haha- Kristin I went to WW once in my yoga pants with short running pants on underneath, SO THAT I could strip my yoga pants off if I needed to for the weigh it. Every ounce counted that day! And as I recall, the trick worked

This thread had me thinking alot. I think this is why I really like to concentrate my wardrobe on casual items. The MOTG formulas are brilliant and keep me feeling put together without being "dressed up"

I'm also curious what you guys are calling "dressed up." I call dressed up anything in the upper range of smart casual or more. To me, the lower end of smart casual is just dressing nice and presentable, which is what I aim for.

I do not dress the same on 'housecleaning Monday' as I would to go to a Dr. appointment or for church. Nor do I dress "up" on Wednesdays when I babysit for a friends 10 month old, but I aim to keep all my clothes in good condition and fitting well so that whatever I am wearing I don't feel frumpy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must go don my yoga pants to run my son to school (don't worry... I don't even get out of the car)

That's more like it, Tricia. Keep up the spirit!

Big hugs to Lena.

This thread is so not OT. It gets to the core of YLF, if you ask me. I am so glad to find a place where other people care about what they wear and what it says!!

My husband's grandmother died at 102 three years ago, and she was wise enough not to dole out too much advice, but one thing she always told her daughter (who was 78!) was "never let yourself go." Don't let yourself get too heavy, don't get too sloppy, don't let your hair look awful -- in other words, care about yourself.

Never let yourself go.

I'm a Mom on the Go in every sense of the word. I don't have a job that anyone is willing to pay me for (although hubby knows the worth of what I'm doing), but I still get dressed every day- and in my community I am considered "dressed up". I leave the house almost every day, and even if we are just going to run errands, grocery shop, or go to dance class for dd- I am glad that I do. Every time that I run into someone I know when I am out, or someone comes to the door, I say a little mental "Whew! Glad I look cute" to myself. The other day one of the company heads dropped my hubby off at home (hubby had been babysitting his car while he was on a trip in the company jet), and I was coming into the house as they pulled up. When he came in, hubby told me that he appreciated that I look good every day. I don't do it for him, though- I do it for me. It really affects my mental state, so even if nobody saw me I would still want to feel "dressed" every day.

I have those days, too. But I think it's more about what I have going on (or not going on) in my life than a reflection of the question of dressing well. I like dressing well. I like doing it for myself, but I also know it has an impact on those around me. I have seen my husband, coworkers, and friends all make subtle transitions in their wardrobes since I started really working toward a fab style myself. So for me, it's more about wishing I had other activities in my life that I imagine are more exciting. And then I remember I work in politics and am married to a jazz musician. My life isn't all that mundane. And I also remember that I actually love it. And then I sashay out of the house in an outfit that I hope is great to go do my thing. Ha!

Alecia, I love your post. I sometimes dress well just for the reaction from DD1. We have been snowed in for the best part of a month and when I come down stairs in the morning her reaction is always oooo red lip, ooo pretty, oooo sparkly. DD2 loves to play with my scarf as I fall asleep.

I walk everywhere (when we are not snowed in) and it amazing how many people I will stop and talk to on the way to the park. I sometimes bump into friends and we will take the kids for a biscuit at the cafe. These are valid reasons to dress well on a day to day basis. Don't you agree?

Laura, my old boss' auntie turned 100 and when she was interviewed for the local press her adage for a long life was a stiff drink and a young man. She was a thoroughly modern lady who wore her earring everyday without fail.

Tricia: Great Post!
I think even if you feel a little isolated in making the effort just keep enjoying the fun of looking your best and hold your head up...it's part of who you are. And believe me there are other women admiring you. We need other women to raise the bar for us. Even women who usually dress up occasionally have off days and still enjoy seeing other women dressing and living with style.
I love Laura65's post about her husband's grandmother. That is great!
I will always remember my mom telling me " I won't apologize for wanting to look nice."
Also, as a mom of young children myself I feel for you in regards to getting out to socialize. I would encourage you to make it a priority to get 2 or 3 dates of "girl time" on the calendar each month. Sometimes it's just a matter of getting it on the calendar to make it happen. And to make new friends or at least spend time with other women/adults even if you don't know them (yet) get out there to social situations like mothers groups, classes, library lap times, etc. Not that you don't do this already, just an encouragement! It does get more challenging when you're a mom to make friends and get out there and spend time with the ones you have. Just gift yourself with the commitment to make it a priority.
Maybe also try forming/joining a bunco group or something like that!
I'm passionate about this because I've dealt with it myself! Still getting there fashion wise...but I would be sad if the women I admire style wise stopped dressing their best! They (especially the women on YLF) give me something to aspire to!

I love this thread and know how you feel. Outside of work, I don't have that many occasions to dress up, so was I excited when some new friends invited us over for dinner last week.

I went back and forth on what to wear. Being new friends I had never been to their house and wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up with casual, but stylish. Good thing I didn't go overboard, because they were in sweatpants! It was nice to feel so welcome and comfortable, but I was a little let down that no one else dressed for dinner. At least I wasn't underdressed!

I sometimes wish I was born as some glamorous woman in another era. But then I remember there's nothing stopping me from bringing a bit of glamour into my life, just the way it is now.

My auntie arrived on boxing day in a cocktail dress and sparkly heels and my uncle in a tux complete with bow tie and dress shoes and we'd only gone for smart casual!! I find any excuse to dress up is a good one; meals out, visiting friends or family x

Wearing smart-casual clothing makes me feel like an eccentric, even a misfit, but I cannot bring myself to fit in by looking as slovenly as some of my cohort do. I'm a graduate student and many of my peers seem determined to dress as casually as they possibly can. I was in undergrad about a decade ago, and I have to say that my undergraduate peers often dressed with more care and sophistication than the teaching assistants in graduate school do today. I find it dismaying, especially as my group frequently has the opportunity to meet renowned individuals. Is it not rude to wear gym shorts and a baseball cap to meet someone who has won the Pulitzer Prize, for example? I think so, anyway.

I get varying reactions to my look. In general, I'd say that looking groomed, made-up, and alert benefits me. I find that professors, visitors, and other people of that stature are more likely to engage me in conversation than a sloppily dressed peer. However, something as mundane as wearing a daytime dress can elicit questions about where I am going and why I am so "dressed up". I do get compliments from some women, generally the women who put some care into their own dress and presentation. The women who do not see any reason to bother seem to have a "who do you think you are?" attitude though and it doesn't help relations any that dressing in a feminine and groomed manner draws male attention my way.

It would be nice if people could make fewer value judgments based on one's style of dress, but I suppose that's not going to happen. I do sometimes feel the victim of reverse snobbery, as if the harder I try to look nice, the more friction I will encounter from people who have long ago decided that almost no occasion is worth bothering over. Oddly, some of these ultra-casual folks are not oblivious to their appearance. They may diet, work out at the gym, get tattoos, or dye their hair. But they certainly have a different sense of appropriate dress than I do.

Sometimes I get to feeling so self-conscious that I change into a less attractive outfit or remove a unique piece of jewelry. Or I'm afraid to add some of the more flamboyant accessories that I love. It's always a balance. I know I will get some positive attention for looking nice, but I also know that looking nice alienates those who choose to look as if they just rolled around in a rag bin. I sometimes think it would be easier to get away with my style of dress if I was shorter, straighter, or had mousy coloring. But my natural looks draw the eye anyway, so I do worry about looking vulgar when I wear something that flatters.

A little neurotic, huh?