I was inspired by Sarah’s vlog about how we dress to go to the [playground]. Although I’m going to insert [grocery store] or [preschool] because I rarely visit the playground. That’s why we put a swingset in our backyard. 
I used to be one of those women who ALWAYS had my hair and makeup done to go out. I remember a few times after my son was born, realizing once I was out of the house that I’d forgotten to put on makeup. I was horrified.
Then child #2 came along. I think I still did pretty well keeping up with appearances. I was busy back then. I had a lot of social outings, and I ran around a lot. My kids went to a rather hoity-toity preschool where I would have felt out of place if I wasn’t fixed up.
Then I had child #3. And we moved away from my old hood. Suddenly I was at home A LOT more than ever before. People around here are pretty laid back. Moms at the preschool are more likely to be in activewear and ponytails than designer jeans with perfect hair and makeup. I gradually became more comfortable in my, ahem, natural state.
And I agree with Sarah, it IS liberating. At first. However, as I said in her comments, I think it’s a slippery slope. Once you begin to feel comfortable that way, it’s easy to let yourself go more and more. I can understand why some moms totally let go at some point.
I’m on my way back up the slope at the moment. I have gotten so lax about my appearance that I’m now making a concerted effort to slap on some makeup and look presentable in the morning. I’m no where near at 100% and I don’t expect I will be again anytime soon, but I’m making the effort. I’d be happy with 85%. I was never an A student anyway. It’s all about setting attainable goals, people.
The other slippery slope is the “activewear” arena. I discovered this first-hand this winter. I got so comfy in my cozy sweatpants and slippers that I managed to put on a good 7 or 8 pounds over the course of the winter. Even though I keep an eye on the scale, my stretchy clothes were giving me a false sense of security and before I knew it, my jeans didn’t button anymore. I’ve been working hard to remedy that, but it’s a lot harder to lose than it is to maintain, especially as we get older. It would have been easier if I’d been more conscientious all along.
How about you? Are you “playground chic”? If you’re a stay at home or work at home mom, do you make an effort to fix up every day? Do you care about what you look like when you go to the playground or the grocery store? Inquiring minds wanna know.
I totally agree with the slippery slope! I think the key for me is to try to be presentable so I feel good about myself, but not to go crazy if I end up at the park in muddy sweats! lol!
Funny you should mention this…even before my son, I always put on something nice to go anywhere. Not necessarily dressy, but something that at least looked “put together”. Yup, hair, make-up, jewelry. Never went out natural. I just figured that it didn’t take that much longer to put a little effort into my appearance. And, after all, I have nice casual clothes and jewelry, might as well wear them. But I will admit, everything has to be comfortable. And I don’t do much maintenance throughout the day. And, maybe more importantly, I dress for ME, not to impress anyone else.
Love this post. Totally agree with you on all counts. And since we live near each other I can attest to how casual our atmosphere is….and how appropriate it is to just wear jeans and/or workout wear everywhere I go. But it’s a slippery slope for me too. Since baby #2 I’ve been a mess. Haven’t had my hair done now since (yikes!) December. And I seriously haven’t bought new workout wear/sweats in several years. I need a day of Mommy shopping and need to book hair appointments more than 3x per year!
I agree. I don’t necessarily do my hair every day that I don’t go to work – a ponytail will do – but I never leave the house without powder, bronzer and mascara. I don’t usually wear lipstick but I always wear chapstick – I have a tube in my car that I am constantly throwing on. Maybe it should come as no surprise that A is constantly mimicking me and pretending to put on makeup and chap stick!
We now live in a very small town and I rarely get dressed up to go to the post office, playground, or grocery store anymore. I usually have jeans & a tshirt with my hair in a ponytail.
Around here there is a mixture- some wear makeup at the playground but overall most don’t. Sometimes I even wear my pajamas. My husband is the same. We both work from home so it just feels more comfortable.
Some days though I get dressed up just to feel pretty.
I at least put on makeup and clothes that do not have an elastic waist band when I leave the house. It might be khaki shorts and a t-shirt with flip flops or sneakers, but it is not active wear. I don’t get out all that often, so I guess I usually like dressing a little bit. Makes for a nice change. If I’m at home, I’m likely to be in my lazy clothes, although I have tried to do that less lately. Even if I’m just going to be home all day, I try to put on real clothes at some point before my husband comes home. If I didn’t, he might only see me in my lazy clothes some days, and that’s not attractive.
Omigosh, Nicole, DAYS have gone by this past winter that my husband has only seen me in lazy clothes. WEEKS maybe (not counting Sundays.) I think working from home has made me SO busy and SO homebound that I just don’t take the time or initiative like I used to. I need to remedy that!
