To ask how do you know which things are 'tacky/common'?

[TheHydrangeas]

On here I sometimes see certain items, behaviours, homeware, fashion, makeup, etc classed as "tacky" or "common". Sometimes I can understand it, but other times it is things that seem pretty innocuous. Despite this you see this kind of unanimous belief that those things are "common". However I can't really find an underlying pattern to what is deemed to be tacky/common and what is not. Is there any kind of theme or pattern to this? One example is I remember reading a thread where a pretty popular brand of scented candles were classed as tacky.

I also want to say that I am not trying to portray other users negatively as judgemental or anything, we are all entitled to our opinions. I am just interested from a broader point of view - how do certain things become tacky or common?

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

It's because they've had good manners, courtesy and politeness drummed into them from early infancy and it's a hard habit to break.

If courtesy and politeness is drummed so firmly into the upper classes, why has Prince Phillip made so many appalling racist comments to people over the years?

The forelock tugging on here is so ferocious that people are in danger of pulling their hair out.

Prince Philip didn't spend his early infancy being brought up in the British upper class system.

@Grottyfeet

Oh FGS, what's wrong with Yankee Candle?

I don't even know what they are.

Finkelbraun I think you just about have it there. I’m a sucker for appearing insouciant 😂 Key word = appearing. At the same time I die for Strictly, and have the utmost respect for Dolly Parton, because she has the confidence to know how much talent she’s in possession of, which means she can look however she likes. I love the fact that she’s just herself.

loads of poshos have tatts

Instagram is bad in that it amplifies a small trend & then it's everywhere & then it's common. Happens very fast these days!

I worked on Bond street plenty of very rich people happy to flaunt their wealth. I think the trampy billionaire is a bit of an outdated stereotype.

I thought Farrow & Ball was common these days?

In the 90s, Adidas was considered a bit cool and indie. Now it's tacky. It's got nothing to do with the 3 stripes or the Converse brand, and everything to do with middle class perceptions about 'the type of people who wear

When did Adidas become tacky?

I got to page 5 and can't be bothered reading any more of this largely ridiculous and judgemental thread.

The comments below are the only 2 worth making.

Personally, I think caring what anyone else thinks is common. Properly posh people really don't do that and in fact, proper manners are all about making all sorts of others feel comfortable, not judging them

If you judge people for being common based on what they like or the trends they follow, frankly you're a bit small minded and insecure. It's almost as stupid as judging someone by their job

I'm struggling to work out what the point of this thread is.

Examples have been given of things which are or aren't tacky or common. It's a ridiculous and pointless distinction. I like the things I like and I'm sure the rest of you like the things you like- why on earth should it matter that arbitrary judgements are put on them?

I think there is a difference between common, which implies some sort of moral turpitude (like smoking over your baby’s pram, wearing a football top and shouting Ingerland whilst drunk, or otherwise appearing no better than you ought to be), and tackiness, which is just “something I don’t like, which looks a bit cheap and showy”. And both of those are different to just being dated or old-fashioned.

So a Real Housewives American kitchen, with a chandelier and chrome and marble everywhere, is tacky. A rustic farmhouse-style kitchen in a London semi would be dated. I don’t think it’s possible to have a common kitchen.

I think it’s tacky to assume that what you like is somehow ‘better’ than what poorer or less educated people like. Truly class people don’t judge other people’s taste.

@Chickychickydodah

Tacky is when someone pays a stupid amount of money for a basic item then brags about it. ( last week) Some z list Schleb payed £75 for a mask that didn’t fit . Very tacky 😛

75 big ones?! Wtf?! I was toying with the idea of buying a £13 one but thought it would be a step too far. Tbf if we get a 'second wave' it might be worth having one I really like.

@anonm

In the 90s, Adidas was considered a bit cool and indie. Now it's tacky. It's got nothing to do with the 3 stripes or the Converse brand, and everything to do with middle class perceptions about 'the type of people who wear

When did Adidas become tacky?

