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putting off errands until you're 'dressed'

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Okay, maybe this is just me, I am sitting here in yoga clothes (procrastinating on my practice) but also need to get to the dry cleaners within an hour and a half. Part of me really just wants to hop in the car, get the errand out of the way, and then do my practice with no time constraints in the back of my mind. The other part of me says, you do NOT want to leave the house like that. But that entails taking the time to put together an outfit, makeup, etc, etc. even if not a shower first. Only to remove it all and get back to yoga wear 10 minutes later. This also happens with going to the pool to swim laps. I am already out and about in the car, so I should stop at the grocery, etc. but I am definitely not in good viewing form with a swimsuit coverup and sopping wet hair. Am I the only one who feels I am putting off getting things done merely because I don't feel presentable? Maybe I just need better time management lol?!

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23 replies

Latest reply was from MsMary

MsMary

Veteran

LOL, I'm the opposite! I make up reasons to leave the house so I can put on a cute outfit! :p

kitty400

I have found myself doing the same thing Mo I use to not care what I wore if I was just running to the grocery store or the gas station but now I don't even want to leave the house with out "looking presentable" even if I am only gone 10 mins and stay home cleaning the rest of the day. I think that is just par for the course of loving fashion and wanting to present your best face to the world. Heck I did this just a few minutes ago I had to run to the store for milk and got dressed and put makeup on just to get in the car and run in get milk and go home I was gone 7 minutes and it took me 15 or 20 to get ready to go lol!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Mary, if I wasn't going to just get dressed just to turn around and get undressed and get sweaty, I wouldn't mind putting together a cute oufit either! It's when I know I'm only going to be out for a second and I still have cleaning or a workout or some other reason to be grubby again. Hence, my idea that maybe time management would help lol. If I did my workouts and cleaning first thing, I'd have my day free to be as cute as I wanted hee hee.
Kitty, glad to hear I am not alone! I must confess that I just took the easy way out. I kept on my yoga top, which is at least a great mosaic print by prAna, and put on short shorts that matched. Barely the lesser of 2 evils, I know, but a step ahead of yoga capris. Ends up the dry cleaner had on short shorts as well and ribbed tank! Lol.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We are all so different

I don't wear loungewear during the day. It makes me feel unproductive, ill and sloppy. I put on my sweats first thing in the morning to let Rosie out into the garden and then I hop into the shower and get dressed. My loungewear comes on again at night after my evening shower.

So Malina, I guess I don't run into this challenge!!

Anonymous

I don't go anywhere without getting dolled up, you NEVER know who you will run into....might as well look cute! I say do yoga, swimming, etc first thing and then get yourself ready to face the world.

MsMary

Veteran

ANGIE: DO NOT READ THIS POST!!

Okay, I will admit that today I did a Costco run after boot camp, WITHOUT coming home to change. I thought I looked cute enough even in my gear with no makeup! LOL

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Angie don't read this either!

I love my loungewear. I have no problem wearing it into the afternoon. I start work at 3 pm today. So as I write this I am in a tie-dye poncho from UO and some skinny knit pants, as well as a boxy LNA t in dark blue. At least my loungewear is stylish. I would leave the house in this, although I would put a bra on. Making mental note to wear bra under loungewear regularly ... Yesterday I bumped into the ferrier who was trimming our horses' feet. Usually there is no one here except my Mom or boyfriend. ; D

These are the joys of living in a town where the altitude is higher than the population...

Anonymous

I'm being fairly successful at planning my week with an errand day to grocery shop, go to the post office, dry cleaners, etc. I'm also trying to schedule a day or blocks of time to clean and work in the yard. I rarely leave the house without changing at least part of my outfit.

Heather

Veteran

I like Kate's idea (from your striped maxi thread) about throwing on your cute new maxi or similar knit dress to run out quickquickquick and back home to workout.

Steph

Veteran

Mo, I totally would have run the errand in my yoga clothes (well, I would if I looked as good as I am sure you do in yoga clothes). My gym is two blocks from home, and a CVS is right next door--I often run in after my workout, totally sweaty and gross. I just can't pass up the convenience.

I also wear lounge clothes all day at home and my lounge clothes are...pajamas. They are not the pjs I sleep in, so I wake up, and immediately change into a different pair of pajamas. With two cats, I can't justify sitting around in my clothes and getting them full of fur.

