You really are so vain

Nov 8 2007 by Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post

Emma Pinch discovers we just can’t stop looking at ourselves

MIRROR, mirror, on the wall, who is the vainest of them all? The answer’s Liverpool girls, if we can believe a new survey unleashed on us earlier this week, which has them checking their appearance an incredible 71 times a day.

No, we don’t know how you would ever count those moments up, or what kind of job would allow you to go running to a mirror five times an hour, unless you happen to be in Girls Aloud or the Big Brother house – but Scouse girls apparently manage it.

They stoically saw off competition from London and Newcastle to achieve an impressive double, including the national average number of moments per day spent lost in self-contemplation, which incidentally stands at a not-very-modest 34.

And it’s a wonder loved-up Liverpudlian couples ever find the time to gaze into each other’s eyes, with Liverpool men rating fourth highest for time spent every day admiring their own reflection.

Until now, it was a down-to- earth outlook and a well- developed sense of humour which most characterised the Scouse psyche.

Are we to add raging narcissism to that collection of regional qualities? And who or what is to blame?

According to some of the city’s style observers, Liverpool girls look at themselves more often than most because of the pain-staking effort which goes into their appearance.

Staff at Barbara Daley, who owns an award-winning hair and make up studio of the same name on Lime Street, can attest to the fact that, if getting ready for a Saturday night out was an Olympic sport, then Liverpool lasses would be world-beaters.

About 50% of their customers at the weekend come in specifically for a professional big-night-out look, all too aware that when they go out the bar will be set high.

“They do take a pride in themselves and the way they look and it shouldn’t be a negative thing. It would be a compliment if you were saying it about women from Paris,” says Barbara.

“Liverpool women are great followers of latest trends. They will ring up and say, ‘have you seen the latest picture of Coleen or Victoria Beckham? I want my hair like that’. You’re judged when you go out.

“Whereas in other places people don’t mind having the same look, our girls would shudder if they went out with the same hairstyle or dress. They would go, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve got to go home’.”

But looking pretty apparently goes more than skin deep. According to Lorraine McCulloch, buyer for Cricket, it’s about aspiration.

“They do seem to be a lot more interested in the way they look and they all do check themselves a lot more than other places,” she agrees.

“But it’s escapism for a lot of Liverpool girls to have that big Saturday night out, and have fun at the weekend, and the way they look is more aspirational than buying possessions. Maybe down south a house comes before buying a designer dress.

“Before they think about a nice car and a house, Liverpool girls look at their appearance.”

It’s also an outlet for creativity. And who would have upbraided Botticelli for the occasional admiring glance at his handiwork?

“They might not be able to afford it to the extent of the footballers’ girlfriends, but they think, ‘that looks brilliant, I’ll do my own version of it’,” says Lorraine. “They’re very creative.”