Monday, October 30, 2006

Picture Pretty

Last week I had to go to the doctors to order some exams for my (bad) back. I had gotten up at about 6.30 am, taken Olly to school and then Evan to nursery school and thus off to the doctor to sit it out in his office. We have socialized medicine over here, but you choose your family doctor and he works with you in getting other specialist appointments. Every time I go to my doctor's office it is absolutely filled with elderly people waiting to see him. I guess as you get older you probably DO need the doctor more, but it always looks like a bunch of people that just aren't really taking good care of themselves! So while I sat in the waiting room with a dozen elderlys over 65, in walked a pharmaceutical representative. She was female and about...40? Give or take a few years. It was a beautiful day out and she was in a white airy skirt, a white blouse with three quarter sleeves, a pair of gold sandles with low heels and perfectly manicured feet. She had on light make-up, a nice haircut that was easy to manage. She also had a nice briefcase with a matching purse. She sat and chit chatted with us all in a pleasant way, asking about the weather, light politics...And while she talked I looked down at myself. I had on some khaki pants but I had spilled tea on them in the morning so there was a little stain, a N1ke t-shirt, a pair of white socks (clean!), and a pair of really comfortable but really really unattractive N1ke clogs (white with orange trim). Hey, they were free! I hadn't put any makeup on. I think I had run a brush through my hair but I can't be sure, I had brushed my teeth. My purse (N1ke again, free again) was the same one I use every single day, no matter what the situation. I suddenly felt like a slob.
See the picture up here? It was taken at a wedding during the summer and it took me three damn days to get ready for it. A leg wax, a manicure, a pedicure, a haircut and blow dry (I have wild hair!) and a new outfit that took me two days to pick out. Once upon a time it was not like this. I used to have a job in fashion where I had to look nice every day. I would get up in the morning and put my make-up on before I got dressed. On weekends I would go clothes shopping for nice outfits to wear at work. Now I am self-employed and spend a lot of my time in my office space at home where I can wear my pajamas all day if I want. Since I go and do some sort of form of exercise every day I usually just throw on a workout clothes in the morning so that I'm already ready to go when I decide it's time to run or bike or swim. Not that I have to put make up on every single day, but maybe I should start having a little more pride in what I wear if I have to leave the house to do errands or shop? I know that I'll always having to force myself to do it, it'll never come as natural to me as the pharmaceutical lady. On the other hand, I DO like feel better about myself when I take some time in the morning to get dressed, even if my three year old is the only one to see me.

5 comments:

Nancy Toby said...

I'll bet anything you look just as great in your sweats. You may not FEEL like it though!!

I'm pretty much in tshirts and whatever else I can find to pull on these days, keeping up with my girls!

anji said...

It's very true - I find wearing nice clothes (not expensive, just ones that look nice! :) and doing up my hair, I feel good. When I'm feeling down about myself, I go out and dye my hair...

But - I too should do some of this. Since moving to hicksville, I don't care so much about what I wear... but, when I was back home this weekend and when I went up to the university, UGH. That's when I knew I dress not as nicely as I could. But, again, I'm not 18 and a size 4!! :)

anji

Fe-lady said...

I know what you mean about the Drs' office and "old" people...but I am (going to be) one of those "oldsters" who need the Dr. less as time goes on, God willing!
I don't have to get dressed up for work as I am with school aged/handicapped kids all day...but I do put on a little make up mainly for the adults I work with. I joke with my husband that when I retire soon, he will come home and find me still in my robe or workout gear from that morning! (At least it won't be one of those "mumu" house dresses!)
And by the way, I really am not "getting" Wil's blog lately either...except that it sounds as if her husband is leaving her or something and she is chukking her marriage and career to become an Ironman someday. Not good, if this is the case....
take care!

jbmmommy said...

Even with 3 days to get ready, I couldn't look as good! The best thing about my job (research in a laboratory) is that jeans for work is the standard dress. I rarely get dressed up and I think I only own 1 lipstick for makeup. Maybe if I made more of an effort I'd feel a little better about myself, but I can't bring myself to do it.

Anonymous said...

you're beautiful

the bartender