to think its odd how some mums get dressed up to the nines for going to toddler group?

[sneekychanger]

a couple of mums in the group had knitted dresses on and knee hign high heel boots.
not exactley preactical for playying with toddlers is it?

one of them had her hair all tonged curly and full make up.

i wonder how long it takes them to get ready/made up in the am.

what a hoo-haa about how another mum looks! motherhood doesn't need to equate dowdy you know

so what if someone puts on make up to go out,doesn't make her a lipstick wearing trollop

I always make an effort when I leave the house to do anything. Partly because I'm vain and also I vowed when I had kids, I will never let myself go.
Guess what, even when I gave birth I made sure I had a coat of mascara on, didn't want to look rough for the doctor.

nail polish _ hilarious!
i too like to dress myself up and look as glam as poss> i also enjoy male attention, yes i really am that sad, but seriously< its nice to look nice< and i feel more confident when i do< its just one thing that makes me feel better when iv@e been up all night and underneath by cute dress i have cracked nipples and stretch marks and hold your tummy in knickers!!

I thought of this thread today. Im wearing a skirt, knee high boots, pink top and a wee cardi today. Friend suggested trying a new toddler group so I ended up going like that...I was waiting for someone to get out a blackberry and start reporting back on here.

Each to their own. As many other people have said, if they want to, why not?!

And I agree, why should you stop caring about how you look when you have DCs?

I would love to be one of those mums but I can only afford one pair of jeans at the mo (woe is me) and my feet grew in pregnancy so my boots dont fit anymore plus my hairs the sort that even hairdressers look at go well yes it is thick isnt it and look worried.
I wish I was like Lulumama and naturally groomed (though the heels would kill me, Ive been practising in my 3inches for my posh night out next week and am still worried). So I just look at these women jealously.

sneekychanger
you have probly given up reading this, but i'm with you
YANBU.

you can sit together scowling at tonged hair glammy-mammy muttering thats no practical.humph

Well, I don't know WHERE I fit in amidst all this judging.....There is no way anyone could describe me as a natural beauty and consequently I am never seen by anyone other than DP, DC and my sis and parents without full makeup. I even went so far as to put some slap on in between full-on contractions just before I left for the hospital where I gave to DS2 1.5 hours later. To anyone who is wondering how anyone manages to look groomed in the morning, I make sure I get my make up on by getting up BEFORE I know the kids are going to be awake.

However, I have no money to get my frizzy bonce properly styled and so consequently it's got an untrendy cut from a corner shop old ladies' hairdressers. Ditto the same for new clothes and shoes/boots - get a couple of new things a year, and they have to be dirt cheap (Asda or such like), and able to be dressed up or down, and be practical at the same time. If I DO get money for my birthday or something to spend on clothes, I have until recently not had the time to go out clothes shopping on my own (DH away a lot so kids always with me). As a consequence of that, I have totally lost all sense of what is fashionable, and how to put an outfit together, so that when I DO get a bit of money and time to myself (hopefully in next year or so), I won't have a clue anyway so will probably end up sticking to safe stuff.

I am apalled to think that some people might judge my crappy, unstylish clothes to be a lack of effort on my part. If someone gave me a big wad of dosh, and looked after my kids for half a day, then I'm sure I could make myself look like Posh Spice in no time! Until that happens, I will look on enviously at yummy mummies in their jumper dresses and co-ordinating coats and boots and wish I could afford to be one of them too. sigh

There's one thing that I would never change, though, even if I did become Cinderella at the ball and that's to keep my fingernails short. I honestly don't understand how changing a nappy is possible with long false nails on - do you put the sudocrem on with a spatula or something? Even playing with playdoh - how? As for the very thought of putting a suppository up a constipated child's jacksie.......

you know, OP, I'm not sure green suits you...

Not read thread on full but really I can't see why the OP had a problem with it. As I have pointed out to a couple of work colleagues recently, being a mother doesn't automatically remove your interest in nice clothes. It merely cuts down the amount of opportunities you have to wear them. And, indeed your budget.

When I was at home full time I would make a bit of an effort when I saw my NCT mates and so would they. It was the social highlight of our week dammit.

Now I work 3 days a week I can channel my efforts into looking smart for the office!

Have just read entire thread (phew!), and finding it all wonderfully hilarious. If we were to take the (admittedly not insignificant) detail of motherhood out of the equation - wouldn't the simple case be that, some women like to make and effort, some women don't. Having kids mean you might have slightly less time in which to make that effort, but its all down to the same thing really.
For my tuppence worth, am also single mum, so try to look at least 'reasonable' most of the time - am on perpetual hunt for next babydaddy!

