Does anyone ever feel 'together'?

[chainedtothedesk]

Can't think of a better term for it! polished? Done? And what are your tips for getting there?
For example I used to sit next to a woman at work who kept sone foot deodorant in her desk drawer so she never had smelly sweaty feet during the summer! Now there's someone with all their ducks in a row I thought!
How do you get to be that kind of person? Is it getting a pedicure every other week or your hair trimmed every 6 weeks like they say you should or is it just in your genes and I'm always going to be a bit of a mess?!

I don't know what 'together' means.

I'm running around after 2 under the age of 4, working nights ... just trying to survive washing, drying and styling my hair is a luxury!
Totally winging it. X

I never feel polished (12 week old and 20 month old) but I feel ready to conquer the world when I've had chance to put on make up and chuck some mousse in my hair so that it doesn't air dry completely frizzy. I'm trying to create a capsule wardrobe so I can throw something on without too much thought and it still look nice. I reckon regular hair cuts and clothes you LOVE, are halfway to looking like you have your shit together

My advice isn't for everyone and I tend to live in gym clothes at the moment so am anything but put together, but Come term time my routine is:

Fake tan on a Sunday night (a natural one!) wash off Monday morning (and shove bedding in washing machine!) I also have eyelash extensions on all the time. This means on a day to day basis, I put on a bit of bronzer and lip gloss and I look 'made up'

Clothes are washed on a weekend, ironed and hung up on a rail outside my bedroom in outfits for the week ahead. I just grab what I need to in the morning. I do same with Ds uniform.

Hair is done with a babyliss big hair (blow dry till 85% done then finish with this)

Nails shellaced so only changed every 2-3 weeks. Eyebrows threaded at same time.

God it sounds exhausting written down, but doing 'big' things like the eyelash extensions and fake tan mean I'm quick to get ready outside of that block of time. Hope that makes sense! Haha!

This! This is what I need! Thank you!
I look in the mirror and all I see is 'thibgs to do'... must get my roots done, must get eyebrows waxed, must iron my clothes! Currently have a 2 month old baby and with school holidays too it's impossible to get to a beautician. Fed up of looking frazzled!

I use a tanning moisturiser if it's going to be hot weather and I want to have more flesh out (legs are ghostly otherwise!). I do my bath, make up and hair at 5:30 every morning untill about 6:30 ( I have hair extensions so takes longer) dh looks after dcs while I do it. Paint toe nails first so sets while I do make up. I love feeling 'put together' but on the downside, if I look in the mirror and I don't look as put together as I want to look it gets me REALY down. I always look at people who arnt as put together (No make up hair just 'left' and envy them for looking so nice without the effort) how I look is always on my mind and I hate it, but when I'm happy with it I just feel SO good.

You have a 2 month old baby???!! Love, I was still in pyjamas at that point with wet patches on the front from leaking boobs! I did NOT look anything resembling put together at that point, geuninely! Ds is 5 now. He sleeps. He can be abandoned while I wallow in the bath. You are keeping a tiny human alive - by all means follow some of the tips, but just look at all you are achieving outside of that too!

(Also, I tried to fake tan when Ds was a baby once - I ended up with a thread on here about it as I accidentally fake tanned him when he breast fed and I had to tell his dad who had never met him before it was a birth mark )

Firstly, congrats on your new baby. And give yourself some credit; at two months I was still a wobbly, leaky-boobed mess!

Different things work for different people when it comes to feeling 'together'. I feel pretty good at the moment, mainly because I've lost 2.5 stone. But I also...

• Have my hair dyed and cut every couple of months. I wear it in a messy bun which looks effortless but actually takes some mastering.

• Exfoliate whilst in the bath (Sanctuary ultimate scrub) and moisturise afterwards. Shave legs and pits.

• Keep my nails short and neat, and paint fingers and toes. I'm wearing OPI Big Apple Red at the moment.

• Iron my clothes and hang them up

• Plan my outfit before I go to bed to minimise faffing in the morning

• Invest in some decent basics. For me this means skinny jeans / shirts / blouses.

• Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser has been a game changer for me. Makes me glow and is so easy to wear. I curl my eyelashes and use Lancôme Grandiose mascara, plus a sweep of Benefit Dandelion just under my cheekbones.

