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What is posh?

(164 Posts)
pensionpat Fri 13-Jan-17 22:52:36

I've just noticed a new member with "posh" in her name. Welcome. But it started me thinking. What was your understanding of the word posh when you were a child. And what is it now?

For me, as a child it was someone who had clothes for summer/winter. A friend asked "have you gone into your winter clothes yet". I was 10 and she was younger. I didn't know what she meant. Nowadays i think it's posh if you have your dinner as your last meal.

ninathenana Fri 13-Jan-17 22:56:21

Extra "posh" if you have supper after your dinner. grin

Pigglywiggly Fri 13-Jan-17 22:56:57

My mother knew her neighbours were posh (as a child) because they had fruit when no-one was ill

Cherrytree59 Fri 13-Jan-17 23:08:11

Not forgetting Afternoon tea

As a child I think it would be a lady in a fur coat grin.

Now I wouldn't use 'posh' to describe a person.
A hotel or restauran maybe.

Cherrytree59 Fri 13-Jan-17 23:09:33

Restaurant even!

ninathenana Fri 13-Jan-17 23:11:09

Cherrytree it's not a word I'd use for a person either.

merlotgran Fri 13-Jan-17 23:15:29

I love Pigglywiggly's definition of posh grin

merlotgran Fri 13-Jan-17 23:17:25

We must have been posh because my mother used to buy fruit every week and arrange it carefully in the fruit bowl.

We'd then ignore until it rotted grin

Cherrytree59 Fri 13-Jan-17 23:27:34

My Great Aunt always had fruit arranged in cut glass bowl
It was plastic!

grin

phoenix Fri 13-Jan-17 23:31:05

Am I the only person who almost cringes at the word "posh"? blush

Cherrytree59 Fri 13-Jan-17 23:38:13

No I agree pheonix
Up there with Gussethmm

Jalima Fri 13-Jan-17 23:45:39

Perhaps we should ask Galen as she likes going on cruises - if it is really true about 'port out, starboard home'.

My mother had a 'posh' friend who used to pass down some of her daughter's expensive party frocks to me when I was a little girl.
I didn't mind 2nd hand so probably wasn't posh.

merlotgran Fri 13-Jan-17 23:53:11

In case you really want to know

Jalima Sat 14-Jan-17 00:02:04

We may be a bit posh, but only a bit!!

Jane10 Sat 14-Jan-17 01:07:23

I'm very posh. In fact I think I'll change my name to LadyJane10 grin

janeainsworth Sat 14-Jan-17 01:35:42

Oh you've beaten me to it jane10.
I'm definitely proud to be posh grin

grannyactivist Sat 14-Jan-17 02:40:39

Having a petticoat (underskirt) was super posh - I longed to have this most frivolous of garments when I was a child. Now I am posh too because I have several!! gringrin

kittylester Sat 14-Jan-17 08:35:44

My mum is posh - she's called 'Duchess'!

TerriBull Sat 14-Jan-17 08:38:48

Hard to define but I would imagine an emphasis on understatement and not being too showy. A bit of a misnomer therefore when Victoria Beckham went for that label for her alter ego perhaps she had her tongue firmly in her cheek as with her re emergence under the guise of "fashion designer"

downtoearth Sat 14-Jan-17 08:52:47

As children anyone who sounded thir aitches......and their th.....properly

Talked posh......we used to fink 'er next door was proper posh...she 'ad a barfroom an' di'ntwash'erfeetinthesink as well grin

Lona Sat 14-Jan-17 09:01:27

When I was young I thought you were posh if you had a bathroom. We didn't have one until I was 18!

DaphneBroon Sat 14-Jan-17 09:08:34

This has got me thinking. I certainly see "posh" as a word to describe the Audrey fforbes-Hamiltons of this world but it all relative isn't it?
My primary school in Scotland was next to what we called a "scheme" (a council estate) and there were only a handful of us in my class who did not live on it. So that was grounds for accusations of "posh" Thinking back I remember most of the pupils were grey or black socks, often like Just William, at half mast. So to appear in white ankle socks was "posh". I was derided as "posh" too because we had a phone (necessary for my father's work) No car, no TV like some and an "only just indoor" lavatory.
The word was always used in a pejorative sense just as it is today, only Hyacinth would aspire to "poshness".

Charleygirl Sat 14-Jan-17 09:09:30

Lona we had a bathroom but could not afford the hot water for a bath!

I think that I am posh looking at the state of my car inside and out.

Christinefrance Sat 14-Jan-17 09:10:10

I think posh and classy are mixed for me. Usually someone with a Home Counties accent, tweeds and Barbour wellies. Huntin, shootin and fishin.
I heard somewhere that the port out starboard home origin was not correct but can't remember what was correct

Ankers Sat 14-Jan-17 09:21:52

I have come to realise in the last year or two, that there are some people who are proper posh, and some that merely pretend and aspire to be.

The link made me realise/understand why my proper posh friend does some of the things she does. Though whether that is in her so to speak, or whether she also copies some of the things I am not sure.

She hasnt got monogrammed slippers though.