Sounds like you're jealous to me. What harm are they doing by dressing nicely?

I see there are 262 replies - I haven't read them.

I live in knitted dresses and knee high boots at the moment. It is cold, they are cosy, they require no thought to put on in the morning beyond "black opaque or grey opaque?", and they are more comfortable than jeans IMO.

I also put on lipstick, makeup, mascara and blusher. And I have curly hair (what difference does that make?)

I rarely get out of bed before 7.15 and I still manage to get 4 kids under the age of 10 dressed, breakfasted, hair and tooth brushed, coated and booted, clutching bookbags, swimming bags, cellos, and riding kits into the car for the school run at 8.00.

But then again I never have owned a fleece, and don't see looking like crap as a badge of honour. Tell me, why are YOU so slovenly??? Have you no self respect?

i read the title of this thread and a couple of posts out of curisosity?! afraid all 265 would take forever

I have never understood the i have a child, therefore i am excused from making an effort theory some women seem to adopt?

If one woman is happy in joggers and a hoody with no make up on, and another is happier wearing a party frock on a daily basis (ok maybe i'm taking the point to the extreme?) then why is it anyone elses buisness whether its "practical"?

Surely thats borderline questioning their parenting Skills?

If you dont want to dress nice or put on make up....Dont... i am surprised to hear you have nothing better to talk about than how early the woman who HAS made an effort has to get up.....

am blaming this out-of-character rant on Preggy Hormones!

oh...and for the record, despite being 32 w Pregnant, and feeling like a beached whale i TOO have been wearing leggings and knitted dressed with boots (admitdly sometime knee highs, sometimes my snuggly uggs!) because they are comfy and a little makeup only take a few mins & makes anyone feel better!

You never!

I have always been a scruff in the daytime and dressed up to go out (though my look of choice is 'something that;s going to annoy at least one person in some way')
I wear make-up to toddler group because I'm an Avon rep and feel I ought to wear the stuff I am trying to flog to the other mums...

what the hell is wring with putting on a bit of slap and keeping up with fashion?! it makes me feel good putting on make-up and wearing nice clothes, all part of being a yummy mummy!! far too many fuddy duddy mums out there!! (waiting for barrage of angry responses!) make an effort it takes not time at all!!

I wore this www.frenchconnection.com/search/keywords+are+mini+annie/mini%2bannie.htm to oddler group the pther day with black tights and flat black KG boots a mum actually said to mein front of lots of others "are you even wearing a skirt" to me i just laughed and blushed, she later apologised and admitted she was just envious. How rude i didn't point out her snot stained top. I have crap days where i am embarassd to be seen out, usually after not much sleep but i love looking nice and having nice clothes so what does it matter to others where i wear them.
My Mum always says your kids won't thank you for looking sh@t.

what on earth is the matter with knee high boots and wool dresses, is it not autumn??

just because you are a mum you do not have to look frumpy and unfashionable do you? is it quicker to put horrid baggy clothes on?

my first is due in april and i plan to maintain my interest in fashion and looking nice ( hopefully!!) i think i would feel quite depressed if i turn into a sensible frump.

i agree with the fuddy duddy comment. also the long nail comment yukkkkkkk!!
we should all dress as we feel comfortable, mums or not. we are individuals and parenting skill are not linked to type of clothing.

Today I am wearing a brown VELVET DRESS! with a black cashmere cardi over it. And black knee high boots with only a low/medium heel, sadly. I had my hair coloured and blow dried at the hairdresser yesterday too. Good job you didn't spot me taking my dd swimming, eh?

it depends. ott dressing up is just out of space. we have young mother wears really spiky heeled platform hooker shoes.
everyone was at first.
imo,make up is essential for woman.

ithinkimtallandblonde - just had a look at your dress from the other day - it's gorgeous and just the kind of thing I like to wear! (Unfortunately I'm 4 months pg (almost) and already look about 7 months gone so might not be able to get away with it at the mo!) Good on you though. Jealous mummies in scruffy clothes with snot on their tops can b*gger off!
I always feel happier when I've got something nice on and a bit of slap (hides the puffy tired eyes anyway!)

OMG - loving ithinkimtallandblonde's dress too. Off to French Connection tommorrow.

It does not take anymore time to put on a dress than a track suit.