Be a pro at London’s mannerisms and fit right in with the crowd. ELLE editors from ELLE UK give their best lifestyle advice with tips from:
• Lorraine Candy – Editor in Chief of ELLE UK
• Anne-Marie Curtis – Fashion Director of ELLE UK
• Marissa Bourke – Creative Director of ELLE UK – and the ELLE UK Art Team
• Susan Ward Davies – Travel Editor of ELLE UK
• Emma Strenner – Beauty Director of ELLE UK
• Suzanne Scott – Beauty Writer of ELLE UK
• Georgia Collins – Deputy Beauty Editor of ELLE UK
MORE LONDON: Lifestyle addresses
GENERAL TIPS & TRENDS
Typical words, phrases or attitudes when entering a restaurant/shop
BT: “Hello”. There is no new way of saying these things in London.
A-MC: “Hello”
MB: “Hi”, this is the standard greeting.
SWD: “Hello”: this is the typical friendly greeting
Typical words, phrases or attitudes when leaving a restaurant/shop
BT: “Bye”
A-MC: “Thank you, bye bye”
MB: “Bye”, this is the most used formula.
SWD: “Bye, see you later”: it is the typical friendly goodbye
MILAN travel guide: Eat, drink and go out
Typical words, phrases or attitudes when saying Hello to someone you know
BT: “Hi”
A-MC: “Hey!”
MB: “Hey”, this is the most used formula.
SWD: “Hi, it’s so good to see you”: it is the typical familiar greeting.
Typical words, phrases or attitudes when greeting someone
BT: “Give a hug. We’re getting friendlier in London by the minute, only a sincere hug will do!”
A-MC: “2 kisses”.
MB: “A kiss on the cheek. It is polite and friendly.”
SWD: “One kiss on the cheek and say ‘Hi, how are you?": It is the standard friendly greeting.
PARIS travel guide: Lifestyle tips & trends
Trendy words/expressions
BT: “Totes”, which means “totally”.
A-MC: “Everyone is putting "super" in front of adjectives ie: super-amazing, super-cool. Or they use the word “Amaze”.
MB: “The abbreviations like lol etc… It is really casual.”
SWD: “Totes, amaze”: Taken from the popular TV show "The Only Way is Essex"
The biggest don’ts
BT: “Limp handshakes. Handshakes should be firm and purposeful – there’s nothing worse than a limp handshake.”
A-MC: “Don’t be rude.”
MB: “A kiss on the lips. It is inappropriate.”
MORE LONDON: Eat, drink and go out
Click through to the next page for our travel tips and trends for London…
TRAVELLING TIPS & TRENDS
How to pack and what luggage to use
BT: “Go for an overnight suitcase. It will normally fit in the over-head luggage compartment meaning no queuing at baggage claim at the other end.”
A-MC: “Carry-on Louis Vuitton.”
MB: “A hand luggage because it is minimal.”
SWD: “Go for a Tumi Tegralite. A cool retro trunk look, very light, a lot of room and easy to wheel around.”
Learn how to TRAVEL WITH EASE with out airport guide
The best travel outfit
BT: “A pair of skinny jeans, a T-shirt, a jacket, Converse sneakers and the largest carry-on bag you can get away with. Comfort without sacrificing style.”
A-MC: “A cashmere scarf, a pair of sunglasses.”
MB: “A cashmere blanket and a hoody for comfort.”
SWD: “A pair of cargo pants, a Twenty8Twelve T-shirt with a khaki fine cotton shirt.”
The must-have items on the plane
BT: “An iPod and a Kindle. If the in-flight movies are rubbish your iPod and kindle are the only things to get you through the flight.”
A-MC: “A book, some water and a face cream.”
MB: “A pair of cashmere socks for comfort.”
SWD: “A Kindle, a Macbook, a Bliss moisturizer, an Evian spray, a pashmina.”
SLIDESHOW: 10 FRESH FRAGRANCES for spring
Beauty tips to look fresh upon arrival
BT: “In-flight mini facial and facial spritz. We make the most of the time in the sky with a mini facial. We massage Clarins Blue Orchid oil into skin and apply a mask like Sisley Black Orchid that doesn’t need washing off. Then top it off with a hydrating gel/crème like Carita Lagoon Cream and keep our skin hydrated by misting it regularly with the likes of Caudalie Beauty Elixir.”
A-MC: “Wear a pair of sunglasses.”
MB: “Drink water on the plane. It will keep you looking and feeling fresh.”
SWD: “Cleanse and moisturize throughout the flight. Drink lots of water.”
How to beat jetlag
BT: “Work through it. We try not to give in to sleep preferring to power through – otherwise it takes days to adjust.”
A-MC: “Take a swim and have a massage.”
MB: “Stay up! You’ll feel worse if you keep snoozing!”
SWD: “Stay up really late the night before flying. Don’t keep regular hours. If you don’t sleep at the same time every night, you barely notice jetlag.”
What to drink & eat on the plane
BT: “Drink lots and lots of water and be careful of what you eat. Flying can leave us (and our skin) massively dehydrated and it messes with digestion so drink a lot of water and be careful to avoid stodgy foods.”
A-MC: “Drinking some green tea will stop you bloating.”
MB: “Take your own food. It is a good way to stay healthy.”
SWD: “If you’re lucky enough to get upgraded, drink lots of champagne. You won’t care about the turbulence at 50,000 feet.”
READ MORE
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Off the beaten bath: London’s most stylish hot spots
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