If you make an effort with your apperance everyday how do you stick to it ?

[LardLizard]

I swing from being lazy to going all on out, I would say, even though it’s sounds a wrong to say out loud, I look better than average when I make an effort
But tbh I just can’t be arsed half the time
And I’d like to make the effort more and more consistently

Watching with extreme interest!

I'm consistently between the two - never lazy, and never all out.

So I always have make up on, hair washed and some sort of decent-ish clean outfit. If I'm going out I'll make more of an effort.

Note that by makeup I mean foundation, powder, mascara, liner - never false eye lashes etc

I don't feel myself unless I make this effort - I've been doing it since I was 14 and can't just stop! Vanity I suppose?

I have a work look and a home look. I often spend weekends make up free in jeans with a messy bun but I’ve never gone to the office without a full face, nice jewellery and my heels. I don’t even think about it, it’s just what I do so I do it, if that makes sense.

Some of it takes a bit of time but I enjoy a good pamper/maintenance session and probably wouldn’t bother if I didn’t.

It’s a habit, like anything else.

What sort of things are you talking about? Hair, nails, make up, clothes?

My sister and best friend (that sounds so silly at this age haha, but she is) are both like that. They keep it up because they genuinely enjoy doing their hair and make up usually, and on other days it's just because they feel they look like shit and can't go outside (they always look fab, don't know why they think like that)
So I think if you're just like that, then you're just like that and that's it. It's less of an effort for them because they like it usually.
I wish I could be bothered every day too.

My best (only half decent!) Feature is my naturally v full lips so I find if plaster on some Stila all day gloss (Why thank you M&S advent calendar) as a bare minimum and take very good care of my skin (all the acids/hard-core stuff) then I look halfway decent. My hair is beyond control and I can't stand the feeling of foundation on my skin/varnish on my nails. Additionally I've come to accept that I'm a natural slob so decided to upgrade my slobiness/make a feature of it with cashmere tracksuits/joggers silk t shirts/casual silk trousers/minimal v expensive watch/classic earrings rather than eternally buying dresses which will simply never see the light of day and shopping for the person I'll never be.

PS aside from this, decent hidden wedge Nike trainers, (shortarse here), a good handbag (Radley Grosvenor or Mulberry Bayswater), clean hair and my trusty Barbour jacket.

Hidden wedge trainers sound great! Following with interest. Got my bikini waxed today, my bits look amazing but the rest of me looked like a sleep depraved crazy person.

I think it depends on what you mean by "lazy" and "all out". I would count myself as pretty low-maintenance, but I have a basic minimum: showered and clean, shaved legs, washed and brushed hair, clean teeth, basic make-up (usually foundation, eyeliner, powder and lip balm), and some sort of decent-ish outfit. Almost always some sort of jewellery or scarf. I think it helps that my natural style preference is for low-key but elegant, so I don't really do leisurewear like joggers or yoga pants and trainers, or really basic boxy plain T-shirts. I also don't buy really cheap or really fussy clothes. It means that even if I've just pulled on jeans, flat shoes and a top then added a necklace, it means that outfit will automatically do for smart-casual. Most of my dresses and skirts are also pretty but quite easy to wear (no need for heels with them, for example) so that the contents of my wardrobe doesn't force me to totter around in a tight skirt and skyscrapers every time I want to wear something feminine and get away from the jeans rut.

That being said, I think it's normal to make more of an effort for some occasions than others. Even the most beautiful celebrities or royals who clearly make a huge effort just for every day still look much more glamorous in a balldress, heels and full hair and makeup for the Oscars or whatever than they do being snapped on the street doing their supermarket run.

Depends what you call "effort". I don't wash my hair every day and it's wavy/curly so I can wake up and go. Makeup wise I don't need foundation so I only wear eyeshadow and mascara. However, I buy nice clothes and carefully consider my outfits, and I own a lot of footwear. I think I look passable mostly!

I agree though that I don't know how women I know get up in time to shower, shave, moisturise, dry and style hair, apply full makeup and have a leisurely breakfast.

Well, Monday to Friday it's a habit. Get up at 7am, shower, wash hair (sometimes), do make-up (pretty much the same every day), get dressed, then head downstairs for breakfast and off to the office at 8.30am. Like clockwork.

At the weekends it's a bit more relaxed, and if I'm not going out I might well slob about in PJs for the morning. Although that's often the time when I do things like pluck eyebrows, cut toenails, apply face masks etc. which don't get done during the week.

I make medium effort - light foundation, blush, mascara, eyeliner. Blow dry my hair the night before. Use a nice skincare regime. 20 mins on a morning does it.

Thanks for the replies, I guess it will just require habit, getting up a bit earlier, and planning outfits etc