I am a Mommy. I wear yoga pants and tank tops with built in bras, I wear tennis shoes or flip flops, my hairstyle nearly always involves a ponytail holder of some sort. I wear little to no makeup most days, and I can’t remember the last time I bothered with a manicure. Now, let me tell you why.
I don’t wear nice clothes because, before breakfast is even over, I will be covered in jelly or syrup. At some point in the day, I will probably perform the duties of a human Kleenex, and by the end of the day I will be covered in an astonishing variety of filth.
I don’t paint my nails because they will be chipped within seconds. I spend a disturbing amount of time with my hands in dish water, I scrub counters and floors, and often provide the services of a handy man. I decided a long time ago that bare nails look a whole lot better than chipped polish.
My go to hairstyle is a ponytail because I know first hand that play-dough doesn’t come out of hair easily. I also know that it is much harder to do housework with 3 inches of trendy bangs hanging in your eyes.
I do wear some makeup, but I don’t get carried away. Housework makes you sweat, and makeup can only take so much before you end up with racoon eyes from running mascara. Baby hands can make a swift mess of makeup, and also tend to use Mommy’s clothes or the furniture to wipe the makeup off. (See why I don’t where nice clothes).
Now, all of that being said. I do genuinely miss feeling like a human being some days. There was a time, before I had kids, when I worked outside of my home, that I bothered with my appearance. While I have always been a bit of a tomboy, there was that side of me that loved clothes and shoes. I had a closet full of designer labels, shoes from Steve Madden and a prized pair of Jimmy Choo’s. I accessorized, I got manicures. And while I can’t imagine going back to all of that, I would like to find a balance one day. Maybe once both of my kids are in school. I can handle 3 more years of yoga pants….really….
aNOLAwriter 