I was out on the street this morning, doing the daily 3-block walk I try to make myself do if it’s over 30 degrees out. Really 6 blocks, to Citarella, my 3-block landmark, and back. Sometimes I stop into Citarella even if I don’t need anything, because in the winter I need a reward for walking 3 blocks, and looking at food feels like a reward.
On the way there, I saw a guy, pretty normally dressed, walking and brushing his teeth. Right there on 6th Avenue. My thought was, “Who does that? And ps, you’re supposed to brush up and down not side to side!”
Then I went into O Cafe, the corner place where I buy my iced coffee. If I get there at a certain time, it’s always full of moms who just dropped off their kids at one of the 2 neighborhood schools no one can get into. Lots of them wear their drop-off uniform of sweater and yoga pants. And so as usual, I thought, “mommy clothes.”
But then when I left, I caught my reflection in the window, and remembered that I was wearing a puffy coat over drawstring sweats from the Gap that are a little too short, barely graze the top of my clogs, and reveal a glimpse of sock. Today’s socks were pink and red stripes.
And when I got back, I saw that last night’s eye makeup was smeared under my eyes like a raccoon mental patient. Right, not a sane raccoon, but one that yells obscenities on the street. Like eating from garbage cans isn’t crazy enough.
Also, one of my gray hairs was sticking straight up from the top of my head. One lone, old-person antenna.
Why do I go outside like this?
Because if I made myself get all nice before leaving the house, I wouldn’t leave the house. And if I never left the house, I’d get morbidly fat and need a washing stick to reach certain spots, and eventually my skin would get fused to the sofa cushions, and I’d need the fire department to get me off the sofa, because that’s what happens to people who don’t leave the house.
The point is, who am I to sniff at moms in Lulu Lemon, or a guy brushing his teeth on 6th Avenue? Good for all of them, they looked more put together than I did.
Do you work from home and spend most of your time in a “given up” outfit? Or do you bother to look nice, at least to leave the house? Gimme a comment, or I’ll eat your garbage. I’m a crazy raccoon.
Great blog and very informative topics here your always sharing with us thank you so much.
I just can’t get over this, Laura! I have uncontrollable laughs when I’m walking on the street alone, cause “or I’ll eat your garbage” randomly pops up in my head! This is a freakin masterpiece! They should give you Oscars and shit!!
LOL! The day I read this I found a GIANT grey hair standing straight up on top of my head…I called it an antenna. We must be psychically connected.
Thanks again for the great read.
Muwah!
I came across your blog from Pam Ivey’s ezine and just spent a good 20 minutes on here that I didn’t anticipate. Totally worth it!
THANK GOODNESS I’m not the only one doing these things! I try to at least remember to change out of the pajama pants I slept in into a different pair of sweatpants.
I’m attempting to try a new goal of showering right away after breakfast in the morning, putting on clean clothes and maybe doing some basic makeup like foundation and lip gloss. This is mostly because I’m tired of hiding from the neighbors or mailman who may knock on the door at 2:30 in the afternoon.
My hair’s all crazy, my face is a mess and I don’t have a bra on so I can’t POSSIBLY answer the door. Meanwhile, they know I work from home so they know I’m in there. I’ll usually give some excuse later that they just caught me in the middle of changing my son’s diaper so I missed them.
I attempted to start my new “shower after breakfast” routine recently but I’m not consistent with it. You know it’s bad when you do put “regular” clothes on and your son says, “Mommy, are we going out somewhere today?”
You look good no matter what you wear, although as your mother, there’s a chance I could be a little biased.
I love reading the paper in the morning in my Lands End night shirt. When I start feeling embarrassed by the time of day, I put on my uniform: LL Bean tee shirt and Lands End stretch pants. That’s for working at home. When I go out, I put on my better LL Bean tee shirt (the one without the stains) and my cleaner Lands End stretch pants. If I have to meet people, I change from the scoop neck to the henley. I like variety.
You’ve awakened a need to expand my wardrobe. I’ll upgrade to the Gap.
And Mom, i think you look good in anything and everything from that Lands End and LL Bean catalogs. But if you only have one tee without stains, I guess I know what to get you for Mother’s Day.
I hope the people you’re meeting appreciate the effort you put in by switching to the henley.
Oh Laura,
What a hoot! I loved, loved, loved this post!