I'm by no means saying I look great. But I feel like my confidence has increased and I am comfortable in my own skin. Maybe start with small things like nails or an eyebrow shape and tint?

No

Thanks for this. I know I am probably expecting a bit too much of myself with a newborn but I don't think I have ever felt 'polished' and 'put together ' in my entire life!
Baby is starting to sleep longer and now I am out of maternity stuff for the last time it feels like a good time to start afresh and a few tips to get me started is really all I was looking for.

I think starting with a capsule in neutral colours is a good start.

Identify what works for your body shape and what looks you like and then plan it.

Unfancy blog is good for this.

Thanks. Will do.
Just home and realised when my baby's nappy leaked all over herself earlier it also smudged over the front of my top too. . Today is not a polished day!

My children are now early teens so I have a bit more 'me time'.
I turned 40 recently and feel more confident and 'put together' than I have in years.
I think I've mastered some low maintenance ways that help:

3 step skin care routine morning and night. I use a combination of Clinique, Simple and Nip and Fab.

Keep finger nails short and simple, using Dior nail glow. Toe nails I paint fortnightly in Chanel Rouge Noir.

I get my eyebrows threaded regularly. I get hair cut every 6 weeks. I colour myself (blonde) every 4 weeks. I sleep with conditioner on overnight once a week.

I wash and iron all clothes at the weekends and plan work outfits for the week.

I have 2 capsule wardrobes - spring/summer and autumn/winter. I wear very simple outfits which suit my petite frame. Trousers and slim fit shirts for work. Jeans and T or merino jumper at weekends. I add interest with silk neck scarves or wide headbands etc...

I keep my diet simple, eating 3 meals a day. No snacking.

Capsule wardrobe has helped me hugely. I know everything goes with everything else, which is a godsend when it's 7.30am and I need to be out of the house at 7.45!
The photo gives you an idea of my summer version- although obviously as we live in England this covers 10-30 degrees!

Get your colours done (or just google it)
From that get a capsule wardrobe together
Add a few good accessories
Hair/eyebrows done often
Nails done every two weeks with a gel polish
Tan every Sunday night (very subtle)
Wash/iron clothes & get them ready for the week ahead.
A good leather handbag & nice shoes finished the look

@BlueEyedWonder - care to share a selection of go to meals? And places you can find clothes for your petite frame? I find a lot of clothes very oversized. Also sticking to 3 meals but would love some new ideas.

Thank you!

@upsidedown2017
Weekday breakfast has to be quick: porridge and berries or wholemeal toast and peanut butter. Lunch is eaten at work: veg soup or pitta filled with chicken and salad or pasta salad. I have a sweet tooth so usually have a couple of chocolate covered rice cakes as well... or an M&S chocolate tea cake! Evenings, I eat with the family: pasta bake, homemade chilli or curry, salmon and stir fried veg. As I say, nothing fancy!
I'm short as well as a size 6-8. I try to buy from petite ranges to get a better fit: Gap online, Next, Boden, New Look, M&S and lots of Topshop which fits me well.

@BlueEyedWonder Thanks for this, useful!

For meals, I find omelette really quick and nutritious, you can have it plain or put anything in it - today I had rocket in it. Doesn't take any longer to make than toast. It works for a meal at any time of day - I've even seen recipes for cooking it in a microwave, which is handy for work.
I also always have a banana in my workbag, inside a special banana shaped container. I used to keep individually wrapped brioche and cereal bars to hand, but trying to avoid carbs these days. Packets of nuts or seeds are also handy to keep at work or in the car, also seaweed snacks. I quite like a pack of nuts and raisins plus cheddar cubes for lunch.
I always have frozen soup in the freezer so I can grab a portion for lunch at work, and freeze leftovers if there is enough for a single portion. I keep porridge at work, as its another easy thing for breakfast or lunch.
I work on the basis that I will always be late or in a rush in the morning so I need to be able to grab and go, and always have something ready just in case.

@DelphiniumBlue useful tips!

@BlueEyedWonder have you bought much from Topshop recently? I used to all the time due to the fit (I'm also petite) but for a couple of years I've felt too old at our age! Would love to get back into it as the fit/price point/quality all fine and some of my favourite things have been from there.

I have, but certainly don't now.