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AIBU?

to wonder how women can have kids under five and still manage to look good?

285 replies

fufflebum · 03/02/2009 15:53

I feel frumpy today. Anyone else?

Have a four year old and a nearly one year old.

AIBU to wonder how other women seem to manage to put on makeup and buy good fitting clothes???

I manage a shower and hairwash every morning but makeup and new clothes an impossibility.....!!!

Any tips?

OP posts:

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beansontoast · 03/02/2009 16:11

(SORT OF ON TOPIC...but not actually helpful..possibly unhelpful if you are a bit precious )

i am in absolute awe of mme Thomcat(two pre schoolers/one big girl)...not only GROOMED but good natured with it...one of life's mysteries

Ewe · 03/02/2009 16:12

I can do my make up in under 5 mins, you just need to practice and work out what bits of make up make the biggest impact. In my case:

Touche Eclat for my bags
Pressed powder dusted over face
Pencil eyeliner
Mascara
Carmex

Doesn't take long at all. As for clothes, if you can, just chuck all your crappy ones away and then it will force you to wear half decent stuff. I don't really have any slummy clothes in my wardrobe, therefore, I can't wear them!

Wizzska · 03/02/2009 16:14

DS (14 months) likes playing with my makeup bag so that keeps him quiet while I put some slap on in the morning. I'm with nailpolish, it ain't that hard if it will make you feel better. I wouldn't feel like myself if I didn't bother.

When DS was really small I got an eybrow wax and a lash tint, it took 15 mins and lasted weeks. Only cost about a tenner. Made me feel better about myself when recovering from my c-section.

becstarlitsea · 03/02/2009 16:14

I use self-tan/moisturiser combined for my face so that if I don't have time for make-up at least I don't look half-dead. The colour builds gradually so you don't get orange streaks. When I wear makeup I just wear concealor, mascara & blush which takes under 3 minutes.

A good pair of jeans, fitted T-shirt and tailored jacket with trainers is a failsafe for the school run - it's not imaginative but it's pretty much foolproof. In winter it's even easier - if your coat is nice, doesn't matter what else you're wearing! As long as it's not a fleece, any form of tracksuit bottoms, or crocs. Even the nicest coat can't sort that out...

SnowlightMcKenzie · 03/02/2009 16:15

chosenone Where do you shop for your woollen dresses? I'm sick and tired of jeans and t-shirt.

LilianGish · 03/02/2009 16:19

Key is to do it first thing. It was my mum's main piece of advice to me when I had first had the kids - get yourself ready before you do anything else. It takes about ten minutes for me to do shower, make-up, hair and get dressed, but if you don't do it straightaway you never get round to it. Makes me feel SO much better though.

LittleOneMum · 03/02/2009 16:19

OOooh Ewe, that was so my tip too! Chuck out all your old horrid clothes. I realised a couple of months ago that i was getting home from work and changing into the most revolting jogging bottoms/sweatshirt combo (always the same one as well ) and then was moaning that DH didn't fancy me anymore. I chucked them out and hey presto suddenly I felt a million times better. I also told him to shoot me if he ever saw me in a fleece outside the house... My other tip is hairdresser (cheap one) on a regular basis.

MrsTittleMouse · 03/02/2009 16:20

I also wonder at the practicality of grubbing around the floor in a woolen dress. Wouldn't it bag? Or pill at being washed in the machine again after being drooled on/vomited on/had grubby crumb-laden fingers pull at it? They are lovely though.

LilianGish · 03/02/2009 16:23

Top tip on the clothes front Ewe - in fact I think I'll go and weed out a few items now. What's the point in saving stuff for "best" ?When you have young children those occasions are once in a blue moon.

LittleOneMum · 03/02/2009 16:28

Lilian, you're so right! I also have to start wandering around the house in my (only pair) of designer shoes as well!

BalloonSlayer · 03/02/2009 16:32

Before DCs I used to have a bath/shower at night and and another in the morning.

I hate going to bed unshowered/bathed so I have kept that one and now don't bother in the morning.

I have my clothes for the morning by the bed and just get straight into them. If I am still in my dressing gown once the day is underway I feel as if I am ill and my mood plummets.

I am lucky that my hair dries very quickly so on the days I wash it, it doesn't take long. Also make up is very quick for me - but essential.

Still look like shit though as am fugly and old . . . can't do anything about that however.

BonsoirAnna · 03/02/2009 16:37

Why is it so difficult to have a bath when you have children? I have never, ever found any problems with it.

Anything that can be done inside the house is a doddle when you have children, just by virtue of the fact that you spend so much more time there than ever before. Getting out of the house is a whole other ball game.

MsSparkle · 03/02/2009 16:40

I never understand it women say this kind of stuff? It does take minutes to look half decent. Shower, get dressed, bit of make up - done. You don't need to go all out with the make up, a bit of face powder, mascara and lip gloss is all you need to go from looking dull to decent.

I have a 2 year old and a newborn and still manage to do this stuff.

belgo · 03/02/2009 16:40

I have three under five. I shower and dress as soon as I get up, even if the children are running riot in their bedroom, I have to have that shower to feel human. I have bought new clothes since having ds as my figure has changed so much, mainly dark clothes that all match each other.

Can't stand wearing make-up.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 03/02/2009 16:41

I went to a kiddie party last week and my dad helped. Everyone thought he was my brother

My DS was born on his 60th birthday fgs

MrsTittleMouse · 03/02/2009 16:42

Um, because you have an active toddler and a baby that cannot be left alone for a nanosecond, and a DH who runs out of the house early in the morning to get to work (while you struggle to open youe eyes from a night of fussing and breastfeeding (the baby that is, not the DH))?

Not that that is my life though, no sirree...

belgo · 03/02/2009 16:42

And I find it quite easy to go out as well. Admittadly, I have given up trying to co-ordinate dd1 and dd2's clothes - they wear whatever they like. I always keep the changing bag ready so I just grab it and the children and leave the house.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 03/02/2009 16:47

snap. My bathroom isn't big or safe enough for me, a 2.2yr old and a 20week old, and neither of them can be left (well at a push my 20w can, but there is no reliable time that she'll be asleep.

However, I CAN get out of the house in the morning with both fed, changed and dressed, - in under 45 mins.

IF I ever had a spare couple of minutes to myself, I'd be fast asleep, not ironing.

belgo · 03/02/2009 16:47

I've just realised the title is talking about looking good.

Not sure if I count as one of the mothers who look good

LeQueen · 03/02/2009 16:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belgo · 03/02/2009 16:48

snowlight - I keep the baby in the bathroom with me, and leave the older two in teh bedroom.

SnowlightMcKenzie · 03/02/2009 16:48

Re: woolen dresses. I suppose I am asking for a link to stretchy, warm dresses that you can bung in the wash and do not need ironing.

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MrsBadger · 03/02/2009 16:50

am in a rush but it is no harder to buy well-fitting clothes than ill-fitting ones

MrsTittleMouse · 03/02/2009 16:52

I shouldn't be on this thread. DD2 is having a growth spurt and yesterday it took me an hour to make two pieces of toast that I could then wolf down while BFing. I can only MN because I can tpye one-handed (and feed one-handed) and read stories at the same time.

belgo · 03/02/2009 16:53

MrsBadger - I do find it hard to find wellfitting clothes for my post three baby figure, it helps if you know where to shop and if you know what looks good. It took me ages to find a pair of good fitting jeans, and they weren't cheap.

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