How much effort do you make?

How much effort do you make getting dressed/picking out clothes/doing hair and make-up in the mornings? Do you carefully plan outfits every day or do you just throw on whatever is clean? I've been feeling really ugly and plain compared to all the glam girls in college but then I realised it's probably because I throw on jeans and a hoodie most days, I just can't be bothered with clothes. I think I will start making an effort to put nice outfits together again, I have so many nice things I barely wear anymore because they're slightly dressy and you need to do the whole outfit for it to look good. So what do you do?

musical.x

i dress for comfort! dont wear make up,just a small spritz of perfume to "glam" things up its college! not a fashion show,as long as you feel ok then dont mind anyone else

musical.x

musical.x wrote: »

i dress for comfort! dont wear make up,just a small spritz of perfume to "glam" things up its college! not a fashion show,as long as you feel ok then dont mind anyone else

Jesus I know, I already spent 4 years in trinity It's more than I don't feel OK, I feel terrible. For various reasons, but I think making the effort to look good every day might make a bit of a difference. I wear jeans + the same 3 hoodies every day while I have a wardrobe of lovely dresses and skirts that never get worn anymore!

joanofarc

usually throw everything together the night before! lets say i pick a dress i want to wear, then i hang it at front of wardrobe and pick out necklace, earrings etc that go and then shoes and bag ( i have a LOT of cloths,shoes,bags,stuff:). all i got to do in the morning then is shower and dress myself and i'm good to go! makes life so much easier! all my friends call me "monica" and to be fair i am a bit oc but i like to look good and its saves time too. don't dress up because your mates do, do it for yourself....bet you'll feel lots better when your dressed better...and don't "save" the good stuff....wear it! it will be out of fashion if you save it too long.

biddywiddy

joanofarc wrote: »

...and don't "save" the good stuff....wear it! it will be out of fashion if you save it too long.

This is great advice. I have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes and I've realised lately that I basically rotate the same few pairs of jeans and plain tops for college. When am I ever going to wear all these lovely clothes I keep buying??

So I've been trying to mix it up a bit, wearing dresses or skirts with leggings/dark tights and pumps, just to get out of jeans. I haven't made it into college in heels yet, but I'm getting there. No point just leaving the clothes in the wardrobe - wear them!

fonpokno

I generally dress for the weather. If it's raining I'll wear a dress and boots or jeans and boots and throw on anything that looks decent.

Other than that it's usually the first thing I grab in the morning. So jeans, converse and whatever tops are around.

Tryst

I tend to wear jeans and t-shirts because its comfortable, i always have respect for girls like my sister who got out everyday looking stylish and well presented with their clothes and make up. I think ultimately I'm just far too lazy to make the effort and feel like a fish out of water the odd time that I do.

senelra

senelra wrote: »

This is great advice. I have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes and I've realised lately that I basically rotate the same few pairs of jeans and plain tops for college. When am I ever going to wear all these lovely clothes I keep buying??

So I've been trying to mix it up a bit, wearing dresses or skirts with leggings/dark tights and pumps, just to get out of jeans. I haven't made it into college in heels yet, but I'm getting there. No point just leaving the clothes in the wardrobe - wear them!

Exactly, that's basically what my problem is. Wearing my nice dresses requires a bit of effort (find tights without holes, choose shoes, find cardigan that goes with it, sometimes a certain bra) so I just seem to pick up the same old jeans and plain tops every day. It's a shame to do that since I find it really fun to make outfits and co-ordinate things, so I'm trying to pick out all the nice stuff and actually wear it!

Pythia

I work in an office where I never really talk to people outside my team so I don't need to dress snappily. I'm in the office 5 days out of 7 however so for me I like to make an effort with how I look in work since it's the majority of the week. In college I always tried to look well also but I had a lot more time on my hands back then to do it!

I wear a full face of make up everyday; full coverage foundation, blusher, bronzer, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick etc. I straighten my hair every day and also do fake tan once a week every week. I have a mini perfume in my office for top ups and I fix my make up throughout the day too.

I like to wear high waisted skirts, tops and cardis most days, with some pretty flats and sometimes a belt or similar. I like to spend some money on work clothes so some of my stuff is Karen Millen, some River Island and then some Penneys also. We have casual Fridays which are fun to make more of an effort too.

At the weekend I generally slob around the house in Juicy sweats but I dress up to go shopping or if I'm going for dinner etc.

I don't wear make up but I do put effort into my hair.
I wear meh clothes to work and maybe a little nicer at the weekend if I'm doing anything.
Once in a while I dress up a bit more for the hell of it.

