OK, let's clear this up once and for all.......
The term Chav was originally coined to describe a very specific section of modern British society; White, poorly educated, feckless, unemployed, aggressive, socially irresponsible and morally rudderless. It is exactly the same as a Ned. I get the hump when both phrases are used as a catch-all for the working class. That's an insult to many working class people.
Chavs as we all know have a preference for American branded polyester sports and leisurewear, and cheap nasty chunky gold jewellery. When the phrase became known to the media, Chavs were most easily identified by their clothes and jewellery (and in particular their fondness for the burberry check used on baseball caps) so the meaning of the term became confused, and was applied to that style of dress, rather than the specific lifestyle indicators.
Coupled with that, the press very cattily latched onto the term and started applying it to describe various New Money celebs who hail from working class backgrounds, who liked to display their wealth in a crass and ostentatious way. (Kerry, Colleen and Wayne, Jodie et al) Therefore the meaning has evolved yet again, and now tends to refer to to anyone who is a bit flashy and wears all their designer labels on the outside.
Because the term has become inextricably linked with so many of the showy designer brands and 'bling bling' culture that so many working class kids aspire to they have started to refer to themselves as Chavs, with no sense of irony. To them it defines their tribe, their music, and their fashion tastes. They do not see it as a pejorative term. They are proud to be Chav.
I love the word and I am happy to use it, in its original pejorative term, to describe any thing or any behaviour that I find common, tacky, seedy, downmarket or socially irresponsible. And I don't care!