To ask another 'class' question?

[PonyLo]

I know.
But i was reading another thread and it brought this to mind. People keep blithering on about it on MN, but the topic is often about signifiers such as clothes, house, job, schools, consumer choices and such.

So I had this thought - if a huge amount of people were just placed together in a big group wearing only a simple cotton dressing gown and no make up, could you tell what *social group they belonged to?

Like the bare bones?
My guess is that probably not! You might try to pick 'hair style' but I have found that varies wildly (I am middle class with a good amount of natural frizz). Which kind of confirms my suspicion that it's all about perception, rather than fact.

*'Social Group' is a much preferable description since it disqualifies attempts to use hierarchical judgements.

Round here, certain social groups are more likely to have lip filler/Botox/boob jobs/balayage etc, plus tattoos, fancy nails etc. So yes, I think so.

Middle class women are much more passive aggressive than working class women.

Just from looking at them? Or are we talking to them as well?

I doubt that it would be that obvious from appearances only, but as soon as people start talking, it starts to become pretty clear.

I'm not saying that's how it should be. Merely stating how it is.

To look at them you'd have a job, so just wait until they start talking. All would become clear fairly quickly.

For me, it would be your attitude towards me riding a bike at 50+.
I live in a very working class area and I hear a lot of judgement. Even wearing a helmet.

Teeth and hair are clear indicators.

As are soft hands. <<allegedly>>

I remember dating someone from a very working class background who was boggled by how soft my hands were, seemingly every girl he had ever held hands with before had hardish hands.

From a young age, we were always made to wear rubber gloves and use hand cream, not sure if it was my mothers hang up or a class thing.

But back to the question teeth and hair.

When someone is clothed, my mental check list is teeth, hair, shoes.

Just from looking? I think you'd be able to guess more correctly than chance would allow, probably quite a lot more. For me, I'd be looking for weight/tone as the first thing. Then tattoos. Then things like nails/fillers/Botox.

If you could talk to them or listen to them talk to each other then I think you could get the majority.

You can tell the moment someone starts talking and a bit by what they're wearing.

It's a bit more difficult when you're not used to someone accents then I go by what they're saying a bit by what they're wearing

But if I like someone I like them

I'm not too bothered by someone's class but I tend to stick to the ex raving middle classes

I don't understand this post. Who's judging who? Do only working class 50+ people ride bikes? Or middle class? What's the helmet got to do with anything?

I think you’d have to see how they interact, but what would you be deducing from your class observing?

Er no, teeth are not indicators in my experience. I have only witnessed bad teeth in people with deep issues (addiction etc), or genetic luck.

I know a lot of working class people who are very well off and have access to more perks than myself.

This question came to mind because I was musing about how we perceive people and put them into boxes really. How old modes of judgement are still there, as presumptions (fillers, lips, etc) and hair.

A good question is how would we see the men in this group?
Someone will say tattoos or hair length maybe?

Yes, I think you would easily be able to tell.

Wealthier people in the UK are demonstrably taller than poor people. They are significantly healthier. They live significantly longer. The disparity in healthy life would be clear and probably quite shocking, particularly if you collected more than just a few people.

Few of us notice it because as a society we’re generally quite segregated by house prices / roughness of locality and don’t mix other than kind of 1 or 2 “bands” up or down.

Wealthier people in the UK are demonstrably taller than poor people

But no! I work with people from a good mix of backgrounds and in my 50 yrs experience have known extremely tall people from all.
Surely this is a bit dated? My ex DP's dad was the tallest person I ever met and he was from the northern mills. I know plenty petite middle class women. And teenagers are growing fast, from all walks of life!

Historically, yes, maybe.

I also disagree about not mixing with 'other bands', whatever that means.

I have at least a 50/50 friend group from both MC and WC. I lived in a fairly MC bubble until I was 14, but from then on, I diversified. I think that's pretty healthy.

Around here, it's seen as middle class( I have a Dutch style bike if that helps) . I never see anyone except young male dealers ride those electric bikes.
The helmet is seen as a joke, since they don't even have lights and are dressed in black balaclavas ( I'm not joking).

The comments are about me being either an environmental or fitness freak.

I apologise for persistently popping up like a puppet of controversy but I can think of only 3 people in my friend group who use bikes (both traditional and ebikes) and they are WC.

I live in an area which is rather hostile to cycling, though. I did used to ride a mountain bike with a fancy basket and my helmet had silver stars on it.

Do they have access to a chiropodist?
I’d look at hands and feet.

Have they worked a manual job?
I’d look at their back and shoulders.

Also OP all your come backs are from people you know, it’s anecdotal and selective.

You don’t know every working class person in the country.

True, it is anecdotal, as are all our replies.

Some responses do seem dated though, especially the presumption that they would have care-worn hands, as manual labour os not dominant now. How would you determine from hands if someone works in a call centre or a solicitors office?
At least come into the modern age!

My bike is incredibly feminine 😳 and I look like I'm cycling to the village green rather than a rundown council estate ,if that makes sense.
My friends care too much about the weather and what it would do to their hair.
I am told I look eccentric 🤭.

I was once made fun of (amiably) in a northern working class town for using an umbrella.
I came to notice umbrella use wherever I travelled after that

Veneers, false eyelashes, tattooed eyebrows, cartoonist lip liner, incredibly tight clothes??

Well. This thread turned out to be as nauseating as I expected. Have any of you any idea of how judgemental and shallow you sound?

I think I could tell - most of you would be looking down your noses at me. Pretty good class signifier in 2023 as it was in 1923.

And I'd be spooning my soup the wrong way with huge hunks of buttered bread to hand ;)

JFC, why are you doing this? There is literally no need to give in to the stereotypes ffs. People are people.

What on god's earth is an 'incredibly feminine bike'? And how do you look 'too eccentric'?? Christ almighty 🙄