What an outrageous image — you wearing last night’s eye makeup that’s smeared under your eyes “like a raccoon mental patient”!
I sat amused, reading this while wearing a baseball cap, a soft pink Lululemon v-neck top — kind of sexy, if I may say. (Well, I had planned to go to the gym until I saw the yucky, hair-frizzing rain outside and then realized that I’d be really, really late for the spin class if I tried to turn my car around on the hill. (This little nagging voice told me I just couldn’t turn the car around without getting into an accident. So back indoors I went.)
I’m also wearing my cool new black sweatpants with a wonderful pocket on the side, along with a purple T-shirt over the Lulu top. (Otherwise, I’ll get too cold.)
Oh, and part of my outfit is my pink wrist band attached to a protective cord to protect me from EMF (electro-magnetic fields) as I write.
The last part of my “outfit” is my nearby mirror — no fooling — because, as Louise Hay suggests, I get to tell myself, “I love you” or “I love you very much” whenever the mood strikes. Seriously!
The good news is that my mirror is okay with my not getting dressed up for work while I try to finish an essay.
Thanks again for the great laugh.
And darn, this shirt it too tight around the neck — need to change.
That mirror sounds very Stuart Smalley.
After I read this I decided I’d probably better shave my legs. It’s been a while. What…maybe five, six months? I mean it’s not like I have to show up at some office everyday, right? And I’ve starting braiding the hairs, which I think looks pretty cool…kind of Rasta, you know? But yesterday in line at Shop ‘N Cop on Eddy I noticed a woman staring at my legs (maybe I shouldn’t have worn my I♥Pink terry shorts but I figured who the hell’s going to notice…it’s only two blocks to Shop ‘N Cop). Anyway, the woman kind of shuddered and backed away from me. I mean, like leg hair is contagious or something? Please. But I went ahead and bought a pack of Bic razors. Maybe this is for the best.
I think Mo’Nique paved the way for us women to bare thick, luxurious leg hair in public. That woman staring at you must not have watched the Oscars that year. My leg stubble is based on the novel Push by Sapphire.
Amen! I have to say that when I see a friend posting on facebook about spending the whole day in their pjs it makes me feel A LOT better about myself. Needless to say your article felt like your words wrapping around me like a hug saying “there there, it’s all ok”. I do feel guilty when I end up in my pjs and don’t leave my house all day, but at the same time there is a point of no return where it just doesn’t make sense to ‘dirty’ other clothes.
That said, I think that it’s the idea of routine and structure that’s the most important. If changing your clothing gives you a sense of ‘it’s time to work’ and getting down to it then I think that may be important for you.
My husband is an athlete (a rower) and most of what he wears is spandex anyway, so comfy casual is pretty much our go to… therefore I don’t think I’ll be changing my lulus for suits any time soon. But I could and should make a bit more effort all around because I think it would make me feel better and that’s what it’s about (how you feel, not how you look).
Erika,
From your comment, it sounds as if you never leave the house in your pj’s, letting the world in on how far you’ve devolved.. This must mean that you’re lucky enough not to have kids to drop off at school, or that if you do, as I fear mine soon will, they’re petitioning for a foster family that bans casual wear. Because of my carpool duties at least two other families bear daily witness to my “style.” The parents have been kind enough not to mention it. To me. But I feel certain there have been a few “there but for the grace of God” dinner table conversations about “Elizabeth’s dad.” If I actually have to make an appearance at the school, I can usually plan in advance and at least show up in a pair of jeans. But there’ve been a couple of emergencies when I’ve shown up looking like I took a shuttle directly from the shelter. My parents would be mortified. Luckily, they don’t know about this blog and I’m going to make sure they never do.
Um, I didn’t post this thing about “Stars in Short Shorts” either.
Sloppy sweats are my version of your husband’s lycra. An athletic uniform that tells the world I do something very strenuous. (In my case, procrastination.)
