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Astrid Perkins
FOTOS: Cora Reutemann
A "snobÓ is a person who welcomes new societal changes with a foolish admiration -- or at least that is what the Real Spanish Academy says.
For centuries, there has existed a social label that marks the status that one has in life. This social label has been continually molded to adapt to the changing historical and social characteristics of each country. In the middle of the 19th century, someone labeled the desire to belong or acquire status. The most widely-accepted theory states that English universities had to accept the "New RichÓ (those wealthy or affluent individuals without royal blood), and they recognized these people as s/nob (in Spanish "sin noblezaÓ or without nobility). Perhaps an evil adolescent with servants and castles began to use the label "snobÓ to categorize people. I don't know. What matters is that from that point forward, nothing has been the same for the New Rich or those whom are born to desire more than what they are.
The "realÓ nobles, of course, were exempt of snobbism. (There were very few real nobles, yet they had been successful at already paving the snob path). The rest of the mortals were dubbed as snobs, unless you were unique and wanted to follow in the tracks of Che Guevara, Ghandi, or Mother Teresa.
As the years passed, the ways to describe a snob have been changing. In Buenos Aires, snobbism is still strong thanks to its foundation. At the beginning of the century, it was also characterized as "tilingueriaÓ, a term that was used to define someone who constantly extended their neck to look a little bit more ahead or a tad higher than others. A few generations back, snobbism was obsessed with last names. To have a well known name was critical. People were evaluated by their family tree and therefore were accepted or rejected according to their surname. To become part of the inner circle, a person with a strong surname should have also owned property or had some noble or European blood in their veins. Both English and French blood was passable, but French was better.
At that time, there were already schools and clubs created to help with the continuation of the snob species. There were certain precautions taken, for example, mixing this pedigree with chaperones, tutors, and nannies that were brought from Europe to dedicate their lives to show children the "good pathÓ in life. When the boys entered their teenage years, there was a rebellion against "in-breedingÓ and adolescent girls were forbidden to marry outside of the snob circle. As it came to pass, the blood began to mix. Fortunes began to change hands and this, in turn, gave rise to new generations of snobs with cultural codes and a stringent (albeit unwritten) definition of what it meant to be a snob.
From the 60's to the 21st century
Let's now take a look at the snob of the 60's and 70's. They lived in Barrio Norte, Recoleta, and Retiro and the most fortunate spent weekends at their country homes or ranches. Those who didn't live in these neighborhoods, tried to get themselves invited some way. The other option would be to go sailing. At that time, that was the life of a snob in its basic form. (Today, if you are part of the New Rich, you better exchange your sailboat for a home in Pilar. And if you can afford it, buy some polo horses.) Anyway, the past snobs went to dance at Mau Mau or Afrika (with a James Smart suit); and, of course, the bouncer greeted them by name. They drank whiskey on the rocks, were members of the Jockey Club, The Argentine Tennis club, or the Nautical Club of San Isidro (or they were dying to be members). They traveled to Europe two or three times per year, they would sunbathe at the beaches of San Tropez, and they were regular visitors to Punta del Este where they would hold cocktail parties with other invitees whose surnames were Anchorena, Alzaga, Blaquier, or Bordeau. In short, invitees often used private jets and had some noble lineage. They also positioned themselves as part of the polo world which was much more exclusive than it is nowadays. The woman, in addition to being big spenders, drank tea, played the piano, went to the Argentine Tennis Club and organized social events at embassies or at private residential homes. Frequently, their conversations incorporated French and English words, depending on the decadence of the snob in question.
In conversations, snobs always spoke about money, politics (even though all of them knew that they would have to hate Peron forever), and religion. The social etiquette was to respect religion. The snob in those days did not talk about sex, illnesses, or psychoanalysis. It would have been frowned upon to discuss those topics. Women read European fashion and beauty magazines and dreamt of becoming models for Para ti or Claudia magazines.
Today, things have changed to coincide more with the present and the changing aspects of Argentina. The last name is not so important (except for that snob who still likes to say "he is the son of so-and-so European nobleÓ). However, fortune, class, aesthetic, and the inner circle have become the new criteria for being a Porteno (BA citizen) snob. To maintain this status, and distinguish themselves in the world of snobbery, has grown increasingly more difficult.
The real snobs must adapt themselves to a world that has advanced to the velocity of an Aston Martin, one that consumes luxurious items (including technology, entertainment goods, etc.) and maintains a good living. The snobs are now much more scattered across the city than before, but they are most prevalent in Barrio Parque, Las Lomas de San Isidro, or gated communities like Tortugas (the absolute kingdom and wanna-be snobs), Santa Barbara, Abril, o Talar de Pacheco. They have country homes in Monte, Pilar General Rodriguez, Punta del Este, Villa Angostura, Bariloche. In Carmelo, Uruguay? No, that's the New Rich, sorry. The country house needs to have that rustic aura. A real snob is familiar with the antique circuit of dealers like Ricardo Paz, Milagros Resta, and Pepino Cosmico. It is necessary to buy rural antique furniture, but made with fabrics bought in Euros from the shows in Milan and the Paul Smith shops in London.
