Before I had the kid I would have answered that question with a resounding Of COURSE it matters! You give people an impression of yourself when they see you and how you are put together. Looking slovenly only gives the impression that you are… well… slovenly.
There is no baby barf on her…
Once I had the kid it was a resounding, WHO THE F*** CARES? I haven’t slept in 3 months, have baby barf in my hair and some strange substance on my pants… might be snot, who knows? Get out of my way before I rub it on you.
Once I came out of my sleep deprived state and started going out into public again, I made an effort to put on makeup, brush my hair, wear something that was at least relatively unstained and clean, with something other than yoga pants on. I realized that how I dressed made me feel better about myself. I wasn’t going into an office anymore, but by god, I would look halfway decent when I went to Trader Joes.
And then I moved, my kid became a toddler, I joined a gym… and somehow I was running errands in yoga pants again, post workout and probably not exactly smelling like a rose. I would wander around town, hitting multiple grocery stores in all my finery, not really thinking about what I looked like, but not feeling particularly great about myself. I had forgotten what it felt like to look nice, to be showered and coiffed and put together.
I was in a rut.
And then I went to my girls weekend. We got dressed up for a bridal shower in the morning, but never changed out of our pretty dresses, our jewelery and high heels. And since we were already dressed, we decided to go shopping like that. Strangely enough to us, we actually turned heads. Not because we looked particularly SMOKING hot or anything (but of course we did), but because as one adorable salesperson in H&M put it, “You look so classy. Women just don’t dress up anymore and look nice.”
Now obviously this is a sweeping generalization. I have plenty of friends who look incredibly put together all of the time and I envy them for it. But the point really hit home for me because he was right. I don’t dress up anymore and look nice. I realized that I was the one who needed to hear that, because I had gotten into my rut of yoga pants and running shoes and didn’t make the effort anymore. But that day, in my 4 inch wedges and my tangerine dress, I felt fabulous. And put together. And even a little bit glamorous.
Now I know that there will be many days when I spend my days in workout gear, post-gym and racing around to get errands done before nap time. But maybe there can be more days when I’m not. More days when I wash my hair at the gym and shower (god forbid) and look at least presentable for the general public. And for myself.
Because it feels nice to look nice. And if that’s all I need to make my day a little better? Bring on the hairdryer.
I felt pretty
Of course as I write this, I’m wearing a baseball cap, jeans with mud on them and a shirt with multiple, unidentifiable stains on it. Baby steps people, baby steps.
******
Today is my husband’s birthday by the way… so in honor of that I would like to say Happy Birthday Baby! I promise to take a shower and look presentable.
