I feel like this thread has turned into "things that mean you're well off." That's different from an unintentional status symbol.

The Carmex in Ireland example or ski lift tickets on coats actually answer the question.

Anonymous wrote:When your credit card company pays you to use their card. Getting a check from your credit card company for at least $500+ annually for purchases made and your company can never charge you interest or late fees because your credit card is paid off every month.

Yes!

Owning a trained house pet. Says you likely have the money to:
-procure a critter
-attend dog training class
-find pet friendly housing
-feed and vet the dog

You don't have to be wealthy, but in this area you can't be poor and do it.

1. Never speaking of superiority to others. Never asking "I wonder how they can afford xxxx..."

2. Wearing winter coat with ski lift tickets you forgot to take off.

3. Summer swim team for children.

4. Cotillion (unintentional for some)

5. Homeschooling

6. Owning your own horse and caring for it yourself.

7. Jack Russell terrier

8. Fox hunting

Impeccable manners, articulate speech, proper grammar and usage with an expansive vocabulary.*


*although...my dad grew up in poverty and attaining all of the above (and a college education and graduate degree) opened doors for him and allowed him to proudly raise an upper middle class family.

Never having any money. Only the most sheltered can get through life without ever sullying their hands with actual cash.

No makeup with clear skin. It takes a whole lot of money to keep up with all the supplements, dermatologies, lasers, serums, creams, etc.

Living in the hood. The cost of my large apartment on 14th Street is significantly higher than my mortgage on the gigantic house in Maryland. When I was a child, there were hookers and drug addicts all over, now it is the height of urban chic.

Not driving. See above. It is a luxury to live right downtown. We pay an arm and a leg to be able to walk to work, restaurants, and recreation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SAHMS period.

That is just silly. Plenty of people without a lot of money SAH.

Lol right! I SAH, we are not wealthy whatsoever. I watch another child during the week, and work a few nights a week while my husband watches the kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people use sheets and pillowcases that don't match?

I do! My bottom sheets always wear out first. The pillow cases and top sheet will still be fine. I'll pick up just a bottom sheet because that's all that needs replacing.

I do the same thing with bath towels. The bath towels wear out, but the wash clothes and hand towels will still be fine. Rather than replace the whole set, I'll just pick up new bath towels.

I always mix up my sheet sets, and I'm not "poor." Most of my bed linens are from Garnet Hill and good quality. It just pleases me to use a different color or pattern top sheet and pillowcases than the fitted sheet. They don't clash; I make sure of that. But I like an attractively made bed with pattern and texture. And I seem to be an outlier here... I always make the bed in the morning. Just seems to put things in order and the makes the rest of the room appear less messy. Call me bourgeois.

You may not be but you ma'am are trashy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people use sheets and pillowcases that don't match?

I do! My bottom sheets always wear out first. The pillow cases and top sheet will still be fine. I'll pick up just a bottom sheet because that's all that needs replacing.

I do the same thing with bath towels. The bath towels wear out, but the wash clothes and hand towels will still be fine. Rather than replace the whole set, I'll just pick up new bath towels.

I always mix up my sheet sets, and I'm not "poor." Most of my bed linens are from Garnet Hill and good quality. It just pleases me to use a different color or pattern top sheet and pillowcases than the fitted sheet. They don't clash; I make sure of that. But I like an attractively made bed with pattern and texture. And I seem to be an outlier here... I always make the bed in the morning. Just seems to put things in order and the makes the rest of the room appear less messy. Call me bourgeois.

Not having student loans.

When your credit card company pays you to use their card. Getting a check from your credit card company for at least $500+ annually for purchases made and your company can never charge you interest or late fees because your credit card is paid off every month.

Not having a car payment.

Back in the 1990s in Ireland, at university, carmex lip balm in the distinctive yellow tin - it proved you had been to the US....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I couldn't make it 3 pages into this thread. It was cerebral vomit.

Question: "what things that are unintentional status symbols"
Answer: "stay at home moms"
Answer: "expensive strollers"
Answer: "having a nanny"
Answer: "ivy league pedigree"

ALL OF THOSE ARE OVERT, INTENTIONAL AND NOT ALL ARE STATUS SYMBOLS!

In fact, the whole premise is bust, if it's considered a status symbol, it can't be 'unintentional.'

There are obscure status symbols that are only recognizable to those in the know...but that is very different.

Overt (crudely so) status symbol: trying to establish your intellectual superiority with inflamatory phrases like "cerebral vomit."

Inadvertent status symbol: revealing your confidence in, and consequent lack of need to flaunt, your intellectual abilities by correcting other posters' misuse of the word "inadvertent" in a kind and even humorous way. Sends the message that your game isn't about being "right" and winning, rather you care about accuracy. Now that sort of quiet confidence is impressive, whether you intended it or not.

*sigh* the hypocrisy of the scold I am sure is lost on the scolder. It's humorous considering the scold made it 35 pages in to a DCUM 'guilty pleasure' thread

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people use sheets and pillowcases that don't match?

If this is an honest question, then I'm guessing you don't know any low-income people, do you?

She/he is being funny.