Office party survival
Follow these guidelines from social skills specialist Peter Spalton (www.spalton.co.uk) and you need never endure an awkward silence around a tinsel-decked photocopier again…
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How to not get travel sickness
“Don’t stop movin’,” sang S Club 7 in 2001. Clearly, they never suffered from travel sickness, but many of us do. Virginia Graham, psychotherapist at Clinical-partners.co.uk,…
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Are You Scared Of Women?
At the entrance to the British Library hang the words of Marie Curie — “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” It was this fearlessness that saw her overturn…
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Best baby kit for designer dads
Today’s fathers may be more hands-on when it comes to looking after babies and toddlers, but that doesn’t mean that they feel comfortable sashaying through a restaurant clutching a pink,…
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How to deliver a gag
There are some things we want to inherit from our dads: his DIY skills, his wisdom, his house. His ability to tell a joke is not one of them. Fortunately, stand-up comedian Tim Vine, whose book The…
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Win Golf's Mental Battle
Golf’s a cruel game. Sand, water, geese (if you’ve played at Lee Valley) combine to cause as many physical problems as one can cope with. The least you can ask, then, is for your brain to…
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How to wear a spring/summer hat
From Frank Sinatra's Fedora to Charlie Chaplin's bowler, the hat has been a strong sartorial choice by many great men. But a misjudged hat can leave you looking more than a little foolish (think…
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How to remember names
Are you a bit of a Trigger? Think certain people are called Dave? Well, more often than not, they're not.
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The perfect Indian side dish
Everyone has their own speciality Indian dish, and all the shouting, threatening and fist waving from us is unlikely to change the way you make your Chicken Tikka Masala. (Although we have tried)
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Get fit at your desk
It’s where you sit for eight hours every day, says ShortList’s Simeon de la Torre, so make it work harder for you with just a few simple adjustments.
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How to fix a leaking tap
Drip, drip, drip, drip… Alright, simmer down, we’re not casting aspersions on your manliness, rather drawing attention to one of life’s most annoying noises – the sound of a…
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How to fold a pocket square
Pocket squares are a remarkably overlooked item of male wardrobe. A suit simply isn't complete without one and the entire look can't be ruined by a badly followed effort. We know this because…
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How to make the perfect sliding tackle
Often heard from the mouths of ex-pros, who played in the days of 'real men' and who have long since swapped their boots for the presenter's chair, are the words "Players just don't know how to…
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How to buy a bed
Our wise old grandad imparted many pearls of wisdom upon our tender ears. Unfortunately, we were too engrossed in the marvels of Teletext or the beauty of Daisy Duke to take them all in. Silly…
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How to get the best body position while skiing
It's that time of year when holidays which consist of lazing around getting sunburnt are exchanged for genuinely exhausting trips away on the slopes.
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How to meet the parents
It's a rite of passage for any major relationship. Being taken back to the family home and desperately hoping your girlfriend's parents won't hate you. The stakes are scarily, almost unthinkably,…
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How not to get pickpocketed
Money. You could’ve invented the phrase ‘easy come, easy go’ for it. In fact, someone probably did. But illusionist Simon Drake, a consultant for Hustle (Season 6 is out on DVD now,…
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How to buy a house
Becoming an adult is hard work. Holding down a job, paying taxes, getting frowned at for jumping on the bed...it sometimes seems as if growing up is just a long stream of rubbishness. This is never…
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All you need to know about cash ISAs
Would anyone actively choose to pay tax on their hard-earned savings if they didn’t have to? You’ve probably heard about ISAs but according to Barclays, many Britons are failing to take…
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How to propose
It's an extremely delicate situation. It can either result in a life filled with love and happiness or crushing, "will this darkness ever go away" style failure. That's why you need to read…
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How to fix a leaking tap
Drip, drip, drip, drip… Alright, simmer down, we’re not casting aspersions on your manliness, rather drawing attention to one of life’s most annoying noises – the sound of a…
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Do you really know how to shave?
Shaving first thing in the morning? Missing patches? Still dragging the razor in the upwards direction? Poor fool. We were too until we started working with Adrian Clark, ShortList's immaculately…
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How to clean patent leather
Anyone who's met our style director, Adrian Clark, knows the man has a tip or two up his sleeve. So last week, when he arrived at work with a potato telling us he'd relieve our puffy eyes with the…
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How to reduce puffy eyes
You've been there, we've been there, every man has. You wake up after a frightening night on the sherries and your eyes resemble those of Sloth from The Goonies. Fear not, ShortList's own Adrian…
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How to wear fragrances
Ever since we treated ourselves (and you, obviously) to this brand new, luscious-looking website, we've been offering up a weekly slot to your style and grooming conundrums. With the help of our…
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How to pack for travel
It's scientifically proven than women are better at packing clothes for travel than men. And you can't argue with science, unless you're a creationist. Alas, the bottom line is you can't always call…
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How to write a hit single
Bill Padley — Ivor Novello Award-winning tunesmith and member of Basca (who runs songwriting festival SongFest) — knows how to hit the right notes.
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How to get a pay rise
With the exception of problems ‘down there’ or developing a thing for your girlfriend’s mum, few subjects are as sensitive as asking for a pay rise – especially in…
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