To think this is NOT high maintenance

[Highorlow]

NC For this...Went out for dinner and drinks last night with friends. And as we’re sitting chatting, friend A asks have I had my lashes done)? Me...yes I got extensions for the Christmas period (as I usually do) , conversation leads on to a full scale what else have you done then??then me saying that I usually get my lashes, hair and nails done at Christmas. Hair I usually get styled 3-4 times a year. Nails I get done quite often (every 3 weeks) and lashes for Christmas, holidays and weddings etc. thought it was fairly normal and that she does the same pretty much?? Friend B states that she hasn’t done it much since kids, friend A agreed and says I must be high maintenance whilst laughing. (I most certainly am not) it’s just something I do at certain times of the year to chivvy myself up. I have two kids so I feel I’m allowed to look after myself. AIBU to think this is not high maintenance??

Yes, if you like it do it if you can afford it. Also we should not forget that today in 2018 one way women can hugely improve their standard of living is attracting a rich man and you tend to manage that more easily if you do this beauty stuff. It almost becomes an investment in a financial asset - your body.

I hey my hair cut and coloured every 5 weeks and my dh shellacs my nails every few months or if we're going somewhere special. I don't like false lashes, looks like a spider or a caterpillar is on your eyes. But I'd hardly call what you, or I get done op, as high maintenance.
High maintenance to me is getting lashes done very regularly, and hair weekly, and fake tan, etc etc.

“Is this kind of a regional thing? I live in a University town and people dress either very casual or arty/hippie like.

When i've been to cities up north and in Essex everyone seems to have their eyebrows/nails/tan done.“

No, it’s a social class thing.

I think there’s definitely a regional aspect to this - a night out in Manchester or Liverpool has a totally different aesthetic to a night out in Bristol. I don’t know anyone who gets their nails done regularly in a nail salon - always really surprised by how many ppl on MN say they get their nails done. I think most of my friends would be astounded if I got eyelash extensions - it’s high mainetenance to our group.
I actually have looked into them but they’re very expensive!

Why do you care so much what they think? Or, for that matter, what a bunch of strangers on an internet forum think? If you want to do it, you do it.

No, it’s a social class thing
I'm not so sure that one class is high maintenance and others arent. There can be different types of high maintenance and the types vary by class.

In my region there are different types of high maintenance types:

1. The dark brown TOWIE tan, blinged out nails , extensions etc but actually most of it is done by friends/family or at cheaper places. It's a look generally associated with more deprived areas of the region.
2. The super image conscious 20 and 30 somethings who want to appear Instagram ready at any time. Usually young professionals.
3. Middle class women in 30s and 40s who spend a lot of money to achieve a natural look e.g foils every 6 weeks, regular blow dries, tinting brows, lash extensions.

All are equally high maintenance to me, but the overall look is very different.

The one thing all have in common (to me) is a deep rooted need to conform to this deeply socialised idea that women should be polished and attractive at all times and that attractive means a very narrow ideal which focuses on looking young and/or attractive to male gazes.

I'd consider you as 'maintenance' as me. I've had my hair cut 3 times this year, eyebrows threaded every month, colour my hair (myself) every six weeks. Haven't had manicure for years but doit myself every couple of weeks. If I had time and money I'd go to a salon for it though.

However I live on the outskirts of Liverpool so I'm fairly slovenly by local standards.

If you are paying for it out of your own hard earned money it is certainly not high maintenance.