The fashion styles of the snob have proportionally grown with the increase in consumption of name brands. Everything is mixed with a vintage style (it seems as if they have inherited the styles of a countess grandmother). Plus, like always, it shows that they are using international brand names like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Hermes, or Voyage (this last one for the most exclusive snobs). Here in Buenos Aires, Rapsodia and Menage are brands of the real snob that helps differentiate between the New Rich, the wanna-be rich, and the rest of the common folk. They have various looks, but to classify themselves as part of the snob universe, they need to accessorize the name brands with certain hairstyles or family jewelry. The hippie chick is very educated and she goes out on the town with a natural aura about her. The "glamÓ goes to the fashionable cocktails and private parties. Finally, of course, there is the couture that attends galas or benefit fundraisers where the snob does not have a problem mingling with famous faces from TV, politics, and "businessmenÓ of questionable class and education (but with proper suits loaned from high-end designers).
The circles where more or less everyone speaks the same language are at art events. These events include ArteBA (annual art bonanza), openings/exhibitions, cocktails in the Malba Musuem, or fashion shows. Art is one of the surefire attractions of the snob at this time. To become a curator, art collector, or artist is to occupy one of the highest regarded positions, at least according to the snob code of law. The snob needs to have a wide range of things to talk about at a cocktail or a gala and "art conversationÓ is perfect. However, there is plenty of fodder for cocktail chatter from other snobbish interests ranging from wine, to history, art, French furniture, Aristotelian philosophy, Thai cuisine, or even how to maintain your rose garden.
The snob who is not interested in the art world feels forced to become part of a sports circle that will connect him with other snobs who possess similar codes. The snob can choose golf ( he can be a member of the Jockey Club or get a member to invite him), skiing in the Andes or places like Las Lenas or sometimes escaping to Vail, Aspen, or St. Moritz. Most of the other ski resorts are for the New Rich.
The elegant sport look is a must! The majority of attire is bought on vacations in New York (where snobs go several times a year), Boston, or London. The beaches where you would find them sunbathing are those in Uruguay, of course. To escape the cold winters, they travel to the Hamptons in upstate New York, Mallorca, Cannes, Monaco, and the Mediterranean. During the rest of the year, those that have children send them to Newman, Palermo Chico, or Northlands and make them play polo. The children do not choose to play soccer, instead they learn French, jazz, and study art. Afterwards, they need to study in the United States or Europe and attend the best Universities because strong academic backgrounds are a must. Contacts are important and snobs try to have a Rockefeller, a Getty, or a Guggenheim, or even a Saudi Prince as a friend. Snobs needs to mix English vocabulary in their everyday lives: "BrutalÓ (brutal), "divinoÓ (adorable), "viste?Ó (you see?), "gordoÓ (guy), "gordaÓ (gal), "sensacionalÓ (sensational), "topÓ (hot), "chicÓ, (chic), and "obvioÓ (obviously). Conversation is an art and nowadays the snob raises topics such as sex, lying/cheating, and tragedy. These issues have become very important conversation themes and they are expounded upon with profound elaboration of theories and opinions. They also speak about religion (above all else, Islam interests the snob because of its potential danger to humanity). Last, they talk about pychoanalysis because now it is extremely common to visit a psychologist regularly. Besides, ALL problems needed to be analyzed someday...
The ten basic rules of a snob
- Live in a private neighborhood or country estate and have (or aspirations to have) a house in Punta del Este or Pilar.
- Be a member of a club like the Jockey or Argentine Tennis Clubs or be a member of the ASW (www.asmallworld.net), a meeting place on the web for snobs.
- Be invited or be able to invite others to the hottest events in the city.
- Frequently travel to New York, London, Paris, Palm Beach, or Monaco.
- Collect art/antiques or be a curator or artist socially connected to the art world. Be a member of an association for a museum or something of the sort.
- In one way or another, have known Maxima Zorrigueta, or better yet to have known a member of European nobility with the picture to prove it.
- Be up to date with today's technology like the Ipod, Palm, Blackberry, flat screen, new laptop, a cell phone with internet access, mp3 player, digital camera, and video recorder.
- Do some extreme sport, (kite surfing, shark fishing) or sophisticated sport (fly fishing, polo, golf), or alternative (yoga or surfing).
- Have a diploma (even if it is from a course you took during the summer), from Harvard, La Sorbonne, Stanford, Oxford, or similar universities.
- To have been seen on at least two social web or magazine pages or have your home photographed for a hot Porteno magazine.
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