I can't believe that the school gates is a bloody fashion parade!

[fisil]

Here was I looking forward to a SAHM lifestyle which involved baggy linen pants, jam encrusted T-shirts and matted hair ... I turn up and everyone seems to have carefully planned their outfits.

PS I am sticking with the pants and jam, though

but yours is old htough

I kid you not - but I saw a mum pick her child up for our local school the other day wearing a dressing gown and her hair tied up in a towel - I was rather amused by wondering what the scenario behind it was:

• falling asleep in bath, waking up thinking Oh F I'm late for picking the children up

• a little afternoon fun with her DH perhaps, which went on longer than she planned,

• had a shower after dropping off the children and then came on MN and forgot to move all day...

i live in an excouncil road, i am not rich but ds1 does go to a private preschool becuase they took him from the age of 2 years and i was desperate for a break. I hate getting out of the car when dropping him off. All they talk about is how many times their swimming pool man and gardner and cleaners have been out. And boy do they spend money on there outfits tans jewellary hair cars etc I am excluded from all invites, probably because i live where i do.

I shower every morning, wear clean clothes and have clean hair. I don't wear much make up unless going out. It's just the idea I have to present myself in a way that's not me at the school gates just cos other mummies are looking that gets my back up. If it comes naturally to you then thats great, but it doesn't for me.

No problem then ssd. Plenty of the mums I chat to don't have make up on and are not 'dolled up' either. Tbh, none of them look a mess but it's not how I'd go out.

Littletikes - then they are not worth bothering about are they? Who wants to be friends with women like that?!

i have just completely pmsl at tinygangs link and the music

funniest thing on mn for ages!

tiny, i cant stop clicking on your link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fabulous music

I can't hear the music bloody Mac

someone tell me what it is!

I daren't click on the link because I am at work! My eyes are still too sore for eye make up but I have progressed to some lipstick and bronzer so look slightly more presentable today although not doing school run because working.

I think a lot of it depends on whether you enjoy clothes or just wear them to preserve modesty/keep warm. A lot of my disposable income goes on clothes/shoes/accessories TBH. I don't buy CDs/books/magazines or anything like that.

tinygang, I too LOVE that music

btw, at our school gates, the SAHMs are usually much better turned out than working ones like me..but I do live in norf London.

Bundle - it doesn't surprise me, I'm a SAHM and always make an effort, I think because it would be so easy to let yourself go a bit you make an extra effort IYSWIM

I don't look any better on the 2 days a week I am a SAHM (I work part-time) because I'd rather spend time on other things in the morning than applying make up (though occasionally might put on some lipgloss) or planning outfits.

great link!! I've sent it to my mum

what is wrong with having some self respect to start the day looking clean, hair brushed, make up on? wearing nice clopthes makes me feel better for the day!! its not a competition, it just brightens the day!

I don't make much of an effort a lot of the time, but school is the one time I do consciously try (admittedly we only have 2 school runs a week atm... ask me again the end of September).

When I am in a good mood I like to look nice, and I want DD's school/friends etc to see me looking nice and together, not a mess. I may not have the same style as some of the mums, but you don't need to like what someone else wears to appreciate that they are looking good/a mess.

On a different note - DD has been going since March, and I have finally spoken to another mum, and then we smiled at eachother on the pick up Its a slow process (what with me being scared of people), but I am all proud of myself.

Flameboo - I know the feeling, my dds started at a new school in january,so didn't know anyone, but I am getting there - slowly! You don't want to seem as if you are trying too hard do you!

soapbox, I think I would have been tempted to ask her!

We have the fake tan, 4 wheel drive/open top merc/bmw brigade at our school. One mum has got a disease that has turned her legs bright orange, another must have some eye problem because she wears the biggest sunglasses I have ever seen. I quite enjoy the spectacle - I am oldie, so no one cares what I look like - I am always so busy I just don't have time to shower/change/put on my slap before I go to pick her up. Just stand back and enjoy, I say, it really is quite funny - but I will miss it all in Sept when my 2nd dd will go to secondary school. It just doesn't happen at secondary, I think it is because no one gets out of the car!!

Don't those ladies look lovely on your link! Whatever happened to the posh frock? I am sick of living in jeans and would love a frock, but I never see any in the shops at all.

monsoon have got lots of lovely frocks just now.

(why does saying that remind me of the episode of Father Ted when the village had a "lovely girls" competition?)

figroll, go shopping again! Now! The shops are full of those 50's style sundresses this year. I bought a really nice one with white base and red/fuchsia print on it and the big skirt. I think women made much more of an effort in those days, probably had to. Mind you I don't go for gloves and the hat with a veil look.

I think clothes-wise, figure-wise (getting there!) I don't gross anyone out on the school run. I wear a little make-up and so on but I'm a SAHM so I don't wear a suit/business clothes which a lot of mums do. Today just a sundress and high-heeled sandals with a cloth print bag from indonesia.

My problem is hair really. I'm no good at doing things with it. When I look at those 50s pictures, the hair is always very styled. I tend to scrape mine up somehow and hairspray the sides because I always get little fly-away hairs sticking out and looking messy. ALL the other mums have FABULOUS hair, like they came straight from the hairdressers, long, shiney and somehow set in soft bouncing curls or an immaculate bob.

SSSsandy - high heeled sandals? You're a brave woman who deserves credit for extra effort in the school fashion category! I can barely bring myself to wear high heeled sandals on a night out!

Well, I have to admit to the odd business suit, but that is mainly because on my work days I finish at 2.30 so that I can pick her up. May be all the other mums are saying - oh, there she is in her bloody suit again, whilst I am laughing at their orange legs and Ray Ban sunglasses!

I wear whatever is relevant to the day ahead, so Mondays oldish clothes as it's clean-up day, Tues and Fri gym clothes ( and no make up), Wed and Thurs depends on what I've planned

Earlybird, I take them off again as soon as I get home!

I've smartened up a bit since dd has been going to this place, didn't bother so much in the old place but I noticed one (wet) day when I rocked up there in jeans with psychedlic print wellies on and my anorak that I got some odd looks. I try to look a bit more grown up now which is why I wear the high heels. I'm still very casual though compared to everyone else.

sssandy - you are casual in a sundress and high heeled sandals compared with everyone else? surely they are working.

Very occasionally I go in my work clothes. Usually though in casual clothes which vary but fave is probably a skirt and flipflops.