Madame Razz

I have to dress up for work, stylish business wear. I always lay everything out the night before as I usually have quite early starts and just don't have time in the morning. I 'do' my hair properly everyday, wear a full face of make up, matching accessories, and always wear heels. I dress as casually as I can at the weekends and go without make up atleast one day of the weekend if I can at all. I really enjoy the break from it:)

nicola09

OP I feel your pain (I'm a Trinity student too lol), for college I always wore jeans, tops and cardigans and ugg boots (I know, I'm ashamed too) but I was always surrounded by girls in lovely co-ordinated skirt or dress outfits with immaculate hair and make-up! After a hard day in college I never had the time or energy to be bothered wearing anything that required too much thought! Couldn't always be bothered with make-up either lol my class is fairly down to earth so nobody judged me!:) I think if you are happy with the way you dress then don't go wearing anything that will make you feel uncomfortable all day long, I might wear the odd skirt and tights combo this year but I'll still be saving my dresses for nights out!;)

joanofarc

Amari CoolS Program, another piece of advice for you is to start buying a "capsule" wordrobe! a few basics will go a long long way to helping you achieve the "put together " look and won't cost a fortune either. try penneys, dunnes, noname, h+m etc for little cardi's in black,gray and brown for example. you can throw those on over most dresses, skirts with strappy vest inside and your good to go. also pumps, midheels in black, nude etc for comfort but still with style! plain dresses are my life saver but i always bling them up with accessories ( never pay full price for these, always buy in sales).
i have every color scarf you can imagine ( keep all these in a clear plastic shoe holder bought in penneys for 1 yoyo:D) and these look great twisted every which way and double up for wraps if its cold ( basically all yr in this friggin country). buy all my bags in either asos online or tkmax and again wait for sales ( its an art form for me:D) and try to match bag with at least one thing that i'm wearing ( i know this might sound like work to some but i have a bag in my bag that holds everything like phone, mini makeup, plasters, pen, perfume and the million other things us ladies carry, so i just transfer that bag to the handbag choice of the day;))
and as you guess, i could talk about this stuff forever because i just LOVE clothes and fashion.

Léan

I generally always make an effort.
For college I always have my foundation, mascara, eyebrows done. Usually don't bother with eyeshadows etc... (unless i'm going out or something). If i'm really in a hurry i'l just wear concealer and a bright lipstick or liptint.

Usually I have an idea of what i'm going to wear the night before and I often find myself planning outfits; even if I try and put something together randomly I can't help adding things to it, or trying out different pieces with it.

However this doesn't go to plan everyday :P. On the days that I wake up late/ i'm in a hurry/ not in good form, I have lots of basics that I can throw together that'l still look good e.g. I have four v-neck cotton t shirts in different colours that look great with jeans or a skirt, I can put them with things without having to think about it too much. I find myself doing this a lot actually, if i buy something that fits me really well i'l buy it in all the available colours .

I've always thought that dresses and playsuits are the most convenient though, all you have to do is add tights and it's an instant outfit! No messing and you're dressed in 5 mins .

I've always been the type of person that likes to look well put together. When I buy clothes I think of things that would go with it that I already have to create new outfits. I don't reserve clothes for occasions. It always kills me when people have "good jeans" that they only wear on a night out or a "good jacket" etc.. What's the point? Clothes are for wearing and enjoying, i'd get no enjoyment of something hanging in my wardrobe while I wait for an occasion to wear it too. :pac:

iguana

Amari CoolS Program wrote: »

How much effort do you make getting dressed/picking out clothes/doing hair and make-up in the mornings?

I apply sun block and sometimes I brush my hair.:)

Amari CoolS Program wrote: »

It's a shame to do that since I find it really fun to make outfits and co-ordinate things, so I'm trying to pick out all the nice stuff and actually wear it!

Why not try something like Friday Frocks. You pick one normal day a week to make an effort to dress up.

convert

joanofarc wrote: »

and don't "save" the good stuff....wear it! it will be out of fashion if you save it too long.

This is really good advice. A family member died recently and as we were going through her clothes we found all these really good clothes than she bought but hardly ever wore, which I found really upsetting. Since then I've resolved to wear all my 'good' clothes a lot more often. I've bought them and want to get pleasure out of them - I'm not going to do that if they're sitting in a wardrobe!

When I was an undergrad I didn't make any effort at all - jeans, jumpers, tops, and runners. No make up. When I started my postgrad I made a little more effort and I'll now always wear make up (even if I'm sloppily dressed), and will usually wear a nice top or jumper, with jeans or a skirt, and either flats, hells or boots (depending on whether I'm walking or driving, and also depending on the weather). I blame my OH for this change! :pac:

carolinespring

For work I wear a tunic and trousers unless its a day when I have a meeting, then I wear a smart suit or a pencil skirt, blouse and cardi. I always wear a light make up for work and leave my hair curly. In the evenings I change into either dark jeans, t-shirt and cardi with converce or leggings, tunic and pumps. Comfy and casual.