Marigold

I don't have a problem running a drugstore/pharmacy errand after a work out as well (I used to meet my gym friend for a quick latte and catch-up chat after doing boot camp classes a long time ago). But recently the times of my working out have been few and far between.... I don't wear lounge wear apart from working out, I usually change into sweats and a t-shirt right before bed, and get dressed into regular clothes right after a morning shower- I need a pair of cute lounge/yoga pants though!

krishnidoux

Veteran

How about an "errand emergency" outfit, ready to grab, quick to put on, quick to put off ni vu ni connu. (French for inognito). I would skip the makeup, really, but not the sunscreen.

Niki Lea

Veteran

My solution to this dillema is a nice casual jacket - it covers up all of my loungewear sins:
http://www.sportchek.ca/produc.....Id=4292729

And I usually slip on sandals or pair of ballet flats. But I am pretty lazy about looking good if I'm just going to be at home.

Maya

Veteran

I shower and get dressed for errands, but I don't waste precious makeup or even bother putting in my contacts most of the time. My SPF moisturizer and lip balm is good enough.

I have certain things I only wear for running errands. Clothes that are nice but not really killer. Again, I just hate to waste my nice clothes on errands. I don't think it's reasonable to expect someone to put in the same amount of effort for everything in life. If that's something you enjoy doing, as Angie does, it's fine, but I wouldn't regard it as a rule.

Kari

Veteran

To steal Angie's words, I also feel unproductive and sloppy if I'm not showered and dressed. But there are some days where I *want* to have freedom to be unproductive and sloppy and just stay home. Those are the days where I lounge around in my pajamas until I absolutely am forced to leave the house.

Needless to say, my pajamas are for inside use only, and I feel much better & more energetic if I have freshly showered and am at least wearing a casual but nice outfit, even if the outfit components are basically jeans and a sweater. That's my bare minimum for running errands. No gallivanting around in sweat pants for me anymore.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

If I'm stuck in that situation I just go out in gear. That said, I love cute gear (hello, lululemon!) so I don't really feel sloppy in my gear. I prefer to organize my time so I'm not going out in my gear, but if it happens I don't worry about it. I'm also like Maya; I don't waste makeup on casual errands on the weekends. I only put on makeup on weekends for "date night" or church.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I just re-read this thread and after a long grueling day of work, I have another opinion about this.

I think it is fine to run errands in yoga clothes or work out wear, I guess that's what's all in the "gear" category around here. As long as you look good! I am from California and that reflects our "anything goes" mentality. As well as our superficial need to look good. ; D

Even though it probably is another sign of the decline of Western Civilization. ; D

anne

Veteran

Some of the mums who come to school in gear, cute gear, honestly look better than I do!

crwilson

Veteran

I would have no problem going out in gear in that situation. I don't have enough shower-clean up-choose outfit time to use it twice in one day.

Queen Mum

Veteran

I'm pretty sure that if I were in that same situation (yoga clothes and on a time limit to get to the cleaners) I'd go in my yoga clothes. For me a trip to the dry cleaners entails a 2 mile drive, parking directly in front of the cleaners, and a 5 step walk inside. I guess I see this differently than going to do your weekly grocery shopping, or having a list of several errands to accomplish. I'ts a 10 minute trip to the cleaners. In fact, the cleaners I use is right next door to a gym. Would anyone think it inappropriate for a gym patron to pop into the cleaners on their way into or out from the gym? I think it would be silly for that person NOT to. I see absolutely no shame in this. Similarly, there is another local gym in the same parking lot as a drug store. If you needed an item from the drug store, would you hesitate popping in while you're there in that parking lot?

I guess I just think we need to hold reasonable expectations of ourselves in this area. While we want to always try our best, I see no reason to be militant about ALWAYS having to be fully outfitted to grab our dry cleaning or a gallon of milk.

Tessera

If I didn't feel comfortable going out as is, but was limited on time, I'd compromise by throwing on a casual dress with cute sandals, brushing my hair into a sleek ponytail, and putting on sunglasses & lip gloss. I wouldn't bother with makeup if I didn't want to wear it during yoga practice.

Sheila

Veteran

My husband and I swim laps at the base two mornings a week, and I just apply moisturizer with SPF and light lipstick before we leave. But if he wants to do an errand afterwards, I either stay in the car while he shops or else we go home so I can apply makeup and verify that my hair looks good (I keep it quite short because of all this swimming). I am careful to select nice casual clothes to wear to and from this workout...being on base, you can't help wanting to look sharp and tidy because everyone else's uniforms are so trim and crisp.

MsMary

Veteran

A propos of "wasting nice clothes on errands," I swear I'm the opposite! I have a dressed-up life and a closet full of fab casual clothes, so I hate to waste any opportunity to put together a fab casual outfit! I kind of feel like I did that yesterday by not changing before the Costco run, but I dressed to go out later in the day so that makes up for it!