I am really posh - that's according to DGD3!!

Ooooh grumppa. Pop into Fortnums on your way back from your club. Now that's exceedingly posh.

I like the word posh and use it quite often in a jokey manner.
It is used in an affectionate way, “oh you do look posh” and “ how posh are you” when someone does something differently.
It is never used in a derogatory manner.

Fallingstar

Can anyone think of a suitable word to use instead of posh, I agree it is a bit derogatory so what is a good alternative?

A very good question.

I was once labelled POSH in a derogatory manner but the same person then used the word to describe an item she owned in a complimentary way.

I would like to think quality, opulent, classy, refined, exclusive are all good but unfortunately it’s often meant as “up one’s self”.

It’s basically a horrible word along with COMMON that I never use.

I agree UTBB It's not a word I take seriously, particularly in the way it's sometimes referenced as in play on word expressions, "posh nosh" "too posh to push" Upmarket is another way of expressing what in effect are superficial perceptions about the nations habits. I don't take any of it seriously, I buy a few things in Waitrose and appreciate having one in our town along with a John Lewis both places have a pull factor which I put down to the ambience appeal, calm and less frenetic than some other retail outlets, but am also equally happy that we have recently acquired an Aldi, another shop I rate quite highly.

I think we will really regret the demise of the local department stores. Well, I already do.

The too posh to push was even directed at people who’d had emergency c sections

How about "How very above stairs" instead of posh?

Bougie is the word I hear the young ones use for ‘ posh’ here.

I just miss department stores!
We have John Lewis and Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh. We've lost so many.

When we were children aged 4 to 12 , just arrived in London from New Zealand. Our DM took us to Harrods on a Saturday morning where she would leave us in the pet department we eventually bought a puppy while she went off to do boring things like trying on clothes or buying something in the Food Hall.

BTW I am not advocating selling pets in dept stores or in pet shops for that matter. I'm just going down memory lane

When in Tokyo a few years back I made a point of visiting the wonderful dept store
Takashimaya where a whole floor was devoted to dress fabric and another to handmade crafts.

We don’t have a Waitrose anywhere near here, which says it all, but my DDs have gone up in the world. Not only do they have a Waitrose within striking distance of their houses, but, even better, they have a Booths.

Maggiemaybe

We don’t have a Waitrose anywhere near here, which says it all, but my DDs have gone up in the world. Not only do they have a Waitrose within striking distance of their houses, but, even better, they have a Booths.

Oh I love Booths, I miss it so much since leaving the Ribble Valley.
We had one in Ripon but it closed.

My old mum referred to anyone who could be referred to as ‘posh’ as ‘having a bob or two’.

Sago I agree with you about posh and the use of the word common to mean lower class.

I am quite happy to use the word common in the context of common land or not unusual and as I am not an aristocrat I am a commoner.

Snobbishness seems to be alive and well and far too many people seem to glory in thinking themselves a cut above the rest of us.

A number of years ago the BBC ran a questionnaire about class and I came out as "Traditional Working Class." I am quite happy with that label.

When I was growing up people I knew would apply the word common to someone who was too loud, who swore, spat, or a woman who dressed in revealing clothes. It didn’t seem to matter what class they were.

I’m a bit of a supermarket tart as I use any nearby, although Marks is probably by favourite. I shop a lot at JL because of family connections I get great discount. Once I was buying plain chocolate in Aldi and the person on the till said that only posh people buy dark chocolate.

The word posh comes from cruising years ago when it was Port Out Starboard Home but I’m sure you all knew that anyway.

Really posh people never ever broadcast it and the never wear labels.

We used to think many years ago that Lewis’s in Liverpool was posh , not to be confused with John Lewis . We were more likely to be found shopping in Blacklers where prices were more affordable.
Lewis’s had a very large statue above the corner entrance which was a well known meeting point .

Just to prove that I deserve my posh credentials - when I was a teenager in Derby the place to meet was at the 'Spot Bogs'.

kittylester

Just to prove that I deserve my posh credentials - when I was a teenager in Derby the place to meet was at the 'Spot Bogs'.

Do you talk posh, duck?

My mother used to say to me:
You munna say wunna, it inna polite.

Certainly not posh… We shop at Waitrose (ours has a wine bar 🥂🥲) & M&S, occasional deliveries from Ocado… good gluten free options… regular deliveries from Tesco… hubby shortly off to Waitrose… wondering what he’ll be bringing back…😂🤣😂

Thisismyname1953

We used to think many years ago that Lewis’s in Liverpool was posh , not to be confused with John Lewis . We were more likely to be found shopping in Blacklers where prices were more affordable.
Lewis’s had a very large statue above the corner entrance which was a well known meeting point .

Oh, Lewis's in Birmingham! Once a year, Father Christmas and a wander round the toy department 😀
Joy!
Actually, I think Rackhams was posher.

Am I the first one to mention Christmas?

N4nna

Certainly not posh… We shop at Waitrose (ours has a wine bar 🥂🥲) & M&S, occasional deliveries from Ocado… good gluten free options… regular deliveries from Tesco… hubby shortly off to Waitrose… wondering what he’ll be bringing back…😂🤣😂

We shop at Waitrose (ours has a wine bar 🥂🥲)
Goodness, that is posh!

Ours had a café but the café hasn't opened again since the floods.

My Dd told me I looked like a typical middle class Waitrose woman because I was wearing my after work outfit of camel coloured cashmere trousers (M&S) with a cream sweater. I said I took it as a compliment and have now bought some camel coloured comfy socks to add to the posh ambience.

I obviously not posh 😁

I will look out for you in Waitrose, though!

POSH as we know refers to the days of the Indian Raj (good word in Scrabble) when if you could afford it, you would book a passage Port Out, Starboard Home to avoid the strong tropical sun accidentally damaging your perfect skin or, God forbid, getting a tan like an outdoor worker!.

So I suppose if you can afford first class travel you might be described as posh.

My family were inverted snobs who secretly despised the brassy self-made or flashily dressed preferring to think of themselves as classless intellectuals.

The richest person I know, shops at Asda.