In cinema, Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Unnikunju in "Elippattayam", is shown cutting his fingernails, trimming his moustaches, massaging oil on his body & generally preening himself. When his farm manager's son visits him, flashily dressed, (presumably working in the Gulf region), Unnikunju says that all those who flaunt their riches, do hard manual labour there. He remarks that he has become dark by always working in the sun.
In Jane Austen's "Persuasion", one finds Sir Walter Elliot, a widower of 54, very vain of his person. He was remarkably handsome in his youth. Few women could think more of their appearance than he did. To what ridiculous extent did he take this idea is illustrated here. Due to economical reasons, he had to rent his house & move into a smaller one. An Admiral of the Navy was proposed as a prospective tenant. Sir Walter says it is offensive to him, because a sea-faring life exposes the sailors to every climate & weather, till they are not fit to be seen.
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