Was just turned on to this column by Laura Wallis and have to say, hilarious and bravo. And yes, I understand. My sweats understand. My forgot-to-be-brushed hair totally gets it. The face I haven’t shaved for four days? Ditto. The saddest part of this is that my children think this is normal. They expect no more from me. Their other dad actually showers, shaves and goes into an office (which I derogatorily refer to — silently — as an orifice), looking like some TV ad for decency. A few weeks ago our middle-school daughter showed up for breakfast — on a school day — wearing slippers, sweats pants, an oversized, ripped t-shirt and severe bedhead. With a four-day growth of beard penciled onto her face with a marker. “What are got up as?” I asked. “Don’t you remember?” she said. “It’s Go-To-School As Someone Else Day. I’m you! Well, minus the dandruff. Hey! Do we have any powdered sugar?” My humiliation was total. But I was proud. How sick is that?
That’s what you get for co-parenting with Don Draper. He’s always going to show you up.
Love the image of your kid impersonating you in what, before the notion of political correctness entered the public dialog, was known as a “bum costume.”
I like the way you swang.
Um, why does it say under my comment, “William Lucas Walker recently posted: Lucy Meadows, Transgender Primary School Teacher, Found Dead”??? I mean, I’m not happy about it, but I didn’t post it. Thank you.
So I am a bit late to to the pj party, but see many o my favs here in the comment thread, and had to drag my self off the cell with my smeared 2 day old raccoon eyes and head to the desktop to make some real comment luv. Found my tribe of thread bare laden leggings + worn out Uggs + age old Gilt garb peeps! Only bummer is my “big idea” of bed jacket chic (does anybody know what a bed jacket is besides my Mom and Joan Crawford?) has been replaced by FaceTime Velcro gear- rats- but, do like the fake backdrop idea. You could work with that- I hear the Silocon Beach V.C.s chomping at the door right now. Better slap on some dry shampoo.
Laura, your mom sounds fancy! Though my dad has a swim jacket. Do you know what that is? It’s a short-sleeve button down top that matches his trunks. Casual elegance at its best.
If “smeared” anything is part of your work wardrobe, you’ve definitely found your tribe.
Ha ha ha!!!! You crack me up! As usual. I work from home and usually try to make a real effort when I go out – I remove my ugg boots and put on birkenstocks. But then again, I live in Mullumbimby (near Byron Bay, Australia)… so if you’re not half naked, you’re dressed up. So it’s all good! It would be nice to wear a frock every now and again though. Wait, who am I kidding… now it wouldn’t be!! Go raccoon girl, go!!
Nadia, I’m glad you caught yourself on the frock idea. Because I was going to have to remind you that wearing one requires shaving legs, which requires effort! Careful now.
This is hilarious. I read this at 4am and have come back to comment because it made me laugh when I was awake-against-my-will in the wee hours when few things are funny!
Plus it makes me wonder why, with all these other work-from-home people in pjs and sweats all day, I do the whole shower-get-dressed thing. Not really because I have three kids who would not be supportive of me delivering them to their afternoon activities with bed-head and pjs on!
Thanks for coming back and commenting during daylight!
You’re right, kids do not give a thumbs up to Mom looking less than stellar. I have a friend whose 6-year-old keeps telling her to get Botox.
hahaha! oh am i pleased that you are blogging so frequently. you need to write a book.
when i used to work at home…i definitely looked really sloppy a lot. but then i decided that this somehow didn’t sit well with me. so i decided if i was working at home, i could at least wear some half decent workout clothing. so that’s what i did.
i respect you for making the executive decision that you just have to leave the house and walk around. and i actually can totally relate to this.
I’m blogging again just to see your face in the comments! Thank you for your respect. Do you have a baby yet?
Yes! I do have a baby. He is 5 months young at this point. It’s still completely acceptable for him to wear footie pajamas everywhere.
On that note, I have to say that I cannot BRING myself to put him in baby jeans or anything of that sort bc WHY would someone want to wear that when it’s perfectly fine for them to wear pj’s day and night?
I did try a pair on him and explained to him that at a certain age, we humans decide to wear things that are generally uncomfortable for the sake of “looking good.” But I told him that I don’t really like to partake in this whole practice, so he shouldn’t have to. (Totally a real conversation I had with him).
As a psychologist working in a healthcare center, I can only get away with so much. It’s all about hiding my inner mentally ill racoon. While we shrinks don’t get to work in well-worn pajama-like scrubs, we can get away with soft, flowy clothes that don’t need dry cleaning. Even so, the split second I get home, I change into pj’s – not the sexy kind. I’m getting fancy black tie when I go for polar fleece instead. I am an after hours fashionista.
