"I think its definitely a sneery class thing. People say That even people with money are called chavs. Yes those people are normally working class gone rich, or the children of working class gone rich people.
I have never ever seen it used to describe true middle class or upper class people.
Why is wearing gold and Burberry seen as a bad thing? Because its associated with being working class that's why."
It's not a sneery class thing really. It's a fairly accurate way to describe a certain type of individual regardless of 'class'.
If you've ever lived on or near a council estate you'll know exactly what it means; the type of person who hangs round the shops smoking weed, getting pissed, being abusive, wearing sports directs finest trackie bottoms tucked in socks and JD sports 'best' trainers, some of their mates might have a saxo or a corsa with 6x9's in the parcel shelf and bassline playing. They aren't really bothered about others opinions of them or have much consideration for others in general.
ofc it goes without saying not all weed heads, corsa owners or people who wear trackie bottoms are chavs.
Generally trying to pin it against working class isn't right because most of their mums will not be chavvy or necessarily from poor families even (but mostly they are from fairly poor backgrounds).
You won't see it used to describe many mid/upper class types because they simply won't fit into the description- you wouldn't describe Micheal Heseltine as black would you?-
Towie and Ali G aren't chavs, vicky pollarrd is, Micheal Carroll is, these people aren't...
www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-409087/The-Chav-Rich-List.html
This is where the 'sneering at working class done good' comes from, mis application of chav to professional footballers who have probably been training and focused for their entire lives and have never turned up pissed at the job centre wearing fake burberry and argos 'sovereigns' on a Tuesday morning..