To ask how do I go from drab to decent for the school run?

[Peppapiglovesbacon]

My DD starts school in September. She went to the school nursery for 2 years and to be honest I always felt out of place. My hair is always a bloody mess and my clothes either don't fit me or are primark specials which have been washed 5000 times and look old.

I'm only late 20's but feel like a frump. So I want to change that for September, im going to have my hair cut into something easily styled for the mornings, buy myself some makeup.

What are your tips and must haves for school run clothes? I'm on a budget so most of this will have to be ebay second hand but I have no clue of good quality name brands.

Please someone help me because I'm Fucking clueless 😩😩😩😩😩😩

Yes Charity shops are amazing for really good coats. Proper ones that probably cost 100 quid - yours for a fiver!

I think it's also about the school run being your first interaction with your contemporaries each day. These are women who are roughly your own age....of course you don't want to feel worse about yourself afterwards!

I don't wear make up. No bloody way am I wearing makeup unless I'm actually on the way to work! But I tend to buy "illuminating" moisturisers so I at least look alive rather than haggard.

Biker, mahooossive scarf, jeans, ankle boots (obsessed with the Primark Chloe Susannah ones out at the moment), glowy face, hair twisted up into a claw. That's it!

Thank you all so much for those that have taken the time to give me advice. I won the bid on the biker jacket on eBay for £5! And I'm now bidding on a scarf bundle. I shall have a look round the charity shops in the week and some of the links you've all kindly posted. Thankyou

My morning school run routine is 5 min -

• Skinny black jeans and a plain black or white top + biker jacket (pp is spot on here!) or knee length wool coat in winter with boots.

• Clarins BB cream and lipstick

• Hair swept up in a claw clip

It's boring and generic rather than fashionable but it looks slick and well put together.

I get what you're on about OP. It's not dressing up for the school run specifically but you want to feel put together and polished. I would feel the same.

I find that as long as I've showered and either washed my hair or dry shampoo'd it into oblivion, put on some minimal make up (5 mins, foundation, blusher, mascara, lipstick), and a bit of perfume, I feel instantly ready for whatever I'm doing that day.
When it comes to clothes I always wear skinny jeans and boots/ballet pumps and some kind of long sleeve stripy t-shirt/Breton top, or I like embellished jumpers (get loads second hand on eBay) with a little vest underneath. Second what people have been saying about a decent jacket/coat and jazzing up plain tops with a fancy looking scarf from primark.

I'm also on a budget so I like to get an eBay bargain, most of my clothes (pre pregnancy anyway, I'm about to pop with baby number one right now) are from eBay, I just search my size and the shop I want (e.g. Size 12 miss Selfridge dress) and see what comes up, don't even need to be too specific. You can get some good stuff! I got a jacket recently (but jackets in summer when nobody else is looking Haha) for £20 that I saw and wanted last year when it was £120.

Good luck!

Having ya eyebrows done makes a world of difference imo
Having my nails and feet done allways makes me feel like i got my shit together to

I often wear a long t shirt sometimes sign a rock band Slogan on, black leggings and either a denim jacket or leather jacket and I always wear sunglasses, sometimes I wear gym gear I do actually go to the gym sometimes after drop off but I find wearing it is comfy and it makes me look like I've got my shit together when I haven't

I know exactly how you feel, 7 months in and feel like mojo has been lost.

Time is really precious for me, so find easy to use products are a god send. I love the Bobbi brown eyeshadow pencils, and the lip and cheek combo. Its honestly less than 5 mins to put on some eyeshadow, mascara and blusher / lips.

Rimmel has good copies of these both if budget is an issue.

I need to work on the clothes front, my wardrobe is a sea of drab grey and very depressing. All my nice clothes were for work, which just aren't comfortable to wear or practical for life with a baby

A good pair of chinos and jeans, jumper/jersey dress, sleeveless dress and primark base sleeved tops. Vans/converse pumps I wear with everything or clarks flat sandals or ballet pumps. Also a raincoat or parka, with a snood or scarf

Can't help re fashion - I don't folllow it but can see how you would feel how you do. Our school is like a catwalk in the mornings. I'm generally doing well if I've brushed my hair! On the whole I don't care but was mightily amused on a 'mums night out' to have a drunken uber mum tell me that she really admired and liked me because I "didn't give a shit" what anyone thought in the morning...

