If you consider these 9 brands "fancy," you probably grew up working-class

Have you ever caught yourself describing Olive Garden as "that nice Italian place" or felt genuinely excited about getting a Coach outlet bag for your birthday?

These little moments reveal more about our backgrounds than we might realize. After spending nearly two decades in finance, where I watched how people from different economic backgrounds viewed money and status, I've noticed fascinating patterns in what we consider "fancy."

The brands we perceive as luxurious often say less about the brands themselves and more about the economic environment we grew up in. It's not about judgment or shame. It's about understanding how our past shapes our present perceptions.

If you find yourself considering these nine brands as particularly fancy or aspirational, you might have grown up in a working-class household.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, recognizing these patterns can help us understand our relationship with money, status, and self-worth.

1. Red Lobster

Remember those Cheddar Bay Biscuits? For many working-class families, Red Lobster represents the pinnacle of seafood dining. It's where you went for special occasions like graduations or anniversaries.

I had a colleague who told me her family saved up for months to take her to Red Lobster when she got into college. The endless shrimp special felt like absolute luxury to them. Meanwhile, other colleagues saw it as just another chain restaurant.

This disconnect isn't about the quality of the food. It's about what that restaurant represented in your household growing up. If Red Lobster was your family's "fancy dinner out," you likely grew up in a home where eating out at all was a special treat.

2. Coach

Coach bags occupy this interesting middle ground in the fashion world. They're accessible luxury, which makes them the first "designer" brand many people encounter.

When I started my finance career, I remember saving up for my first Coach bag. It felt like such a milestone, like I'd finally "made it." Years later, I realized that for many of my colleagues who grew up wealthy, Coach was considered entry-level at best.

The brand becomes a status symbol primarily for those who see it as a significant step up from what they're used to. If you still get excited seeing that Coach logo, you probably remember a time when designer anything felt completely out of reach.

3. The Cheesecake Factory

Those massive menus and enormous portions create an experience of abundance that feels luxurious when you're not used to excess.

Growing up, did your family share entrees when eating out? Did you always take home leftovers because the portions were too big and too expensive to waste?

The Cheesecake Factory's over-the-top approach to everything feels fancy precisely because it's so different from the careful, measured approach to food many working-class families had to take.

Plus, with cheesecakes that cost $8-10 per slice, dessert becomes an indulgence that signals you're doing well enough to splurge.

4. Michael Kors

Much like Coach, Michael Kors represents that accessible luxury tier. The brand markets itself brilliantly to people who want to feel like they're participating in designer fashion without the prohibitive price tags of true luxury brands.

Do you remember when getting something from Michael Kors felt like a huge achievement? When that MK logo meant you'd arrived?

This brand specifically targets consumers who aspire to luxury but need it to be attainable. And there's nothing wrong with that aspiration.

5. Olive Garden

When you're here, you're family, right? Olive Garden markets itself as authentic Italian dining, and for many working-class families, it genuinely feels that way.

The unlimited breadsticks and salad create that same sense of abundance that feels special when you're used to carefully portioned meals. I've heard so many stories of people taking their parents to Olive Garden to celebrate getting a promotion or new job, treating it like fine dining.

The reality is that Olive Garden serves a specific purpose: making people feel special without breaking the bank. If it still feels fancy to you, you probably grew up in a household where even this level of dining out was reserved for special occasions.

6. Banana Republic

This one's interesting because Banana Republic positions itself as professional, sophisticated clothing. For many people entering white-collar jobs from working-class backgrounds, it becomes the go-to place for "work clothes."

When I first started in finance, Banana Republic felt like where the successful people shopped. Their clothes seemed so polished and professional compared to what I was used to. It took years to realize that many of my colleagues considered it pretty basic mall clothing.

The perception gap here is huge. If Banana Republic still reads as upscale to you, you likely didn't grow up around people who shopped at actual high-end retailers.

7. Bath & Body Works

Those seasonal sales and elaborate packaging make Bath & Body Works products feel like luxurious self-care, especially if you grew up using whatever soap was on sale at the grocery store.

Getting a Bath & Body Works gift set for Christmas probably felt special, right? The fancy bottles, the coordinated scents, the idea that you had special products just for making yourself smell nice, all of this feels luxurious when basic hygiene products were all your family could afford.

The brand trades on making everyday items feel special through presentation and marketing. If you still see it as fancy, you remember when scented lotion was a luxury, not a given.

8. P.F. Chang's

P.F. Chang's occupies a similar space to The Cheesecake Factory but with an "exotic" twist. The horse statues, the dim lighting, the lettuce wraps presented as something special, it all creates an atmosphere of upscale dining.

For families where Chinese food meant takeout from the local spot, P.F. Chang's feels like an elevated experience. The prices reflect that positioning too. When a simple chicken dish costs $15-20, it becomes special occasion dining for working-class families.

9. Kay Jewelers

"Every kiss begins with Kay," right? This marketing slogan has been drilled into our heads, positioning Kay as the place where romance happens.

But here's what's interesting: Kay Jewelers is mall jewelry. It's mass-produced, marked up significantly, and targeted at people who don't know much about jewelry quality. Yet for many working-class families, Kay represents "real" jewelry, the place you go for engagement rings and anniversary gifts.

If you still see Kay as the fancy jewelry store, you probably grew up in a household where any jewelry that wasn't costume jewelry felt special.

Final thoughts

Recognizing these patterns isn't about feeling embarrassed or ashamed. Our backgrounds shape us in countless ways, and there's nothing inherently wrong with finding joy or aspiration in any of these brands.

What matters is understanding how these perceptions affect our current relationship with money and status. Are you overspending on things that feel fancy but aren't particularly good quality? Are you letting brand names determine your self-worth?

After years of making good money in finance, I learned that true luxury has nothing to do with logos or brand names. It's about quality, experiences, and most importantly, not needing external validation for your worth.

Your background is part of your story, not something to hide or overcome. Whether Red Lobster still feels fancy or you've moved on to other experiences, what matters is that you're making conscious choices about what actually brings value to your life.

The next time you catch yourself getting excited about one of these brands, pause and ask yourself: Is this excitement coming from genuine appreciation, or from old patterns about what success should look like? The answer might surprise you.