Which "class" - Lighthearted!

[dingdongdahlia]

So, my dh is very proud of his roots and is quite happy to tell everybody and anybody about how we're a working class family. Personally, I think class is quite an outdated concept but definitely think there are some things that are still considered wc/mc/us.

I've explained to dh that it's not as clear cut anymore and while he works a blue collar job, it's as much about lifestyle nowadays as your employment.

I say to my husband he's probably closer to middle class now because of tiny little things that make up our lifestyle but he denies it vehemently. I come from a very traditionally middle class family and he says he "dragged me down" (with a cheeky smile).

So, in the most lighthearted way possible, what do you think?

Dh works a very skilled manual job, he has an element of responsibility and although he achieved his role through an apprenticeship I would say his level of knowledge is pretty close to a masters in engineering. He calls himself a spanner monkey.

I have a professional role that is traditionally a middle class career.

We own our own home in a suburb of a city in the south coast. Four bed with garage, almost paid off (we're early 30s).

We eat out at least 10x a month at naice places and stay in nice hotels frequently as a couple (disclaimer: directly linked to my job).

We shop at Ocado and local independent butchers, greengrocers etc. Christmas meat is always bought from the butcher.

We have at least one foreign holiday a year with several other UK breaks throughout the year.

We have a cleaner (he hates this but hates a messy house more).

We have a bean to carafe coffee machine.

Our kids are young but it's looking like we will potentially send them to private school for secondary.

He snowboards and skis. Trying to convince me to take the kids on a skiing holiday (I'm not keen).

We own Barbour jackets (the wax variety that don't have the logo emblazoned all over it).

He's voted Tory in the past.

Obviously this is very lighthearted and a bit of a family joke. Just wanted to see what people think.

@CherryPavlova haha! Fair point.

I have to agree with SleepingSloth . Sorry. There’s just something about these posts that’s a bit enormously try too hard.

I think if you are shopping with Ocado and eating croissant in your garden and thinking gosh how MC am I, then you are lower middle class🙃

I'm of the opinion that if you talk about class, you have none.

That's a true marker of class imo.

(And, if you have to work to sustain any lifestyle, that makes you working class imo)

'...Income is irrelevant really, my neighbour is a millionaire but is very definitely working class as are most footballers. Wayne Rooney has money but he's not middle class is he?...'

They would be nouveaux riche

Yeah, I would go middle.
I actually have friends like this too. It is like they aspire to be working class and that it is somehow better than other 'classes'.
Probably still take the money of middle class though.

I think your DH is WC (and probably justifiably proud of himself) and you and the DC are MC.

I talk (well write) about class all the time atm as it's a big chunk of my dissertation. Tbh, I think income still trumps lifestyle in all class classifications...even Savage's BBC study.

I agree that the class you were brought up in probably affects you the most, I still consider myself WC even if my DS will be MC.

Side note -why don't you want the DC to go skiing? It's much better to learn when you are young and have no fear.

Lol, got to love the nest of vipers.

@Meandmetoo I actually think that's pretty accurate regarding working to sustain a life makes someone working class. I think that categorisation would probably upset a lot of people.

@BeardedMum spot on.

What a ridiculous thread.

Ask your husband that if he really does consider himself to be working class then how on earth does he reconcile that with voting Tory. What a disgusting and despicable thing to do to his fellow working class folk.

Anyway you sound like a pair of knobs and he's particularly bad for clearly romanticising a section of society who are likely to face struggles he never will.

@Camomila I've never been before and not a big fan of snow. Terrified we'll rock up for a week and I'll hate it/hurt myself.

Yes you'd be very lucky to get secondary for £20k per annum! But £40k per annum say for 2 kids from post tax income would surely be more than your dhs salary?

@idrunthroughanairportforyou the vote was certainly a bit of moment for me.

And for the rest, I'll take being a knob for a bit of lighthearted curiosity.

@Hollowvictory As I said ballpark but fully aware that it'll be up there.

And no it's not.

The problem is that I'm not sure it is lighthearted. (Well actually your post is and you do seem like a nice knob to be fair) The class system itself however is not lighthearted and instead serves as a tool to oppress the vast majority of our citizens. It also makes people feel like shit. And there is nothing worse imo than a Tory voting working class person. Sorry I can't see by it.

What I do enjoy though is the other posters wading in to somehow prove they're more middle class than you (what?! 20k for school 😯 that's nowhere near enough!) 🙂

Got to love Britain 🇬🇧

I think you're desperate to be mc and probably a bit dis3 to be wc and married to a blue collar tradesman.

@idrunthroughanairportforyou

Though bourgeois of you to say so!

Hollowvictory - OP is MC (she says she is in a professional role), nowadays class tends to be defined by the highest level of qualification/profession in the family, not automatically by the mans.

Steps back off feminist soapbox

@Hollowvictory give it up and stop being a sad bastard. He's obviously not a typical blue collar worker and I've no idea why you're desperate to undermine the op financially.

My prediction is he earns around the 100k mark in a highly specialised role and the op probably does pretty alright as well.

@Flaxmeadow I know 🙈 too true.

You're not mc if you're married to a tradesman regardless of your own job. Also 'professional' can mean anything

Yup agree class is about what you do, who you socialise with, what hobbies and persists you have.

Your DH sounds v middle class! Especially the private school for the kids thing.

@Hollowvictory what a lot of shite.

The other Hyacinth Buckets will be glad you're gatekeeping the great middle classes and keeping the tradesmen out though 👍🏻

You're welcome! ❤️

What I do enjoy though is the other posters wading in to somehow prove they're more middle class than you (what?! 20k for school 😯 that's nowhere near enough!) 🙂

It’s more likely people who teach or do admin in private schools bringing some facts to the table, rather than desperately trying to prove something.

My millionaire scrap metal dealing neighbour kids all go to private school. Still doesn't mKe him middle class. Many wc people have aspirations to send their children to private school again aspirations don't make you mc. Footballers tend to be working class, regardless of income or school choice. David beckham is working class. And proud of it.