I make a huge effort at the weekends, picking my outfit, jewellery and shoes the night before and will take time to do my make up and Ghd my hair. I try to wear stuff that flatter my fuller figure and think I am finally getting it!!! If I am going out for dinner I will wear a dress and heels or smart tailored trousers and a really nice top. I have really got into 50's style dressed and find they suit me.

When I dress up I feel good about myself and my day goes so much better.

unepetite

I'm a Trinity student too and I've never felt pressurised to up my fashion ante- maybe that's due to the School I'm in, though, I think, like anywhere, there are a broad mix of dressers strewn across the TCD campus; the spectrum ranges from ultra casual to immaculately preened.

Personally, college aside, over the last couple of years I've sort of become a lot more conscious of how I present myself. It's only reading this thread and thinking about it that has brought me to this realisation. I think it's definitely a self-esteem thing. Whilst I was never a runners and tracksuit type of girl, I wasn't happy in my appearance and that often translates in how one carries themselves/how much effort they put in. I lost over two stone and it granted me the confidence I was lacking. To actually address the question after all this digression, on a day-to-day basis I'd wear make-up most days and would feel more confident when I do. That said, I keep it subtle . Clothes-wise, I wear skirts/dresses 90% per cent of the time. I like to put on something nice purely for myself as it genuinely leaves me in a better headspace for the day.

Shelga

unepetite wrote: »

I think, like anywhere, there are a broad mix of dressers strewn across the TCD campus; the spectrum ranges from ultra casual to immaculately preened.

+1. I just finished Engineering in TCD and no one really 'made an effort' for lectures, labs etc at all, plus it was 80% guys and I used to feel a little self-conscious if I wore a nice dress or too much makeup.

Now that I'm out of that environment, I feel more free in what I decide to wear, and now mainly wear dresses or skirts, and jeans every now and then, rather than the other way round. I also wear eyeliner and mascara every day but not much else in the way of makeup.

I genuinely find I feel better when I wear something nice; more confident in myself or something. Like someone else said, if you have an outline the night before of what you're going to wear it's not really extra effort. It doesn't take more time to put on a dress than a pair of jeans!

LivingDeadGirl

I always try to make some sort of effort for college. I'm someone who really feels the cold though, so this winter's weather meant that unfortunately most of the time I was in a big hoodie and my winter coat!
As the weather got better I wore a lot of skinny jeans and tank top combinations, or sometimes a bodycon skirt and a tank top, but always with doc martens.
I always wear make up, but keep the base lighter than I would if I were going out, and nothing TOO over the top. One thing I always wear is lipstick, I feel instantly more glamourous with it on. I always paint my nails too, it's the little things that matter IMO.

Twee.

I very rarely wear make up to college, unless I have a presentation or meeting. Or the occasional hangover

Clothes wise, I'm not into hoodies and loose fitting jeans, so wouldn't choose them for casual wear. My day to day is usually skinny jeans or a fitted short skirt on the bottom. On top I wear lots of band tees, loose long sleevers and shirts. If it's warm I'll wear a blazer over it, or in the winter I'd opt for a cardigan and then my winter coat. Like Living Dead Girl, I really feel the cold, so I love coats, scarves, boots and hats!

I do like to pick out what I want to wear the night before because I get up at 6.30 and I'm not really in the right mind to be picking out clothes

angelxx

I do like too make an effort, I think if you look good you do feel better about yourself. Generally wear dresses/skirts nice tops with a cardi or leather jacket with minimal make up and perfume every day. On a more casual day skinny jeans/shorts with a nice top. I also spend some time doing my hair and accessorising. Organising the night before really helps, not sure I would feel like it first thing.

LimeFruitGum

I make an effort for work, even though I could get away with not bothering.

I find it a lot easier to to dress up for work than for going out.
I can pick up good work clothes no problem, but shopping for going-out clothes? Nightmare, hate it.
I love wearing skirts to work though, I always feel like I'm properly dressed up with a skirt on

chupi

I went straight from 1st year in college to being a Designer (said in snooty accent) and that was a shock! I wore lots of random bizarre fashion stuff in college because you're supposed to when you study fashion and then suddenly I was meeting bank managers, accountants & enterprise folk and I was supposed to look like an adult :eek: Definitely shocked me outta my comfort zone.

