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 a ‘barth’ accent but don’t say la-sarn-yuh because that’s not how it’s pronounced in Italian

@whiteroseredrose I went to Oxbridge and can reassure your DD that not everyone there is posh and even the posh people who I met were nice, I never came across any Bullingdon types

Nothing.

Breeding
Good manners
Self assurance
Totally at ease in every situation
Professional job
Well educated
Traditional
Conservative (views not the political party necessarily)
Land
Savings
Friends with those just like them

[quote 1dayatatime]@Norwaydidnthappen

"Posh to me is like Boris Johnson. They tend to be a bit scruffy and drive old bangers."

Posh in that he has had a more expensive education and upbringing than most others. But refusing to acknowledge his child is most definitely not class.

[/quote]
No, refusing to acknowledge your child (children?) is morally repugnant, but has nothing to do with his social class, unless you think that the higher up the social scale you are, the better you are?

In which case Prince Andrew is clearly common as muck.

In fact there's a long tradition of monarchs not acknowledging their illegitimate offspring. (Or, of course de-legitimising legitimate ones...)

To me, posh = inherited big ramshackle house, dirty Volvo estate, that sort of thing. Most private school children wouldn’t be posh IMO. My parents went to private school (one on a scholarship, one parents’ scrimped and saved), but my sister and I didn’t. I’ve been called posh a lot, but I’ve also been told I have a West Country accent 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have a good vocabulary but that’s about all I can think of that might make someone think I’m posh 😄 barely any holidays as a kid, normal house and car, normal school. Go figure!

My inlaws think I'm posh because I buy European cheese and charcuterie.

I'm very posh, me.
I'm dripping posh, in fact thinking of changing my name to "Devlesko The Posh".
You are "posh" like me, if you descend from royalty.

Well my poshest friend differentiates between those whose assets are in primarily in land rather than cash/investments.

That opened my eyes a little.

When I lived in Yorkshire I was told I was posh because I spoke with an RP accent. Now I've moved to Oxfordshire I am definitely not considered posh as I've picked up a slight Yorkshire accent. I'm asked if I'm from 'oop North'.

I would be truly horrified at being described as posh.

@VegetarianDeathCult

Class or manners is entirely different to social class (which IMO is a totally nebulous self defined concept). Have a look at my earlier post on definitions.

Prince Andrew disgustingly took advantage of his wealth and status at the expense of those poor girls. Prince Andrew certainly IMO has no class.

I cared for a cockney lady who said that eating mushrooms was for posh people.

I said I like mushrooms so I'm posh... no you ain't posh! She shouted...

Port Out Starboard Home

To always have a sunny cabin on transatlantic crossings.

I used to be called posh, it was kind of an insult. Well spoken on a council estate. Now I live in a naice, expensive rural area I dare say I'm no longer posh. It's very subjective posh to me would be plummy voice, gleaming chelsea tractor, expensively polished.

I look like worzel gummidge generally so probably am wildly jealous :)

It's a difficult one. I believe it is all about breeding and old money. You cannot become posh but someone with money can have posh children due to private education and the circles they mix in. For example, Lord Alan Sugar can never be posh, he will always be a working class man who has been very successful.

@requitalissima It depends on the school. I definitely have friends, family and colleagues who went to "ordinary" indie schools, as you call them, and not to Ladies' Cheltenham College or wherever, who have excellent knowledge of art, literature, wine etc.

In my experience, those subjects aren't an awful lot of use on an inner city northern estate where if you're lucky you might end up as a secretary or a nursery nurse. (I have also met a fair number of people who were educated at international schools or private schools outside England...)

It's the dropping of the ts in the words. Not boasting, just exasperated as it is plain lazy pronunciation.

@Beseigedbykillersquirrels, see above for clarification of previous point. Dialect and accent, not an issue but it's poor pronunciation that I struggle with. I had speech therapy using standard English, received pronunciation so I don't 'sound' local, pals in the area call me 'posh' for the way I speak.

Agricultural land is exempt from CGT and inheritance tax.

Sorry that was responding to @TheKeatingFive

I think there's different tiers and types of posh.

There's the aspiring posh people who are concerned with how they appear to neighbours, friends etc. Neutral accents, they have their neat gardens, nice decor, clean cars, the John Lewis shoppers who complains about standards slipping, Smeg/Dualit appliances, Joules, Boden coordinated type clothing etc - nothing too loud or garish. Meals out etc.

Then there's the aristocracy. Probably a bit eccentric but doesn't care. Uncoordinated clothing, clash of colours - tweed check jackets and lemon surprise trousers; scruffy undyed hair, worn, antique furniture, countryside orientated with farming/hunting, public school background, networkers, concerned about money cos of grade listed building repairs, sweary, drinks alot but doesn't care, lots of gun dogs and a few cats, not too bothered about cleanliness. Live in staff.

I think it's quite interesting. Take DS for example: he has curated being a bit "London lad", is left leaning, wears black jeans, trainers, t shirts, hoodie, 26 now but did 2 gap years with a "trendyish" start-up company with a young sales and marketing team. He was known as "posh boy" - good humouredly.

His interests are music, art, books, politics, sport, including playing football. His colleagues had no way of knowing his background.

Accent mostly to me

I don’t have an English accent rather a softened Aus one which always gets commented on. Although some can’t hear it - depends if they have an accent usually

Anyway posh mostly accent and maybe a little bit of style

Posh in that he has had a more expensive education and upbringing than most others. But refusing to acknowledge his child is most definitely not class.

Seeing a child as "illegitimate" is de rigour for aristocracy surely?

Prince Andrew is protected from his actions, again posh.

I’m not a fan of the word “posh” as no one I know who fits into the accepted definition (eg ex-Eton, family castle/piles etc) behaves in anything but a very down to earth manner and basically don’t give a shit about airs and graces.

I tick some of the boxes in terms of education, accent, horses (No private jet tho 😅) etc but definitely don’t think I’m posh even though I’ve been called this several times it always surprises me.

If I had to define “posh” a good benchmark is that if you’re listed in Burke’s peerage (I’m not) then this would be a strong indication.