If you ever want to feel welcome, take one step inside the Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar in Liverpool’s city centre. At three floors high, the store is packed with every beauty product you could ever dream of, spa rooms, a fat freezing machine(!), a hair salon, an actual bar, oh, and the friendliest people you’ll probably ever meet. Head there the morning of Aintree Racecourse’s Ladies Day, and you’ll experience the whole thing in hyperdrive.
As someone whose make-up bag consists solely of 5 pieces of budget make-up I’ve got no idea how to use, I’ve always been a bit intimidated by the Scouse girls who make front pages around the world every April when, glorious in teetering heels, golden fake tans and super-coiffed hairdos they head to Ladies Day for a day of racing ,drinking, best-dressed competitions, roving make-up artists and a million photographers snapping every outfit, each one more glam than the last. Sure their super-glitzy look might not be to everyone’s taste, but one thing’s for sure; you’ve got to admire the pride, effort and bags of fun that Liverpool’s ladies put into looking the way they do.
‘On a Saturday you can’t even walk across the shop. Every counter is fully booked.’ Announces Helen, the Beauty Bazaar’s Spa Manager proudly. ‘And, every payday weekend, we have a party, complete with a DJ. How good’s that?’ The big day for the store though, is Ladies’ Day, ‘Girls probably spend £200 alone on their beauty looks,’ says Christina, a make-up artist on the Bobbi Brown counter. ‘Loads of girls get their dresses made too so overall they could be spending £800. One girl I’m seeing today didn’t get her race tickets until about two days ago but she’s had her hair and make up booked in for months.’
Everyone at the Beauty Bazaar agrees that the over-the-top look that Liverpool girls became famous for is on the way out, ‘I think it’s going to be toned down this year,’ says Ellie who works on the Lancôme counter, ‘Tanning’s going, it’ll be nude lips with a strong eye or just a strong lip and a basic eye.’ Jacqui over on Chanel agrees, ‘It’s gone down a notch. You still get people coming in wanting the contouring but it’s not big any more. It’s definitely more Cara than Kim these days!’ Patrick, who works in the Electric Hair Salon on the second floor has noticed a difference in the hairstyles people want too. ‘It used to be like big blow dries but now it’s more of a wave.’
So, what about the girls themselves? We went to meet the beautiful girls of Ladies’ Day to find out just what went in to planning their looks.
Charlotte and Becca
‘I got my outfit in February. I bought it off the internet because I didn’t want to wear what anyone else was wearing. I got it from Australia. That was the only place I could think that would be safe. I think the whole day’s going to cost us £400. Liverpool girls love making that extra effort. When you go out everyone’s so glamorous. Sometimes you feel not dressed up enough. The competition between the girls is crazy. Everyone’s looking at what everyone’s wearing, and working out what they can do themselves.'
Beth
‘I only booked my make-up last week. I’m 15 so it was the first time I’d had my make-up done and I’m really happy with it. I think it all cost about £220.’
Lucy, Sarah and Victoria
‘I think it’s about the strong sense of community spirit that we all want to get here and appreciate each other and have an amazing girls day out really. It’s not for the guys.’
Kayleigh, Jess and Sarah
Jess: ‘I think I spent about £500 on my outfit and makeup’
Kayleigh: ‘OH MY GOD REALLY?!’
Sophie, Anastasia, Josie, Sophie and Rachel
‘We’re from Preston and you definitely have to step up the game if you come to Liverpool; more make-up, spray tan, curly blow dries, eyelashes… they’ve all got to be done. Liverpool girls put that bit more in. They get ready for like, days. We don’t even care about what the guys think of us, it’s Ladies Day after all.
Kate, Becca, Erin and Hannah
Kate: I got this made – I saw (the designer) on Instagram and I went to her and just described it and she did it up for me. I’m very happy with it. It was £395 but she gave me a bit of a discount.
A lot of places they’ll put in all the effort but then they’ll have a miserable face on. We like to have a laugh. We like to get dressed up but also it’s nice just to have fun and be with the girls. The guys we’re with are just filling up the numbers on the mini bus!
Aisha, Cordelia and Melissa
Melissa: ‘We’re from Manchester. We do like to put on a bit of a glam show at Aintree. I think I’ve spent about £1000 on my outfit. I got mine in a last minute rush on Thursday. I didn’t want a dress that anyone else was going to have so I tried to stay away from high street.
Aisha: I think it’s nice that people in London dress differently to us. It’s nice different cities have different styles, like that’s you, and you should never change.
Allison
‘I’ve come with my mum, she loves the horses. At least we’ve got sun today. Last year it was freezing and we had to buy gloves at the train station which did not go with the outfit AT ALL.
Kayleigh and Jessica
Kayleigh: I had a look at pictures from previous year on the internet to get a few ideas of what to wear. I did see a few dresses in Karen Millen but I thought everyone would have them so I didn’t get them.
Jessica: ‘I got up at 6:45. It’s like a competition with everyone. We’ve got our reputation to live up to!’
Jess
‘I made sure I prepared quite a few months in advance. I wanted to go a bit different wearing trousers rather than a dress and I thought 70’s flared trousers are quite in at the moment so I went with them. I don’t think the eyebrow thing is all down to Cara Delevingne I think girls from Liverpool just like looking good and keeping your eyebrows done can completely change your face. Liverpool girls just take pride in themselves. They don’t dress up for guys or girls. They dress up for themselves. I spent about £600.’
Eleanor and Natalie
‘We didn’t know we were coming until about two weeks ago so we were looking at the dresses, had them all in our saved items just ready to buy. Then they all went out of stock. It was a bit of a nightmare. Scouse birds just go all out I’d put the same effort in if I was going out in town but I wouldn’t have the hat. Or the floorlength dress. If I could I would though!’
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
It's Time To Stop Shaming The Girls Of Liverpool On Ladies' Day
WTF To Wear To A Wedding When You Don't Want To Look Like A Douche
Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
Pictures: Anna Jay
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.