How much do you care about your appearance?

[sideofthemountain]

I realised for a good 3 years I stopped caring. Piled on the weight, worn the same outfits, hair just brushed and not styled, unkept eyebrows. All linked to depression.

Never let hygiene slip - and always worn clean clothes etc.

But I recently lost some weight and the confidence boost it’s given me is huge and I’ve started taking better care of my appearance.

How much do you care day to day?

A lot! I mean I'm not overly vain but I like to look nice and would hate people to see me looking crap. I'm not depressed though so it's not hard to look reasonably ok every day I guess.

I don't really, i like my food too much to care about my weight. My hair has a life of its own, so don't worry too much about that. But I do get eyebrows tinted, and always wear some make up. Clothes must be comfy, and as nice as I can get within that.

Just to say I wasn’t saying you have to be a certain weight to care about your appearance or look good. I just piled a lot of weight on quite quickly which isn’t healthy and I didn’t really have clothes that fit me anymore - which is why I was constantly wearing the same outfit rotation. And I just stopped caring

Not very much to be honest. When I look in the mirror I think: well, could be a whole lot worse.
Had to get some passport photos the other day and all I saw was somebody grumpy, old and tired looking back at me. In my mind I'm 30 max.

quite a lot.

Always wear make up, style my hair and buy new clothes fairly regularly.

I colour my hair every few months and have it cut every 6 weeks.

I like to look well presented, but have never had surgery/botox etc

I'm disabled and can't walk far, I use a mobility scooter to go out. At this time of year as long as I'm clean, warm and dry I'm happy.

A fair bit, I put effort into my hair and makeup/perfume, pick clothes that are flattering and in colours that suit me - get my hair and nails done etc.

How I look directly impacts how I feel about myself, so I like to look good and feel good too. I'm huge on self care like skincare / mindfulness etc too so I take care inside and out!

Not really. If I wanted to then I'd have to try to copy what "normal" women do.

For example, I've never done anything with my eyebrows in my life and wouldn't know where to start or what I was looking for to be wrong that they needed 'doing'.

Ditto eye makeup. It makes me look ridiculous imo.

Clean, nice smelling and tidy is fine.

I'm early 40s, and most of the time tell myself I don't care what I look like.

I do get my hair cut every 6 weeks, with colour every other visit.

I do wear minimal makeup to work, but I wish I didn't feel like I have to. Sometimes I think I should have a lash tint & lift or something, and fake tan my face so I could 'get away with' wearing no makeup ever. But then I get cross that I'd have to spend money on those things when men don't have to.

I end up going in circles.

I have been overtly criticised for "looking dead" without makeup and having "crusty nails". But I'm not going to pay to have my nails done!

Why do we feel like we have to wear makeup? I do not like the look when men wear makeup, and we all know that men do not really care what women look like. So are we wearing makeup (etc) for the sake of each other?

I don't really care about my appearance. I don't wear nice clothes, brush my hair, or have a hair style. Sometimes I think I'd like to try to make an effort but I fear ridicule.

I would say I'm pretty vain. Consistent skincare routine, make up most days, perfume every day, mani pedi done most of the time, stay on top of waxing, always put some thought into what I'm wearing even if super casual. Get my teeth whitened via the dentist. No interest in Botox / fillers etc

Not enough. I recently went away for a weekend with DP where I did wear some nicer clothes and make up and thought I might try a bit harder…

I mostly wear gym clothes and because my hair is long i don’t really feel like it needs cutting back into style and haven’t been to the hairdressers since May!!

I find this a really interesting question, and one I think about too!

On one hand, it is undeniably giving into a hierarchical, misogynistic structure to feel that your worth is determined by your appearance.

On the other, I find that if I do take a bit of time to do my hair, dress nicely etc, I do feel better in myself. There is the element of looking 'more attractive' which is a confidence boost, but there is also the element of you've put time and care into yourself which feels good. It feels nice, for me, to spend time choosing what to wear, to think about eyeshadow, to think about a hairstyle.

In my mid sixties and am always well groomed. Hair, nails, eyebrows etc all done regularly.
I don't bother with skincare but am lucky to have inherited good skin and I have a sprinkle of Botox three times a year.
Also love fashion and regularly sell clothes on Vinted then buy new/Vinted pieces.
I'm confident in my look, but honestly think that is because of my age.

