Groom service

SUAVE and sophisticated are not the first words which spring to mind when you think about the modern British male. Images of clean-cut, close-shaven, cool and chic men seem to belong to another era, where Martinis were always shaken, not stirred and a gentleman would risk his life to bring his sweetheart chocolates - all because the lady loved them.

A new survey suggests that when British men are compared with their stylish European counterparts, there's definitely groom for improvement.

It's not hard to see why: they gave us David Ginola and we exported Liam Gallagher.

However, it does seem that the cosmetic concerns of our continental cousins are rubbing off on British lads.

And to mark this, razor company BIC is currently searching for the UK's best groomed man (see panel for entry details).

He shouldn't be too hard to find when you consider how the male grooming industry is booming. More men than ever are spending their hard-earned cash on clothes and cosmetics.

It is estimated that around £700 million is spent a year on men's toiletries alone, with more than one million men shopping for grooming and health products in Boots each week.

One survey, for men's style magazine FHM, found that two-thirds of men under 40 now use a moisturiser and a blemish concealer.

It also found that men spend around 30 minutes in the bathroom getting ready for work, rising to 45 minutes before going out in the evening.

In York, more and more men are shopping for skin care products, confirms Rebecca Elcock, cosmetics manager at the Fenwick department store, Coppergate. "It all began with the launch of men's style magazines like FHM. We saw a definite rise in the number of the number of men coming into the store to buy moisturisers and shaving products," says Rebecca.

Fenwick stocks two skin care ranges for men: Clinique Skin Supplies For Men and the Lab Series by Aramis. Rebecca believes that many other cosmetic houses will be selling men's products in the future. "It's an untapped market," she says.

Another unchartered territory for men is nail care. But blokes are even going for manicures these days. At NailBarOne, York's new express manicure outlet in Swinegate, men are becoming part of the regular clientele.

"We've got some chaps in their early 20s who come in every fortnight," says Jackie Kilpatrick, co-owner of NailBarOne, which offers two tailor-made treatments for men, the basic Bar Man (£8) and the deluxe Man-i-cure (£15).

"We also get lots of professional men coming in with their wives. And we've also had musicians - men who play the piano or guitar and their nails get dry and damaged. We've also had labourers come in with their wives because their hands get really dry."

It's just another indication that men are becoming more concerned with their appearance, says Jackie.

"If they want to be dapper and smart they have to pay attention to the details. I always tell men that ladies notice three things: hairy ears, a hairy nose and horrible hands!"

When it comes to fashion, it's not hard to acquire a groomed look.

Of course a clean, well-pressed three-piece suit is the pice de rsistance but men don't need to be tied to the tie to look the business.

Increasingly, we are living in a less formal society and fewer men are wearing suits. The practice of 'dressing down' has been embraced by several leading companies, allowing professionals to adopt a more relaxed dress code for work.

The key to getting the look right is striking the balance between smart and casual clothes.

A quick survey of the high street reveals there's no excuse for men not to cut a dash in the good grooming stakes.

For formal wear, high street chains such as M&S and Next offer stylish and sophisticated looks at affordable prices.

Moving down a gear, go for a more low-key look with a crisp, short-sleeved shirt worn loosely over trousers.

But as York image consultant Sally Hanley, warns, good grooming and good gear must go hand in hand. "There's no point in wearing an Armani suit if you have some spinach between your teeth," she says.

And equally, forget about making a good impression in your designer garb if your tie doesn't match or your shoes are down at heel.

"Those are the details people will remember rather than your personality," says Sally.

Updated: 12:01 Saturday, February 17, 2001