Oooh, polar fleece! Putting on airs, are we Doc?
Marc Jacobs and DKNY, only. I don’t want you to picture the real thing – black fleece pants which are a minimum decade old from Gap. I even have to admit to a bit of cat hair embedded into them. It’s quite a lovely ensemble. Bill finds me hotter than hot in them.
Boy can I related to this topic. But here’s a fresh spin on it. Lose the shame. Looking like crazy racoon poop is a luxury. It means you are the master of your own fate and don’t have to look presentable for “the man” or even your man, or mankind in general! As long as you don’t have stains on your clothing you are good.
Boy can I related to this topic. But here’s a fresh spin on it. Lose the shame. Looking like crazy racoon poop is a luxury. It means you are the master of your own fate and don’t have to look presentable for “the man” or even your man, or mankind in general! As long as you don’t have stains on your clothing you are good.
You’re right. My crazy look is a big f*ck you to all the working stiffs. I’m going to go down to Wall Street looking like that and show them what’s what. Occupy My Sweats, bitches!
Occupy My Sweats! LMAO!
I have to say I’m in that category too. Its no wonder why when I think about going shopping the only places I can really imagine myself trying on are comfy clothes…Will have to work on that image 🙂
The mornings that I make it to dance class are the days with the most hope. That being said its 3pm now and I’ve just now showered and am sitting down to my computer. Much preferred over sitting in a cubicle or wearing pantsuits…
What kind of dance class do you go to? I go to mine three days a week, and those are the days I have the least hope of looking nice. It’s not till afternoon, and I get back around 4:30. What, I’m gonna shower before getting all sweaty?
I don’t work from home, but I wish I did. I’m seriously a slob – just ask my husband! He’s actually cleaner than me (shameful, I know.)
I come to work dressed as minimally nice as possible. Oh, and I always wear socks, and take my shoes off under my desk. For some crazy reason I just have a hard time working with my shoes on all day long!
Good to know I’m not the only one in the club I-dress-like-a-slob-and-don’t-give-a-flying-fuck.
My husband is, and always will be, cleaner than me. I think I round him out.
Working in shoes? Unimaginable. It’s an oppressive, nagging feeling – like having to pee.
I like yoga and I am a mom so I’m your perfect Target, Although I consider myself to be more a Marshals yogi type and not a Lulu Lemon hehe.
In Costa Rica I see people urinating in any tree, (thank God I never got to see anyone I never saw anyone doing the number 2).
So I can say that I consider brushing teeth on 6th Avenue as something normal and common :).
What I can not believe is that there are still people who brush their teeth side to side.
Marshals! You always look Barneys to me, gorgeous niece. Now, do you mean people are urinating IN the tree, or ON the tree? I like the idea of IN the tree, because that means they have to climb it. And, are in a position to pee on someone’s head. In which case, I’m as relieved as you are that you never saw someone dropping a Numero Dos.
Swear to god, this guy was full-on side to side, eroding his gums for all to see.
funny you….great topic.
After quitting my day job last year where I did have to dress in a bit more than undies and look presentable, I did go through a phase of pajama partyness….but I came to realize if I was to take myself seriously, it was best to put a little effort into the basics, maybe mascara and rouge and while I tend to dress like a tomboy anyway, there are levels of dressing down that might not be appealing as a “life coach”…..we’re all adults, it’s common sense, if you’re meeting a potential client, better up your style game plan, but otherwise do what makes you feel good and get shit done. 🙂
by the way, you’re too lovely to be a raccoon!
Oh totally, if you’re a life coach your clothes have to reflect some form of self-respect and togetherness. When we get down to it, people are paying money to be like you. As an experiment, I’m going to pose as a life coach in my given-up psycho raccoon outfit and recruit clients in my corner coffee shop. Let’s see what happens.
sometimes. i can’t remember if i’ve brushed my teeth.
true story.
I believe you. I know whether I’ve brushed my teeth, but I can’t remember how old I am.
This is so freaking funny!
Yes, Laura, I work from home and yes, I make an effort to dress up, do my hair and even put a little gloss. Crazy, right?
Why?
First of all it makes me feel good.
