Middle class life

[Blueandsilver]

Not one of those goady or provocative titles. I suppose I see Mumsnet in this bracket although perhaps less so than maybe ten years ago.

I’m just thinking things like Downton Abbey, John Lewis, national trust memberships, NCT classes, Volvos, Labradors.

What else?

Ouch. Genuine mistake - was typing on the hoof while shopping, rather appropriately for this debate, for sushi in M&S food hall. Pretty embarrassing for a professional writer 😬 but thanks for pointing it out so kindly.

And the whole point of my posts @Cam22 is that I have no bloody idea

Of course. Hmmm

Typing as you walk? That’s not a very classy thing to do. Hope you didn’t get in people’s way.

A large television, particularly when stuck into a wall, is not a middle class must have.

what about if you're short sighted?

I love these threads as I always wonder where you place the Rooneys ( Wayne and Colleen).

Are they still working class despite living a multi millionaire lifestyle? Does their money mean they live a middle class lifestyle but are not middle class due to their working class background.

Colleen shops at Waitrose, their children are privately educated, multiple holidays a year surely they're not still working class are they?

In my MC city suburb (MC not upper MC) it's kids wearing Boden, mums in Vejas. Vinted and charity shop finds and buying things like prams secondhand are very in. Buying local from the fishmongers, cheese hamlet and butchers.

And contrary to a previous poster there are loads of Volvos here - that big Volvo crossover car is very popular in black, alongside similar model black BMWs and Audis.

@Lykia Colleen & W would be wc but their dc when grown up umc I reckon.

that big Volvo crossover car is very popular in black,

it's incredibly popular in my part of SW London,

Middle class = you parent, rather than being one.

You have "family time" rather than spending time with your kids. Usually at a National Trust place.

You have a pure breed dog rather than a mongrel. Or you have a mongrel, but call it a cross-breed. Same applies for cats.

Having an expensive SUV or other expensive car to leave it at the railway station all day

I am probably middle class in terms of income and type of job, but definitely not in terms of aspirational lifestyle and hobbies or car driven. Although we do have a National Trust membership. And I like pesto.

They will never be middle class.

They are pretty much uneducated for a start. They probably don’t own proper books. Their conversation would be limited, to say the least.

I would feel completely lost with people like that.

Think lottery winner. The money you have won gambling will not change your class. It’s not the way it works.

No. Their children will not be middle class because their origins are so basic.

See an optician.

Coleen left school with decent GCSEs so whilst shes not WELL educated, shes hardly uneducated. Not sure about Wayne but he's learnt hid craft and progressed in his career so I'd question the idea that he's thick even if it isn't FORMAL education.

Given the boys are in private school, its unlikely they have no have no "proper" books and clearly value education for their kids even if they didnt pursue it themselves.

I mean its possible that he can only converse on football and she only talks about nails and babies but it shows a lack of imagination from you to assume that they're limited in what conversation they have.

He has the morals of a skanky alley cat and she needs a good talking to but im not entirely convinced you'd be better company than her

Coleen left school with decent GCSEs so whilst shes not WELL educated, shes hardly uneducated. Not sure about Wayne but he's learnt hid craft and progressed in his career so I'd question the idea that he's thick even if it isn't FORMAL education.

Given the boys are in private school, its unlikely they have no have no "proper" books and clearly value education for their kids even if they didnt pursue it themselves.

@Cam22 what on Earth do you mean? The Rooneys have worked as hard as any lawyer or investment banker. You don't get to the top of any profession without a lot of work and risk.
'Basic'? !!

And their children may well get degrees and do all manner of exciting or worthwhile jobs.

Ah but its ones basic breeding stock i think Cam refers to. They probably consider themselves more Prize Bull / Brood Mare types whilst the WC are the ones eaten by the folk who shop at Lidl

Fair point. I did mean she was uneducated to higher education level. I imagine you realised that.

To clarify:

Fair point about my use of “uneducated”. GCSEs though? Hardly brain taxing stuff.

You have omitted some apostrophes. Not sure I would want to be seen near you.

Like the Beckhams, you mean?

Oh good, it worked!

You didn't say "they don't have brain-taxing education", you said they were basically uneducated. Which implies barely literate and numerate

The Rooney's seen to have taken a very different approach to the Beckham's re the kids. I know they're still young but there seems to be no thrusting of them into the public eye. I don't get the impression they live the same "glitz and glamour" lifestyle that the Beckham's aspire to. The Beckham kids have an over abundance of opportunities and Brooklyn at least seems unable to settle. Hopefully he'll do better at marriage. But you know what, all three Beckham lads work and modelling is no less reasonable a job for them as it is for anyone else. Not everything is measurable by the letters after your name

It might imply that to you but she is only educated to a pretty BASIC level as far as examinations are concerned. I have no idea whether he is educated even to that basic level.

A few GCSEs do not suggest a high level of education.