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?

@Greensidepark

Absolutely 😂😂😂The arrogance of believing anyone aspires to a house that smells of wet dog! The UC have conned the lot of you into believing they are superior and you fell for it - who are the fools?

Exactly as a furriner, this is my outsider’s view. People have been conned by the upper classes to think their taste is better. And it is so funny to see people tumbling over themselves to confirm this. Range Rover fine if driven by the Queen, but suddenly not fine if driven by someone perceived to be acting above their station? Really?

They are trying to be superior though. That’s the point. If the house stinks of wet dog they might just apologise for the smell. They won’t buy plug in fragrances to try and hide it. The Queen is limited to driving something vaguely British, large enough to sling in a Corgi’s or two and suitable for the countryside. I’m not sure even she would pick one otherwise. They are largely expensive toys these days.

Thanks for your thoughts on why RR are perceived as tacky by some. There is a RR on every other drive on a fairly affluent road near me - grey, black or blue in colour.

@Leflic what is funny is people interpreting/adopting the smell of wet dog as being the classy thing. Who decided that was classy? Do you think if the Featherstonehaughs and Beauchamp of this world had gone the disguising the smell route with candles, people on this thread would not believe that is the classy thing to do. What about the multitude of threads on mumsnet critiquing houses that smell of dog? You can bet those are not houses of the ‘classy’ upper class.

As others have mentioned, things done by people deemed to be ‘above’ i.e classy; if by people ‘below’ i.e not classy.

Love this thread.

*Green( it's not the smell of a wet dog as such, it's not using air fresheners / candles to disguise it. Wet dog smel lis inevitable in a house of any class (who own dogs)

Green that is

But if by some historical fluke the ‘upper’ classes had gone down the disguise route using candles, I bet it would be considered classy. Well, at least until the lower orders start appropriating it😀

Even if it means that I'm not 'classy', I'd still prefer my house to smell like a Yankee candle than a wet dog!

What do inflatable hot tubs come under?

@Cloudyroom

What do inflatable hot tubs come under?

On Mumsnet, chavy chlamydia sex pond

I was just thinking yesterday Rattan garden furniture is tacky.

Just a follow on back to the earlier Rangie and some Range Rover elocution for the uninitiated:

The Range Rover Story (1994-today) - Range Rover rise from farm workhorse to school run fashion accessory.

I like Range Rovers but prefer the understated new factory fresh unmolested versions (in dark colours) and not the the footballer wives and girlfriends SVO personalised butchered super bling or murdered out gangster versions. Holland & Holland collaboration editions are elegant but Overfinch too over the top in my most humble opinion. In certain parts of prime central London the Range Rover is out gunned and does not cut the mustard by way of ubiquitous Mercedes G Class AMG particularly Brabus versions, Lamborghini Urus plus Bentley Bentayga. Rolls-Royce Cullinan is king of the Chelsea tractors but looks like a ghastly London Black Taxi and not worth the lottery win! Just my observation and I personally prefer an elegant old school timeless classic like an the Mercedes Benz SL Pagoda drop top than these new mobile showy battle tanks. If you are after over the top me me me then possibly google Chelsea Tractor Company and their land yacht off road adventure vehicle nine seater Flying Huntsman 6x6 Civillian Carrier or Mercedes Benz 6x6. Is that class or crass? I like cars but sometimes too much is too much and serve no purpose nor any marginal return on investment and makes one look like a money launderer/gangster or lottery jackpot recipient. Real monied roll in regular discrete Mercedes S Class or less discreet Bentley Mulsanne etc.

Just a few thoughts on the Range Rover side debate.

@Celestine70

I was just thinking yesterday Rattan garden furniture is tacky.

NB - plastic rattan garden furniture is tacky

Lloyd loom garden furniture is timeless

Too much makeup,huge television,too much Christmas decorations.

To me it's all about behaviour, when people act a certain way I'll think it's common but I think with actual things it's each to their own. Not everybody will like the same things so...

Does garden furniture really matter? It just gets covered in sun cream. So long as ithe chairs are comfortable and you have a table to put your drink on, it's all good!

But, never forget. If you are a true, warm hearted, honest, sincere person - 'class' (and all that stuff) means absolutely ZERO. It's in what you really value that the test of you resides.

Ah, but then you transcend to the real cachet: absolute treasure (woman) or salt of the earth (chap). Able to cross class with ease due to humility, kindness and lovely manners.

Doesn't matter what you drive or how your house is decorated.

@OneEpisode

I’m still a page behind on all the responses but I can’t resist this historical view of the MN stunt pineapple: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53432877 New today - read it all, it’s fabulous. It shows that even the very rich are very influenced by fashions.

Preserved stately homes show their owners certainly loved matchy-matchy too, though their descendants may have not maintained the decor perfectly.

That is brilliant @OneEpisode, thanks so much for the link.

I grew up near The Pineapple a folly built by an aristocrat In the late 1700s- fits in exactly with that account.

I don't see how rattan furniture makes you tacky or common. Isn't that just buying the furniture that's in your budget.

For me common/tacky isn't about your social status or wealth. It's about buying products based on the perceived status, lacking personal taste and imagination. It's also doing lazy sluvenly things.

If you buy a yankey candle because they have your favourite smell and aesthetic then fine, but if you buy them because you think people will see them and think you're posh or high class or to keep up with the Jones, then it's pretty tacky and sad.

People of any class or wealth can go to the supermarket in their pj's, but its a pretty common thing to do no matter who you are.

@Rebelwithallthecause
Lloyd loom furniture is gorgeous but most people can’t afford it. Calling cheaper rattan furniture tacky is basically saying if you want garden sofas then unless you’re rich you are doomed to be classless and tacky.

A lot of this thread is about money not taste. If you’re poor then you don’t stand a chance as everything you may be able to afford or aspire to have is looked down upon.

You can pick up vintage Lloyd Loom for not very much money. Trouble is you have to put it inside when it rains and it’s awkward and heavy to move.

I’m a bit of a MN stereotype in that my dc go to private school, we live in a big house, and I drive a battered old car and wear second hand clothes!

But I’m also tacky according to MN as we go on AI holidays (to very nice resorts in some interesting countries which we couldn’t afford to go to otherwise), love my pandora bracelet, have nice rattan furniture (but it’s not Lloyd loom therefore tacky) and have matching items and Ikea furniture in my house which I think is beautifully decorated.

I live in what is considered a ‘posh’ area but the taste of my neighbours houses vary from what would be described as classic and timeless, to really blingy and full of Chanel accessories! I’ve never judged any of them for their houses as tastes simply vary and that’s ok.

If you buy a yankey candle because they have your favourite smell and aesthetic then fine, but if you buy them because you think people will see them and think you're posh or high class or to keep up with the Jones, then it's pretty tacky and sad. And the Upper classes are as prone to keeping up with the Jones as the working and middle. It's just that when they fall on hard times they can't afford to and then it gets remarketed as spending is vulgar! They are really good at convincing the masses that their choices are somehow superior.😂

Snobbery is tacky in my book as is sneering at people but that’s just me

If you’re poor then you don’t stand a chance as everything you may be able to afford or aspire to have is looked down upon. Aspiration is looked down upon - know your place and stay there!

@merrygoround51

Snobbery is tacky in my book as is sneering at people but that’s just me

I agree, it's vulgar. Which is why people are comfortable being snobby on here but not so much in real life - they wouldn't want to reveal in public what they really are.