What screams old money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Barbara Bush.

No. They were new money.

[Anonymous]

Old money is quite subtle but here are some possible get giveaways:

1. Middle name is usually mothers maiden (or old money fathers family name, I.e. Barbara Pierce Bush, an ode to her ancestor cousin President Franklin Pierce on her father’s side).
2. Does not speak about money the way average people do. The reality is, many old money families have lost their original wealth or do not have the massive amounts of wealth of new money like Jeff Bezos, but they have heritage, class and skin in the game, placing them in an elite class mere wealth can’t touch.
3. Old cars (sometimes), but it could be a second car for the family trip to the summer home or for hauling. It could include something like an old Land/Range Rover, a Volvo station wagon or some classic American car. The main car may be newer.
4. Usually they have East Coast, including New England, Northeast or Mid Atlantic ties/ancestry, no matter where they were born or grew up. Comedian Alexandra Wentworth (married George Stephanopolous) is a descendant of the early English settlers who came here on the Mayflower. Obviously, George W. Bush was born in Connecticut but mostly raised in Texas.
5. Speak with distinction and do not usually have the local dialect accent, which is not accidental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old money is quite subtle but here are some possible get giveaways:

1. Middle name is usually mothers maiden (or old money fathers family name, I.e. Barbara Pierce Bush, an ode to her ancestor cousin President Franklin Pierce on her father’s side).
2. Does not speak about money the way average people do. The reality is, many old money families have lost their original wealth or do not have the massive amounts of wealth of new money like Jeff Bezos, but they have heritage, class and skin in the game, placing them in an elite class mere wealth can’t touch.
3. Old cars (sometimes), but it could be a second car for the family trip to the summer home or for hauling. It could include something like an old Land/Range Rover, a Volvo station wagon or some classic American car. The main car may be newer.
4. Usually they have East Coast, including New England, Northeast or Mid Atlantic ties/ancestry, no matter where they were born or grew up. Comedian Alexandra Wentworth (married George Stephanopolous) is a descendant of the early English settlers who came here on the Mayflower. Obviously, George W. Bush was born in Connecticut but mostly raised in Texas.
5. Speak with distinction and do not usually have the local dialect accent, which is not accidental.

That's WASP. Not old money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Barbara Bush.

No. They were new money.

The Bushes certainly are not new money, but amassed billionaire status through George H.W.‘s oil fortune. But his father’s family was in the railroad and banking/finance businesses, so they already had wealth, class and status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Barbara Bush.

No. They were new money.

The Bushes certainly are not new money, but amassed billionaire status through George H.W.‘s oil fortune. But his father’s family was in the railroad and banking/finance businesses, so they already had wealth, class and status.

Bushes aren't anywhere close to billionaires.

[Anonymous]

Supremely confident, even if they are completely incompetent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Barbara Bush.

No. They were new money.

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Supremely confident, even if they are completely incompetent.

This describes many many many many not close to old money people I know.

[Anonymous]

not getting a facelift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hasn't had a real job in years, but lots of time gardening, serving on boards, planning charity galas, going on subdued vacations.

This. Vacations: staying in a family home or staying with old family friends rather than staying in a hotel. Also any casual mention of a "Family Office."

[Anonymous]

Not having enough food when you invite people
An old cottage in Maine or Nantucket that has been passed down

[Anonymous]

Middle name is usually mothers maiden (or old money fathers family name, I.e. Barbara Pierce Bush, an ode to her ancestor cousin President Franklin Pierce on her father’s side).

You forgot one crucial aspect of this custom: if their actual surname is not sufficiently high status or renowned, then all their pre-college friends will call them a nickname that is derived from their more-famous middle name. The first time I encountered this, I actually thought it was cute. The tenth time, not so much.

[Anonymous]

House smells like wood and clean surfaces. Not like air freshener or febreeze couch spray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old money is quite subtle but here are some possible get giveaways:

1. Middle name is usually mothers maiden (or old money fathers family name, I.e. Barbara Pierce Bush, an ode to her ancestor cousin President Franklin Pierce on her father’s side).
2. Does not speak about money the way average people do. The reality is, many old money families have lost their original wealth or do not have the massive amounts of wealth of new money like Jeff Bezos, but they have heritage, class and skin in the game, placing them in an elite class mere wealth can’t touch.
3. Old cars (sometimes), but it could be a second car for the family trip to the summer home or for hauling. It could include something like an old Land/Range Rover, a Volvo station wagon or some classic American car. The main car may be newer.
4. Usually they have East Coast, including New England, Northeast or Mid Atlantic ties/ancestry, no matter where they were born or grew up. Comedian Alexandra Wentworth (married George Stephanopolous) is a descendant of the early English settlers who came here on the Mayflower. Obviously, George W. Bush was born in Connecticut but mostly raised in Texas.
5. Speak with distinction and do not usually have the local dialect accent, which is not accidental.

That's WASP. Not old money.

So am I. We're broke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old money is quite subtle but here are some possible get giveaways:

1. Middle name is usually mothers maiden (or old money fathers family name, I.e. Barbara Pierce Bush, an ode to her ancestor cousin President Franklin Pierce on her father’s side).
2. Does not speak about money the way average people do. The reality is, many old money families have lost their original wealth or do not have the massive amounts of wealth of new money like Jeff Bezos, but they have heritage, class and skin in the game, placing them in an elite class mere wealth can’t touch.
3. Old cars (sometimes), but it could be a second car for the family trip to the summer home or for hauling. It could include something like an old Land/Range Rover, a Volvo station wagon or some classic American car. The main car may be newer.
4. Usually they have East Coast, including New England, Northeast or Mid Atlantic ties/ancestry, no matter where they were born or grew up. Comedian Alexandra Wentworth (married George Stephanopolous) is a descendant of the early English settlers who came here on the Mayflower. Obviously, George W. Bush was born in Connecticut but mostly raised in Texas.
5. Speak with distinction and do not usually have the local dialect accent, which is not accidental.

So am I. We're broke.