The Decline of Status Markers

An article titled When the Joneses Wear Jeans:  Status Markers in the United States of America, explored the decline of "status markers" (a way in which one can determine another's social class by outer appearances).

Unlike the past, it is becoming harder to determine the social class of a person just by seeing their clothing or their car.  It seems that the range of people who own handbags or jeans or cars with designer labels splashed across them is becoming wider and wider.  People in the middle class have flat screen televisions, luxury cars, high end jewelry and jeans that cost $200 a pair, all of these items were once associated only to people of the upper class.  According to this article, %81 percent of Americans feel social pressure to buy high priced goods.   

The author of this article sates : "Social class, once so easily assessed by the car in the driveway or the purse on the arm, has become harder to see in the things Americans buy. Rising incomes, flattening prices and easily available credit have given so many Americans access to such a wide array of high-end goods that traditional markers of status have lost much of their meaning."  Although status markers may have lost their meaning, there are of course still differences between the lifestyles of the classes.  The article states that although higher end goods may be available to different classes, that personal services (chefs, maids, chauffeurs etc.) is the real difference between classes.

Are there any other ways that we can determine a person's social class other than their appearance?  If today the classes seem to blending together in outer appearances, how will the differences in social class continue to change?

In class we have been discussing the change of advertising in America's history.  Generally, higher priced brands have been targeted at the upper class.  If the middle class is catching up to the upper class in their material possessions, how might the advertising of higher priced goods change?