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

[Anonymous]

God I love all of the dick waggling in this thread. My favorite is the humble bragging.

"Oooh well I don't even KNOW if my meager income makes me upper class. I don't even know how much I make, like maybe it's $3.552 million dollars a year but it just feels like so much less, you know? I'm just like the rest of you (peons)!"

[Anonymous]

What is this DCUM obsession with class markers?

Don’t you people have anything better to do?

[Anonymous]

I have an international circle of friends. There is a diversity of financial profiles, but I'd say that *courtesy* and *culture* are what marks the upper class everywhere in the world.

Actual money depends on the cost of living where they live, so it's hard to compare. But being well-brought up means being welcoming to strangers and staying focused on the comfort of your guest or the interests of your fellow conversationalist. And having a general understanding of current global events and cultural happenings is the mark of someone who has the time, wealth and interest to keep abreast of the times, and be educated enough to put them in their proper historical perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cut the guesswork out. I break into their homes, dig around their office, and check out their financial statements. I’m not taking any chances.

Lol! Only then can we befriend them! After all, I wouldn't want my kids mixing with anyone with less than tens of millions in assets; they might catch poor germs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just because someone has the clothes, new cars, fancy camps, second home doesn't mean they aren't up to their eyeballs in debt and on the brink of bankruptcy. Just because they are spending like they have it doesn't mean much and doesn't signify class. When it's all taken from you, then what?

Yep! That's where the confidence comes in. The truly UC can truly afford their lifestyles. It's not borrowed money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is this DCUM obsession with class markers?

Don’t you people have anything better to do?

Nope, nothing....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long does a family have to making that income before considered part of that class?

We now make over $500k (but $200k of it is bonus), but haven't been at this income very long. I do not really feel top 5%.

Money does not give class. The Trump's are proof positive that money does not buy class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long does a family have to making that income before considered part of that class?

We now make over $500k (but $200k of it is bonus), but haven't been at this income very long. I do not really feel top 5%.

Money does not give class. The Trump's are proof positive that money does not buy class.

I can't stand the guy, but he was at one time the most powerful person on earth. I think that qualifies at UC. It just means that Americans don't hold each other to the same social standards other nationalities do.

[Anonymous]

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?

Mother and children are frequently together? In the same place?

Gauche new-money behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have an international circle of friends. There is a diversity of financial profiles, but I'd say that *courtesy* and *culture* are what marks the upper class everywhere in the world.

Actual money depends on the cost of living where they live, so it's hard to compare. But being well-brought up means being welcoming to strangers and staying focused on the comfort of your guest or the interests of your fellow conversationalist. And having a general understanding of current global events and cultural happenings is the mark of someone who has the time, wealth and interest to keep abreast of the times, and be educated enough to put them in their proper historical perspective.

Funny, because culture and courtesy have nothing to do with social class status.
-have lived with people of insane wealth and people with very modest means

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I said that her son looked nice and she said commented that it was a custom made.

It did fit beautifully. Probably one reason I noticed. This was for a 9th grader.

This is the tell. UC says thank you and leaves it at that. UMC says it was custom made.

[Anonymous]

If all of someone's children are as well-behaved as you describe, OP, they are being abused. They are afraid to be real. People who raise robots are controlling and abusive.

[Anonymous]

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?

When I pull up to them and ask if they have any Grey Poupon, and then they say 'but of course' and drive away, then I know they are upper class.

I laughed. Then I felt old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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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+.

It doesn’t matter what you “consider yourself.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have an international circle of friends. There is a diversity of financial profiles, but I'd say that *courtesy* and *culture* are what marks the upper class everywhere in the world.

Actual money depends on the cost of living where they live, so it's hard to compare. But being well-brought up means being welcoming to strangers and staying focused on the comfort of your guest or the interests of your fellow conversationalist. And having a general understanding of current global events and cultural happenings is the mark of someone who has the time, wealth and interest to keep abreast of the times, and be educated enough to put them in their proper historical perspective.

Funny, because culture and courtesy have nothing to do with social class status.
-have lived with people of insane wealth and people with very modest means

+10000