And second I owned a yoga wear boutique for 5 years + a yoga studio and if I see or wear another freakin’ yoga pant I WILL FLIP OUT!!! Can you say sick of the Lululemon logo??? (SCREEEEEEEEEEAAAAAM)
Also, my NLP coach gave me a very serious (!) homework to change my thoughts & beliefs. He asked me to do everything opposite for 21 days. That meant no yoga wear in the house. Instead I wore long dresses and high heels (extreme, I know.)
But it worked! My brain got confused and started to open up to new ways of doing things and to new possibilities which, well, I have now create as my new -amazing- reality.
What a cool experiment! I guess I could rewire my brain just by wearing something other than a J Crew tee.
I tend to get a lot done between 6:30-10:30 am before I get dressed. Working in jammies says, “whoa girl, look at the awesome space in your life that you can work from home! Yeah!”
You should see my slippers!
I get a lot done during those hours, too — a lot of sleeping! You’ve got a good 3 hours on me, even if we are both wearing pjs during that time.
Raccoons take more time caring for themselves then I do. In French, remember, they are known as “raton laveur,” the washing rat.
My outfit: bulky men’s waffle knit shirt (I thought it perfect because of the snow), stretched-out cashmere sweater with sizable whole in hem (bought from Gilt about a month after Gilt opened, so I think it’s chic…well, it’s not men’s clothes!), blackish sweatpants. The final touch? Men’s white tube socks bought in bulk at Costco. But they do match, so that’s something.
Who says I don’t have pride?
(she breaks down, weeping)
Now if only Gilt sold washing sticks.
The tube socks – are they pulled up?
I hope someone from Gilt just saw your excellent idea.
I save my cashmere sweater with the giant moth holes all over it for going out.
I’m with Anita, I hate Facetime. My husband recently had a new client who wanted to use Facetime so my hubs decided he wanted to invent “Facetime” clothes — like a suit that Velcros in the back that you put on just for Facetiming with clients.
Speaking of my husband, he’s so used to seeing me grunged out that on days that I actually shower and blow dry my hair he says things like “Oooooh, you look nice! Where are YOU going all dolled up?”
The sad thing is, he’s not being sarcastic. I’ve apparently set the bar so low for my “look” that a simple shower and blow out now looks like I’m ready to hit the town.
Facetime clothes is a brilliant business idea. So is a fake backdrop that looks like “clean apartment.”
If I get all dolled up during the day, my husband has a moment of panic that he forgot it’s my birthday.
i’ve got a work-from-home ‘uniform’ that makes it easy to just pull out versions of the same thing to throw on: leggings (which i would never wear ‘in public’…it’s just a thing i have about leggings), tank/cami/t-shirt, comfy sweater–something soft.
plus, when i have to go out to walk the dog, if i just throw on boots or flats or sneaks, when i run into one of the two cute guys who live in my building, i don’t catch myself wanting to scream, “but, NO…i dont actually look like this!!”
love your blog laura!
I used to go to a weekly workshop (it was full of weirdos, a whole story for some other time) and one of the people who was there every week often wore leggings with a short top, and no underwear. I won’t mention the details revealing that she was commando. Too grisly.
yuck…just, yuck. and coincidentally, i just came across this:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/19/174731991/lululemon-vows-to-get-to-the-bottom-of-its-see-through-pants-problem?utm_source=NPR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130319
Awesome. Why don’t they show pics?
can’t seem to let this topic go…read in an article on WaPo today:
“Yoga pants…are pants designed for exhibitionists,” explains Monica Hesse. “They expose too much, they leave nothing to the imagination, they are the Twitter of clothing.”
This is why I hate Face Time. I’m at home looking fairly crappy and friends (who dress smart and have jobs) face time me when they are on their way to work. Last week a friend actually shrieked in horror when I answered. Don’t face time me people, it won’t be pretty. In London we have squirrels and crazy seagulls but no raccoons.
Facetime is the worst! I’m never ready for it. I have clients who ask if we can Skype, and I always pray they mean just audio.
Free tip.
I always get a piece of paper and fold the end of it so that it hangs over that sneaky little camera eye on my mac. I don’t trust that beady little thing. Since I have this stack of offsize paper resulting from cropping a ream of lettersize to B5, I figure I have a few more years of good camera covering.
Clever, yes?
