What makes a person 'common'?

[Karlwho]

In your opinion. Just interested.

Naming your child after you.
Spitting.
Shirtless men.
Driving a huge car when you don't have a large family.
Removing your front lawn and replacing it with huge swathes of concrete/pebbles.

When I was a child "doing the pools" was definitely common. I never actually found out what they were, I just knew it something people like us didn't do

Also flying on holiday to Spain and going to the fish and chip shop, except after a day at the beach. Definitely common according to my DM (going on holiday to a wet campsite in Wales, was perfectly respectable )

Pierced ears on babies.
Pedigree dogs.
White Range Rovers.

Well when I was young wearing leopard print used to be terribly common...

Ankle strap shoes. According to my mother in 1984. I still get such a thrill wearing ankle strap shoes. I am clearly as common as they come. Fucking fantastic.

Behaviour in public like:

• spitting
• swearing at their kids

My mum would say giving a Greggs product to a toddler/baby in a pram. I have done that!

Common is what each section of the middle class call the section below them to distinguish themselves from them. So you can tell where you are by what you particularly hate.

Smoking and bad teeth.

Saying 'off of' as in 'off of the table' instead of 'off the table' - it hurts my ears. Living in Essex. Watching Love Island.

I think the lists reflect some people's ages. For example, I am not keen on tattoos but they are quite mainstream these days.

Also reading anything but the Times, the Guardian or the Independent.

According to the latest gf thread, smoking outside the school gates and talking about the morning after pill.

Virtually eveything mentioned above, but a rare one, courtesy of my DM:
Unlined curtains.

It’s funny the number of people saying shoes off indoors is common! In Asia you would be considered unbelievably rude and common to leave your shoes on in someone’s home. It’s disrespectful and unhygienic.

My mother thought baked beans were common. I never had them till I went to university.

I suppose it's hard to convey sarcasm through a screen.

Being offended by things easily.

When I was growing up common was defined as;

Wearing gold sovereign rings or gold 'mum' rings.
Hefty gold chain bracelets
Tattoos
Net curtains
Swearing
Spitting
Smoking
Women drinking from pint glasses

Anything classed as 'undesirable' to some I guess.

Shoes off indoors is common?? Genuinely gobsmacked. I have always thought the opposite. Where I live now it is considered very disrespectful to keep your outdoor shoes on inside someone's home. If I ever move back to the UK I will be bringing this rule with me because it's a very good one.

Growing up we were told;

Licking off your knife
Eating with mouth open
Going outside in pjs / before being washed etc
Loud volume laughing
Anything for the table not decanted into an appropriate receptacle
Swearing
Dressing inappropriately ie low cut top, too short shorts etc
Any signs or wear and tear in your clothes not dealt with properly
Unironed clothes
Boasting about anything

I have never used the phrase myself as an adult, (certainly have never said it to my own kids) but these things have stuck with me and I do end up double checking myself!

Tricky D - you must be my sister. Unlined curtains is literally the first thing I thought of!

The cast of Shameless and Benidorm. Karen Mathews type.

For me it’s shirtless men, women in leggings and tops that are 2 sizes too small, people screaming at their kids and swearing (unless someone has really hurt themselves or it’s something really serious)!

I am surprised at how many people on this thread keep saying tattoos are common. They’re really not. People from all different walks of life have tattoos now. I think you can be snobby about how well they are done (my dh is - he is covered in them but goes on waiting lists for amazing artists, he’s incredibly snobby about people who go into seaside tattoo studios for an “I love Dave” type tattoo) but I don’t think anyone can look at someone with tattoos and think they’re common anymore.

Babies dressed in football kits 😂

Drawing attention to yourself

Sauce or milk bottles on the table. Or cereal boxes. I have small dishes for ketchup.
Nail polish on fingers (strong colours especially red-that signified you were not only common but a tart according to my mother).
Plastic handles on cutlery.
Not knowing how to use a knife and fork correctly.
Eating soup with a dessert spoon or cereal with a soup spoon.
Slurping got drinks.
Eating with an open mouth.
Bleached hair with roots showing by several inches as an actual style (I'm looking at you exH's gf - common as muck).
Big fake eyebrows.
Trout pouts and selfie addicts.
Smoking cannabis.
Smoking and vaping.
Drinking alcohol in the street.
Belly tops.
BMWs on the drives of rough as fuck council estates (looking at you exH).
I could go on.
I'm very judgey.