How do you define someone as common?

If I defined someone as 'common', I would have to define myself as a snob and I'd hate anyone to think that of me.

My father wouldn't allow me to have pierced ears, as he also thought it was common.
I was 22 and married when I got them pierced. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant with DS1.
My husband went into the office and told all the young female staff that was what happened to you if you got yours ears pierced. .

My mother thought pierced ears were common, probably because when I was young hardly anyone except travellers, of whom DM was very scared, had them.
My very ordinary secondary school had all the stuff about hats and blazers etc. It was very embarrassing for 5th and 6th form boys, some of whom were adult size, to be wearing school caps. They looked ridiculous. I still have the beret, which girls had to wear, with a gold tassel sewn on it, because I was a prefect. I get it out to make my children and grandchildren laugh.

People who lick their knife when finishing a meal.
My old gran would have made reference to those persons as having been 'dragged' not 'brought' up.

Wasn't Bet Lynch in Coronation Street supposed to be common? "Fur coat and no knickers" as they used to say?

We were (aspirational) working class but my mother would not let me out ‘running around with the village children’ because it was ‘common’. A woman who left her four children to get drunk and act in a ‘low’ manner was definitely ‘common’ in her eyes. The children used to knock on people’s doors and ask for food.

When Mum left dad he took up with this same woman and eventually married her!

She never changed.

SuDoku, smoking was common to my mum if the cigarette was left hanging from the side of the mouth.
I agree, PollyPerkins, common was nothing to do with wealth, more to do with standards.

I was at a grammar school and we had to wear velour hats. I thought I was being a real rebel for going upstairs on a bus and taking my hat off!

At least she was brought up to be tidy, polly ?

I was not at a convent but a girls grammar school in the 1950s and woe betide anyone who was seen in the town without her hat! Also any misdemeanor (I remember a girl being found in bed with a married man. The thing that shocked the staff the most was that she left her school uniform on the chair next to the bed!)

The real upper class would never use the word common or be rude/patronising to people. They are too well bred to be anything but charming. (They may think it though.) It' s aspiring upper middle classes that are snobbish.

chrishappy I know someone who has her eyebrows tattooed and they look great, as indeed do yours. They are so natural looking, although the cost is a bit prohibitive.

Seeing someone putting a knife in their mouth makes me cringe because I imagine their tongue being sliced.

My Mum used to say of my boyfriends 'He's not quite like us, is he?' as did the mother of a friend. Her Mum also said, in shocked tones, 'But, he's in trade, darling!' Her Mum was posh, whereas mine only thought she was!

Joy I cried too! The nuns were strict disciplinarians but with an underlying kindness. The last day of term ended with a particular hymn at Assembly that always made leavers cry. Happy days for the most part.

I think Monroe gave off an air that she could be persuaded to be common, if she chose to. That was part of her appeal, I think.

Swearing I think it’s the worst thing, ok indoors if your annoyed but never in the street.
By the way Marilyn Monroe were tight clothes was she commen.?

I asked DH how he would define "common"; he replied "Manners, behaviour, language"!

I have laughed here, lots of things said remind me of my School days, I also went to a Convent, and NOT wearing School hats with the uniform as someone said, was a mortal sin!
My Mum said someone was common if she had peroxide hair, or smoked in the street, cant think of the other things which were "common" at least we can laugh about it.

i was always taught that one does not send condolence/ sympathy cards after a death. You must write a proper letter. Not sure whether that’s a matter of common versus posh, or just a matter of taking more care and therefore showing good manners. Anyway, I still write proper letters.

Nelliemoser Yes, there are a couple of convent schools near to where I live and they are hugely popular, thriving schools.
I'm one of the former convent girls who posted on this thread but I can honestly say I don't have any unhappy memories at all of my schooldays and regret it if I came across as critical of my convent. The nuns were lovely, kind ladies who really cared about us, the atmosphere was great and we had a lot of fun. I cried buckets when I left! The hat-wearing and kissing-in-the-phone-box issues I mentioned seem to be fairly typical of most girls' grammar schools in the 1950s from what I have read on here - not exclusively convents!

I don't like people eating with just a fork, or using the fork as some kind of kebab stick, and eating whole Yorkshire puddings off by nibbling at them.

One thing that makes me cringe is someone putting the knife blade in their mouth! Although we were poor we were always taught table manners. My Mum worked as a Silver Service Waitress in the evenings.

Chrishappy I think your brows look good, nicely arched

I agree Annie. I don't like swearing at all.

The use of the 'f' word , yes I know it is accepted but not by me , suppose it's vulgar