I never go out without makeup and I always put electric rollers in my hair for 10 minutes (they straighten my thick curly out of control hair) every day.
I buy quite a lot of clothes, because I like all different fashions.

I look as good as possible when out, however at home I am a slob.
No bra, thick socks, comfy joggers, then pray no one calls round unexpectedly to spoil the myth.

Having a lash lift was amazing for me, my lashes are straight so mascara doesn’t do that much. I’ve never thought of anything I do as “men don’t do it so why should I”

I think because man can grow a beard that is a game changer for masking flaws. But do we all know men don’t care what women look like ..? What makes you think that?

Working from home made me lazier with my appearance

Varies quite a bit depending on day and activity. Weekends during the day I wear very practical clothes (fleeces) and will pop out in these. If I am going out for a meal I will dress smarter and do hair n make-up

Generally I spend less time shopping for clothes and have spent less these last few years. I’ve been focussed on other things.

I do always get my hair done every month cut/coloured and I’ve recently started a proper skincare routine.

I have health issues to address including losing weight so will probably me more attentive when I feel better about this things as I will have more energy

In some respects I care a lot about my appearance - my weight being the main one. If I go above a weight that I find comfortable I dislike my appearance a lot, and it will affect my mood and how I feel about myself. And linked to weight I like to wear what I consider to be nice clothing that I’ve put some thought into.

But in most other ways I’m not that bothered. Occasionally putting on some lipstick, getting my hair cut every six months and getting my eyebrows done every now and then is about all I do. But I can take or leave all these things. And they definitely don’t affect my self esteem or confidence if I’ve not done them.

Hmmm I think I care a ‘normal amount’ but maybe, reading these replies, it’s all relative to how much we care as a population.

Growing up, my grandparents were immaculately turned out - ditto my parents. Even in casual dress my parents always look, well, lovely. My in laws are the same, always smart.

I distinctly remember as a child, realising my mum always looked so nice. I don’t mean dressed up or always in full hair and makeup, I just mean she has always looked so well put together and never scruffy.

I think it had a big influence on me. I know I always look nice. I don’t own any scruffy clothes except for an old pair of jeans I use for painting. I wouldn’t leave the house not looking smart and I don’t wear things that don’t suit me. Top of that list is sports wear like tracksuit bottoms or joggers and also fleeces. I look hideous in them! I wear gym clothes to my gym classes but I wouldn’t wear them for anything else.

Anyway. I care a lot. I like to look nice for myself. If anyone else thinks I look nice, that’s fine, but it’s not my main goal. I don’t dye my greying hair but I do wash and blow dry it and have it cut nicely. I wear makeup every day because I like it - and I always wear perfume and jewellery.

Once, when I was pregnant, I stained a top that I really liked. DH suggested I keep it ‘for slobbing about in’ - I was SUPER hormonal and I cried 😂 - I’ve never ‘slobbed about’ and never will.

It depends. If I'm out running, not at all. Working in the garden, not much. If I'm out in town or with friends then quite a lot.

I'm early 60s but still have my hair coloured, work hard to maintain fitness, posture etc, take pride in my clothes and am still a size 10.

Not a lot. I exercise a lot, am out in all weathers walking the dogs multiple times a day every day, wearing make up and having my hair done more than just brushed and tied up just doesn't really tie in with my lifestyle or the weather here(I'm in the West of Ireland where it's rainy and windy 95% of the time in winter) . I dress for comfort and practicality. I'm self employed so no work place to dress for. I can pull it out the bag when I need to but Im pretty happy tramping around in the wind and rain like a swamp creature most of the time.

As I've hit my 40s I'm spending more on my appearance and quite high maintenance these days. Never been bothered with expensive clothes and shoes though. I wear a little makeup most days and love doing my skincare and home spa nights, feels like a lovely treat. Always blowdry my hair properly otherwise it's a frizzy mess.

I haven't for a good few years. But I've lost quite a lot of weight and suddenly have the urge to make an effort because I don't hate what I see in the mirror. So I get my hair done every 8 weeks, nails done every 3 weeks, I do my lashes at home, I take the time to put some make-up on in the mornings. It has made me feel a lot better for myself, don't really care what anyone else thinks. But now when I catch sight of myself in a shop window or mirror I feel good!

That said, I dress in hoodies and patterned leggings a lot so maybe not that much from neck down