Do you wear makeup/nice clothes if you know you’re not going out

[sunshinedaises]

There are days I spend at home or just go for a walk and I wear joggers, hoodie and no make up. These days I always look in the mirror and think how awful I look which gets me down but I also don’t see the point in wearing nice clothes and wasting make up when there’s no one to see it. What do you do? Should I make more of an effort to feel better?

WFH, some days, mainly winter, semi casual but always a good top and 'business' face and hair for Teams.
Some days full skirt/blouse as if going to meetings.
Summer nearly always dresses, might be older ones that I would not go to Mayfair offices in.
Cannot feel good and 100% in old jeans or grubby trainers.

I realised recently that I fell into a habit of not putting an effort into my appearance during the pandemic and wore a lot of comfy clothes etc and that - for me (I absolutely am not trying to say that this is the case for everyone) - it has been really bad for my state of mind. I also gained weight I think partly because I didn't initially notice because of elasticated waist bands etc.

I am slowly losing the weight (with the help of MJ) and something I am really trying to do now is put proper clothes on almost every day, brush my hair, do a bit more grooming (for me eyebrow threading makes a big difference).

Not saying that I never have a day in comfy clothes but I trying to keep that to once in a while not every day.

I am not particularly into make up though and don't do that daily

No

I’d be making more of an effort to love yourself how you are. Nice clothes and makeup are a great costume for going out if that’s what you want to do, but loving yourself bare face and in joggers is the key.

Where has this idea come from that clothes can be either comfortable or nice?
I expect all my clothes to be comfortable, including my smarter, dressier ones. If they're not then, as far as I'm concerned, they're not nice at all.

As an aside - and yes I know this is totally unreasonable of me - I've started to really dislike the word 'comfy'. It's like we're getting so lazy, we can't be bothered writing it out in full any more.

I can see why people who have to 'dress up' for work might prefer to be more casual at home.
If you never have to dress up for anything though? I like to dress up abit coz if everyday can be a joggers and sweatshirt day then it all becomes boring and samey.
Im a big fan of dopamine dressing and doing whatever makes you happy, regardless of if people think you are over or under dressed.

Wearing jeans would look dressed up for me because nobody has seen me in jeans for about 10 years. It would attract comment so I won't wear them. I own jeans, probably out of fashion now, but if I wore them I would look too dressed up.

As an aside - and yes I know this is totally unreasonable of me - I've started to really dislike the word 'comfy'.

I started a thread about this exact thing not too long ago 😂
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5283873-to-despise-the-word-comfy

In answer to the question. It's rare I'd have a day where I don't go out. I walk the dog barefaced and in leggings/workout clothes first thing and then generally put on at least jeans and a shirt. I always use sunscreen, so mix a dab of foundation into that and put on a bit of eyeliner and clear lip balm, brows professionally done and my lashes are fairly thick and long. I only wear more makeup than that if I'm going to an in-person meeting or out for the evening. I try to give my hair a day or two off from washing every week, but I have keratin treatments, it looks fine those days.

It's a rare day I don't wear makeup up, takes me two minutes and just part of getting dressed to me. I wear nice clothes, there might be days when it's more loungewear than fancy but they're still decent enought to answer the door and nip to Tesco's in.

When I was younger, I felt that I had to wear make up to look half decent. This persisted right up until the pandemic

Nowadays, my daughter is interested in make up and skin care, and I find myself applying it with her, as well as - shock - actually removing it at bedtime.

I've been hunting for the holy grail of skin tints because foundation feels a bit cakey now that I'm not used to it anymore. So far I've tried some slightly more budget options, then an Hourglass one and then Estee Lauder futurist skintint foundation, which is absolutely amazing. I really enjoy the process of choosing different blushers, trying different steps in my routine, and I also like gathering products from different brands like a magpie. It makes me happy.

I'm glad that I've come quite a ways from needing make up to feel ok about leaving the house - very low self esteem back then - to applying it now for fun. My daughter and I like to riff on some of the ways beauty Youtubers do their videos, too.

I always try and look nice whatever I’m doing - although I’ll only stay in if I’m either ill or the weather is horrendous. I wear minimal makeup though and usually wear jeans in winter and dresses in summer. I always wash/wet and blow-dry my hair as well.

