I need help to look less grungy!

[Catladiesaremyheroes]

Hi. Name changed, but here a long time (but I’ve friends irl who are on here).

Basically, over the past six months, several friends have commented on how I look “down and out”, “homeless”, “disheveled” and words to that effect. I’ve even had a concerned friend ask if I need support for my mental health. I don’t, I feel well!

The thing is, I feel really together mentally and physically. As a family, we’ve gone through a huge range of challenges and come out the other side intact. We own our house, mortgage paid off, children doing ok, and so on.

I’ve never been interested in clothes much, more of a clean, then it’s ok type. I have gotten stuck in a rut with black trackkies and long tees. Walk our dogs several times daily, so have scruffy comfy fleeces, etc. my hair is greying and can be wild.

Overall, I just don’t know what to do. These are real friends making these comments, not trying to be mean or condescending to me. So I do need to take their concerns on board I think.

Any suggestions?

Or just do what I do and go really scruffy, I am often to be found doing DIY or gardening so I often get up in the morning and put on a boiler suit from the farm shop and workboots, often I don't actually get a chance to tackle the job I meant to and end up going to the co-op or post office in my blue overalls, everyone just says " been in the garden?".
Having said that, I am about to get some updated specs and am working on improving the unrulyness of my hair, it is nice to be able to upgrade for a lunch out occasionally.
I tend to wear slim straight jeans, Bretons, nice loose knitwear from cos, superga trainers or Chelsea boots and I have a neat tweed jacket which looks good over a white shirt. I do wear Toast but sparingly, it can make me look square ( shaped).

Straighten your hair, get a good pair of jeans and few comfy-but not shapeless-tops. I can’t bear trainers anyway, so I’d get a pair of comfy boots- Fly are fab.

And bung some mascara on.

If you don’t care what you look like though, you don’t need to change at all.

Being told you look homeless, disheveled and a down and out sounds pretty extreme though-I wouldn’t like people thinking that about me.

Cut your hair - short hair is much easier to care for and style.

Ditch the tracksuits and fleeces - just because you dog walk doesn't mean you need to look a scruff. You can get slim fit stretchy walking pants, team them with a sweater, a nice top and a fitted waterproof and you'll look ten times better.

Replace the trainers with new ones, and buy some nice wellies/winter boots for the upcoming mud season!

I would be so embarrassed if several people told me I looked homeless and dishevelled