I’ve started going down this slope since I quit working last summer.
I have to MAKE myself put some decent clothes on (meaning jeans instead of sweats) I try and make sure I put some make up on every day – but I’ll admit, most days I’m in my pj’s and no make up until almost 2pm when I have to pick #2 up from school -
~TidyMom
If we are walking to the park I am probably in jeans of some sort and have my hair pulled bag. I am not a makeup girl…eyeliner and mascara is all BUT I won’t leave the house without it!
I am lazy. LAZY! I do not fix up. You think it was casual there? You should see it here! But it has started biting me in the butt…I now run into people I know around town looking like a slob. In fact, a guy I met through Twitter said “Ya know, you look nothing like your profile pic.” After running into me twice…once at Chickfil with the kids after a workout and once at Panera early in the AM.
Funny story about this. The other day was Max’s Mother’s Day program at school, so I got up early and showered before he got up, dressed in trendy jeans, a red silk top and even wore a chunky necklace. I looked quite chic, if I do say so myself. Then, Max woke up and mouth gaping wide open, said in utter astonishment, “you look beautiful”. He rarely tells me this, so I thought to myself, “do I really look that bad all the other days”. I think he was just so shocked to see me in my contacts and showered that early in the day! I usually am the mom at preschool drop off in my glasses, a hat, and sweats or activewear! So, I can totally relate to your post!
PS My bloggy makeover is complete. I hope you’ll stop over to take a gander!
I try to keep the sweats limited to working out and when I am sick. I don’t go overboard but dressing nice helps me have a positive attitude. When I say nice, I don’t mean full make-up. I just mean my clothes aren’t rumpled, torn or stained-at least not when I put them on.
I was just thinking about this at DS baseball game last night. I never, ever wear sweats or any workout gear in public, jeans are my staple, along with an occasional pair of khakis. I try to wear real shoes or boots, BUT when you go to a baseball game and trudge through the damp grass that has those mucky spots, well any heel is a no-go. Also in this New England weather it gets cold fast so you have to be ready to layer up. So the cute top & jeans soon gets covered by a jacket, or sweatshirt, or fleece top (or a blanket LOL!)….you get the idea.
Stacy & Clinton would have a field day w/us Baseball moms
Even though I am a SAHM I do follow FlyLady’s “get dressed to the shoes” rule everyday.
I own 1 pair of sweatpants, and I refuse to buy anymore. I know that I would live in them if I could, and really, that is just depressing. So, I am always in jeans and (my attempt) of a cute top. Makeup optional around the house, but a MUST when I go out.
I have always been a “comfy” person, but I’m trying to make more of an effort. If I know I’m leaving the house or seeing anybody outside of my immediate family during the day, I try to do my makeup (nothing fancy – just foundation, eyeliner, and mascara) and get dressed (no sweatpants). I do “slip” from time to time, especially if I have to make an “emergency” trip to the store – I was mistaken for a college student a couple of weeks ago when I ran to Aldi in a sweatshirt, basketball shorts, no makeup, a messy ponytail, and flip-flops for a box of macaroni and cheese that my husband HAD to have for lunch that day (we live in a college town) and I was a little embarrassed. There’s nothing wrong with “comfy”, but I find myself being less productive on “comfy” days.
I get showered and dressed every day. I usually take the kids to school, go to the gym and then have the luxury of an uninterrupted shower while they’re at school. On days that I don’t go to the gym, though, I have to get up early and get all the way dressed before the kids wake up. If I don’t do it then, I’m afraid it wouldn’t happen all day. I just don’t feel awake until after my shower and Diet Coke!
Wow – this is my life. I have three kids now and if I get my hair washed and make up applied it is a GOOD day. I used to be the girl who wouldn’t leave the house until I was all done up, but there just seems like so much more to do now. That, and every time I look in the mirror, my face seems to have sagged a little, you know. That make up isn’t quite helping as much as it used to! Thus the cute baseball hat and big glasses.
And wearing heels for park and laundry duty…..it just doesn’t work. I tried that around Baby #2.
I am starting to feel guilty, though…..am going to make more of an effort for my husband husband.
I’m like you–I know I need to wear cuter clothes but it’s just so easy and comfortable to wear workout clothes when I get up to take Miss Pink to school…and then I’m going to work out anyway…and then I just need to go to the store. All excuses! I have decided I need to do better, which is why I’m wearing cute capris, a cami, and a cardigan in a pretty color today.
I’m definitely on the slippery slope of casual fug (sitting here today in a t-shirt and shorts as my daughter is home sick). I go into my office four days a week and we are extremely casual. I can wear jeans daily if I want to and some of the guys on our database team wear khaki shorts in the summer! But I do find that I feel better about myself if I take the time to get out of the “dressy yoga pants!”
