wearing a non-plastic Timex watch.

Wearing a simple watch (not one of those crazy-busy watches with dials for London time and the humidity).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Moving your family from Potomac or McLean to DC.

Yes totally!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think special diets in general. It takes a certain kind of privilege to willingly forgo food.

What makes you think all people on special diets actually want to be on those special diets? Some people don't eat food that will kill them.

I think PP was referring to the people who are on special diets from preference rather than medical need.

Exactly. It's not the people who actually hav celiac. It's the blue bloods that are trying out gluten free to see if gluten is the cause for their frequent headaches, as opposed to the real cause of being frequently "over served" at Kenwood.

Oh gawd, PP... Kenwood is NOT where bbs belong, that is Chevy and Chevy only...

Lol. I'm the Kenwood pp. I was going to say Chevy Chase but couldn't remeber if the proper name is Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase Country Club or if it's just referred to as Chevy Chase. Gawd forbid I used the wrong name

You are funny, PP! Dont worry, all you have to call it is "Chevy" and dont worry about the rest. That is what the "right" people (i.e., long time members) call it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carpool lane numbers in the front of cars.

good one!

What is this?

Its a little placard you display on your front passenger window so the school knows which child(dren) you are picking up. Often for private school. Can also be for public school children who don't ride the bus. (We don't have a bus because we are less than 1 mile away, so we drive.) Either way, there is usually a SAHM driving the car.

Not always. At our Catholic school, we have carpool #s and we're all just big Catholic families toting our numerous kids around in mini-vans out in the suburbs.

[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.

Yes indeed.