WTAF

[HeCantBeSerious]

Someone on a FB group wanting these. Got a mouthful of abuse for suggesting it might not be a brilliant idea to put these anywhere near a baby given the obvious naffness choking risks. Apparently they're fine because they just get clipped onto the pram hood and not the baby.

WTF is the point?!

Most comments were aimed only at the rhinestone dummy, not the people who buy them, whom I'm sure are from varied and diverse section of society, given how we all have different tastes. So who exactly are you defending, Salem?

Chav is a word used to always describe people who are generally poor or from a poor background.

No, it isn't always. It's often synonymous with vulgar/ new money etc etc Not the most pleasant, obviously...

I knew somebody would just have to jump on that spelling mistake of yours, Oswin. Pity

This has been bothering me - isn't it normal to find portmanteau words amusing? I laughed at 'chavalanche' the same way I laughed at 'four by four' or 'elevenereife' or 'fivehead' (a really big forehead) the first time I hear them, because they're a good bit of wordplay bound up with an insult, which is designed to tickle the funny bone. Is it really not okay to find that funny?

I would never in a million years call someone a chav, because it's a shitty, classist word, like I would never call someone a 'four by four' as it's a shitty, misogynistic thing to call someone. But is it really so bad to laugh at the wordplay? If so, I feel bad.

What is a 'four by four' other than a car?

No, it isn't always. It's often synonymous with vulgar/ new money etc etc Not the most pleasant, obviously...

It could be said that the dresses on Gypsy Wedding were chavvy dresses, they were bloody expensive.

I've never heard it used to describe vulgar.

Fair enough posters just saying it's horrible. It's when it's used to make assumptions about the type of people who like said item it gets a bit nasty.

As for names I wouldn't dare write my nieces on here. My niece is lovely and her mams lovely my brother is a twat but that's a whole other thread.

People just have different tastes it's a bit shit too look down on anyone really.

I am a vulgar new money type and so that chav insult is often directed at me and I am allowed to say that I find it offensive. It is a way of saying to people like me, how dare you try and better yourself or have nice things.

I think there is a difference between judging somebody for making unpleasant remarks about people and judging somebody for just trying to buy something nice for their child.

I've never heard it used to describe vulgar.

It is, look up dictionary definitions. Cross class too also.

Cross posted with philoslothy. Similarly I know of somebody (not giving away the details, but it's not uncommon) who was bullied at an elite institution and nick named 'the chav'

What is a 'four by four' other than a car?

Someone with four children by four fathers.

judging somebody for just trying to buy something nice for their child.

It's not for the child though, is it? The baby can't even see it if it's put where it's supposed to be.

Ok then daring to buy something nice for themselves

People on here, and in real life, judge wearing Boden, Joules, Fat Face, White Stuff and SeaSalt just as much and class is as 'mumsy'.

I quote from a Style and Beauty thread about Boden:
Yes. The clothes are fairly MOR. I find thier styling off putting. Just a bit aggressively affluent white middle class. Makes me want to run to the nearest sports direct and buy a tracksuit.

See, judging cuts both ways.

Each to their own, as long as it's safe then let them be. It's not having an impact on your life is it?

It's not really the same though, is it Desolate. No one is really going to be looked down upon or be hindered in day to day life (in the work environment, for example) for being "too middle class". They will be for being a total "chavalanche" though.

I went to a university that is considered an elite institution. I am quite old so I don't think the word chav existed but I was given an awful time for basically having the audacity to attend a university and not be middle class and even worse not particularly wanting to. The same happened in my first job. If I were in those situations today the same bullies would be calling me a chav. I do get called a chav today but my skin is a little thicker but there is a definite attempt to belittle me and to remind me that I have ideas above my station.

I got myself a bracelet like that when DD was born (not with the ribbon on though). Was to remind me which boob she was on next.
I didn't get much use out of it because I switched to formula after a couple of weeks but it was so cheery to look at. Fair enough they might not be to everyone's tastes but it's so unkind to link something you personally don't like to being poor.

Philoslothy me too. My first "proper job" was also in a similar environment and the managing director once asked me if I was still in contact with my "baby daddy". Never mind the fact that we were engaged . They all used to speak so patronisingly (and were also horribly racist), ask me things like "have you ever seen someone get shot?" and started me at the lower pay rate than the other, more MC, girl that I started with. Safe to say I walked out.

Being labelled "chavvy" has such a negative effect on your self-esteem. People that think like that are the lowest of the low to be honest.

Well the example I gave the 'chav' was middle class, but not she wasn't upper/middle or deemed 'posh' enough hence the nastiness. This sort of thing is not uncommon

It's not really the same though, is it Desolate. No one is really going to be looked down upon or be hindered in day to day life (in the work environment, for example) for being "too middle class".

Not now perhaps (though some social situations another matter), but when I was at uni and applying for jobs I was told I was too posh for a particular bar job (jokingly but it hurt at the time) and another I was asked if I could tone down the accent!

FFS

Regardless of whether it is to your taste or not any one who thinks dangling this over their babies pram/cot/car seat is a good idea is a total eejit. More than likely it's been made by someone in their living room with glue and all sorts of sparkly shite from a cheapo wholesaler with absolutely no quality control. Those pearly beads are the just the perfect size to lodge in a babies wind pipe and kill them. But hey - each to their own yeah!! Don't judge!! NO!!!

I'm northern meck so only ever heard it used for Council house and violent.

I suppose the judging goes the other way too people take the piss out of the name Tarquin as much as they do say Mercedes.

Neither's nice really.

Each to their own, as long as it's safe then let them be

I'd be surprised if they were, all the rhinestones and decoration (I still want to know what they used to stick them, glue gun presumably?), but they're obviously meant to be kept well out reach of young children and toddlers.

I like the dangly with the name, not so the dummy . Headbands though give me the rage, so utterly ridiculous in every way.

Don't like the word chav either.

As an aside - did anyone watch Grayson Perry "Best Possible Taste"

www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-features/10117264/Grayson-Perry-Taste-is-woven-into-our-class-system.html