To ask what social class you would say I am?

[flowersandcake]

Hello!

So my friends and I were discussing class issues and one friend told me that I would have 'no idea about anything as I'm upper class' and another strangly interupted and mentioned that I'm working not upper class? I personally thought I was middle?

My situation is:
5 bed house worth 900K, no mortgage
2 Teenagers
Lucky enough to pay for their uni fees and sixth form fees, both at private sixth form, one went to a grammar and the other a state secondary school
DD owns a pony and DS used to
DD plays the violin and DS the drums
2 holidays a year (one longer one and either a week in cornwall/scotland or a couple of weekend city breaks)
Household income of 110-140K depending on the year as DH is self employed and can earn up to 90K.

I promise I'm not boasting or anything, we give 10K a year to charity and DS is in the process of persuading his dad to give his uni fees to a charity.

So what class would I be in your opinion?

What did your grandparents and great-grandparents do?

I'm not entirely certain that UMC have ever posted on netmums, as you claim... so presumably you're not UMC?

Who is sitting on them - grandma or nana?

If you take the Royal Family as your UC standard, Granny would be sitting on them (and they would be in the drawing room or the morning room depending on the time of day).

Grandma on the sofa in the sitting room would be the MC household .

Upper class is for the aristocracy. So your DH’s/your parents would not have been, unless they were aristocrats of course!

Late Fox wrote a great book (sorry if it’s been mentioned already, I’m still on catch up. It’s called Watching the English. There’s a (again, sorry it’s a DM link) on her thoughts:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2608173/So-CLASS-YOU-A-wickedly-funny-perceptive-new-book-answer-hinges-favourite-marmalade-buy-M-S.html

@KittyVonCatsworth

Hilarious article! Thanks for linking .

Settee: Or you could ask your hosts what they call their furniture. If an upholstered seat for two or more people is called a settee or a couch, they’re no higher than ­middle-middle. If it’s a sofa, they’re upper-middle or above.

Clearly rubbish - thanks to extensive DFS adverts, I don't think many people under the age of 60 use the word 'settee' any more - it's gone completely out of fashion. Not so much a class thing as a generational thing.

Amused to see my dog is listed as one of the posh breeds - but the article omits to note that the breeds listed are all amongst the most popular breeds in the UK - they might be popular amongst the UC and UMC, but they're equally so amongst we lower-echelon types!

Given that you don't know, but care you are aspiring working class.

Because you are even thinking about what class you are you're middle class. Other classes don't care.

Farking hell, check out the spelling and grammar. My working class education has shone through 😂
*Kate Fox, not Late Fox btw! Her book is fabulous daaaaaahhling

Only aristocracy are upper class. You are middle class.

I think I know you! Is your dd called Violet Elizabeth?

Whatever Hyacinth Bucket was!

Really these days demographic is classed differently. So generally you need to forget the original class system and look at this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NRSsociall_grade

That article was great. I read her earlier book.
The pristine clothes comment made me think of the school uniform threads where it is often the private schools that have the thriving second hand uniform shops rather than the state.

Jeremy Paxton wrote a good one too. It makes me feel better about my borderline fetish for picking up discarded furniture!
www.amazon.co.uk/English-Portrait-People-Jeremy-Paxman/dp/0141032952?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Well I for one am loving this!😂
I live in a house worth 3.5m, all 4 kids have been privately educated, me n DH have 3degrees between us, we own 2 high end cars, go on at least 3 hols per year (approx 20g a throw) eat in well posh restaurants and go to the theatre at least twice a month.
I also love the NE Coast, fish n chips, kebabs, Benidorm (TV) and my cat is a mog called Shirley.
Working class here! We’ve worked hard for what we have and am v proud!
Dear OP, unless this was a wind up I feel a little sorry for you.

I'd say op is a stuck up show off myself

I would say this description puts you as well off, not necessarily any 'class'. You could be minted through inheritance or lottery win, or sheer hard work, but class is something you're born with, and a middle class family could be poor but well educated and with middle class values, a working class family could be well off because they work all the hours God sends!

well I suppose this thread has given OP a chance to show off about her lifestyle.
My daughter had a pony and I am poor unemployed scum.
Does that help?

I’d place you as lower middle class/ aspirational working class because

a) the only class signifiers you listed related to money
b) you’re spending time worrying about class
c) you say “living room”

Lounge / front room =working class
Living room = lower middle
Sitting room = solid middle
Drawing room / lots of reception rooms with different names = middle / upper middle

@Atalune

I find this all silly and if there are to be classes, we really need to add "twat" (not you OP!), but I like your test...

What paper do you read?

FT (and I call it the FT too, oh twat points outside of FT world!)

What do you use to wipe your mouth whilst eating?

I always make sure I stuff all the food in my mouth.

What’s your most used swear?

F* (Putain french version, twat or just Parisienne chic, hard to tell difference sometimes)

Hand me down furniture or high street bought?

Well my sofa came with my house, so technically hand me down, but it's 15k from Harrods (mortified) , that is twat if I had bought that myself

Those are the true markers

Well, I am working class. I don't really mind how much my house cost (more than above, I'm a fool as well as a twat, but it is lovely and has a pool and beach view, chateau time my lovelies, everyone come stay in the summer), I don't have a mortgage but that's because I don't trust myself to remember to do adult things like pay bills, I went to university because I'm fortunate to have the opportunity, doesn't make me or anyone else fancy, I don't agree with privilege, or elitism or inequality, so I am working class and will be staying that way.

Leaving me alone on the FT, I can be working class and read it, I read it on my way to work!

Other important questions I feel should be included...

Should chips from the chippy be in newspaper?

Do your parents/grandparents shake their heads sadly at the mention of Thatcher and quite mutter, "that bitch"?

Is Spain Costa del UK a desirable holiday destination?

Do you "do" cities when you travel?

Did your family connections get you where you are, fancy job and/or jail?

What would you choose, lavender fields or a vineyard?

Ok that last one is just to help prove I'm right.

If you were up perfectly class you'd know.If you were working class you'd know.(working class does not just mean that you work).
So you are probably middle class and sadly think others are interested/impressed in your assets.That is not what class is about and you don't,on the basis of this thread have much.

Did you marry your cousin?

No, then not upper class.

I genuinely mentioned those things as a close friend of mine asked a similar question on netmums I believe and they all asked her how much she earned etc

Well you talk about what your husband earns, not you.

Middle class. But talking about money pushes you to lower middle.

28k a year for two ponies!

People, starving, children, starving, everywhere.