Scouse girls?!

Donegal Tweed underwear?

The girls were still doing it when I left in 2012. However, they were fancy, ironed, brand new pyjamas. It was more of a statement than, say, me running over to the all night garage in some leggings.

I have never been to Liverpool myself and if I am bound to feel frumpy quite frankly not adding it to my current bucket list but I am Irish and from Dublin and I loved back in the 90's having the girls around to get all gussied up and have a few drinks before hitting the town. It was much more fun than town itself actually. Now when I say gussied up with did do our hair and makeup and get dressed up but nothing like you see now - I mean I am talking max factor pan stick with blue eye shadow, constance carrol mascara and rimmel black cherry lipstick here, not a highlighter/fake eyelash in sight and we ironed our hair with an actual iron but they were the best nights. I do recall moving abroad early 2000's still with my Dublin wardrobe and I felt like a dogs dinner the first few times going out and soon learned that the lovely people of South Australia did not in fact wear LBD's and 3inch heels to a local pub and I toned things down myself but always just assumed it was a city living kind of dress.

I went clubbing a few times in Liverpool in the early 2000's and the girls were next level. So beautifully put together and very lovely and friendly. I was more used to going out in either London (very low key) or West Yorkshire...
I felt like a right scruff 😄

I don't agree that they are better looking than other women, no. I've heard that a lot and it just isn't true. You get the same mix of pretty and plain that you do anywhere.

I agree with all of this. I recently went to a very glam Liverpool wedding and although I’d bought an expensive dress, I felt frumpy. I didn’t wear a hat-mistake! Most of the women wore evening dress and looked amazing. Lots of plumped lips and hair extensions-in fact my dd got asked if her hair was real or fantastic extensions! We have Scouse rellies and they are quite socially conservative. Even well off people clean their own houses as they don’t like the thought of strangers going through their knicker drawer. Their relationships are very close but parents have a lot of say in their kids’ lives and like to live close and long for their kids to move back if they have left for any reason. The people we know are very clannish-lovely-very funny and friendly but very clannish.

Other nations are just jealous of us ;)

I agree. I bet no-one has ever seen this. Sounds like a Catherine Tate sketch from the noughties. Women walking around Primark with their rollers in?! Did they have their pyjamas on too @Superhansrantowindsor ?

Same girl same

On holiday in Cornwall when I was 7, there was a Norwegian family staying at the same hotel, with two daughters a similar age to me and we made friends. People kept thinking I was also their sister. I still have photos of us; tall and broad shouldered, long blonde hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones. At my primary school in Anfield a lot of us had a similar appearance. My cousins have it too. There's definitely a Nordic look to some scousers, as well as the obvious Irish influence.

That's just the genes, obviously, but also culturally there I agree that there is a strong tradition of "making an effort" with your appearance. Although I no longer live in Liverpool, I still see this in my family. Where I live now, people are a lot more scruffy casual.

Another Scouser here.
The manager of a well-known shop confided to me that unlike those in his location women in Liverpool really know how to spend money on clothes.

Yes, I remember first going to Norway and being shocked at how familiar everyone looked. I kept thinking I’d seen someone I knew from Liverpool then realising, on second look, they were a Norwegian stranger. I also have a few friends with Norwegian surnames whose family have been here for generations so I can definitely see the link.

Looking good is kind of a cultural thing there. I wonder whether it was all to do with making a good impression of you were in poverty (as many in Liverpool once were and still are) to try and get ahead in life?

I think that there’s a big element of that. We’re often accused of being work-shy, thick, criminal tramps so I think there’s a pressure to be seen to be as successful as a ‘fuck you’ to the naysayers.

I don't know about the current nightlife and glam culture, I've been away from Liverpool too long. But when I was a teen, in the late 70's, half of the girls I knew were tall blue eyed blondes with a Nordic look, there were a few dark ones with a more Irish/Celtic colouring and some freckly redheads.
I knew a lot of gorgeous women - I've lived in two different English counties since and the young women don't have the same look as scouse girls. It's a strangely unique thing.
I'm female, Irish/Norwegian heritage.

Back in the day maybe. Now barely anyone dresses up.

My best friend (or “Bezzie Mate” as she would say!) is from Liverpool.

She has told me before that people from Liverpool are quite old fashioned in some ways.

They’re friendly and open (and will tell you their life story on the bus), not racist (being a global city) unless you’re from Manchester. Socialist when it comes to government but sometimes a bit socially conservative (heavy Catholic influence).

That old fashionedness also extends to making an effort in appearance or “getting dolled up” when going out.

It’s the same in the workplace with an emphasis on looking smart to make a good first impression. Makeup, hair, clothes are all important.

The men often make quite an effort too on nights out.

Suits and ties are still quite common for office jobs whereas the rest of the country just goes with a shirt and chinos.

She even told me that people still dress up when going somewhere “important” like going to the dentist, doctor or round to friends for dinner or even the theatre.

Looking good is kind of a cultural thing there. I wonder whether it was all to do with making a good impression of you were in poverty (as many in Liverpool once were and still are) to try and get ahead in life?

The REALLY glam girls in Liverpool moved on to trouser suits a while back. Also, with dresses, their necklines are rising and their hemlines are lowering. I'm never ahead of the curve. Last time I attended a birthday bash in Liverpool I glammed it up and it turns out I was overdressed. I don't know how they keep one step ahead.

Wow this is incredibly insightful and I must admit as a scouser I’d never made the association despite observing the behaviours. Oh my god I could not bear to have anyone visit my house without it being pristine - this has stayed with me.

My Nan had a Parlour; a ‘good’ room only used when someone died, at Xmas or when the priest came round. This was in a 3 bed house with 2 adults and up to 9 kids, and they kept a room unused for ‘best’.

I’ve never done the glam clothes thing though. I left for uni at 18 and didn’t come back until I was late 40s, spending most of the interim years in London. I’m a scruff in Scouse terms. I do get my nails done though. 💅

Scouse girls do prioritise glamour. I’ve just come back from Poland, those girls are next level beautiful with generally a more natural look.

I'm a fat, middle aged, very pasty white one. I do draw some eyebrows on every day though. 😂

It's a proud city, with proud people. ❤️

I was there the weekend before last and I certainly saw a couple of women on the street in rollers Saturday lunchtime/afternoon. I’ve certainly seen more of them in the past, though.

Yes, Liverpool is next level even compared to other northern cities. I went to university Down South and couldn't believe people went clubbing in jeans and a jumper.

I'm from Liverpool. This is a goady stereotype about Liverpool women. It's something I haven't seen since about 2005.

Absolutely. Liverpool is a great city, and even though I’m not partaking in the nightlife particularly (have always been there with young child), I enjoy the sheer sense of party you get from it all, and encountering women with rollers out and about from Friday morning.