Makeup and Dress Code for the School Run: Necessary or Not? 💄👕👖

@sunshine2go no not a wind up.
What I mean is I could turn up wearing a pair of PJ bottoms (loungewear) and matching t-shirt.
To me it's my day wear. I don't sleep in it.
But people - ones like you maybe - might recognise it as a PJ set you saw in Primark last week so the judgy pants in you will think
"Ewww..... she's in her pyjamas...how gross" .
But why should you care? It's not your business.

It not actually a dress code, is it? It's how various people choose to dress themselves. A dress code is something that everyone needs to conform to.

On the one hand OP you, you seem to be judging women for wearing makeup on the school run and on the over hand judging other women for going to the other extreme and turning up for the school run in nightwear.

So does that mean that you, without makeup and wearing leggings and a T-shirt, is the only woman that dresses correctly for the school run?

I must be honest when my children were at school I had no idea what other women wore and really didn't care. However, no one would have dreamed of turning up for the school run in their nightwear, that I do know.

So you make a point your Lounge wear aren't PJs, aren't outrageous and not what you sleep in.

I think your comments are a wind up 🙄

@Epicaricacy ok then..... I wear loungewear bottoms if that's ok with you.
Usually with a t-shirt that may or may not have come with the nightwear section or it may have come from the regular section.
T-shirts are t-shirts to me.
By the way.....these are NOT the same ones I sleep in 😂
As I have said - never seen anyone in a dressing gown out in public. Ever.
@sunshine2go my common sense is not to judge people.

Like it or not, what we wear in public will be judged. Having said that being civil to each other is also important. Where I am, it’s jeans, t shirt and casual wear OR work wear. No pyjamas and other than having physical health struggles, it’s good to separate day clothes and night clothes.

I don’t leave the house without some makeup due to lifelong acne - maybe I should be fine with having it all on show but I’m not. Not interested in anyone’s judgment.

No one is expecting anyone to wear jeans, you wear any (appropriate) clothes you want, tracksuit bottoms, dresses, loose trousers, harem pants.

There's no need to wear pjs outside.

I always put make up on in the morning - it's just part of my daily routine, like brushing teeth and hair. Even if I have no plans to go out, I wouldn't want to realise I need to go to the shops later or meet up with someone and then have to put some on, so it's just easier to be prepared for going out.

Though as a sahm of school aged dc, I can't remember the last time I just went home and only went out for the school run. I don't have evening childcare so I make the most of that time to be out of the house, go for a swim or gym, see an exhibition or film.

I am not assuming, if someone can't be arsed to put some clothes on, they won't make efforts at home.

Knowing at how many parents treat school as childcare, taking kids to school can just as well mean that the parents just want peace and quiet - and obviously go back to bed or slob somewhere in their pjs. It's grim, and unfair on the kids!

Defo pay a fine for your lack of common sense in this thread 🤣 lol

I have seen people in full blown PJs and dressing gowns at school gates.

If I'm honest I couldn't tell you what anyone else was wearing this morning and if they did or did not have make up on. I hope other people pay me as little interest as I do to them!

@sunshine2go my health condition means I can't wear jeans - just loose trousers/pj bottoms.
I have pride. I am not lazy. I am not disorganised and I have dignity.
I wouldn't wear a dressing gown out - I have never actually seen anyone out and about in a dressing gown (except when camping).
Some of my PJ's might have pink hearts from time to time. My current favourite pair have flowers.
Is that ok with you - or should I pay a fine?

If I’m going straight home after, I have a shower and put some jeans and a tshirt or hoodie on. Clean and neat but not dressed up and no make up as I don’t have time! If I’ve got work straight after then I do wear a bit of makeup and smarter clothes.

I didn't single out anyone with health concerns, you did.

You said you wear lounge wear .. presuming you don't mean pink fluffy heart print PJs with equally outrageous dressing gown? If someone can put dressing gown over, do you not think they can put a coat over instead for decency?

Another poster also saying has health concerns and puts jeans over top.

I couldn’t care less what mums or indeed dads or any adult at the school gate is wearing?! Is it a thing?

I dress the same and do the same make-up every single day of my life, whether going to work or not. Some clothes of mine are dressy, some aren’t, sometimes it’s leggings. I assume no one gives AF.

That said, if it was a yummy mummy type of place, I might start being a bit more self conscious around all the Amandas.

Why do I bother with this approach?

Well, I’m always vaguely nicely dressed with hair clean and dried, jewellery and some minimal make up. It’s just who I am. I don’t like to look scruffy, it makes me feel bad, and it takes very little time to look pulled together. Not that I look immaculate or fancy, just normal based on what the other parents are wearing.

Some times I’m going home to work, sometimes the office, sometimes the supermarket or others just home to the sofa. I would look broadly the same in all scenarios apart from the office where I would have smarter work clothes on.

Why does it matter?

I’ve never once seen a parent drop off in PJs or dressing gowns.

@sunshine2go what have I misinterpreted?
You said....
"Now those in PJ / dressing gowns..they should be fined. What kind of message are we sending to our kids - no pride, lazy, unorganised and no decency".
That is insulting to those with health issues.

Agreed!

Can you re-read my post.

How do you know that anyone is just going home? They could be meeting friends, spending the rest of the day out, joining a work call from home... None of these things are necessary to justify getting ready however you want in the morning. But it's a bit odd to assume that they have nothing on all day.

I make an effort with makeup and clothes but then I would do that wherever I was going, it’s just the way that I am. I used to be very overweight and dressing nicely/wearing makeup was my armour and way of not feeling as bad about my size. Even now, much slimmer, I feel more confident and put together when I’m wearing nice clothes and (natural looking) makeup.

Not a mum but I work from home, and my school run is actually taking the dog to the park.
I have days where I'm happy being in my tracksuits but I'll always apply a tiny bit of makeup (just tinted lip balm really). I'll also try to have nice enough hair, even if its just a bun, I'll arrange my fringe to look ok.

Most days I'll dress "normally", like jeans, shirt, trainers, nice jacket, earrings etc... Even if I just go to the park and to the coffee shop.
The difference between feeling like I look meh versus feeling like I look totally fine is just 5 mins. Life is short, but not THAT short.

It's not a dress code for me, it's more of a ritual. I just feel better if I take those 5 mins for myself.

Additionally, I sometimes see a very good looking man in my area so I have to be careful here.

I don't think that's really fair, to question the care given to a child because the parent isn't neatly dressed for the day.

When I was on chemotherapy/immunotherapy and struggling to wake up and get out of bed, I made sure all the kids were clean, dressed, fed, hair and teeth brushed and bags packed.

Then if I didn't have the time and energy to get washed and dressed myself due to taking toxic cancer drugs which left me exhausted 24/7, I threw a pair of jeans and a coat over my pyjamas for the school run.

Such a weird question. Haven’t you noticed people dress and / or wear makeup or not differently in all situations? In the supermarket, at work, in the post office, on the school run, at the airport, sitting at home watching telly. The school run isn’t special. Some people get up and dressed, and put makeup on, some don’t bother, some make a gigantic effort, some are in gym clothes, it depends on what people like doing. I pretty much always put a bit of makeup on, about 2 minutes worth. If I’m going out to a black tie event it’ll be probably 5-7 minutes worth. It’s just what I do when I get up and dressed. It’s not “for the school run” or “for work” - I’d do the same if i was at home gardening.

My thoughts exactly