Getting dolled up. North-South divide?

[Getabloominmoveon]

Hot on the (high) heels of the 'airport outfit' thread, I'm wondering if there is a real North/South divide when it comes to the average level of doneupness expected to leave the house. I'm from Liverpool, where a Sunday night at the local pub demands full regalia, but now live in the South where I rarely see Aintree Ladies Day levels of preparation in local bars and pubs. When we go back to Liverpool, my husband (posh, foreign) is amazed at the swishy hair, heels and eyebrows surrounding him. But maybe I just go to the wrong places in the South?

Speaking from the horse's mouth, squoosh is right.

I don't get why dressing up is regarded as a bad thing?

Does No-one any harm and is a fun, happy thing in a sometimes dreary work, school run, domestic chores merry go Round.

It sounds a bit like snobber the way some pp have described it as 'worse' in Liverpool

I do look at other women. Not out of admiration, but to make sure they don't look better than me.

Wow

It's just different tastes and I'm sure it goes both ways, some women who go for the high glam look look probably disparagingly at someone else's low maintenance look. At the end of the day I'm too lazy, and feel exhausted just thinking about spending my Saturday morning having my nails, tan hair and makeup done.

lighthouse I'm very badly turned out. I could follow you round and make sure you always looks good by comparison. Oh, I'm a size 14 with a fat arse as well, so that will only help

There is definitely a north/south divide. I am a complete frump by northern standards (see above) but went on a London hen do and was the most glam there (in jeans and a nice top)

There's a divide but agree with others that it's not just north / south.

You'll see the same thing with Glasgow / west of Scotland generally vs Edinburgh.

Some of it's probably class related, but not all. Back in my home town most young people slapped on the make-up, up-do, glittery sandals and mini-dress to go to the pub in the 90s (west coast). Been in Edinburgh for years now and while it's nice not to have to make the effort I sometimes miss it - cupboard full of lovely cocktail dresses and I'd look a proper twat wearing them down the local...

I don't think dressing up is a bad thing either! I love it!

Liverpool is the only place I know where women put on clean pyjamas and a full set of makeup to do the school run In!

that type of girl

I'm never sure what people mean by this phrase, but it makes me

Hermione. I take my hat off to you. I think it's fantastic when people are comfortable with who they are.

I live in the South and feel a bit sad sometimes about never getting to dress up.

I did a glam party for my 40th, wore a mega dress with diamante and rhine stones. Was fun to see everyone dressed up for once.

it was a one off though.

Back to jeans and a vaguely nice top.

I like seeing my friends dressed up. Absolutely no competition there though. We just don't go out as often as we used to so when we do we like to look good.

None of us beauty salon though. No time or money!

I'm originally from Liverpool but been in London for way over a decade. In my Liverpool yoof I did used to go out in next to nothing in all weathers but now Im too fat and old. When you look at the traditional industries that predominated in the North it was all your heavy manufacturing so people liked to dress up in their leisure time. In Liverpool and surrounding areas it's become a cultural institution to get glammed up for a night out. It's was people's way to escape the dreariness of manual jobs and it's stayed in the culture of the people and the city but ultimately it's harmless.

If you can't get dressed up for a night out when can you? Why have lovely dresses in the shops if you have no reason to wear them?

Essex people don't subscribe to the low key London look do they? They're all about the glam too (I must confess that I don't really know Essex and am basing this on Towie a documentary I saw.

Ha! Stillwish I'm not that far from Colchester - where I live, and Colchester, are two very different worlds.

I can certainly confirm that the women of Brentwood do not subscribe to the London dress-down look.

The effect is compounded by the TOWIE tourists, though.

It's all very well getting dolled up if you're going to a party or somewhere swanky, but I find it decidedly weird to get dressed up to go down to your local pub! I've recently moved up north having lived all my life in the SE and don't see the over-glam thing really. But I live somewhere fairly rural and I never go out in town in the evening (my idea of a good evening is a drink or a meal in the village pub or a nice restaurant ). I suspect the bars in the nearest town would be knee-deep in heels, bling and hd brows. Not my scene.

Surely it depends where you go in town? I was out in Birmingham last night and walking from the posher bit where we had dinner to the less posh bit where we went for drinks and the difference in dress code was massive.

Midlands (Nottingham) here, you do see people quite glammed up in the city centre on a Saturday night which is nice. We have nothing on Manchester or Liverpool though.

It's good to have the option of making a big effort without feeling overdone, equally if I feel like going out in jeans and boots there will be plenty of others doing the same.

I love to see great outfits on other people,(but to me that doesn't necessarily mean dolled up to the nines).

I was in Liverpool for a meeting a couple of weeks ago and was slightly agog at the receptionist at the law firm I was visiting. She was dolled up as though she was going to a wedding - massive, elaborate blow-dry which was hairsprayed into immobility, spray tan, lots of make-up, HD brows, sky-high heels... and a slightly incongruous smart black suit. She had clearly put a lot of time and effort into getting ready and it was obvious that her looks were important to her. To me, it looked as though she was trying too hard, iyswim?

I contrasted that with the well-groomed, pared-back look of the lawyers I met and it made me think of the "how to look expensive" threads. I did wonder at the time whether it was a "class" thing, and a few people have also suggested that too. I do love people watching, it's fascinating!

I grew up in Liverpool. You get trained early in making an effort with your appearance, I can tell you. Getting the bus or train into Liverpool city centre with your mum, or your friends, exposed you to open criticism about your appearance from other girls. I am not making this up; you absolutely ran the gauntlet!

I recall getting the train into Liverpool, to look around the shops, with a couple of friends from school one Saturday. We must have been about 13 or 14, I think. A group of 'hard' girls had a loud conversation about the way we looked; one of us was as white as a milk bottle (the shame!), I didn't have enough make up on, some of our garments were considered 'antwacky', one of us was 'a mophead'. Seriously, we were crushed and this sort of thing happened all the time (late 80s), even when you walked past a group of girls in the street. You'd hear, "Oh my god, look at the state of her!" if one thing was wrong. So you soon learned that your appearance was everything and that you'd better put some effort in!

I haven't lived in Liverpool in years but the glamour thing is still part of my life and probably always will be. It's the fear of being openly derided for any minor flaws in your appearance. Even though normal people don't do that, and I seldom encounter the type of people who would.

(When I visit, I still look under-done because no way am I going near those dreadful eyebrows).

I think there should be a happy medium. I don't like the dark fake tan or massive hair but It's fun to get glammed up sometimes and know you are looking your best. It's a real confidence booster
Must be pretty fucking dreary to never bother getting out of your skinnies and converse. Carrie Bradshaw would be spinning in her grave!!!

XiCi - Carrie Bradshaw can go f**k herself to be honest!

I'd look a right dick walking down Putney High Street in a pink tutu

Carrie Bradshaw would be spinning in her grave

I'm going to go on Twitter and spread a rumour that Sarah Jessica Parker is dead.