As a mom, it requires a conscious effort for me to get dressed. I have an internal battle every.single.day. The sleepy me feels like brushing my dirty hair into a messy bun and throwing on my favorite sweats as armor to survive the crap life may throw at me. The ready-to-conquer-the-world (RTCW) me, however, wants to remind sleepy me that we should and shall look like a functioning adult.
For the record, RTCW me totally gets on sleepy me's nerves.
I spend time, lots of it, ensuring my child is presentable. She's at that stage where she needs deodorant but doesn't yet realize it's a requirement (is someone frying onions? NO? O, you mean that's my kid?). I'm combing her hair, finding clothes, keeping up with her growth spurts, ironing clothes (sometimes) and more. It's practically a full-time gig keeping her together; surely, you don't expect me to be dressed every.doggone.day.
After years of defending my declining "appeal," something happened as I settled into my 30's. I found myself asking questions in the mirror like, "are my eyes puffy? Have those lines always been there? Are those hairs getting thicker? Are those hairs getting thinner? Are *gulp* those gray hairs? Down where? No way!"
I decided I didn't want to let the years in my prime pass with an incurable phobia of the camera (I can dodge a flash like a roach dodges light... SHOOT, I can mess-up a pic so badly people stop trying to take it). One day, I committed to getting up and getting dressed everyday (well, when appropriate)... to highlighting my best features and not shying away from products to preserve and accentuate the best of what God gave me.
I started to take selfies. Yes, me... someone who thinks she looks funny in photos... ME! Yep, I take selfies to see if the person on the outside aligns with the person on the inside. My file of selfies is really for me. No, you won't see my IG account dedicated to photos of my face. I get annoyed when I see a person's face plastered on my timeline. Like, seriously. How many photos did you take to get that lip pucker and stare perfect?
Honestly, I giggle sometimes when I see how hard some people try - suck it in, poke it out, pucker it up, slick it down... It's kind of funny. Anyhoo, I have a file of selfies to critique myself as I learn this whole makeup and hair junk. Over the course of my review, I've learned some lessons and compiled a list of rules for me. If you're looking to start your own selfie album, you may want to keep these in mind so you don't make the same mistakes I did.
1. Thou shall maintain your eyebrows at all times. It's like cheap plastic surgery!
2. Thou shall not assume your summer makeup will also work with your winter face. My chin has discoloration
3. If nothing else, thou shall wear mascara and lip gloss. Sometimes, that's all you need to freshen your face.
4. Even as you age and learn things fade (like your eye balls), thou shalt remain true to your personal style and choose the accessories that fit your style. I'm all for keeping it classy and purchasing timeless pieces but my earrings, necklaces, shoes and purses? I reserve the right to have FUN with those! O and yes, I need low-level reading glasses and I can't WAIT for them to arrive so these migraines can stop!
I'm sure I'll be expanding this topic... like to include my rule to style my hair more often and to deep condition and to shop vintage FIRST for certain pieces. Also, I have a lot of tips to share for the non-makeup gals like me out there... those who want to try it but aren't ready to make a SERIOUS financial commitment or don't know where to start.
Our decision to try isn't fueled by the social media's perpetuation of false perfection. Rather, it's taking small steps to feel our best SELF yet because we deserve it! I'm no expert in the field but I feel the most comfortable in my own skin and personal style now more than I ever have. That's major for a hairy, tom-boy clown like me!
So, will you join me in the movement to TRY?
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