How do YOU Dress your Windows?

Sociologists define class as the grouping of people by occupation, representing

different levels of power, influence and money.

In traditional British society there are three classes, with little social mobility. Most cultures throughout history have had some kind of class system, usually with slaves. But this sort of society is steadily changing. In previous generations education was seen as a privilege, and was only open to the privileged. Having a degree was a sign of wealth, education and influence. Now education is seen as a necessity not a luxury, open to everyone. If knowledge is power then anyone can have access to knowledge and therefore power, which would in the past have meant a higher social class. We find ourselves in a society where those that "have" want to keep, and those that "have not" want to get- and both are at rights to try.

Despite this an article in the Guardian states that, "The poorest children still have little chance of becoming lawyers, doctors, senior civil servants and financiers". It sites the reason for this is children from the poorest families often end up in the poorest school, therefore obtaining weaker grades. The article reveals some shocking facts, such as, "More than half (55%) of secondary schools in the most deprived parts of England did not achieve the benchmark of 30% of children getting five good GCSEs".

Marketers "Social class segmentation works on the assumption that the higher your profession the more you will earn. Thus the more affluent lifestyle you will lead". Britain has a letter system that is used to work out class based, traditionally, on occupation, as follows:

A Professional staff
B Middle management
C1 Junior management
C2 Skilled manual
D Semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
E Those dependent on the state.

Using the class system as a segmentation of the market may seem out-dated and fairly useless in many respects, but it can be useful when marketing products and services that covey status connotations. James Edwin Harris explains that "consumers use social status to learn about and evaluate value-expressive products". Harris believes that social class and income are independant of each other. He also articulates that people are most likely to see themselves as "middle-class" regardless of determining factors. Harris explains that "this self-concept went directly against the revelation that people who were traditionally [akin in] class kept the same attitudes and preferences". Terrell Williams, writing in The Journal of Consumer Marketing, states that segmentation by class should, "be seen as just one source of social division not as the primary divider". He goes on to assert that the result of large middle class, as can be seen in the diagram below, is that "for many marketers social class divisions fail to make sufficient distinctions between this dominant middle class".

The diagram above shows the change in the ratio of the different classes from the turn of the century to today. Here you can see the pyramid shape that prevailed for centuries in Britain, which had many having little and a few holding most of the wealth. An interesting video, Understanding Class, from Eltechno states that there were those who ruled and those who were ruled. There were those who did the work, and those who prospered from the work done. Currently there is still a small Upper Class but the majority has risen to Lower Middle and Working Class. This has been know to many as the rise of the Middle Class. The video explains that it is since the industrial revolution and the emergence of the service industry that has created the shift in the class system.

The Grumpy Guide to Class, part 1, part 2 and part 3, a rather tongue in cheek look at classes today, hits the nail on the head with how to define class in modern day Britain. It says that it's all about where you live and what you put in your house. It goes on to suggest that one of the defining features of class is how you dress your windows. Do you use venetian blinds or lace curtains? It sounds extraneous, but they have a point. It's about what class you strive to be in. And this is done through obvious purchases. These sets of rules have come about so that people can instantly tell what class you are, or what class you wish to be perceived. It's why brands now put the label on the outside of clothing. It's why people drive an certain type of car. These are publicly perceived purchases. It's all about judgement. And marketers play on these insecurities people have that they might be seen as middle class, when really they are upper middle class, or they want people to think they are upper middle class. One of the pivotal points that the grumpies made was that class is no longer where you were born, what your father did you where you went to school, but it's what you wear, what car you drive. Things that people can instantly see and instantly judge.