to just not care how I look?

[CailinDana]

I feel a bit of an odd one out in this, so anyone out there join me? How I look doesn't even occur to me. I look in the mirror in the morning to make sure there's no jam on my face and I brush my hair but beyond that I think I just look like a woman and don't really give a hoot whether I'm wrinkly, or have not great skin or whatever. I wear make up on the odd night out, more because it's sort of a habit than that I think it makes me look any better. I'm lucky that I don't put on weight easily so I don't really think about my figure either. I would never consider any sort of beauty treatment because I can't honestly see the point. Am I weird? Or will I suddenly look in the mirror in ten years (I'm 30 now) and be horrified

Interesting, CailinDana. I'd be more intimidated by a "normal"- looking person with loads of make-up on than one with loads of tattoos and piercings. Probably not by much, but I'd expect the former to be more likely to look down on me for my lack of grooming.

I'm clean and so are my clothes, and when I go to work or for a night out I wear foundation and mascara and straighten my wild hair, but I never look sleek and well put together, I just don't seem to have the gene for it.

Reasonably amusing when people who say it doesn't matter if you don't make an effort, people should take you for who they are, but then do judge others for a different kind of appearance, what they would see as too made up.

To be fair, I don't think the same people are saying both things Brycie - some people feel it doesn't matter, while others feel intimidated by it.

I don't shave anywhere else than underarms, I plucked my eyebrows for the first time in about two years in the summer hols and haven't done it since, I cut my own hair (flip over after a shampoo and cut the ends off) and I still have spots. I don't care. My dad thinks my mum's ruined my education by stressing how important it was not to be vain when I was little so now he's always telling me to splash out on clothes and wear makeup. I sometimes wear a tiny bit of eyeliner. Thinking of getting my eyebrow pierced/hennaing my hair (mum used to do my hair when I was little). That's about all that's going to change about my head this year.

Oh and I might add, I'm young but not pretty, so it's not like I can go out looking amazing with my perfect skin and neat features! I really am not self conscious about this stuff.

I think my sister (mentioned above) looks great by the way. I just can't be arsed with all the preparation. Whilst she'll take a good two hours to get ready, I'm done in half an hour, including hair and make up (if I'm going out).

I quite like how I look "done up" it's just laziness on my part. I'm always secretly pleased if I get an acting role that requires minimum effort as opposed to made up (next role is FULLY made up pfft )

I feel the same about loo visits when out. I'm IN, wee, hands, OUT in about 2mins

I rememer being on holiday with my sister. I was ready ages before her while she was having a strop about what to wear. I got fed up in the end and said "Let me know when you've finished stropping, I'll be on the balcony having a fag..." Still tickles us today

I care about how I look when I am going out of the house. (I slob about with no make up ect at the weekend) I like to look naturally polished not big hair false eye lashes ect. I think I look far better with make up as it gives me colour and makes me look a bit more healthy. I think I have a bit of a blank look that suits make up where as I have noticed some stunningly beautiful women look better without it.
I liked how I looked when I was younger and am trying to hold of the aging process as much as possible by clever use of make up and wearing clothes and colours that suit me. I sometimes worry I am vain and care too much but I guess it is just insecurity which the glossy mags feed off.
I definitely feel I get a better reaction from people generally when I have made an effort probably because I feel better and smile more.

People judge, whether we like it or not, all the time based on appearance. We're visual creatures and appearance says a lot about us, our values etc. Even if this only goes on subconsciously, it goes on nonetheless. Some of us are more open about it, that's all.

It's a very interesting question another poster described, being judged and thinking 'what did she see when she looked at me?'. I know I take a lot less care of my appearance now than in my twenties. More confidence? Perhaps, perhaps less, I'm not sure. So from time to time I bump into professionals or paper pushers and I think they make assumptions about me based on appearance. I almost always talk them around however (don't live in english-speaking country) as I guess education still carries some weight and is transmitted to an extent through how we talk. A non-native friend of mine describes exactly the same thing happens to him in the UK and his home country. I find that quite sad - that a doctor, for instance, may choose to talk down to less well educated people but hop-to a bit when in front of someone more educated.

Acting role?!? how exciting!

I agree that people judge LeBFG but I honestly think a friendly open demeanour counts a lot more than grooming in how people judge you. Perhaps immediate impressions are based on looks, but beyond that I think it's more about how you come across.