Anonymous wrote:Why do the rich people on DCUM want to seem as boring as possible? I’m new money and I just love to be happy. I have an old car (don’t care) and a new Birkin. I don’t care what it screams or whispers. I’m just loving my life.

I like your juxtaposition of old car/new Birkin. I can tell that you are cool and no one cares how recent your money is, or whether you got money even, people want to be your friends.

Anonymous wrote:Crappy house with great family antiques. Cause the money is gone but granny's stuff stuck around.

Lol this is so us. DH is old DC money (with former hippie parents) and I swear the art on our walls is worth more than the house itself. We rolled up the antique rugs when we had kids, but they’re in the basement waiting and are much nicer than the Wayfair ones we have out now. Marrying into old money has taught me that the sweet spot is having enough money to bail your kids out and help with the big things, but not so much that they get comfortable with having nice things. Work for your money, but don’t lose sleep over something going wrong.

Go away, OP! Your posts are literally boring me to tears.

Why do the rich people on DCUM want to seem as boring as possible? I’m new money and I just love to be happy. I have an old car (don’t care) and a new Birkin. I don’t care what it screams or whispers. I’m just loving my life.

I feel like what these threads are *actually* asking is ... what subtle cues could I convey to obtain some kind of social advantage?

The reality is that new money is often going to be more advantageous in many social situations, as new money can afford the multiple nanny / multiple home / vaca all the time lifestyle that DCUM covets. Old money is only advantageous to those who "know," especially as future generations rarely have the OG money. But because it's DC, people are trying to strive for the veneer of whatever their social ideal is, and no one's ideal is "new money" - so people want the $$ signifier and the class signifier and are tying themselves in knots trying to figure it out.

End of the day, my view is you can front the WASPy old money thing, but unless you have the pedigree, it won't get you anywhere. And if you don't have the new money baller cash ... you just don't. (I include myself in this FWIW.) So just do what makes you happy - and if the snobby private school moms aren't into you, then they aren't your people.

Anonymous wrote:Old money does not "scream" anything.

Yep. Best.response.ever.

True.

Anonymous wrote:Driving a 20+ year old car. We drive a Honda Civic, gift from my parents when I was in grad school. DH’s family is old money and DH does not care about cars as long as it runs and is reliable. DH’s family made their money in banking and finance.

We have a friend whose family is also old money. You would recognize their name. Guy drives a 21 yr old Bentley. Carries around his surf boards on top.

Ha. This is my family---and my New England family. I have a 2006 CR-V, dents and all. We completely don't care about cars or wearing name brands.

Anonymous wrote:a subscription to the New Yorker

My mom had two subscriptions to the New Yorker. And was old money. Lol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dunno. Go drive around Greenwich, CT or Scarsdale and tell me the ratio of 1998 Civics to luxury vehicles.

Just because they live in Greenwich OT Scarsdale doen’t Mean they are old money. Most are new.

I grew up in Connecticut so I have fairly extensive knowledge of the dynamics of Fairfield County and its environs. Greenwich is definitely old money.

Yep. 1/2 my family is Greenwich, the other half New Haven.

Greenwich is old $.

Except for all the hedge fund managers who bought into Greenwich. Lots of new money there.

Anonymous wrote:Driving a 20+ year old car. We drive a Honda Civic, gift from my parents when I was in grad school. DH’s family is old money and DH does not care about cars as long as it runs and is reliable. DH’s family made their money in banking and finance.

We have a friend whose family is also old money. You would recognize their name. Guy drives a 21 yr old Bentley. Carries around his surf boards on top.

This. Old money doesn’t have to advertise itself through cars. They’ve got the house hidden from the road, lots of old jewelry and antiques, and a resume with the right schools and connections. Who cares about cars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Barbara Bush.

No. They were new money.

+1. She was really indiscreet and nouveau, sorry.

Anonymous wrote:To me it's women who shop at Brooks Brothers. And for you?

It’s men who shop at Brooks Brothers and think nobody else knows how to tailor a jacket.

The Women’s clothes are meh even for old money, and the woman I know who shops there is a middle class striver (but a nice person).

Anonymous wrote:Old woman with too much perfume with lipstick that goes up through the wrinkles around he lips who talks over her H who ignores that she is talking over him but she is gratuitous never takes her eyes off you while she talks, she touches your arm when she talks.

The old man smells of old cigars talks a little loud and raspy he is talking about himself but not in an arrogant way but because he tells stories.

Eww

Old money does not "scream" anything.

Anonymous wrote:seersucker
smocking
pantyhose
legs crossed at the ankles
delicate understated jewelry
classic timeless clothes

Disagree with delicate jewelry. Understated, yes.