Adidas is not tacky! Maybe when head to toe on a baby including teeny trainers etc it can look tacky but Adidas will always be cool. (says she, middle aged single mum wearer of Adidas )

@GameofChess

Finkelbraun I think you just about have it there. I’m a sucker for appearing insouciant 😂 Key word = appearing. At the same time I die for Strictly, and have the utmost respect for Dolly Parton, because she has the confidence to know how much talent she’s in possession of, which means she can look however she likes. I love the fact that she’s just herself.

Dolly is pure class 👌🏼

"Pronouncing H as Haitch"

How do you pronounce a H? Huh? There is no other way than hay ch

"Cheap skirts cut on the bias do look cheap. They always have a teeeny weeny hem, and this makes them look shit. To hem a bias cut skirt properly it needs bias banding. This is very expensive to do"

You're still wearing them? Impressive....but tacky

@tankflybos Not sure if that’s tongue in cheek, but: Aitch. No “H”. In the same way that “Y” isn’t pronounced “ya-why”, and “F” isn’t “Feff”.

Oh FGS, what's wrong with Yankee Candle?

They smell of air freshener/toilet cleaner, is my problem with them. To be fair, I wouldn’t buy a jo malone one either. But they do smell less chemically than Yankee.

I just want to emphasise that this thread was not created for the purpose of being nasty or judgemental. Like I mentioned before I grew up working class. I just wanted to create a discussion based on observations I had made on here. I find it interesting in how collective opinions on things can shift over time. I did not intend for this thread to be "ridiculous" or "judgemental". The majority of the replies, and my own intentions when creating this thread, are purely observational in nature.

I started it after thinking about how a certain brand of candle that I own were almost unanimously called tacky on here before. I wondered how something as innocuous and simple as that can come to develop such an opinion. I then wanted to see what other things this applied to and whether there was some kind of underlying pattern or theme that underpins it all. Maybe it's because I grew up working class or maybe it's because it is the kind of thing that people would not discuss in 'real life' but it is something I never really knew about before. Observation and discussion of these types of connotations does not mean we agree with them.

To original poster no need to justify or be concerned as this thread is both entertainment and enlightenment in equal measure.

I am sure many posters are making it up and perhaps exercising some artistic licence otherwise known as having a laugh!

Nice to get a diversity of viewports if nothing else.

@Thisismytimetoshine

OhTheRoses Bless you 😄. You're a perfect object lesson in how money can't buy class. You graceless twat.

Hear hear.

Anything glittered on children is tacky. Crocs are tacky. Wearing shoes without socks are tacky. Designer pets are tacky. It's better to have two nice dresses than eight cheap ones.

I still like pastel Laura Ashley, but know most people think that is tacky.

Hanging laundry outside must follow a code. Sheets are hung outside. Outer clothing hung next. Knickers and men's singlets hang in the middle. Bras are dried inside in the bathroom or laundry room. No one should see those.
The main Yankee Candle store in South Deerfield, Massachusetts is lovely. They sell all sorts of high end Christmas decorations, fancy tea towels and china, as well as books, toys, and candy. Santa Claus is in residence year round. It's all very campy.

Is it things which ate overly noticeable which are tacky perhaps? The products with excessive branding, bling logos ie certain handbags and sunglasses? Brands of clothing whete the brand is all over them (just buy something good quality that feels and looks nice, we dont all need it to be a walking advertx you might as well just wear a tesco carrier bag in that case!),l. Cars which are overly stand out ie the paint job goes for maximum contrast, the trim really shows up, has super sized wheels and bling hubcabs (this is the case on the black and white range rovet's I think, the green have black trim and no glitz normally so dont stand out). Ornaments, decorations etc. Which are overly fussy and attention grabbing in a look at me way, candles and smelly stuff which is excessively over scented (yes that means yankee candles🥴).
I've never thought of the reasons things are tacky before but I'm assuming it is this. I just tend not to buy certain things as they arent to my taste -and I dont like tacky stuff!-

Jurys not out then yet

Love this thread.
I'm pretty cash poor. I like quality. Hence I shop in charity shops.
Everybody should be allowed to enjoy what they like and can afford.
I don't do plastic nails and stuff either but scrub up well. I might paint my nails for a special occasion and sometimes dye my receding and greying eyebrows but I'll always have good clean hair and clothes and shoes. Meh. That's me
It's a matter of preference