Middle class identifiers 2022

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I read a similar thread a few years ago & the main middle class markers were hummus, organic food, private education, boden, ski trips etc, farrow & ball..
Are these unchanged for 2022 or have the identifiers shifted?
Since the pandemic I've seen a rise in the "hipster" style MC especially the men, maybe the working from home has allowed them to relax into the unshaven, casual look which wasn't there a few years ago...
Private education seems to be on the wane but that may be due to the cost of living..
Any other main MC identifiers I missed?

Terms working class, middle class and upper class are dependant on income. No they're not, they're dependent on job. There may be some degree of overlap but a junior doctor could earn less than a plasterer but would be much higher up the ranks, class-wise.

I’d say that there are too many tribe in MC to give a simple list of markers. All my friends are MC. I live in a very sought after village with lots of MC parents at DC school. We all shop at different supermarkets: Tesco is popular, as is Aldi.

But there are a lot of garden offices and 4x4s (mostly electric now).

Insta mummies are definitely a thing. One has her own line of leggings and socks.

And everyone (except us) goes to Cornwall on holiday.

Those are pretty much the only common denominators.

And private schooling seems to be on the rise again too.

No. Officially they're dependent on occupation in the UK. A person in a traditional profession such as medicine or law is deemed middle class even if dirt poor. An electrician or plumber will still be officially deemed working class if they earn 6 figures.

The dry robe sounded very intriguing but on investigation I find its a coat. A full on coat when would you need this for getting dry after swimming. Or is it middle class to do swimming when it’s 10 degrees outside.

i also agree class is in no way as straight forward as it once was. It’s all mixed up with traditional trades paying mc salaries. MC is a state of mind, inherited wealth, a comfortable lifestyle and just having safety nets from private education, family money etc that you know that whatever happens you’ll always be comfortable. All the other stuff is so regional, even varying by profession sometimes. I think they are lots of niche little stereotypes rather than personifying the middle class.

Another observation from my own experiences is that the upper classes don’t care, in the sense that they’ll do and say whatever the fuck they like without being troubled by bourgeois concepts of morality.

They may not actually have money in the bank, but they have the connections and confidence by virtue of being born into them. The ones that do have money don’t talk about it, but they’re both frugal and profligate depending on what they feel like. Very confident and secure in regards to who and what they are. They’ve got more in common with the working class in that regards than they do the middle. There’s a lot more anxiety in the middle class.

Obviously generalising massively, but that’s the theme.

I don't need to work. I please myself what I do. Sounds UC, doesn't it? Nope, am retired! I don't watch ITV. I have an UC Christian name.
The only Coco in the house, however, is Pops. I don't drive.. is that because I'm UC & saving the planet? Nope, just never got around to it. I do buy Lurpak but have never heard of a Cortana - it sounds like an old Ford or a brand of towels. Aren't there enough coffees out there, for Heaven's sake?
I hate Joules & Boden. Why would I want to look like everyone else?
We're all just PEOPLE.

Now I come to think of it, though, I did know one woman (very church oriented) who wrongly assumed a man living nearby was gay because he house-shared with another man. She told a friend of mine that she wasn't sure I had had a pony when I was young, as I have a Northern accent.
She nearly fell off her chair at a coffee morning when someone asked what 'seize the day' was in Latin & I answered him. She thought she was the bees knees because she was a teacher.. ?

Somehow think, being so judgemental, she'll have to work a little harder to get into Heaven!

I love middle class ID threads. They are populated by the socially insecure and the clambering wannabes, who think your position in life is more important than your role.
If you like hanging out in your local with every possible strata of class then in my book your sound.
As some one who is often wrongly identified as a brassy, airhead blonde it is incredible how peoples behaviour towards you changes when they find out what you do.
Aspire to be kind and inclusive rather than clamouring to be in the ‘set’. Being a lovely person transcends class.

🤣😂 at anyone who thinks Joules is middle class! Cheap, nasty garments.

