A London Girl’s existence is characterized by a continual and demanding balancing act: the need to maintain two distinct realities. The glitzy, calm, businesslike image—the friend who moves around the city’s elite with ease—is on one side. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the private individual—the woman with a family, home life, and personal concerns wholly unrelated to her work. Possibly the most difficult logistical and emotional task on the field is juggling this double existence. According to https://cityofeve.org.

This means coming up with a completely plausible, alternative cover narrative for the outside world, according to the majority of London Girls. This story is constant, thorough, and well-rehearsed. It explains the erratic schedule, the high cost of living, and the necessity of frequent, frequently last-minute travel. For some, it is a family legacy and a passion for travel; for others, it is a lucrative job in marketing or consultancy. Without ever disclosing the truth, the objective is to offer a believable explanation that satisfies the curiosity of friends, family, and strangers. Maintaining the storyline all the time is psychologically taxing.

The emotional separation is the hardest part. You are the client’s professional companion at all times. Being the expected daughter, sister, or friend requires you to entirely change your behavior when you are with your family or friends who are not related to your job. One’s personal life cannot be affected by the high-stakes drama and intense emotions of one’s career. It is not appropriate to bring up personal grievances during a private dinner or to disclose a client’s secrets during Sunday brunch. Because every connection requires an emotional “clean slate,” the double existence is extremely taxing.

This delicate balancing act is especially difficult in respect to relationships. Dating outside of the workplace might be difficult at times. Real emotional connection might be challenging because of the unbreakable wall of seclusion created by the falsehoods and omissions necessary to preserve one’s work existence. It is uncommon to find partners who are understanding of the rigorous nature of the “cover career” without being overly inquisitive. Colleagues who are aware of the particular limitations of this dual life are often the people with whom London Girls have the strongest bonds.

The successful London Girl is ultimately a compartmentalization expert. There are two different orbits in which she operates, and they will never intersect. Careful preparation, a strong wall of secrecy, and a strong will to keep the two worlds apart keep them apart. Maintaining this constant performance takes a tremendous amount of energy, but it is the unavoidable cost of keeping a successful profession and any kind of personal sanity in the extremely stressful London atmosphere.