[Formerly Helpful_C]

As we all know, chavs tend to wear track suit bottoms, shell suits, jogging bottoms, branded hoodies and trainers e.g. Nike, Adidas and Gola. Now, I know that Nike and Adidas make nice trainers - I, personally, own a pair of subtle hi-tops. So, don't think of this as a "class" issue.

However, if a chav were to wear nice clothing - the definition is whatever you want it to be - would they still be a chav? If so, why? If not, why?

[Menakshelatte]

yes. beacus it's about their character.
I mean imagine someone like diana wearing "chav" clothes, she would still look nice.

[Piprod01]

It's a class thing. The defining characteristics is something vague to do with clothing, and most importantly being poor/on benefits.

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by Piprod01)
It's a class thing. The defining characteristics is something vague to do with clothing, and most importantly being poor/on benefits.

No, I meant don't think that my question is class-based.

Chavs - yeah, sure.

[lukas1051]

You already get chavs wearing "nice" clothes, the Adidas tracksuit was the thing of 2007 but nowadays it's all about the Hollister shirt, tan Chinos and those horrible black Superdry coats. Its kind of a middle class chav, mummy and daddy buys them branded clothes, but underneath you still have the dregs of society. Where I'm from at least, the traditional chav is now a much rarer species.

[YB101]

(Original post by lukas1051)
You already get chavs wearing "nice" clothes, the Adidas tracksuit was the thing of 2007 but nowadays it's all about the Hollister shirt, tan Chinos and those horrible black Superdry coats. Its kind of a middle class chav, mummy and daddy buys them branded clothes, but underneath you still have the dregs of society. Where I'm from at least, the traditional chav is now a much rarer species.

not everyone that wears hollister, chinos and superdry is a chav you know

[RoryRorrzShikari]

Yeah. There were chavs when my parents were at school kn the 70s/80s and I don't think they wore the same clothes. Also just think about chavs from like 6-7 years who wore shell suits or Fred Perry poloshirts with the collars up. Now its switched to gio goi t-shirts and diesel jeans but their still refferred to as 'chavs'.

[lukas1051]

(Original post by YB101)
not everyone that wears hollister, chinos and superdry is a chav you know

Never said they were.

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by lukas1051)
You already get chavs wearing "nice" clothes, the Adidas tracksuit was the thing of 2007 but nowadays it's all about the Hollister shirt, tan Chinos and those horrible black Superdry coats. Its kind of a middle class chav, mummy and daddy buys them branded clothes, but underneath you still have the dregs of society. Where I'm from at least, the traditional chav is now a much rarer species.

Ah, the people in the area I'm working are stuck in a time-loop.

[hothedgehog]

For me, they would still be a chav as being a chav is more about their demeanour rather than just their clothing. Think about when you see a chav in a suit coming out of a court hearing or something similar (you must have seen one on tele/news somewhere!), they're still swearing, talking, walking in the same way and they'll probably still be wearing their chavvy jewellery - the suit hasn't stopped them from being a chav!

[YB101]

(Original post by lukas1051)
You already get chavs wearing "nice" clothes, the Adidas tracksuit was the thing of 2007 but nowadays it's all about the Hollister shirt, tan Chinos and those horrible black Superdry coats. Its kind of a middle class chav, mummy and daddy buys them branded clothes, but underneath you still have the dregs of society. Where I'm from at least, the traditional chav is now a much rarer species.

MASSIVE sweeping generalisation

tbh I think nowadays the word "chavs" is just used to describe a group in society that we aren't fond of.

And after watching a documentary on chavs, I don't think "middle class chavs" even exist. Do remember chavs = council house and vandalism"

[Joinedup]

When a significant number of chavs start wearing any branded clothing it stops being an aspirational product and is no longer nice. Happened with burberry a few years back.
Tbh chavs are not going to start wearing evening suits day to day, they need something that's good for outrunning store detectives in.

[lukas1051]

(Original post by YB101)
MASSIVE sweeping generalisation

tbh I think nowadays the word "chavs" is just used to describe a group in society that we aren't fond of.

And after watching a documentary on chavs, I don't think "middle class chavs" even exist. Do remember chavs = council house and vandalism"

They may not live in council houses, but that doesn't stop them drinking cans of wifebeater at the local park, hanging around on their BMXs with 13 year olds, shouting abuse from the top of the bus and smoking outside of schools with their shirt off. I think the chav has evolved (changed is perhaps a better word because they're equally as primitive as before), and maybe we should call them something else, but the antisocial, violent and generally undesirable behaviour is very much the same.

[crocker710]

Yes, it's a mentality. Money doesn't elevate someone from a social class, although it's normally a key tenant. Look at the chav who won the lottery, Michael Carroll.

£9,700,000.00 and 8 years later

However as of February 2010, he revealed that he was back on Jobseeker's Allowance, having spent all of his money on crack cocaine, gambling, his family and friends, electronic goods, cars, prostitutes and gold

With regards to clothes people wear, it doesn't make the person within the clothes anything. You'll find the people who are ostentatious are the people who think they have to 'prove' they can wear the brand, whilst people who subtly wear a certain brand not feel the need to broadcast they can afford £X per item of clothing. Think RL polo tops with the large logo Vs. small logo with complementary colour to the top so it's difficult to see.

[jamboogy]

No, cos they'd still be ****ing idiots. Wearing trakkies or not, they're still gonna hurl abuse at the odd granny.

[M'Ling]

The chavs I went to school with have now become the sort of psuedo-Indie types they once oppressed at school. Their clothes are largely irrelevant, except for the fact that they always try and wear the 'trendiest' clothes. But like people have said, their ignorant, stupid, and 'laddish' qualities remain. In fact this whole 'lad' thing these days is just an evolution of the word chav.

Female chavs are pretty much the same these days, albeit a little bit less orange. They're still schreechy, they still wear copious amounts of make-up, and still dress half-naked everywhere they go. Beneath the clothes they remain the same, though, I think i.e. much much more insulting than male chavs due to their ability to see straight to somebody's aesthetic flaws.

[silentlife]

I think 'chav' is a way of acting more than a class or monetary thing - so of course yes!

Look at some of the footballers now - sure they've got lots of money, but some I will still class as chavs.

The emphasis is on some because I don't think they all are.

[I have a question]

Wow... some really judgemental people on this forum.

[Iron Lady]

Of course.

I know some people who are wealthy, live in big houses, drive luxury cars, etc. but I still view them as quite chavvy despite the designer clothes they wear (they're not exactly nice, but still expensive, if this is what you mean OP?), due to their behaviour, interests and accent. They're just called 'rich chavs'. Look at some celebrities/footballers, they don't stop being a chav just because they have a large bank account.

Being a 'chav' is an attitude and clothes will not say whether they're a chav or not. Some people wear Adidas tracksuits or whatever for exercising, so as long as they wouldn't wear it for casual clothes, then they can still be normal people!

There are many different types of chavs: the thugs/violent anti-social behaviour type, the loud/mouthy type and then the type who looks a bit common but are harmless.

In answer to your question, OP, chavs do not stop being chavs due to the clothes, as you can always tell from their mannerisms.

[Iron Lady]

(Original post by Mister Dead)
x

I've seen some of your posts on this site; you're really annoying.