To ask if anyone else’s family had this belief growing up?

[Latenightthoughts111]

NC for this as it seems like all my threads lately have been about my family and don’t want them linked

late night thought tonight is about when I was growing up (late 80s born to a mid 40s born DM) I was told that drinking from a can and eating in the street was like being a prostitute

im not exaggerating I can clearly remember being about 10 and told that walking home from swimming with my hair down and wet and drinking from a can made me look like a prostitute! What was this about?? Where did it come from?? Even now I struggle to drink from a can and I don’t think I ever eat whilst walking!

Milk had always to be served in a jug, mugs were common so cups and saucers were used for guests. Drinking out of bottles and cans completely beyond the pale.

Just remembered my dear Nana used to make me change out of jeans into a skirt to go to the local village shop - this was in the 70s 😆

In 2000 DH and I were invited to a millenium garden Party in Windsor Great Park. It was run by the Crown Estates for their tenants and The Queen and Prince Phillip were there. The dress code was smart casual and hats were not expected as the tenants were all kinds of people from representatives of big business to small shopkeepers and tenants of houses. When I got there, the only people I saw wearing gloves were the Queen and her Lady in Waiting and me!

me too, I like my takeaway hot!

It's bizarre. I was a child in the 80s and I don't think I'd ever even heard this until I read on MN that people had been told it was common. That was weird enough, but to link it to prostitution is mind-boggling.

An older woman in Tesco asked me why I was calling children goats, it took me a minute to realise what she was on about! She then took it upon herself to tell me all these other things younger people, like me, were getting wrong 🤷‍♀️ I had to smile and go along with it because I was serving her 😩

A bag of sugar on the table was also a no no. Had to be in a proper container.

I think I was too upper-middle-class to be told anything was 'common'. Weirdly I think worrying about seeming common is most frequently seen among the poorest or the richest.

Never compare to a prostitute.

But, eating in the street and drinking publicly were absolutely prohibited. Even to this day, I am shocked when I see people eating in the street😂

Definitely not an English thing - was brought up overseas and we were told eating in public, drinking from a bottle/can was common.

One thing I do wish was that people ate with their mouths closed - walking or at a table. Watching someone masticate and seeing their chewed up food either at a table or on the street is beyond common and foul.

This is not just young people - anyone sub 45ish seems to think this is an acceptable way to eat.

Just remembered my dear Nana used to make me change out of jeans into a skirt to go to the local village shop - this was in the 70s 😆

I don't think I ever saw my mum in trousers until I was a teenager (1990s) and I'm pretty sure she never owned any jeans. she used to dress up for the opening of an envelope all sorts of things that I wouldn't give a second thought to - going on a train journey, going to the zoo, school parents evening etc (before zoom parents eve I was often coming straight from work in scruffy jeans/hoodie and trainers)
Having said this DH used to change out of decorating gear or joggers if he was going to Wickes or B and Q to get more wood/paint/whatever.... in the middle of doing diy. I could never understand what the point was- I was sure half of the customers there would have dusty or paint marked clothes. However covid seemed to have cured him of this because he often leaves the house in (clean!) joggers now!

I was told it was a sign of ignorance to be seen eating or drinking in public. Even a seaside ice cream cone had to be eaten while seated. Sticks of rock had to be broken into bite size pieces before they could be dainty nibbled on. Chewing gum was not permitted, nor was smoking and alcohol was only to be consumed in moderation (if at all) once one was safely married.

I was brought up not to eat or drink on the street. My mother thought it would make us look rough or common, though, but not like prostitutes!

I don’t think this is an AIBU question. It is correct that people thought it unbecoming to see women eating or drinking in the street. I was born late 50s and my mum would only go to the ‘lady’s saloon’ if she ever had to go to a pub. My school had a no eating/drinking in the street rule. My dad would always walk in the outside of the pavement too
its old fashioned. Thankfully things have changed

Eating in the street is common and to be avoided if possible.
Drinking straight from the can is common and lazy and to be avoided if possible.
Adjusting make up other than lipstick in public is common and to be avoided if possible.

The make up one lasted until I realised I was a fool not to use my train commute for putting my face on as it meant extra time in bed.

I was a bit of a Goth as a teen (back in the 80’s). My Mum had no problem with what I wore (mainly black clothes, obviously) but she hated me wearing red lipstick. She told me it made me look common as only tarts wore red lipstick. I still wore it being a rebellious teenager, but she never liked it and I always used to get snide comments about it such as ‘oh, Conifer’s got her red lipstick on again, doesn’t she look common’ to anyone within earshot. I still like red lipstick, but her comments left a lasting mark (pardon the pun). I still worry that I look common when I wear it.

What????? SORRY I MEAN PARDON??? She didn’t want you sat in the car outside? O now I’ve heard it all😂😂

Lmfao your last comment made me howl thank u

I was certainly told that eating in the street was "common", although my parents were certainly "picky" about when they followed that rule. Sitting on a bench on holiday, to eat a round of sandwiches and an ice-cream? Not common, but walking around with a bag of crisps in hand, definitely common. The rules were very much different for holidays, compared to normal life.

They seemed to chill on the rule once I reached my teens though... It was more a childhood rule.

Can you elaborate on the part about better than someone else please? This has also been a bone of contention between me and my DM So I’m interested in your thoughts!

I was born late 80s and my parents were older.

I was told that it’s common to eat in the street!

Interested in what you dissuade them out of?

This has made me think of my grandma (born 1922). She wouldn't go into a cafe that didn't have tablecloths. Because no tablecloth was common. And she'd never eat plum jam, because that was common.
As a family, we still joke about the plum jam.

Omg….she didn’t let me shave above the knee either and I didn’t know why!!! Thank u!

I didn't know any of these things were common which means I must be common