I am all about the yoga wear for working at home. I’m not so Lulu Lemon fancy – $100 for a pair of yoga pants is not my style. But I find that I can still feel put together and leave the house without embarrassment, all without putting on a bra.
It helps that I live in Asheville, NC, where everyone who’s anyone does yoga.
Does everyone who’s anyone walk around braless, or is that your superpower?
Hi Laura! Thanks for posting this. It’s like everyday I’m reminded that I need to get out of my PJ’s–stat! I do like working in my lounge clothes hoping that no one will show up at the door and see my state. But lately I’m finding that it does help with productivity when dressed appropriately. But it still is a working progress for me.
By the way, I, too, saw a man brushing his teeth in Starbucks. In a suit. Seriously, who does that?!
Now I must get out of my pj’s and start my day!
Happy Tuesday!
-Bambs x
I think you meant to say “a work in progress.”
Hi, Bruce. Pardon my English. Yes, that’s what I meant. 🙂 Thanks for correcting me!
Bambs, I see you’ve met my friend Bruce. He’s like a Guardian Angel of grammar. By that, I don’t mean a heavenly presence with wings, I mean a militant Curtis Sliwa type in a beret.
Wait, right in Starbucks?? I can’t decide whether that’s more or less appropriate than on 6th Ave.
Sweats. Fuzzy socks. T-shirt. Pig-tails. And if I go outside? A hat and a hoodie for good measure. 🙂 Incognito.
Yes, my one saving grace is my sunglasses and hat. I always think no one can recognize me when I’m wearing those. Then again, they’re probably just pretending they don’t know me.
I know, right? When I start seeing people I know cross to the other side of the street, I’ll know it’s time to step up my game.
You’ve inspired me to go take a shower and put on my Fridays best while I work at my desk today.
Maybe I’ll even make myself a fancy cocktail. It’s almost noon.
😉
Your shower inspired me to shower. Or shamed me into it.
We are so bad. Or so good. Probably both! 😛
I’m sitting at my computer now with an oversized leopard robe that my Sister gave me 3 Christmas’ ago. I’m for comfort when in “geiin’ it done” mode. At night I’m sporting Prada boots- old beat up Ugg boots graze my feet while dog walking and home working during the day.
Uggs and leopard robe – now that’s a “gettin’ it done” outfit.
I go into a professional office looking like a mental patient racoon every day (and I eat my colleagues’ leftovers — not unlike picking through garbage cans). I hate getting dressed altogether. I wish I had a uniform or could go to work in lulu lemon yoga pants — at least my ass would look a bit slimmer. It is better in the summer because I can wear ballet flats with no socks and a dress and all summer clothes look cheap anyway so you can’t really tell that the last time I shopped was with my mom at the Kohl’s near her house in South Jersey.
The leftovers image was just my biggest LOL of the day. Thank you. You know why I’m jealous of you right now? (Besides the fact that you actually look hot when you rock the raccoon mental patient look) Because you can wear ballet flats in summer. Your feet don’t sweat and make their own au jus, which causes blisters. I can walk about ten steps in shoes without socks, unless they’re flip flops.
Meanwhile, I hate that there’s no “like” button on here.
I work from home in my robe a lot. When I feel weird or guilty about the robe I remember it’s my choice to take a shower and put some leggings and a tank top on.
Leggings always seem like a stylish stay-at-home choice, till I put them on and remember I look terrible in them.
Guilty! Sometimes I forget to wash my face when I wake up in the morning. (Sad) At least I make an effort to wear cute boxers around the house, from the Gap. (Another sad point.)
Someone – maybe it was Dr. Oz – said that your face needs those oils in the morning, and you shouldn’t wash it till later. A win for you!
Yes, that keeps you looking young!!! My sister hated her oily face as teen, now she’s 40 and looks 20. Clearly having the last laugh.
I use a washing stick. I’ve only had to call the fire department once.
To come and remove your stuck washing stick?
Hey man, that’s personal.
<3 the post!
To answer your question about what I wear when I work from home … today the mail man rang. What did I do? Did I go outside and open the door? NO!
I chased into the bathroom, tried to find some at least half-decent looking pants that did not have stains from food or coloring pencils on it, jumped out of my old yoga pants – we are talking HOLES in there (I am not proud of it, but simply have not gotten around to buying new ones yet) – and made a run for the door hoping that the mail man had not left meanwhile. (seriously, lulu lemon would be a HUGE improvement for me on most days, right now!!!)