Nope

I used to say the same thing when I was slim but once I gained weight it has been harder to find clothing which is both nice and comfortable. I don't feel as comfortable in my body, waistbands dig in, I have chub rub issues with dresses etc etc

I can find some things which are both comfortable and nice - I love a hush Kensington dress and whistles jersey blazer, for example - but it is a lot harder than it was.

I don't wear much make up at the best of time but will put on some foundation (with my fingers) and some lip color even if I am not leaving the house.

I tend to dress nice even if I am staying in (although I try to go out everyday). I don't have tracksuits etc. Given the nature of the job I am in I do have sudden unexpected teams meeting so wear clothes that are suitable for them.

Comfy can go to the same place as comfies and jammies, oh and onesie.

I have developed a new post-covid style that doesn’t care for fashion trends and is just me.
i work from home 4 days a week and then have 3 weekend days, I go to the office to meet clients about once every 6 months, although I am going 3 times next month.

Before lock down I had office clothes as I was in 5 days a week, going out out clothes and jeans for the weekends. During lockdown I started to build an “at home” casual wardrobe and now mostly wear smart but comfy bottoms and a nice t-shirt or blouse, and a cardigan. If the clothing doesn’t stretch or is stiff I am not interested. My hair is in a simple, easy to manage style and takes me 20 mins to blow dry if I wash it. Make up is done in 5 minutes and is serum, moisturiser, light foundation and eyeliner unless I am going out out when I will glam up a little. So basically whether I am at my desk, popping to the shops or meeting a friend for coffee my clothes are the same.

For going to the office I kept a couple of pre-covid outfits

The there are bad days when my health conditions flare up and I can’t be bothered so I pull on my old trackies and a fleece, no bra and just tie my hair up, I tend to not put my camera on and hope I don’t scare the postman.

@Floisme I agree about comfortable/nice clothes; they can be both. How something feels is really important to me. And I apply the same rule with shoes. I'd never buy shoes that hurt - I can't see the point.

I can spend a whole weekend wearing gardening and dog walking clothes. Ithink my dh would appreciate it if I made more effort.

work is very casual and if my skin is sensitive I won’t wear make up…I donr wear much anyway…

I think I’d benefit from thinking about my off duty look! I have friends who do casual much better….

Make up no, but then I hardly ever wear it when I’m going out.
Nice clothes yes quite a lot of the time, I just feel better and more productive when I’ve made an effort. I’ll have the odd day of joggers and a sweatshirt but yesterday wfh I put on a dress, today wfh I’ve got a shirt on with a pair of wide legged trousers. Dunno, just feel more efficient when I’m properly dressed!

I always wear a nice outfit, whether I’m going out or not. I do however end up putting on an apron to protect the nice outfit so it rather defeats the purpose!!

I used to wear makeup everyday but when I had to wear a mask in work it was pointless because only my eyes were visible. Now I don't wear makeup unless I'm going out out.

Yes. I always put makeup on and wear the same clothes I would if was going out. It makes me feel better, and if I change my.mknd about gping out it means I don't have to faff about, I'm ready

I always do my daily skin routine even if I'm not going out. I probably do a very light touch of makeup such as eyebrow pencil/eyeliner and poss mascara. I usually wear lipgloss in or out. I do this even if I'm slumming it on pjs day. Though they are always freshly washed pjs daily. The only time I don't put any make up on is if I'm going in the garden to do some work in it. I always use skin creams daily though

So I'm probably not going out today (part er is off work and he's doing the school runs!)

I've got up, had a shower. Not washed my hair as I only do that twice a week. Brushed hair and straightened the ends which seem to kink out every damn day. Moisturised my legs and arms and face.

I've redone my lashes (at home cluster lashes), put on some light foundation, contouring, blusher and lipstick, quick spray of perfume.

I'm wearing shorts and a tshirt which I'd be happy to wear out to the pub etc.

All of that took less than 20 mins and I feel good, and if I did decide to go out, I only have to put my trainers on and maybe top up my lipstick if it's after lunchtime.