I think it’s pretty broad. But I also tend to think as people move upwards it becomes less labels, more hand me downs and quality natural fabrics, getting shoes properly mended etc rather than buying latest fashions. My sense of those looking for visible markers like wearing visually obvious labels/styles (Ralph, tods etc) including on their children are likely simply hoping to be perceived as middle/upper class, mistaking cost for class. The haircut frequently being a bit of a giveaway, particularly on men. Food wise, COL aside, quality fresh food, higher end shops (Waitrose but also independent shops, butcher etc) although plenty of MCs love a bit of Lidl . . .

@cafedesreves what kinds of jobs do you typically see from the students parents at private schools?

I'm really curious as to what the deal is with lurpak, I've never had it, I don't think you can buy it here in Ireland? Pretty much everyone here uses Irish butter. Is there something wrong with UK butter? Why has this Danish butter got a hold on you all? So many questions.

@sunja mine is in London so it might be different from a school in other agencies. But working in business, banking, consultancy, law, some doctors. Both parents working the majority.

Sorry not agencies - areas!!

I have/do lots of the things mentioned on this thread, and even have a white poodle (recently rescued) who is currently with us on holiday, in a cottage in Tuscany.

Im a cleaner and carer (I have another job too, but those are the two I enjoy most).

You are who you are. You do/have what you enjoy.

Im working class, and proud. I read a lot; follow current events; don’t watch much TV; ride my bike to work… all the things mine and my friends’ working class parents did,

Yes, I wonder what sort of household income for say MC would be? As I enter my 40s, I also think there are lots of people who are fairly hard to classify especially in London e.g. civil servants, university lecturers, third sector workers i.e. folks who don't work in the city or IT and won't make it to the top of their career i.e. lots of folk who say earn between 60-90k which in London isn't loads and won't ever make 100k. What are they?

Isn't it also about career success i.e. most civil servants won't ever make it to 100k in London but historically were always mc but nowadays? Same with the charity sector - International development super mc usually but pays peanuts. Or the creative i.e. designers, photographers, architects etc etc etc - the most successful ones will be earning loads but most won't be

@cafedesreves very interesting. I imagine it does vary up and down the country but I would also think those professions do tend to send them outside of London too

It’s not that we aspire to have purchasing patterns and hobbies that match our social class. It’s that we find ourselves doing these things without even realizing it. I am the furthest thing from trendy. I don’t watch mainstream tv. We rarely see commercials. We definitely don’t fit in with most of the people in our very homogenous neighborhood. Yet, we seem to keep buying things just like them.

I bought a new car late last year and drove up to my big stores click and collect service in what I felt like was my unique choice of vehicle. I had to special order it and everything. Then another very similarly shaped and colored vehicle lined up. Pretty soon there were 11 of us, in almost identical cars, shopping at the same store, having our groceries brought out at the same time. They were a variety of manufactures, but we were still the picture of conformity. I took a picture and sent it to my husband because it was so ridiculous.

And when it comes to butter, surely anything spreadable is WC....so Lurpqk yes but only a block and unsalted. Unless you know the provenance, most salted butter is lower quality butter mixed in with some salt. So just make you own with decent butter by adding in salted crystals

But working in business, banking, consultancy those are not quite the same as being in a proper 'profession' though. Follow the Asian/Jewish family examples to see what's 'acceptable' - medicine, law, accountancy and then some business or allied healthcare professional (dentist, optician...) for younger members of the family .

But none of those jobs pay enough cash to be middle class in today's Britain.in London, gps really don't earn enough

I’m weirdly obsessed with our butter. It’s not from the family dairy of our milkman but one 25 miles away. It’s like the good French butter I saw as an au pair and nothing like supermarket stuff. Much heavier, extremely low water content.

I take it back. I’m not middle class I’m bourgeois. (But god, it makes superb pastry)

What do you mean by middle class? I would say GPS are definitely middle class

@864dgu45 sorry

Working class butter
Still love my £5 Lurpak Spreadable

I’m in the US but most of these are probably the same in a lot of places in the UK:

Teslas or Audi E-trons if you can get one
Oat milk lattes
hot yoga
Doodle dog of some kind
Seeks out expensive ”clean” skincare and makeup but still gets Botox and filler
shops better less, no fast fashion instead buys from brands that claim to do better like Sezane and Veja
Designer bag bought “pre loved” because it is much more sustainable