Couple days ago I got "properly" dressed – just to make myself feel good. When hubby came home he looked at me suspiciously and asked "What happened? Did you break something?"
I think that paints enough of a picture, doesn't it? 😉
xox
Ursula
You have a patient mailman.
I thought I was going to feel better about myself when I bought new sweats, but the new ones aren’t as good. They never are. They keep making them with less and less cotton, and the shine is gross. Meanwhile, my old favorites are getting twice as much wear because my husband discovered them and has started wearing them himself, as around-the-house capris. They look much more stylish on him.
Oh, I do not think my mailman is that patient. I have gotten quite some exercise in storming down the stairs and changing my pants while doing so! I am FAST now. 😉
And I like the pure cotton ones best. I am actually planning to sew myself some “fancy” sweats – in my mind they are all comfy and awesome like sweats, but the LOOK all great, too. So I actually could open the door without changing them or even go outside for a walk! (What a though!) Will see how the plan goes … 🙂
Oh, I work from home, but I totally make sure I’m at least out of my pajamas. Usually, I wear these jeans with a huge hole in the crotch and one of my boyfriend’s old t-shirts — a uniform that I think is perfectly fine for my one task of walking the dog in the morning. I wear the same jeans every day until finally, one day, I actually see another human being that might realize I wore the same thing last time I saw them while wandering the street like a homeless person. Then, i swap out the shirt at least. If I never see anyone I know, I change the shirt or pants when I inevitably drop food all over them while eating in front of the TV. Classy.
Pray for me that no one keeps track of how long I wear the same pair of jeans. Please. As for holes in the crotch, it always seems fine till you catch your reflection mid-step and see that the hole is visible with every stride.
I only leave the house with “given up” hair. The rare exception is after I’ve had it cut or colored…which reminds me: your gray hair can turn brown again. Just say the word and I’ll give you Kristine’s number.
You know I will…still not ready! I hate the idea of chasing my roots. Plus, Steven says he likes the gray. Though maybe he’s just saying that to win the World’s Coolest Husband award.
Wow! I needed that LOL this morning! I thought you were gonna stop at the puffy coat and sweats but you went on and on. My fave is : “with last night’s eye makeup was smeared under my eyes like a “raccoon mental patient””. I love the way you tell a story! I could totally see it and it really made me laugh out loud. Then I too looked at myself … yep! I’m a crazy raccoon too today … I’m gonna go get properly dressed now …
Yeah, sadly, the puffy coat and sweats were the best part of my look.
Laura, Come on share a pic!!! 😉
For some weird reason If I don’t shower in the morning and dress normally (jeans and a shirt) I feel like I’m not as productive so I do it even when at times working in PJs would be more comfortable.
And I’m so thrilled about your renewed posting schedule, while I’m not getting my hopes up thinking it will last forever I will ride this wave of inspiration with you as long as it lasts
Sending you love!
-Bern
Maybe it’s a guy thing. This generalization being based on two guys and many women. It’s all I’ve got to go on.
Thanks for the support as always, Bern. Right, no promises, but I’m trying.
Ugh, I totally know how you feel! One of my resolutions for my “New Year” (starts in April, that denotes my year anniversary of when I quit my full time job for self-employment as a photographer). Working from home means that the upgrade from PJs I wore last night to new sweats and a tank top combined with a thin sweater (gotta wear layers in the winter in MN) is as far as I go most days. However, I am reminded when I get ready for a night out how much I do like makeup and hair products and spiffy clothes…just gotta break the thought process that dressing up for me is just as important as dressing up for the rest of the world!
Well put! At least your site looks fabulous all day. Just checked it out – nice. You do set up expectations that you at least have nice lingerie under your fresh sweats.
When we were planning this renovation, our architect and whoever else we’d meet with during the day were always skeptical when I said I needed a full makeup vanity in the bathroom. They saw no evidence that I’d use it. I swear, I do at night.
Jenn, your site is fabulous and I bet you work with the girls at http://www.glamdolldonuts.com here in Minneapolis, which would be MY biggest complaint for ‘letting myself go’…but also interestingly enough also the only reason I leave the house…gotta get a ‘calendar girl’ doughnut every so often (or once a day).