Do Sloane Rangers still exist

[Arbesque]

There used to be a lot of talk about them in the early 80s. Young people from wealthy families living rent free in expensive parts of London. The girls often worked in easy going jobs- helping out in a friend's gallery or somesuch, to pass the time until they married some Rupert or Hugo and moved back down to the country. The men walked into high paying jobs in banking because of their connections.

Jilly Cooper used to write brilliantly about them. Do they still exist or are they an extinct breed?

Yes they most definitely still exist. My friend at work was one and has raised two more - blonde, sporty (lacrosse), expensively educated, gap year in S America, languages/art subjects at Durham/Edinburgh, jobs in PR or the City. Braying, entitled, a bit naff.

braying lol ! Love that word! Actually makes me think of Jilly Cooper type novels!

Yes - I worked with one. Her family were close friends of minor royalty and she used to name drop at every opportunity. When I was caring for my elderly parents and never had a moment to myself one of my colleagues used to talk to me sympathetically about my situation. Sloane Ranger would chip in with comments like "Well I'm busy too . . . I've got to take my diamond earrings to the jewellers this weekend for insurance valuation". Fortunately she decided that full time employment was incompatible with her social life so she left.

Kinda, but they aren’t the same breed as in the early 80s - much more dilute and divided.

Some have got richer, some poorer like the rest of the country. Women work much more now. Girls get the same educational attention as boys. Private school fees are a much bigger stretch, house prices the same , so it’s harder to live the life. The coming out season which was limping then is now long dead.

That book really captured a moment in time actually, before Thatcherism changed everything.

Style-wise, I’ve seen a lot of those enormous padded headbands around.

Yes and a lot of them live in the countryside. Always have to speak Very Loudly and love to keep a queue waiting in the village shop by talking to the person on the till. A huge vehicle ( that could double as a tank) is an essential accessory.

I'd agree they're more country these days. An old university friend of mine is part of a group of friends who fit the new description.
Live in very posh villages, go up to London for shopping and champagne lunches. The headbands have been replaced by Uggs and platinum blonde straightened hair. Tbh, if it weren't for Dad's money they'd look more Towie than Jilly Cooper.

This post has me wanting to read some trashy Jilly Cooper novels - where should I start?

Yes, on my sisters road the last 3 new flats (700k plus) have sold to parents buying them for their blonde dc 😆

Yes absolutely. Rife in the countryside.

@Luredbyapomegranate I see the opposite. The family houses have been long paid off years ago and there’s more money for school fees and holidays. There’s plenty of money for investments and small businesses which means Sloanes aren’t required to get proper jobs.

the grown up blokes all wear red trousers and are well spotted

Riders was the original one, but I enjoyed Rivals a lot more, and didn't read much behind those. There's at least one scene in Riders which I would class as a sexual assault at the very least, so be warned.

The ones I do reread are her series that were originally written as long short stories for girls' magazines and then rewritten as short novels: Harriet, Prudence, Imogen, Emily, Bella, Octavia, and then Lisa and Co which is a book of short stories. They have a sweetness to them that I really enjoy.

My son was at St Andrews uni, they must certainly do still exist and some of them still wear Barbour jackets and posh wellies. Although in general their style is less frumpy these days. Seen in groups having cocktails or brunch and organising the polo club socials, almost all blonde.

Yep in the countryside and zone 2 though rather than around the eponymous Sloane Square.

Yes they really capture that sloaney world . As does her book of short stories, Love and other Heartaches.

All of the young women are just toying with temporary jobs while waiting for a rich husband to come along. Much of their working day was spent having boozy lunches and sorting out their love lives on the phone. The minute they got married they abandoned work and moved to some country pile to have babies and acquire loads of dogs.

This thread has inspired me to download and listen to a JC book. It’s laughably superficial, isn’t it? Good for housework. I’m listening to Emily.

I loved Octavia. She spent her time partying and clubbing and living on some kind of allowance, then got her come uppance when it all fell apart and she had to get a job. The horror!

I suppose Princess Diana was a sloane. All those tanktops and Laura Ashley skirts.

Susannah Constantine's autobiography is a great snap shot of this way of life

Haha. Where’s that clip from?

Exhibit A: Kate Middleton

Yep
The all live in Tunbridge Wells now though
And drive Range Rovers
And think they own the fucking world.

Wasn’t Kate Middleton regarded as an upstart because of her (hardworking) parents, though? Didn’t the braying types nickname her Waity Katey and Wisteria?

Yes and make jokes about doors to manual.

There's no end to their wit 🙄

No, not all are living in Tunbridge Wells (I live there and haven’t seen many). Try Sevenoaks or some of the villages outside of town 🤪