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Original poster

How many of you know an 'Amanda' from 'Motherland' (super groomed mum) and how do they do it?

41 replies

MadameDD · 05/03/2019 15:29

as the title says, how many of you know a super groomed, always perfect DM and what are their secrets?

One of DD's friends at school and a neighbour far up from us, has a DM who's tall, blonde, super groomed, works and has 2 DC under 10 but over 5. She always floats up to the Farmers Market with DC and DH on Saturdays and the other DM's are in awe...

A childhood friend of mine has a DW who owns her own fashion company (of course!) and she's always noted for floating to the school gates with DTs (girls) and a DS (older) looking impeccably groomed and well put together, she's half Barbadian too but her normally curly hair is always sleek.

These two women are tall (5 ft 7 at least) and slim - I know Fashion mum works out a bit.

I try my best in the mornings but sometimes it's all I can do - childminder drops DD off most mornings or I do on my 2 WFH days or DH does - to drag a brush through my hair or leave my hair in it's ponytail from the shower and pull on leggings and top and float 2 minutes to the school on foot. Yay school is nearby.

Any secrets of the well groomed would be gratefully received.

OP posts:
BooksAreMyOnlyFriends · 05/03/2019 15:46

Maybe they have been blessed with super cooperative children and a very supportive network - grandparents who help out and such? The sort of person I'm highly jealous of Blush.

BestZebbie · 05/03/2019 15:49

Getting up at 5am, due to being so insecure that they can't let other people see them without full armour on?

megletthesecond · 05/03/2019 15:50

There's a very polished mum at DD's primary school, I've not spoken to her though. She looks far nicer and trendier than that Amanda.

SpuriouserAndSpuriouser · 05/03/2019 15:52

Lots of money and help?

AdobeWanKenobi · 05/03/2019 15:54

I binge watched season one on a flight to the US, laughed my arse off it was so familiar (2 grown up kids). I recognised every character.

Absolutely gutted that it's not on iPlay because I really need to see season 2.

cannotchange · 05/03/2019 15:54

See instamum ‘chloelovestoshop’ - I’m sure they based Amanda on her.

KindergartenKop · 05/03/2019 15:55

Yeah- it's me Grin

SurgeHopper · 05/03/2019 15:55

Getting up at 5am, due to being so insecure that they can't let other people see them without full armour on

^^

Hmm
AdobeWanKenobi · 05/03/2019 15:55

Oh. There wasn't a series 2. Gutted.

areyoubeingserviced · 05/03/2019 15:56

Best- I knew that a post such as yours would eventually appear.
Typical and lazy

BarkandCheese · 05/03/2019 16:02

I think it’s a combination of things. Being tall and thin helps, but some people just look good in almost anything or have mastered the capsule wardrobe and everything they own goes together. They also probably spend a lot of time and money on grooming, so if you have your hair cut and roots touched up frequently it always looks good, even first thing. The same with your face, teeth whitened or with veneers, well shaped or microbladed eyebrows, pampered skin, tinted eyelashes and maybe even some subtle boxtox or fillers will mean you look fresh and made up with minimal make up.

Or in short once you’re over about 35 it takes a lot of effort to look effortless good.

Original poster
MadameDD · 05/03/2019 16:10

BarkandCheese - the fashion mom I know has naturally dark hair and AFAIK few grey hairs if none. I know she definitely is a groomed but no groomed look person. Her mom lives in Barbados and her DF lives I think in London. Inlaws live in London but not sure how much help - think MIL died recently. Her DH's DM they're not that close and she lives by the coast - SE Coast.

No one would dare to confess to Botox - I don't do it, don't need it.

OP posts:
Original poster
MadameDD · 05/03/2019 16:11

BarkandCheese - fashion mom is really into her designer stuff (cos she's a fashion designer natch) and sometimes wheels it out for school run - not that I'd notice...

I do have designer stuff but it's not used much anymore...

