As a general definition, a status symbol is usually represented by certain luxury goods that should reflect a person’s economic and social status. A status symbol isn’t limited to tangible items, such as expensive cars, houses and smartphones, but the list is long and can also refer to various services, such as luxury vacations, eating at fancy restaurants or even certain types of uniforms, going to a prestigious university or choosing a private school.

However, just like anything else in life, these goods that are considered a status symbol change over time, but they rely on a specific principle, namely that they should reflect the differences between the upper and lower classes within a society.

These symbols may vary from society to society, for example, in certain communities, people associate body scars with a sign of bravery, which is automatically a status symbol, while in other groups, having expensive clothes and a college degree is another status symbol.

In other words, the main idea is that these status symbols generally reflect a person’s high social and economic status and usually change according to cultural values.

Unfortunately, many people who finally get some money try to keep up with their entourage or they pretend to be someone else and spend their money on unnecessary things that they can’t normally afford, not to mention that some of them have a lot of debts to pay.

Nevertheless, here are some items that are just status symbols and many people buy them only because they could reflect their social and economic status. Read on to find out more info!

Watches

Some of you already know that a few decades ago, watches were very useful, especially since there were no mobile phones to check the time, right?

However, nowadays, if you stop for a minute of your daily activities and do a short experiment while taking public transportation, you will notice that many people who wear a watch don’t use it to check the time, but they check their phone for that instead.

The conclusion is that most people use watches (even expensive ones) to show other people how cool are they.

According to experts, watches are an important indicator to show an individual’s taste levels and wealth, of course. So, it seems that luxury watch brands are usually creating mechanical watches rather than electronic watches, because the electronic ones have batteries that can be easily replaced.

People who choose expensive watches consider this to be an investment because they are made of precious materials that will last for many future generations.

In addition, buying expensive watches to show people their high social status is a phenomenon that can be more common in men.

Wine

According to experts, the decision to choose wine when going to a restaurant is based on various factors, such as their social status, wealth, personal preference and taste or entourage. It seems that this type of beverage reflects a person’s personality, career, salary and social status. For example, entrepreneurs who hang out with other successful people and have a high income will often choose an expensive wine when eating out.

In ancient times, wine was used to show the wealth and prestige of the individual and was also considered a luxury good enjoyed especially by the elite.

However, what many people don’t know is that with the increasing popularity of wine, it began to become more accessible to all types of families, and even slaves had access to wine. In fact, it has been shown that wine can have beneficial properties for the body if consumed in moderate quantities, thus, almost every household has a bottle of wine in the fridge.

Nevertheless, according to some studies, since 1990, wine has once again become a status symbol, being very expensive in some restaurants. In general, rich people are more likely to consume and invest in wine, the Hollywood actor Johnny Depp reportedly spends $30,000 a month on wine.

For example, in some European countries, such as Poland, wine is considered a high status and middle class drink, while beer and vodka are for working class or ordinary people. In most elite and expensive restaurants, a wine bottle could even cost more than $100,000.

High-end cooking utensils

There is a huge paradox between these two status symbols: eating every day at a restaurant and having high-end kitchenware. In other words, if you prefer to eat at a restaurant anyway, then why invest in some expensive cooking tools that you don’t even use at all? You will be surprised if you know how much money some people are willing to invest in these objects.

However, if these kitchen items are good for showing your guests that you have a high social and economic status, then why not buy them?! In fact, who are we to tell you that it is better to focus on eating healthy at home and shaping your cooking skills first rather than spending money on fancy kitchenware that you won’t even use…

Club Membership

Paying exorbitant sums of money to become a member of a club is a symbol of status. Some of the real reasons behind this action are that people hope to start friendships or establish business connections with other rich people, gain more reputation and fame and to show other people that they have money.

For example, according to Steve Sims, the chief executive and founder of TheBluefish.com, some wealthy people are willing to pay a $200,000 fee just to take advantage of luxury golf memberships. There are some club memberships that are actually even more expensive, but the end justifies the means, right?

“A lot rationalize or justify that it will help with their business. It’s sort of required in order to maintain a certain status level within their social circle, along with driving the right kind of car and sending your kid to the right kind of school,” added Dannell Stuart, a partner and the director of business development at Mission Wealth, a wealth management company based in Santa Barbara, Calif.

In addition, an exclusive gym membership is also a status symbol, and unfortunately, people tend to go to these gyms not only for a workout, but also to show people on Instagram that they have more money than them.

Leather car seats

Leather car seats are worth it only if you want to show people your high social and economic status. For many people, the leather car interior may symbolize a luxurious life and comfort, but experts say that they are wrong – or at least in terms of comfort, as this material often sticks to your skin in warm weather and it feels chilly in cold weather, being easily scratched.

However, let’s find out together the history of leather car seats. A few eras ago, only the upper class people could afford the first cars, such as Coupé de Ville, also known as town car or sedanca de ville. These cars had an external driver’s seat and an enclosed compartment for passengers.

So, in those times, individuals considered cloth upholstery a luxury material, so they used it for the enclosed compartment where the wealthy man usually sat and they opted for leather car seats on the external seat (the driver’s seat) because it was more resistant to rain, heat, wind, snow and so on.

Over time, after cars began to take on the shape they have today, the leather car seat has become just an option and due to its price, it is now considered a status symbol.

Swimming Pools

Well, going to the pool in the summer is a good thing, because you can cool down, swim and interact with people – and the truth is that almost everyone could afford this. Nevertheless, having a swimming pool in your backyard is actually considered a luxury. Therefore, they are just a status symbol for some people.

More than this, if you are willing to rent an apartment with a pool in an area famous for its high cost of living, then people will automatically think that you want to show off your social and economic status.

Bio foods and drinks

According to a study done by Dr. Marco Palma, Dr. David Anderson and Meghan Ness, all with the department of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University in College Station, on why consumers pay a lot of money on healthy foods, organic foods are actually a status symbol and many people can’t afford buying it.

“We found that sellers may be able to boost premium prices paid by prestige-seeking individuals through customer education and marketing. The increasing gap in food prices associated with diet quality may be reflecting the reality of a lower purchase capacity by low-income consumers,” Palma explained.

In general, prestige seeking individuals are more likely to buy organic foods because they want to show off their high income and are willing to pay more for something that has a “bio” label, instead of choosing the same product, but without the bio etiquette.