I'd never ever judge someone on how they look or what they wear but because I design stuff I think how you look can be so instrumental in how you approach the world and how it reacts to you, I know when I'm super scruff I slink down to the shops yet Saturday afternoon when I'm in full fashion mood I'd happily smile at my worst enemy because I feel invincible!

Effort wise for work I work in my studio so very few people are exposed to my scruffy shorts plus cashmere (not for class but because like a previous poster I am a human icicle) jumper combo. I conform to cliche and wear alot of black when working. For when I'm working outside the studio I try to make a serious effort, clever clothes that are on trend without being too fashion, good accessories and nice shoes (make a look). Try telling someone you work as a designer while looking boring , the sneers are ledgendary!

thesuburbs

Envious of all you organised folk! I'm hopeless in the mornings and although I love fashion I always either fell into college wearing whatever I could grab first with seriously scruffy results or was late because I'd panicked and tried on everything. I'm about to start a post grad in a serious grown up subject so think I'm going to have to force myself to start pulling outfits the night before and consider wearing makeup more often. Currently for daytime I'm in jeans, converse with a band t-shirt or casual top, no makeup. It's long-term student dressing because I've been working in a very chilled out job the last few years but it's not going to cut it anymore. The ironic thing is people who only know me socially often comment on the fact I'm well dressed because I love dressing up for the evening and can be quite glam, but daytime I've no qualms about running round wearing my boyfriend's hoody with mad hair and dark circles.

Gonna try it tonight and sort out an outfit before bed. It's time!

dudara

I work in professional services so I have to have a good wardrobe. Over the 4 years I have been working, I have built up a wardrobe of suits, smart skirts and dresses. I'm a ruthless sale hunter and take full advantage of trips to the states etc.

I like colour, but I require my dresses/suits to be perfectly cut. I can't expect my clients to pay a lot of money to listen to me if I don't look professional. I rarely think about what I'm going to wear to work as I know that I have lots of smart, professional clothing in my wardrobe.

I wear simple makeup - foundation, eyeshadow and mascara. Anymore would be overkill and unprofessional. I keep my hair well cut and I usually wear it up. I give my fringe a quick run of the straightener in the morning, but I rarely straighten the whole lot.

Lia_lia

I never pick out my clothes the night before. In the winter I tend to wear dresses/skirts with tights and t-shirts/cardigans/more layering. Almost always wear converse. In the summer I tend to wear short jeans and a tank top. Never really wear skirts/dresses with bare legs unless I'm going out or it's very very hot.

Michellenman

I make a fair bit of effort for college. I'm not a morning person at all so I shower at night and straighten my hair before bed so I can spend some extra time in bed

I do wear a full face of make up on college/work days, that's f+b foundation, concealor, loose powder, blush/bronzer, eyeshadow and mascara. My skin is clear but uneven in tone so I like to even it out. That seems like a lot but I mostly do it on the train on my way in, or in the car before lectures.

Clothes-wise - I live in skirts and dresses because it's easiest and because I find it hard to find well fitting trousers in a short enough length (until recently!) It's generally mid/high waisted but short structured skirts and then a t shirt of sorts. Or else a dress and cardigan combo. If it's summer then I wear flats but I LIVE in boots during the winter. I only really wear skinny/slimfit jeans because of my shape, bootcut or boyfriendfit make me look MASSIVE on the bottom.

leinsterrugby

cantos hollister american eagle abercrombie superdry

Novella

I make as much effort for college as I do for going anywhere else really. The only time I ever don't wear make up etc., is when I'm just hanging around at home, or maybe if I was sick. It's not even that I think I look better with make up, I just like it. Clothes wise, I wear skinny jeans or dresses/shorts with tights. In the winter - hats, scarves, boots or Converse. Suppose it takes me about an hour to get ready in the mornings and that includes taking a shower and washing + drying my hair.

jenny jinks

LimeFruitGum wrote: »

I love wearing skirts to work though, I always feel like I'm properly dressed up with a skirt on

You are lucky to be allowed wear skirts to work. My boss won't let me. He thinks I would look above my station.

The Lovely Muffin

I rarely plan outfits tbh. I am going somewhere important (interview etc) then I will put something together before hand.

As for make-up; primer, foundation, mascara (usually clear), bronzer/powder, lip-balm/lip-gloss.

Sometimes I wear concealer, but only if I have spots which I want to 'blend in' (i.e; not have them standing out lol) and if my dark circles aren't completely covered by my foundation, but that's usually it. Sometimes I'll wear black mascara during the day, but not very often as I tend to get a 'dramatic' look (my lashes are long).

I usually spend about 1hr getting ready in the mornings, sometimes I'm ready in less than an hour.