I work for myself, and I have to be fairly together by the school run so that I can keep the momentum going when I get home and get some actual WORK done. If I'm having my shower when I get home the whole morning can evaporate and then suddenly it's bloody 3pm.

I wear this sort of thing:

Topshop Leigh jeans - black, skinny, relatively inexpensive, not too jeansy. Jamie jeans (topshop) also = fab.

Grey, white or black t-shirt - plain. Asos, H&M or Topshop. Sometimes Whistles if I've splashed out. Tucked in with plain black skinnyish (1 inch) belt. If winter, the t-shirt becomes a black cashmere jumper from M&S

Leather jacket or knee length coat (are camel coats still going to be in this autumn? I hope so - I'd like to get another year out of last year's Zara coat...)

Floofy scarf.

Stan Smiths or Ash trainers.

Eyebrows threaded and dyed.

Hair properly cut and (this year for a change) coloured.

My go-to style icon is Capucine Safyurtlu (minus the heels because FFS). Look her up - honestly, she has transformed and really streamlined how I dress and you don't have to spend £££ to mimic her look if you like her style.

I have (or had in our old city anyway - we'll see what happens in our new city!) a reputation for being a bit glam, but seriously - I wear the EXACT SAME THING every day. I just switch up the scarves a bit.

I wouldn't worry. A mum passed me on her way back from the morning run, wrapped up in a bath towel with wet hair and slippers on a few months ago... Can only imagine she'd had some sort of disaster at home! (or maybe she didn't give a shit). I was sort of impressed.

Peafacemcgee -A bath towel? 😂 Maybe its the new fashion to take over pjs!

I know, I couldn't believe my eyes! Her house may be one of the ones literally 2 mins walk away, but even so - I'd rather be late!

Oh my life I've just googled Capucine Safyurtlu and she is what I aspire to be!!!

Pea she must have had some mighty big balls to come out in a bath towel!!! I could never do that!

I know Peppa! Guess it's not so different to being on the beach, mind ;)

Skinny jeans - pref black, plain t-shirt style top from H&M, Warehouse or Zara with jacket in winter... and crucially lipstick makes everything look / feel put together for me!

I hear you OP. I don't care what the other mums think of me but once I've done the school run it's open season on being out and about going to groups/meeting people so it's nice to feel confident.
I always do my makeup every day which is the biggest thing for me - I don't care quite so much about clothes but 15m on my face and I feel great.

I also have about a bajillion pairs of M+S black leggings - cheap, comfy and so easy to wear. They go with everything so are pretty much my go to in the morning. It helps not to have to think about it too much

Get yourself a tube of Superdrug DD cream. It goes on so easy and instantly brightens my complexion. Bailey jeans from Dorothy Perkins are fab and cheap, I've had some for years and have only now just relegated them to my diy/cleaning wardrobe

Some great sartorial advice here.
What you should ALSO do is practice Buddhist meditation, then you will stop comparing yourself to others and will be much happier.

it's the harder approach, but more rewarding.

I live in primark jeggings, matalan biker, any top and a primark scarf and a bit of lippy or tunic top and leggings. I also had my long hair chopped into sharp bob, 5 mins with the straiteners it looks tidy!

You're totally right to want to feel good. I am only coming out of the baby fog myself. I would say a light tan would make a difference - something like a gradual tanner / wipes each night.

Black batwing jumper, long coin necklace.

Definitely scarves.

That's the type of thing I like anyway.

Top tip upthread of wearing gym gear so you look like you are just dropping off then going for a work out. Means you don't need to worry about your hair or make up beyond a jaunty ponytail and some blusher and lipgloss.

Blazers are a good look too, just bought one and it smartens up a skinny jeans/leggings shirt combo, makes you look as if you have tried.

I wouldn't advise getting your hair cut too short because I like to shove mine up in a ponytail or messy bun if I haven't had a chance to curl or straighten it, but I think a long layers bob could be a good idea.