Though some wealthier members of the middle classes could marry into the lower ranks of the gentry, such unions were not completely accepted by the elite ton.
Social positions could be altered or determined by income, houses, speech, manner of dress, or even etiquette.
Climbing the social ladder could take generations, particularly into the aristocracy, which did not readily accept those perceived to be of inferior birth.
Acceptable social behaviours differed for men and women; they were based on a system validated primarily by the patronesses of Almack's, who determined who could be admitted to its functions.
The flexibility of social rules was unofficially determined by an individual's status, wealth, or family connections.