Nope, not chic here. I don’t see the point in wearing my “good” clothes when I’m going to be cleaning, cooking, wiping snotty noses, etc. Why mess my clothes up? Or maybe I just don’t have the clothing budget of other moms
I get dressed each day, just in case the UPS guy shows up. But I don’t do makeup or my hair. I do when we go out on the weekends…but since I don’t leave the house during the week(one car family) I don’t bother.
So if you ever stop by you’ll find me in PJ pants and stained T-shirts, Mon-Thurs. Maybe when I no longer have newborns and toddlers I’ll change my ways. But I doubt it!
i feel like the best thing i can do for myself is like how i feel about how i look (how wordy is that sentence?). i like to put on make-up every day (although i don’t really wear that much). i don’t do much with my hair but i like how i look like that (usually). i wear clothes i feel good about myself in. it is hard enough for me to keep a positive mental attitude, i figure the least i can do is like how i look…
all that to say, i do what i do each day for me, not for what the other mommies will say.
Good topic!
As I just had my first last month, I shower and do light make up (my regular) every day. I do my hair when I can, but often straighten it and then throw it up to avoid spit up and getting it pulled!
I am totally afraid of the slippery slope, and I don’t want to look like crap to my husband, granted, I do wear sweatpants everyday right now, but never leave the house in them…
I’m at a slightly different place than you whippersnappers. I just had my big 4-0 b-day in January, I had my 5th child 16 months ago and I home school. AAAAH! My days are busy and it’s far easier to just have jammie days everyday! However, I have several fears…That people will see me coming and say “oooo she must home school.” (I don’t wear denim jumpers,ever) or “look those little ones must be her grandchildren” or “Wow you can tell she’s pushed out a couple”. You get the point. The thing is I can’t figure out how I got to be 40 and I certainly don’t feel 40 and I reeeeally hope I don’t look 40.
A dear friend has been helping me pick clothes for my body type and she makes me buy “sexy” shoes. LOL Getting dressed up everyday makes a big difference for me in my outlook. I still have jammie days, but I’m definately a makeup/hairdo/stylin’outfit kinda girl. Some days I do it better than others.
This topic is thoroughly interesting (and the comments have been eyecatching as well!). I’m a newlywed, no kids yet, etc, so I can’t relate to most of what is being said here… BUT, I can totally see the slippery slope action starting somewhere down the line. Out in public, I have always been the girl in comfortable clothes (somewhat trendy and casual – jeans being a staple, sweats being a no-no), some accessories (earrings and my rings are a must), minimum make-up (light eye-liner, mascara, some pressed powder, and a spray of perfume), and hair up in a ponytail (not a messy one, but a somewhat styled one). Now that I’m in a situation where I am basically at home, I have noticed my tendency to relax on the “dressing up” part. I’m trying not to get too comfortable with it though because I do like the concept of “cleaning up” and making an effort before stepping out in public.
Anyway, great topic. It certainly brought up an interesting discussion here!
For the most part I go with how I’m feeling that day. I’m a pretty casual dresser anyway – I live on the west coast where lululemon seems to pass as semi-formal! But I most often make an attempt to put on some make-up and wear something presentable to the general public. I do it for me (I always feel better when I’ve put in the effort) and my husband. He would never say anything and he’s also super casual, but if I stop trying after three years of marriage, how is it going to be after thirty years?!
Because I work outside my home, I have to wear business casual (no jeans except on Friday) every day. But most days, as soon as I get home, I put on my black yoga pants and a t-shirt. After all, it’s just my daughter and me for the evening, so why not get into my pajamas and be comfy?
I flat out refuse to succumb to that slippery slope. It would be easy – my husband travels all the time and never sees me, but I just can’t do it. For me, it’s an issue of self-pride. I just feel better when I look cute. My sweat pants are for working out. I do not allow myself to wear them anywhere.
I am somewhere in the middle. No active wear but no designer jeans either.
Usually casual with jeans, probably a nice it of jewellery, and if I am lucky and couple of minutes applying make-up. But if the makeup or jewellery doen’t happen – it is not a crisis!
By the time you are there with child number 3, the fact that you are there at all should be enough!
It does make dressing up for going out for something special more of an occasion too!
Great topic! I actually have been thinking about this lately. I, like you, have recently become more “lax” about my appearance around the house. On many days, I wear my favorite pajamas or lounge pants all day long. I’d like to remedy that.
I might actually start to plan out my outfits in advance for the week so that I can wear something presentable and cute every day. And a little bronzer, lipstick, and mascara can work wonders.
I feel so much better about myself if I look put together when the UPS guy or my neighbor knocks on the front door.