What does "posh" mean to you?

[FlatteredFool]

What is it about someone that would make you describe them as posh? I would think it's relative and depends on how much you assign class to people but I find it interesting.

I've been called posh a few times and it bugs me because I'm not posh at all. What does posh even mean? Money? Privately educated? Big house? Second home? Plummy accent? High flying career? Having friends in high places? Owning horses? Private jet? Those things just say to me that someone has plenty of money. None of them apply to me and the people I know that do have some of those things aren't posh to me either. Is "posh" the opposite of "common" ( I know how mumsnet hates that term, sorry) or is it something that can't be pinpointed exactly?

I have 2 horses and wouldn’t consider myself or many of my horsey peers to be posh, most of us have rather average jobs and go without a lot of other things to afford them! But I will say that most people at the top end of the sport are quite posh, generally come from families who own land in the country etc. It’s definitely an elitist sport, but there are a lot of chavs with horses too (who generally don’t look after them very well).

Sometimes people say I’m posh but I’m not really, although I have a professional job and I’m reasonably well-spoken, and come from a nice area. I’m definitely working class though.

I consider posh as people with old money, aristocratic etc.

I don’t know. I get called posh. I put it down to a non-local accent, a large vocabulary (DH laughs at words I use routinely) and being or appearing reasonably well educated.
I’m not rich and never have been (my parents ended each month overdrawn as did I until a few years ago. I went to private school (full scholarship). I am pretty unaffected and don’t worry about how I appear to others.

Money? Yes, if it's "old money". Otherwise no.
Privately educated? Generally, no, but certain schools (usually boarding), then yes, maybe.
Big house? Not necessarily
Second home? Not necessarily
Plummy accent? Yes, this usually tends to be an indicator
High flying career? Not necessarily
Having friends in high places? Not necessarily
Owning horses? Not necessarily
Private jet? No

It's hard, because it's quite intangible. To me, "posh" refers to upper class or upper middle class. There are various markers of this, but no single one. It's very subjective.

It's also relative. I used to get called posh at school because I had more of an RP accent than the local kids. Different area, but the same thing happens to my dd now in a different area.

It doesn't carry any particular value judgments for me btw. It is neither positive nor negative in my view. I know some lovely posh people and some awful ones. Posh is a reflection of their background, not their character.

'Posh' to me is aristocracy or landed gentry. The upper classes if you like. It's all about background and definitely not about money, unless it's 'old money'. You can be poor as a church mouse and still posh. If you have loads of money but aren't from the right background you're not posh.

It depends on where you shop.

I would only say aristocratic families and as a pp said, the landed gentry.

People that live in cottages with thatched roofs, pronounce lasagne as ‘luh-sarn-yuh’, drive an old Ford covered in dog hair and find a trip to B&M ‘fun’.

Someone with professional parents, went too a good school, has a mc look, well spoken accent, not really the money they have but their mannerisms.
Lots of people have money these days.

I spoke to a gentleman in work from a very affluent area he greeted me "How do you do" he was the poshest man really nice but ever so grand.

@Propagandalf 🤣
I guess it depends how common you are too.

Cultured, well educated (not necessarily clever). Understated wealth helps, but most of it comes down to those little social codes and rituals that those who aren't in the posh club will never truly get.

To me, Posh means the person is a wanker, but I'm foreign and don't get the whole class obsession.

Also, I don't mind a wanker.

Voice.

I find most teachers I've met throughout the years posh, lovely people with well spoken accents.
Giles and Mary from gogglebox too.

‘Posh’, to me, is a very non U word for aristocracy / landed gentry.

It doesn't mean anything to me really. I usually just equate 'posh' with 'I'm jealous'

And good manners are essential.

Which is not the same as performing the rituals.

Posh to me means “old money”. Inheriting money / land...centuries of history with wealth.

I have friends who think they are posh because they shop at Waitrose (I shop at Waitrose and I am far from posh).

Hub and I have worked very hard to have what we have. We would consider ourselves middle class. Hub has a rich a family and privileged upbringing. But we don’t consider ourselves anywhere near posh.

We work hard for everything that we have.

I think it just depends on the situation could be all off those things, or none. It's just an adjective.

My 5yo seems to be developing an accent which is much more 'correct' than my northern one so I'll sometimes say 'you sound posh!' Doesn't mean she is posh!

All relative as well, I mean the queen is definitely posh! Varies where the boundaries lie below that.

I'd consider anyone who shops at Waitrose as 'trying to be posh' lol. I mean why?

I love these threads.

Would it be 'common' or working class to put the popcorn on now. Will some one declare the poshest people around live in a 30 year old range rover parked on the family estate, because the home has been taken over by labradors.
And the Queen is not posh at all by comparison, because she has indoor plumbing.

RP accent, preferably the Queen's English. Knowing what cutlery to use and how to use it. Extensive understanding of wine and what food goes best with what wine; knowledge of kitchen implements even if they don't use them themselves. Knowledge of art, music, literature, history that they've picked up by osmosis (actually often a private school education). Very well travelled. Well groomed, usually, unless they tend towards the "utterly scruffy aristo jolly buffoon" stereotype.
With the exception of a certain subset (Bullingdon types), lots of posh people don't act too brashly in public or draw attention to themselves, at least in much of England, they're relatively low key.

Degree in something like comparative literature or art history (especially suitable for "gels", as Miss Jean Brodie would have said) or law or PPE (mainly but not only males). Knowing what brands to wear. (The Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory comes into play here.)

Would probably be like a fish out of water in a Wetherspoons or a rough nightclub (with or without a rotating dancefloor with sticky floorboards) or a disadvantaged neighbourhood (unless they were into ethnography or working for a charity, possibly).

More likely to read (or work for) The Tatler, Horse and Hound, and Wanderlust (and a few others) than Hello and OK. More likely to read The Guardian, Independent, Times, and FT; may or may not read the Daily Mail or Telegraph.

Posh is different from monied although in practice the two often go hand in hand. And then, just to add to the fun, you have all the regional and national variations - "posh" in Ireland, say, is a bit different than "posh" in the south of England. (Yes, I've lived in both. And like a previous poster, I've met and worked with lovely "posh" people and I've also met and worked with some pretty 'orrible ones.)

I equate posh to families of old money. Huge detached house with probably quite dated decor but needs staff to clean it because it's so big. Lots of land too.
Kids privately educated and smartly/modestly dressed. Kids play polo, a musical instrument, have horses and are well-mannered.
Dad goes out hunting/shooting, drives a land rover but not a brand new one because it's not about image, but practicality. Mum doesnt have to work (nor around the house- staff do it), she enjoys relaxing afternoon teas with her posh friends and looking at her, you would not guess she had money, but has the best quality outfit when she goes to the races.
This family can afford to eat well and will often dine in places that I can only admire when I pass in the back of the taxi.
I would never equate posh to high end brands tbh, when I think of posh people I think of people who do not appear posh at all in terms of how they dress, but more so their lifestyle.

Posh is relative and weirdly subjective.🧐 It's about loads of stuff: manners, wealth, name, consumer preferences, education, current employment, appearance, fitness, location etc.

I'm a single mum of 2 kids by 2 dads, living in a council house yet some people think I'm posh.🤷‍♀️

I don’t like the word posh. To me it’s the vocabulary of envy.

To me, Posh means the person is a wanker, but I'm foreign and don't get the whole class obsession.

Bit harsh but as someone who is not English I also find the obsession odd.

Boris as PM is a classic example, he gets away with far more because his hair is messy & he stumbles over his words & lots of the population think he must know what he's doing simply because he's posh.