Middle class identifiers 2022

[Pullandpush]

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?

Yes, that would mean that the majority of people were working class if working class = work, any work. That would include titled upper classes who work.

That's why for 'socio economic' purposes the occupations are divided into categories. C1, C2 and so on.

But no matter how much money you have or how much hummus you'll buy from Waitrose, there will always be someone who judges your class on your accent (first and foremost), your parents, and where you went to school. 😅

Has anyone noticed this at some children's parties. They almost mirror the adults in some ways, asking one another other 'What do you do?' They're talking about hobbies and extra curricular!

I used to be MC but school fees have gone up a bit so I no longer get a Waitrose delivery, and instead actually have to visit Lidl. I guess that means I am no longer welcome in The MC club.

I don't believe it does. I wouldn't judge people by where they shop, and personally know far more middle class people who shop at Aldi and Lidl than Waitrose.

Cold Water Dipping
Dry Robes
Rab

@ComputerQueen I recruit into Management Consulting - it's competitive, we recruit exceptional candidates. Everything is talked about, sometimes the very mundane, rarely the stockmarket, Boris will always get slagged off, no one discusses workout routines, occasionally they will talk about near misses whilst cycling to work, food is talked about a lot, everything from restaurants, streetfood, cities to eat in and booze, all kinds and in depth, pets, kids and travel, house prices and occasionally sport. Maybe we are too low-brow.😂

I agree with a lot of the things listed which are doing things. But the things listed that, so called, middle class people buy are red herrings and the people who buy them often just want to look MC. It’s all about the image, hence a lot of moderately well off people getting into debt, because they pretend to be what they’re not. I know this because I was married to someone like that - forever pretending to be someone he wasn’t. Got him into a lot of trouble in the end.

Challenge accepted!😁🍷

Electric 4x4s
Solar panels
Fox red labradors or working spaniels
Constantly dressing like you're going on a DofE expedition
Freddie's Flowers
Wreaths for everything

Not RTFT, but yes, Lurpak at £5 a tub was a shocker for me in the supermarket (Asda, not MC).

I tend to have the shittest car in the Aldi car park :D

I get the thread - I do !

I would just hate it if anyone thought I was middle class. It makes me feel creepy I don't know why. Categorising people according to tastes and values is so crass and typically it is what middle class types do.

There are times when you go somewhere and just know you do not fit in. It's a weird one. Mums and tots groups are great for this... where the mums dress like hippies and their children's hair is long and unkempt, but the tone of their voices and the patronising way they speak to their child letting you know volumes is so ridiculous and a middle class trait.
God help me for even joining in here :) )

I'd add to that, 'bright' colours, loads of inspirational quote posters

I’d think “inspirational quote” things are lower class - B&M and Home Bargains have loads of that stuff.

But 'middle class' and 'nouveau riche' are two of the most undefinable terms in the English language, one by adoption.

I have to disagree on the dog front. I think labs are cliche MC for the countryside, but the new MC / wealthy young people thing is rescue dogs. I volunteer in a dog charity and the people that take the dogs live in million pound+ homes, always someone working from home, plenty of estate for walking - it's fascinating.

There was also a Times article on this.

I fit the cliché with two rescues myself.

Yep 😂

I’m finding this fascinating reading! Not quite sure where I fit in though… I like houmous and pizza but don’t have a garden office…. 🤓

A lot of these things are what I’d regard as upper class. What’s the difference between middle and upper then?

My list. From the Urban brand of MC around here.

Sourdough
Flat White
Fasting
Pizza Oven
Outdoor kitchen
Fresh herbs
Ottelenghi
Veja Trainers
NewBalance for men
Working from home
Being 'away' with work
Spanish Restaurants
Everyman Cinema
Festivals
Street food
Bookgroups
Cold water Swims
Dry robe
Owning a wetsuit
Extension
Crittle Doors
Herringbone parquet
Loaf Sofa ( probably velvet in a 'colour')
Spanish tile
Mid Century Chairs
Ercol
F&B and now also Little Green Paint
Younger children in unbranded clothes
Birkenstocks
Real Christmas tree
Gin
Growing Dahlias
David Austen roses
Lidl/Aldi
Road cycling
Buying a picture from the Artist
Cubits glasses
Counselling
Men pushing prams
Garden Room
Cockapoo or Shnauzer or Sausage dog
Kids that play cricket
Theatre tickets
Collagerie
Matilda Goad
Jo Malone
John Lewis

In my village, taking in a Ukrainian family is peak MC.

No other refugees, certainly not the darker ones.

Shoes on in the house = middle class. Shoes off in the house = working class/lower middle class.

Own brand butter in Tesco is £1.75 fgs!

Yes I would add Rescue Dogs

I was catapulted into a different world in 2020 by getting into a relationship with a high achiever and getting a good job that I have just been promoted in. From a 9k a year household income and living with my dc on a council estate to an 85k a year household income and living in a village. The power of love is cash

I now come into contact with a lot more lower and upper middle class people who just have way more time and cash to do nice things like go on holiday, weekend trips away to green spaces, buy sustainable furniture that lasts much longer, buy better quality food and drinks, have better gardens so they sit outside more, live in areas with more green spaces, pay for outdoor activities, go fell walking because they can afford to get to the lake district etc. The privilege being a longer life lived.

I think the height of middle class is a fire pit/wood stove. You literally sit there burning your money because it looks nice!

What’s a cortado?

Working class - you have to work to live. You're going payday to payday, struggling, and don't have any choice really on how to spend your time or money, or use the space that you have.

Middle class - working, but lots of choice about how you spend your time and money, and use the space that you have.

Upper class - working maybe - and stable income from other places too.

Everything else is just trends and social markers.

And anyone saying that certain jobs / careers are open access - this is absolutely not the case. Firstly you have to know they exist, know how to find them, and tell them the things about yourself that you've actually done, that they want to hear. If you literally are spending all of your income on just getting by, you don't have the time or headspace to do this, and this is generational too.

My FIL lives a very frugal, off-grid sort of life. Complements himself on it. But he has had property and investments throughout his life (boosted by a private education that he certainly didn't give to his children) that have enabled him to do this.

I agree with all those {mention:sunglassesonthetable}.@sunglassesonthetable. I live in a very MC area (we bought a complete reno job, only house on street yet to be extended).

Everyone has kayaks or SUP, dogs, road bikes for the men, yoga for women. Pretty flowery front gardens (roses, dahlias, penonies etc.) veg patch back gardens. Muted tones for baby clothes.

Interestingly I think private schools are on the wane because of catchment areas effectively make decent state schools private. There is a very highly regarded state secondary near me and you can easily pay £200,000 more than average for a house in catchment. There are whole roads where the same house on opposite sides cost vastly different just because one side is in catchment. People pay the private fees through their house prices now