I don't get it... - YouLookFab Forum

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I don't get it...

shana

Veteran

Today's blog post reminded me of something that has puzzled me for quite some time. Time and time again, I see women out and about with a beautifully made up face - I'm not talking about just a swipe of mascara and lipgloss. I mean, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation etc. But then they're wearing some completely incongruous, shlumpy outfit like baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt/hoodie. And no, it doesn't appear like they're running errands right before attending some gala event, this appears to be their day to day look. I find it interesting that they would go through the time & effort of doing their face but not care about what the rest of them looks like! Obviously they are concerned about their appearance but somehow make-up seems to have priority. Has anyone else observed this phenomenon?

Dressing

26 replies

Latest reply was from

marianna

Veteran

My initial thought is maybe they are uncomfortable with their body but want to highlight their face? Just a thought. I haven't really noticed this but it sounds very peculiar!

Tanya

Veteran

I haven't noticed much of that either, but I think Marianna might be onto something.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Hm, I'm slightly guilty of this. Make-up "fits" everyone...it's easy for me to find and buy quality (read $$$) make-up, and I'm comfortable with make-up application, so at least that part of me looks good. (I do strive for a natural look, so at least it's not a total disconnect, but there is SOME disconnect.)

I also spend a lot on my hair cut...another disconnect with the usual generic wardrobe look I sport daily.

However, I just have not found my style yet, and do have some fit issues that are hard to solve with the discount RTW that trickles into TJ Maxx (not knocking the Maxx, just saying it does take some focus to find the right stuff, which YLF is helping me with).

So this is just one schlumpy woman's story...HTH.

taylor

Veteran

I have given up trying to figure out why people put so much energy in one thing but not something else.. Like spending lots of time on their style , yet ignore their hair and sport outdated unkept 80's bleached perms !!!!. I agree, Marianna may have a point:)

cciele

Veteran

Maybe they are under the assumption/attitude that, as long as their face is done, it doesn't matter what they are wearing? Kinda like the thing I've heard where you can wear junky clothes if you have a really nice watch and shoes.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I'm almost to embarrassed to type this, at our last big family get together Ben's cousin turned up with perfectly manicured nails, straightened hair, tanned, perfect make up and ill fitting pyjamas which gaped at the bust. Her three children were also in jim jams as was her best friend.

She had caught a cab from one end of the city to the other dressed in this manner.

Not appropriate in any situation but at an 85 year old man's Birthday party I found this disgraceful.

I actually think this has more to do with rebellion and lack of respect than body image.

Maya

Veteran

I had to laugh at this because it is such a New Jersey thing to do. When I think of Jersey style I see a full face of makeup, manicured nails, designer bag (or knockoff), glorified sweats (like those Juicy velour tracksuits), and hair that is either: overprocessed, long and flat ironed to pin straight perfection, or pulled back in one of those hideous sloppy ponytail buns, where half the hair is pulled through the elastic and the rest is hangin out.

A lot of women actually think sweats are "cute." when my mom's boss is out of the office, the staff trades in their medical garb for sweats and fleece vests. My mom attempted the look to fit in but just felt crappy in it so they have been banished to their appropriate use as loungewear.

Isabel

Veteran

This is a great post....I wonder about it too ! I see it here ALL the time, but not so much with sweats, but with Pajama bottoms. People think it is stylish and comfortable.
This is an example of herd mentality.

A couple of years ago ( yes, it has been going on for years here ), I dropped off my daughter at pre-school and a grandmother was dropping off her granddaughter. The woman looked amazing ( make up , hair, top, coat ) and was even wearing a great pair of boots....the only problem was she had on a pair of flannel pajama bottoms - and they were ironed !!!!

My poor husband, I talked about it for days !!!

Queen Mum

Veteran

hmm, I"ll have to notice today while I'm out what people are wearing in contrast to their face/hair.

I do know that for *me* even if I'm not going all out dressing, I have to do my hair. It just feels gross otherwise. So, you might catch me at the grocery store in my "B team" jeans- aka demoted jeans, layering t, hoodie, no make-up, but my hair done. I know this isn't going to earn me any YLF points, but to quote Laura "deal with it ;-)" I love to dress, but I also love to have 1 or 2 days a week "off".

I will never in a million years get the pajama bottom thing (I really don't see it much around here except on teens... and even then I dont see it as much as I used to)

Julie- that leaves me speechless.....just speechless.

rute

Veteran

eh eh.. yes, but the opposite is also true.. I have seen women with lovely outfits and then when I look at the face, no make-up and the hair is a mess..

