How the upper middle class live

[LisaJool]

Apologies for yet another class thread but I find this fascinating. Off the back of a thread I started watching a TV series about British aristos and their stately homes. This lead to other YouTube videos and a podcast.
Some observations I made:

1. The women all have great bone structure with the infamous MN UMC swooshy hair.

1. A lot of "sleepless nights" and hand wringing about how they can maintain their homes, which they are "custodians" of. Many have had to do tours/homemade jams/souvenirs to try to bring in extra money. But, their dc go to private schools - surely the first thing you'd do is remove them from that to save money or get rid of the ponies?

1. Re decor, lots of chintz like you'd expect in lovely formal rooms but their kitchens look like something Kim and Aggie need to tackle. Clutter covering all available workspace, books, riding gear, pet bowls etc, lots of knick knacks. Someone on another thread stated that the 'clutter free' movement is a class thing, with it being a LMC to working class thing. Not sure if this is true but interesting all the same.

I don't know anyone who is truly UMC as in old money or landed gentry types. For those who are acquainted, what are they like and how do they live?

🙏

@Mammytothreelo Yes, always something lovely to look forward to! Skiing, riding in Winter (do we mention hunts here, or is it really not worth the aggro?), sailing, tennis in Summer...
We should do U/non U weddings too, but that might be too much of a bloodbath.

Hunts - you are talking to a fox lover here but if you really want to trigger me 😡As Oscar Wilde said "the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable”.

@vera99 A few years ago during a snowy spell, I opened my curtains one morning and there, completely still, was a fox in the middle of the garden. Dazzling. The most beautiful sight.
(we don't see that many foxes in the country)

Polo a big thing for the uc here... Check out polo wife Yohanna Hanbury (& German princess actual real aristocracy!) on insta, currently in Argentina with her gorgeous hubby Charlie Hanbury & three young daughters. Hers is the typical uber uc lifestyle, however love her page as a form of escapism & Alice Naylor Leyland's (mrsaliceinherpalace) also!

Of course, polo! Tsk, what's wrong with me, I never think about polo.
Isn't it a bit flash, though, if you're not a prince or a pro?

We are lucky to have a fox, 2 years old now (Ajax) who visits every night and now her daughter as well (Apple) they live under our neighbour's shed. She actually knocks on the patio doors. I can imagine frothing at the mouth if I got into an argument with a UC person on this matter. Probably get horsewhipped for my impudence.

@vera99 that beautiful face! Gorgeous girl!

@vera99

gorgeous. I can’t really see much difference between that fox and many of the small dogs I see around. Longer ears and nose but that’s about it.

"disagree about the bone structure but normally do have coiffed hair & very thin."

Judging by this thread they probably can't afford to eat!

@vera99 Incredible! I didn't know they could trust Umans (see what I did there?) She's so close!

I stood still looking at my fox, hoping he'd stay a moment, but I could feel him feeling me, iyswim, he ran. It was just so beautiful, that red, red fox on the snow.

Very good!😁

My family are regular middle class, but old, and yes, we do think ourselves a bit better than the royals :D I have better familial links to Elizabeth I than Elizabeth II did. Admittedly on the Boleyn side...

@thecatsthecats Does that make you another Boleyn girl, then?
UMC really are the descendants of the younger sons and daughters, aren't they?

It takes a very long time to establish their trust and even then she keeps her distance called the "fight distance" - so they can run away and we have known her since she was a cub. Urban foxes are far less shy than their country cousins and not likely to be shot by irate farmers, the night belongs to them. They belong to the same class of animals as dogs Canidae and are smarter than them. Dog bodies running on cat software.

Dog bodies running on cat software.

@vera99 that’s a lethal combination 😁

Beautiful!
But Dog bodies running on cat software. Great expression but
??? Careful please! My dogs are extremely intelligent creatures, you know!

More like an other other other Boleyn girl, fourteen times removed. Still better than the present royals though!

My family used to do cool shit. On both sides, actually.

Well why didn't you put on a red coat and chase him to death? You're not... common are you?

In other news, I heard that yellow flowers were non U. So I flammen-waffened the daffodils

Yes Diana was a decendant from Ann Boleyn's sister, Mary.

Please @thecatsthecats it's tea time! I want to hear it.

That will be why both her children married commoners then, the much thinner blue blood on the male side bringing the side down. 😀

@OhMaria2 re. Daffodils, bit hasty with the flame thrower, some charming specimens are not totally verboten, I am told.

I don't understand why you'd think I am not common I'd want to kill a fox? Or that I own a red coat? Do you think I am Father Christmas?

@vera99 apparently William thinks the show is hilarious 🤣

although I’m not sure if it’s offensive about the gypsy references 🧐

I've done t'quiz turns out I'm working class.

www.newstatesman.com/society/2022/10/quiz-which-social-class-are-you-upper-middle-working

46.1/100 - Working class