Do you care? Too much ? Too little ?

Mollygo That's kind, thank you. And yes, it can give you a boost - I think it's always nice to know you're not just invisible

Amberone I’m sorry you’ve had such a sad time recently but it’s always good to have nice comments about how you look, as that’s a boost in itself.
It reminds me of that verse Stanley Holloway used to say, “My word you do look q****.”
Just one person saying you look good can improve the day.

I care very much about how I look and dress, always have done always will, but I really don’t care what other people think, I always like to look nice wether I’m going out or at home, ( apart from when I’m gardening getting my hands dirty) I wear jewellery everyday! Get my hair trimmed regularly and dye it myself, not into having nails done. Paint my nails myself , it doesn’t really bother me how others look each to their own

I stopped wearing make up during lock down when I wasn't going out anywhere much and I can't be bothered to wear much now while I'm still masking. But I have been practicing for the last month putting concealer round my eyes to hide the black areas and doing my eyebrows and I've got it down to a fine art now. I can do it in a couple of minutes straight after moisturizing now and I'm quite pleased I can get concealer to go on without caking round my eyes. It must have made a difference, two people have told me I look rested after my holiday (I was actually away burying my father and caring for my mother, no holiday sadly ?)

Cannot do without blusher. I look as if I am attending my own funeral without it.

Its one advantage in working days was, that if I did feel slightly off colour in the morning, brewing a migraine or something, I would leave my blusher off and everyone would tell me how pale I looked and was I OK? Which meant when the moment came when my migraine meant I had to cut and run for home or otherwise felt too il to continue working, everyone was very sympathetic.

Daily: tinted sunscreen/moisturiser, sometimes mascara too. have my eyebrows shaped and tinted every four weeks, well worth the money. Always wear perfume, I keep it on the bathroom and it is part of my routine, like brushing teeth. No point in keeping it for best! Always wear earrings.

I’ve never got the hang of foundation at all. I put a bit of concealer under my eyes, and then powder and a bit of bronzer.
I don’t like the feeling of it either.
The women who do all those layers of sculpting must feel really ‘claggy’. But I get the impression that it’s just for photos and not real life.

GagaJo

Same here Ro60. I occasionally put on more make-up if I'm going out. But I end up looking like an ageing slapper. I'm better just with my daily eye-liner, mascara and eyebrows done. Enough to be improved but not enough to look made-up.

What more make up is needed ?! Apart from lipstick of course. I don’t like the look of older women in foundation at all…

Same here Ro60. I occasionally put on more make-up if I'm going out. But I end up looking like an ageing slapper. I'm better just with my daily eye-liner, mascara and eyebrows done. Enough to be improved but not enough to look made-up.

Of all the subjects on here, this one has set me pondering over the last few days.
I've found it difficult growing into my older self - being treated as older, my hair doesn't do what it used to, physically & mentally I'm different too.
I've moved out of the city & downsized so the clothes I wear are different & the people I meet.
I do care to look clean & tidy. I wear less make-up - it just slides off these days & the more I put on the worse it looks. ?

Yes, I care. I don’t always dress up but as long as I am clean and tidy that will do for me. I know someone who shops in charity shops, nothing wrong with that, but a bargain charity shop purchase doesn’t always look good, more like Mrs Doubtfire!!

I was taught that self-care was a form of self respect and one of the first signs of poor health (physical or mental) in someone is when they begin to neglect their personal appearance.

Frankly I do not believe anyone who says they do not care how they look. No matter how you dress, even if you choose your clothes from a sack with a paper bag over your head and face, it is a conscious choice. If you suggested to someone like that, that they wear, say, a smart dress, sheer tights and a pair of shoes with a small heel rather than trackies, T shirt, and bedroom slippers, they would immediately respond negatively, showing they do care what they wear and only wear clothes they feel happy and comfortable in.

I could definitely do with losing a few pounds, but I try to dress appropriately, I don’t imagine for a moment that I’m looking particularly lovely, but I’m happy with the look I’ve acquired over the years, I was a bit lost in my fifties with knowing what to wear and where to buy it, but I’m back on track now.

Galaxy, I have always wanted a pair of rabbit slippers! As for caring how I look, I’m with those who strive for nothing more than neat and tidy. I would like to lose a little weight but since wishing isn’t making it happen, I’ll settle for my current weight and sensible clothing.

If I think I look presentable/nice then I feel better mentally.
It’s not about what others think of me, it’s all for me…

I was very glam in my younger days. Worked as a flight attendant and have the feet to prove it!

Now it's lovely to float around in comfy stuff. And I sometimes leaves the house with no make up on! Nobody's fainted with horror after seeing me so I'm fine with being less high maintenance these days

Jaibee007 I have encountered so many instances of people with depression feeling unable to make an effort to get up or to handle self care that you may well be right. Hair may not be cut. It can always be tied back and nails can easily be trimmed, but not caring about personal hygiene could be an indication of something more serious.
As kevincharley says about recovering from Covid ‘as long as I’m clean’. Hope you continue to improve KC.

I agree KC. I was suited and booted for so long, not having to bother is great.

Until contracting covid I cared - I had to, I was representing a company.
Being in hospital just after Christmas, and subsequently not working, has changed my outlook. My husband reckons the 'ah, f**k it' region of my brain has been activated.
And I think he's right. What difference does it make? I'm alive, I'm recovering slowly and, as long as I'm clean, I don't much care. It's liberating!

Cleanliness is quite different to worrying about appearance.

I'd say the reverse. Not having the confidence in who you are being good enough to present to the world au natural suggests poor self esteem.

To be brutally honest I think that not caring how you look - unless you are spending a day gardening or moving house etc is a sign of poor mental health - everyone male or female should have enough self respect to wear nice clean modern clothes, have their hair cut regularly, wash them self and their hair regularly, look after their skin, nails etc - to do otherwise is a bad sign I fear - a sign of depression, but can also lead to worse physical health

Lillian40 You say you have always cared about how you look and that’s been good for you. However which came first- the chicken or the egg? I mean do the 50 year old women who go to the surgery looking 80 look that way because they are actually ill/depressed/stressed to hell/poor *or are they all those things because they aren’t dressing nicely? Some may well have low self esteem and some may self loath but God forbid that they should look how they feel, in case they don’t win the approval of the health care team ?

When I was teaching I made an effort with what I wore. I always thought of it as having respect for the students who had to sit and look at me for an hour or more at a time !
It has to be said that Many teachers wore desperately dull clothes ( the ubiquitous black skirt or trousers and dull shirt…. )

Thanks MayBee70 think mine might be computer eye too. Work has become crazy lately.

Bridie22 , same for me. Practical matters most tho I do like colour either co-ordinating or a contrast. And I never wear boots or shoes that aren’t comfy no matter what they look like.