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

ha ha - okay, I'm more like Queenie in my B-list jeans and polartecs, NOT jammie pants in public!!!

shana

Veteran

Well, I didn't bring up the subject to cast judgement. Indeed, I have occasionally been guilty of the opposite - dressed nicely without a lick of makeup! I think I got away with this when I was younger since my skin was great and I naturally have alot of contrast with my skin tone, dark hair, eyelashes, eyebrows. But now that I am older, I NEED to wear a little makeup - at the bare minimum some concealer around the nose (to cover up broken capillaries), under the eye, a dab of blush and some lip balm. I only put on makeup when I am going out (unlike my very good friend who wakes up and "does" her face first thing in the morning even if she's staying at home). My hair is almost always "done" in some fashion or else I pop on a cute hat!

I actually started this post because in my experience, it seems more acceptable to wear alot of makeup and dress down than to be dressed smartly - at least as a SAHM in my neck of the woods. I remember picking up my son at pre-school to see other moms wearing sweats or pajama bottoms paired with their full makeup and this seemed perfectly acceptable to everyone. But forget dressing nicer - it would garner lots of comments, stares and a few backhanded compliments. Anyway, it's just odd.

LOL, Maya, it must be the guidette look in NJ (Jersey Shore, anyone??).

Julie, oh wow, that is disrespectful. How awful!

Isabel, I am still laughing thinking about your story!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I actually think it's a deliberate look. I'll throw in the designer handbag too. It's not a question of NOT thinking about the rest of the outfit. They have thought about it. The sweats tone down the rest of their very made-up look. It used to be a huge trend here with Juicy Couture velour sweats.

Julie, I'm finished.

Lynn64

Member

Oops, I'm guilty of this. Just the other day I made a Trader Joe's run and I mean I ran in and out with a full face of makeup and i'm not leaving the house clothes. Yoga pants, tee shirt and old tennis shoes, not how I usually like to dress. I had been planning on being home all day, but even when i'm staying home I feel better with my hair and makeup done.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I don't think I've ever seen pajama bottoms worn in public. I can hardly picture it. Do you really mean pajama bottoms, like the flannel kind? Can somebody post a picture please?

marianna

Veteran

Bella,

A few horrid examples of pajamas in public:

http://www.bavarianerin.com/20.....isode.html

http://photos.posh24.com/p/394.....ajamas.jpg

Maya

Veteran

Bella, when I was in high school a lot of the kids wore pajama bottoms that had "cute" patterns on them to school during exams, when we had half days and everyone was exhausted. When I say patterns I mean like ducks or cats or apples..not plaid or polkadots (not that this would make it any better). This continued for around the first year after college too. When I went to Sweden and told my host family, they were appalled. I guess I didn't paint a favorable picture of my homeland...

cciele

Veteran

Bella -- it's truly a scary sight, seeing PJs outside the house. True flannel PJ bottoms. I think it was a trend started with the high school and college set, and carried over to the general public.

shana and rute -- I am also guilty of this. Actually, but that's my MO most every day. Nice clothes, not a bit of make-up. And I used to be obsessed with make-up! Uh oh, I guess I should rethink my image a bit ...

Mac

Veteran

I think some of this might also be a bit of a geographic thing. I noticed in Virginia a lot of women did this but in Manhattan, I never saw it at all.

Mac

Veteran

And, isn't it strange that I find it unattractives when women wear full, heavy makeup with super-sloppy/casual clothes but I often think it looks great when women are dressed nicely without a speck of makeup and their hair not "done." For some reason, to my eye the former looks silly while the second looks chicly insouciant!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Around here, they don't just wear the pajama bottoms- they wear them with big fuzzy house slippers. My sister and her daughter used to do this. Drove me crazy.

Rosie

Veteran

No more pajamas in Tesco!
http://www.stylelist.com/2010/.....-snobbish/

bella

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the visuals. I remember now that as Maya said my undergrads sometimes come to class in pajamas during exam week. I must have thought that it was an isolated case.

Dawn

(website)

Oh god, I see this everyday in university! It's so ridiculous!

bavarianerin

(website)

Member

Thank you to Marianna for posting the link to my blog regarding the wearing of pajama pants in public. It's a big pet peeve of mine, one that boggles my mind about why people think it's OK.

I'm from Iowa so it could indeed be a regional thing.

I was collecting pics for a while before I posted them and I'm still collecting pictures because I'd eventually like to have a blog JUST dedicated to pajama pants in public!

Anyway, I found this site because of the link to blog site but it looks very friendly and fun so I think I'll be sticking around!

Anonymous

Welcome, Erin from Iowa!
The creepy, yukky part of seeing people in their pajamas in public is that it suggests no underwear. I've seen this look most in airports and on planes, complete with the bedroom slippers.