What makes someone posh?
Is it their accent? Their bank account? Or where they live or went to school.
Well, according to society magazine Tatler it's not quite that straight forward, and there is essentially a 'posh' tick list.
Back in 1955, author and journalist Nancy Mitford set out the rules for being upper class, or 'U', and the things which were definitely non-U.
For example, anyone posh would describe themselves as "sick", rather than "ill", which is a definite no-no as it's firmly on the non-U list.
And obviously, one always "bikes" and never "cycles".
But the big question that nobody was asking is how have these rules changed since the coronavirus lockdown?
Well, thankfully, Tatler have put together a new list of the things to focus on if we want to be seen as "posh", and the things to avoid if you don't want to be shunned from society.
Things that are now 'U'
Being chaste
Live-in staff
A chest freezer
Pictures of your children volunteering
Having a driver
Doing your own nails
Zoom-calling your therapist
Waving in the street
Open windows, all year
Builders’ merchants
Bowing instead of shaking hands
Separate bedrooms
Personal trainers
Tinned food
Dressing for dinner
Owning a bike
Holidaying in the British Isles
Ensuite bathrooms
Walking
Having a pen pal
Keeping chickens
Paying for a new hospital wing
The private room – or booking every room
Knowing someone who’s working on the vaccine
Investing in Learjet
New soap
Things that are now non-'U'
Careless kissing
Crowded drinks parties
A dirty kitchen
Ocado
Hugging your parents
Complaining about travel
Borrowing lipstick
Online cocktails
Cheating
Leaning in at dinner
Being late for a reservation
Redecorating
Sharing cigarettes
Dogs on the bed
Steam rooms
Tapas
‘Festivals’ in your garden
Using a hanky, not a tissue
Weddings abroad
Carrying cash
Bare feet
Hot tubs on skiing holidays
The phrase ‘the new normal’
Queue-barging
Bringing a surprise plus-one (or plus-five)
Discussing your antibody test
Homemade masks in floral fabric
