Can you tell a person's "class" status by looking at them? ?

Question

I think you can but I know I've been wrong at least twice (thought someone was a rich waspy type when actually she was working class poor). What do you think?

Answer 1

I think in some cases you can but in others you cannot.

It matters on who the person is and what kind of a person he or she is and their personality and style.

I've encountered people who were fake and acted rich but were actually dirt poor. A person might be rich and where some old sweats and not dress up or where expensive clothing.

You can never really tell (especially if it's just someone that you don't know whatsoever) because you don't know what kind of life the person lives unless you get to know them.

Answer 2

That's called stereotyping....and although a normal thing to do, I'd say no. I've seen a lot of very laid back, casual, nearly bum-ish looking rich people.  

Answer 3

i certainly can:)

Answer 4

No you can't. In fact, you are 99.99% to get it wrong most of the time. Rich people live below their means, which is what makes them rich. Middle Class people on the other hand buy cars and clothing to look rich!

See the difference? Rich people are actually rich. Middle Class people only look rich.

Answer 5

not necessarily, people can be deceiving sometimes.

Answer 6

Not all the time.  Some people who are very wealthy don't always go around driving Bentleys.  They could be like Sam Walton (Wal-Mart) he drove a pick up truck and wore blue jeans and overalls, and he was one of the richest men in the world.  Then you have those who you would think are very wealthy by what they wear or what they drive, and they are knee deep in debt.  

Answer 7

No. I've learned never to do that. I've seen people wearing holey clothing and raggedy shoes, assuming they were poor, who turned out to be filthy rich.

I guess some rich people care more about their stocks,houses,inheritance than appearance.

Answer 8

I think that looks are very deceiving.  For instance, many people take me as being a wealthy upper-class 22 year old woman.  But the fact is, I only make 10 dollars an hour and my home is a two-bedroom apartment.  The fact is that I know how to dress to look presentable and I know how to carry myself.  Many times, people confuse a person's "class" for those reasons.

Answer 9

Usually. Especially if they have a mullet, stone washed jeans, no teeth, and a wife beater I can gather what class they are.  

Answer 10

when i met my Boss the first time I thought this was it. This is where I want to work and who I want to work for. But after 7 months working for him. he started to show his color. I m the kind of guy who is happy making enough money for two time meal to feed my stomach. I told him to go **** itself. u cant really tell who is made out of what. if ur talking about style as in looks then I suggest enjoy the time, but don't get emotional.

Poor is the one who does not have heart to feel with. Money comes and goes. Don't like people cause they r rich. Rich does not always mean they deserve it. A human being once mist be poor. Everyone should see the pain of starving stomach so that when we have money we don't become inhuman. Having money and power makes u the statue of gold. u have everything but u dont have nothing. It might be hard to understand, but did u ever think why most of the rich people r drunk and high 24/7?? cause life isn't excited for them anymore.  

Answer 11

well people dont have to show it. my mom was dirt poor and she had to go to the goodwill when she was younger and she dressed all right. its all a matter of if you want to blend in or not.

Answer 12

No. Sometimes the rich purposely dress down and we all have seen those who wear Gucci but drive a Ford Focus.

Answer 13

i thought so too if someone is wearing like designer clothes i would think they were rich and stuck up and if someone was wearing old "raggy" clothes i would think they were poor.

Answer 14

generally. i wonder why you would ask this.

Answer 15

I don't think so, somebody in my family makes over 300k but only wears basketball shorts, tshirts and sandals, so there you go.

Answer 16

No Way! I once knew a man, a relative actually, who looked and dressed like a plain, working class man. You would never have thought he had anything at all. In all reality, he was without a doubt loaded with money!

Answer 17

Hardly. Old friend of mine, Spoony (don't ask) wears rough clothes most of the time.  One day he decided to buy a 3 suits.  He walked into an upscale men's store and the clerk asked if he could help him.  Spoony told him he wanted to buy three suits.  The clerk looked him up and down (plaid flannel shirt, jeans, engineer boots, old ball cap) and said, "You might be more comfortable with the prices at Sears or Penny's."

Spoony asked if 'Danny" was in (he is the owner).  Spoony and Dan went to school together, dated 2 sisters, fished and hunted together in their younger days and still see each other socially.

Dan came out and Spoony told Dan what the clerk said.  The lad almost got fired.

If Spoony has less than $1,000 in his pocket, he's almost broke.  

Answer 18

Well, first of all I don't want to sound "communist" but I don't really think of people in "classes" like that or make judgments. Many poor people are polite and "classy" and some rich people are very s****., and therefore really do not show a lot of "class". I went to a Catholic High School where there were some rich girls. Some of them acted very "middle class" or normal to my middle class way of thinking. But when I met their parents, especially their Mothers, acted very "upper class". This was in the 60's. The girls who acted "normal" were rebelling against their upper class parents.  The snobbiest person I ever knew was middle class but wanted people to think she was rich.  

Answer 19

Usually no. I've seen people dressed up in designer clothes and accessories with nice cars, only to learn later on that they're barely getting by. I've also seen very wealthy students on my campus dress very plainly in fear of being scorned by others with less wealth. It's often impossible to really pinpoint a person's socioeconomic status, IMO.

Answer 20

I think quite a few people out there THINK they can but they can't read people at all.  It is the typical 'can't judge a book by it's cover' world now.  This is all due to the lottery and stuff.  People have to be so careful.  My Dad's friend always looks like a scruff and is a millionaire.  He went to buy a Bentley and they were rude to him.  Little did they know that he could afford to buy 2 or 3 Bentleys.  He drove into their dealership a month later with a brand new Austin Martin and got his own back!

You never can tell these days.

Although not rich myself my father makes around £400 per hour so my family is fairly wealthy. My mother shops at M&S and I shop at Top Shop because I like the clothes.

Answer 21

normally i think you can, but i met my girlfriend's dad (shes f***ing MINTED) for the first time and he looks like a tramp. not that i'd ever tell her this, haha. depends if they're walking down the street, in their home, driving a posh car, all stuff like that. at home you dont walk around in your nice clothes all the time do you, but if you're going to a social gathering or something you'd dress up nice wouldnt you.

Answer 22

Absolutely not. Some of my most affluent clients looked like bums some days when they would come in. A lot of times people with money like to keep it on the DL, they could careless about appearances.

Some of the wealthiest people are also the cheapest. Maybe that is why they have money!

Answer 23

Never judge a book by its cover!! I've learned this a thousand times over...