OP posts:
GregoryPeckingDuck · 05/03/2019 16:16

Ive been described as a floater. I’m just young (hence look ok even when I look shit), tall (so clothes look better) and absent minded (hence floaty). It’s also really helpful that most people on the school run are sleep deprived and loosing their eyesight (it’s like a built in soft filter). I definitely don’t work out and my clothes (half of them aren’t even mine tbh) don’t match. It’s all in your head. If you look closely they’re probably a mess/their fashion choices are really dated/covered in vomit.

AdobeWanKenobi · 05/03/2019 16:16

One of the Mums on my school run loved surgery, she'd never mention it but would disappear for a few weeks and return with huge boobs or new teeth etc. She had some kind of nose job at one point and sadly it went wrong. IIRC she returned to school with half of her nose collapsed. I felt for her because she'd exuded confidence but was very withdrawn.

She was still having operations to correct it when the DC's left primary.

O4FS · 05/03/2019 16:20

They probably have their shit together.

It can happen. Wink

FrozenMargarita17 · 05/03/2019 16:21

I'm a ' look like shit' mum

Original poster
MadameDD · 05/03/2019 16:25

O4FS - yes but certainly generally with help etc!

the fashion mom I know for ages didn't rely or so she said on childcare - lived other side of London so never knew if she told the truth or not - would occasionally post on FB (when I used it) if she needed last minute extra childcare but other than that managed DT's and DS when very young with seemingly no extra help. Rarely went out in the evenings but that can be a parent thing anyway.

Compare her to other DM's including me in our street and we seem to be constantly dragging a screaming child or DCs down the street to school, in various stages of dress or undress and then flogging up to Sainsbos/Co-Op etc for a spare bottle of wine if the DC have driven us round the bend! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
MadameDD · 05/03/2019 16:29

FrozenMargarita17 - I'm told I look well put together and not like shit (fuck I try, have to go to work at least 3-4 days a week but try for 1-2 WFH days) so I do try to dress well, and I hate to admit it, but I spend more than I should on fashion etc but only because I like to look up to date. And it's not that expensive to do that. I did have a blog on the side which creates extra money but not done this for a while. I also like to try and co-ordinate etc.

but I readily admit, well I think, that on some mornings I'm just the average mum like Julia in Motherland compared to glamour puss Amanda - and everyone wants to look like Amanda, right?! Grin

OP posts:
EnidButton · 05/03/2019 16:34

My guess would be a combination of time, money and help, but I don't really know. Women like you describe always have really good posture don't they? I have to remind myself not to slouch these days Blush

LyndaSmell · 05/03/2019 16:34

No offence, OP, but if you want to look groomed, get up a bit earlier so you can do your hair after the shower and don't wear leggings. And maybe spend some time calming your DC down so they're not always screaming.

ElspethFlashman · 05/03/2019 16:42

Some people just want to look nice. There's a woman in Instagram called @ultimategirlguide who has a 3 year old and 2 year old twins. Always immaculate make up. Turns out her kids wake up at 5am, so she plonks all 3 in her bed with the ipad and has a shower in the ensuite and does makeup. At 5am.

I suspect the people who wear makeup every day do it very very early or it doesn't get done at all.

Original poster
MadameDD · 05/03/2019 16:57

LyndaSmell - hahahahaha! I'm currently 8 weeks pregnant so overtired... and I can't exactly help my DD screaming if she either doesn't want to go to school, is still struggling with the fact that her DM (me) works... etc...

My hair looks fine in it's ponytail though... and my leggings are washed, clean and black Grin

OP posts:
CalamityJune · 05/03/2019 17:14

It depends how much make up you wear as well. I don't do full on make up but I can get a bit of foundation, eyeliner, mascara, blush and eyebrows done in just over 5 minutes. I also wash and straighten my hair the night before so it only needs a few minutes in the morning too.

I tend to get myself ready before starting on DS. I couldn't call myself polished as the clothes I have are too cheap and I am not at an ideal weight but if i had a few better quality every day outfits and looked slim in them, i think i would look quite put together.

O4FS · 05/03/2019 17:15

I had 4 under 5, a DH who worked away, and someone said they thought I was a “yummy mummy”. How I laughed!

They also said “before I got to know you”.

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