I just can’t be bothered to make an effort anymore

[Notcontent]

I have always enjoyed having nice clothes and made a bit of an effort. However, that has changed recently, and I am not sure that’s a bid thing. I think it’s a combination of factors - Covid has contributed to it, as I am mainly at home (and only teen dd to see me). But more so that I am in my late 40s and feel like there is no point, as I am pretty invisible anyway. I probably need to give myself a bit of a talking to, or I will end up living the next few decades wearing tracksuit bottoms and bobbly jumpers...

Can you give yourself an occasion to get dressed up for or what about starting small and putting on a nice outfit to eat dinner in etc .

I am struggling too , rarely do hair / makeup anymore . Feel like I've let go too!

Just enjoy the freedom, you've "let go" of the mad expectations we put on how women should look - let's not even go into how this is somehow classed as "self care".

It's nice to dress up sometimes, for me the effort of having to take all the make up off has long outweighed the benefit of looking made up except for odd occasions. It's liberating 😁

I agree with @TheSmallAssassin that it’s liberating to let go of the pressure. I’m in a similar situation - wfh, late 40’s. I’ve definitely had my slob moments recently but I’ve found that it makes me feel comfort for a short period but then I need to make an effort otherwise I begin to feel crappy. There are lots of casual comfy clothes that still look great & make you feel like you have made an effort. Faux leather leggings or trousers with a great knit is as comfortable as joggers, for example. I also love wearing dresses at home. It can feel a bit overdressed initially but actually often more practical than dealing with layers. It’s nice to have the freedom to wear whatever you want without having to consider footwear too!

And with the makeup thing: I stopped wearing it in March and developed a really simple but effective skincare routine instead. I’ve just started wearing a little makeup again now but mostly still bare faced & my skin looks great. Shifting focus on making the most of ourselves rather than covering ourselves up is really beneficial physically & psychologically.

Glad I'm not the only one. I look friggin awful though so it's not a good thing!

Well if you're happy not "making an effort" then embrace it! I've always been low maintenance and never really wear makeup or do my hair (it naturally curly so I wash and brush then leave it to do it's thing ). I wear comfortable clothes moreso than fashionable ones. Don't really do my nails. I do have highlights and cut my hair nicely as it makes me feel better. I do dress up and wear makeup for nights out. I'm not scruffy just casual and I'm always showered and clean. This is what makes me comfortable and I'm not out to impress anyone. Why are you "invisible" though? Who to?

Assuming there are no emotional wellbeing issues underlying this, I would just stick with the bits you still enjoy and drop the rest. For me that means I still obsess over clothes because I get a lot of enjoyment from them but, despite being vain all my life, I'm less interested in my face with every passing day. For some people it's the opposite.

However I would add that invisibility can be very liberating as it gives you licence to experiment. I'm much more adventurous now in how I dress because I know most people aren't going to notice or care if I get it wrong.

Nobody with Covid wants to make an effort anymore - it's not just you! As a nation we have embraced no makeup, abandoned bras and gone for the elasticated waist band.

The world has not stopped turning and nobody in our inner circles has died of shock at how horrible we look.

Are you doing something nice for yourself that you enjoy? Not necessarily S&B related? Then fine, enjoy the liberation.

The wise Floisme's already said what I was coming on to say really...turn that late -40s-invisible thing on it's head and wear whatever the hell you like. I decided to have some fun and enjoyed neon eyeshadow over the summer. And a hugely impractical kimono for WFH. May go full Goth now for a bit.

I am going through a version of this. I want to buy fewer clothes, feel less eager to wear the right jeans etc.... But I want to look healthy and unapologetically 50. I don't want to look dishevelled. So it feels like a transition for me, rather than giving up. Maybe change your style gradually. I can't see myself in a kimono (!) but I know rust and olive suit me so perhaps I will stop buying clothes that aren't rust or olive even if I rarely see them in the shops.

I've done the opposite lately. I've become very picky with colour/quality and fit. Even more so with make up and skincare, and hair styling, weight maintenance. It makes me feel better in such shitty times, if I have control over how I look.

Yes, mid 50s, actually have lost (or has it been purloined?) my make-up bag. I have diverted my clothes budget into teen dd's account. However, I have been doing Barre, which is giving me a completely different shape which I love - I have been a 30 day Shred girl for years. And my skin is looking like it likes this new me.