If you always look perfectly groomed and put together, come here a minute...

[Vix1980]

How do you do it? seriously i mean i'll do my hair then forget about the rest of me so look like a tramp, or ill make an effort with clothes then just throw my hair back, no makeup as i dont always have time with a toddler. Its an actual effort to find something in my wardrobe that actually goes together and then i have to iron it so getting ready takes forever.

I see these people with kids who look perfect, clothes pressed to within an inch of their lives, skin is glowing, hair immaculate (and coloured with no roots ), and they can look super stylish in a pair of leggings! I just dont know how they do it.....

[Lavenderhoney]

Well, you could be me!

My tips-
Wardrobe sorted out, outfits organised, get rid of anything scruffy, doesn't fit, looks awful now for some reason . Ditto shoes and boots.

Tidy bathroom, keep all face cleaning stuff on one bag, make up in another, hair stuff etc. its easy to quickly put on makeup if its there, not if you have to rummage.

A routine once a week, one evening dedicated to nails, feet, face, waxing if needed, eyebrows helps me.

More organised people will be along soon ( I hope! Need some more tips myself)

[QueenCadbury]

Not sure I qualify as being perfectly groomed and put together but I try ....

-hair- I have regular hair trims. If no time to wash then I use Toni and guy dry shampoo. If you have long hair, check out ideas on Pinterest for easy up dos
-make up- I literally put on powder, blusher, mascara and lipstick. Takes less than 2 minutes. Since wearing bright lipsticks I feel more groomed
-clothes- I had my colours done a few months ago and it's been great as I feel good in whatever I wear. I stick to a uniform of jeans, neutral top and a coloured cardi so that everything goes together
-accessories- jewellery etc can make all the difference in looking out together. A coloured handbag or shoes can help lift an outfit.

Hope that helps

[WantedGSOH]

Hmm, I like to think I look pulled together, but I might be biased (& maybe my friends think I look a total mess!)

I have a few tricks, like I always mix abit of Chanel face tanner with my moisturiser, small thing but it helps me look alive awake. & I have found a foundation that works for me & stuck with it but I have quite uneven skin due to the pill, you're probably lucky enough not to need any.

I do get occasional manicures & tend to have long lasting neutral ones because I have a baby so a normal one won't survive all the bottle washing. But I can't go that often so I just keep my nails short & even generally.

This sounds awful, and I am certainly not great in this respect right now, but keeping trim does help I think. I'm on a very lapsing kind of diet to try & get back to pre baby weight, as much as anything so I have more choice from my wardrobe!

Having a regular haircut helps hair look cared for, & I think makes drying it quicker / easier. No elaborate style also helps.

For when I get dressed in a big hurry, Having a choice of clothes that look simple, classic & neat, for eg in winter a black wool roll neck with simple earrings, or a shirt in summer. Boring perhaps but at least you don't have to think.

Dark jeans always look smarter than paler ones. I get mine from new look so they don't cost a fortune (although I'd like some nice ones for Christmas).
Invest in a really smart coat. Mango have loads under £100 that are nice.

Errm. I guess that's it. My main thing is no sportswear unless I'm going to the gym in the long distant past

[Oceansurf]

Money. That's how they do it!

[Vix1980]

Thanks, Thats a good idea about keeping everything more organised in the hope i will be too!

I currently have make up in the bedroom, eyeshadows in the bathroom and my handbag and my concealers are by the front door for some reason so if i look in the mirror when i go out i dont have to run upstairs to sort out my dark circles!

I do need to do my wardrobe though! i have a million tops and only about 3 pairs of jeans/skinny jeans to go with them. So it would help if i had outfits ready to just pull out each day, the thing is though ill iron everything then hang it up ready, and when i pull it out to wear it needs ironing again!

[nicename]

I'm just in for as nosey around. I always like I've fallen out of a tree!

[Vix1980]

sorry x-posted with others.

@ oceansurf im starting to think you may be right.

Ok this week im going to the hairdressers for a cut and colour, i use dry shampoo in between washes but always just throw my hair up, ill try and straighten it at least as it goes wavy day after its been dried!

Ill make sunday my beauty night (used to do this before college years ago, sunday was always face sauna, bath, feet, nails ready for the week ahead!)

I need to look at buying some other jeans, to have a variation at least, and i love the cardis and tops thing! i have plenty of long cardis from monsoon and h&m so need to invest in a few basic tops to go underneath.

I have a navy trenchcoat from m&s last year which i loved so i bought 1 in beige too, they always make me feel classy even if i still have my pj top on underneath on the school run .

unfortunately though wanted i do think your right, i think being trim helps, i often look at slim people and think they can wear whatever they wanted and still look ok. so thats the major thing i need to address, for my height i am overweight, so certainly need to sort that out as im sick of feeling really busty in everything! i have a serious case of the shallow hals, i go out feeling like a sz 10 then catch sight of myself in the mirror, see dark circles, massive belly and boobs and as soon as im home im back in my pj's for comfort!!

nicename I seriously know the feeling!

[lucysmam]

Morning

Just thought I'd see if you fancy joining us on the 'Operation Rennovation' thread? We're all trying to be more put together and take a bit more time with our appearances.

I'd agree with pp's.....

I have a few pairs of dark skinnies & several neutral coloured jumpers for winter, saves thinking and looks decent.

Make up that you want to use all in one place (I have bb cream, powder, eyeshadows, mascara, eyeliner and eyebrow pencil all in one place - takes me five mins in a morning.)

File and shape your nails once a week, so they're all even and the same length. Even with no polish they look neat.

Hair...regular cuts and deep condition once a week. I have mine dyed but go ten weeks between colours so do have roots. Dry and style properly.


I think it's all about getting into good habits so doing the grooming feels natural rather than "shit, I still have x, y and z to do "

[lucysmam]

x-posted!

[INeedSomeHelp]

If you wardrobe is so full that your clothes are getting crushed then it's time for a big clear out.
As well as getting rid of stuff that doesn't suit or fit it also means you can actually see what's in there. I find I wear a wider variety of clothes because everything is accessible rather than always grabbing the few things at the front.
And some good hangers make a difference - Ikea do good wooden ones.

[snowlie]

I'd with getting your colours done, wardrobe de clutter, hair cut. Learn what shapes flatter your body shape, losing weight will make your body smaller but you will still remain the same shape - was slightly gutted when I discovered this. Change a little bit at a time. Quite a few of us have been where you are now, hanging out in S&B helps too.

[Vix1980]

ok right these colours... where do i go for them? I actually remember my mum going years and years ago and she was so happy with her little scarf and black book thingy! but that shops long shut down now.

I think they may be a start at least so even if there not the right shape ill be wearing colours that suit me!

I definately do need to sort out my wardrobe and pack all the summer stuff away, this would help with having some space too in there!

[onlysettleforbutterflies]

Great advice on here vix, just a couple of things to add, I get my clothes out the night before, helps to decrease and saves the rush of trying to put an outfit together in the morning. Also if you tend to just tie your hair back, try and find a good up do that looks a bit more polished, Google and YouTube can help for quick ideas.

[WaitingForMe]

I hang necklaces/scarves on hangers with my tops and dresses. Whatever I wear is perfectly accessorised. The tops and dresses that don't have their own necklace get worn with my padlock necklace.

All of my coats have gloves in the pockets and scarves through the sleeves so that they are nicely accessorised.

I've got a good tailor and cobbler which means my stuff fits and is well maintained.

I buy hair pins from Boots which look a bit odd but mean I can do fancy up-dos in seconds.

[lucysmam]

What sort of pins Waiting?

[nicename]

I think some people just 'have' it. My friend - long hair, t-shirt amd jeans, little jewellery, no make up - turns heads. Me, I look like waynetta slob.

Maybe it's genetic (although both of my parents were good looking, elegant and always 'dressed').

[Hopefully]

ViX the main colour people are House of Colour and Colour Me Beautiful. I think HoC is about a million times better, but I am a HoC consultant, so I may be a teeny weeny bit biased

Loving the advice on here generally though:

• Well pruned wardrobe, so you don't lose the good stuff in amongst the same old safe boring stuf you wear every day
• Add accessories - scarves, jewellery etc will make everything look more polished and 'intentional' iykwim
• same with lipstick - if you wear red lipstick, everyone always assumed you really thought through the rest of your outfit. I've tried and tested that one to exhaustion
• getting a day or a couple of days' clothes ready in advance - when I tried to do this for three days worth of clothes once I realised that i really didn't have enough clothes that I really liked, as I couldn't actually managed three days worth of outfits without repeating something! A good sign that you need to (a) prune what's there and (b) buy some clothes you love (but save that till after colour analysis if you're thinking of getting that done).

[naturelover]

Not everyone will agree that it's worth it but I iron everything.

I have a small capsule wardrobe and everything goes with everything but it means I have to wash and iron regularly to not run out of clothes. On the upside, I love everything I have and it all fits and is in good condition. So it's quick to get dressed - I can see what I have at a glance.

[Hopefully]

yy Nature no mater how much people say you can't tell when things aren't ironed if they're tumbled or well folded or whatever, 99% of the time, you can, and it just looks more together when they are.

[fatmumjane]

I'm with nicename, I'm always the one with a ladder in their tights (given up wearing them now) and wild looking hair with panda eyes! Some people have just got it, other mere mortals like myself have come to realise that it's just not meant to be...

[nicename]

Today... I am wearing a dress!

Hooray for yummy early autumn days and thick wooly tights (hides a multitude of sins). I almost feel like a girl today (mum doesn't really count as a gender).

[nicename]

... And now I am sitting on a filthy gym floor next to a particularly pungent-smelling basket of sweaty kit waiting for DS (nowhere to stand).

This isn't going to do my arthritic knee any favours. Now I remember why I dress like a slob...

[Loopytiles]

The people I know like that are almost all slim and (i) people at work with no DC; or (ii) wealthy SAHMs with school-age DC.

[Vix1980]

same here loopy, i think im getting jealous of the wrong type of people as i have a toddler so theres no way i can compete with them really now i accessorise with mashed banana handprints .

Some fab tips here though i think ill try and sort out 2 days clothes in advance, i may be able to keep that up rather than doing it everynight, and then when im a bit more sorted with my wardrobe i can up it to a few days at a time. thanks all for your tips, i feel better now im off to organise my wardrobe this afternoon.

Do you all put your summer clothes away until needed though or is that a myth? that may explain why i have no space in my wardrobe ever!!

[Vix1980]

nicename well done on the dress, today im wearing slim leg jeans, sandals, white t shirt and long black cardi from h&m. I even did make up, threw hair in a plait on the side and put earrings in.

Thats probably most of your dressing downs days when your not even going outside but ive just been round the park for a few hours with ds so actually felt like id thought through my outfit for once!