17 January 2018

Does Appearance Matter?

I don't understand
how a woman
can leave the house
without fixing herself
up a little, if only out
of politeness.

And then, you never know,

maybe that's the day
she has a date with destiny.

And it's best to be

as pretty as possible 
for destiny.

─ COCO CHANEL ─

Well there have been times when I have been most impolite and missed my date with destiny! 
Times when I have been busy with sewing/reading/dollshouse/bingeing on Netflix and then suddenly realised I need provisions. Not a scrap of make up on, messy hair and wearing casuals. Do I fix myself up, or say s✷d it, put on a hat and go? The latter always wins - I want to do the shopping and get back as quickly as possible. Never more so than at this time of year, and I must at this point admit to being seen in the supermarket wearing gardening or decorating gear - mon dieu!! 

I have three levels of appearance:
1. Going out to a bit of a do; a day out; a social event -  
full make up, styled hair, good clothes, perfume, polished nails.

2. Going out to a casual event ie: my bowls club, coffee morning in the village hall - 
tidy hair,  eyebrows on, mascara and lipstick, casual jeans and top, perfume, polished nails.

3. Staying in; picking up my grandson from school; a sudden visit to the supermarket - 
ok hair, no make up, casual clothes, no perfume, nail polish probably chipped.

When I was working I enjoyed looking good - dressing in nice clothes, wearing make up and 
styling my hair. But now in retirement, with only one regular commitment each week 
I favour comfort over dress up. I do however follow a daily routine of basic hair and skin care.

BUT

Does appearance matter?

When I do make an effort to put make up on, style my hair and dress up, I look in the mirror 
and I feel good about myself and I'm glad I made the effort. I feel confident and want to spend 
time socialising, and that confidence I feel about myself affects how others perceive me.
Whether we like it or not, and it might not even be a conscious act, but on meeting or seeing 
someone, in those first few seconds we register visual images and form impressions. 
Such immediate impressions can be wrong, but nevertheless they are important because 
others relate to us based on them.

I often joke and say that as a female over the age of 50 I am invisible, there is some truth in that, 
which is why making an effort in older age is even more important, important to get out there 
and say 
"Hi, I'm still here and I can still turn a head or two".

And you never know, that might just be the day when destiny is waiting :-)

~Be warm and well ~
Polly x 

11 comments:

  1. Fortunately men don't have to meet such elaborate appearance standards as women. As long as we're presentable, clean and tidy, that's usually enough. The workplace dress codes for women can be absurdly strict, for no good reason. Why women are still expected to wear painful high heels to look "professional", I find baffling. More likely, it's because the blokes get excited by a woman in heels....

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    Replies
    1. Yes I suppose it is easier for men. It's many years since I wore office garb, and I did like wearing high heels. I think a lot of women do.

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  2. Loved this post Polly.. I find the minute I dash out for something at the local shops au natural I bump into everyone I know 😎 dark glasses help..not that it bothers me too much.. but I cannot do without a touch of French perfume 😀

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    Replies
    1. I know what you mean about perfume Grace, I usually use a body spray after showering and perfume if I'm going out.

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  3. I think destiny keeps passing by without a second glance...or is that just my destiny?

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  4. Woman's are busy now a days. They get engaged in many things so they don't find time for themselves to take care. Some are very active and manage their time accordingly...

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    Replies
    1. Everyone seems to be very busy nowadays.

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    2. Nice to see your picture, by the way. You don't look at all the way I imagined you. Which was? Don't worry, it was very flattering but just quite different!

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    3. lol, the previous picture just went distorted and blurred, I don't know what happened. I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to format images but nothing worked except this one which is a few years old now. Later in the day I had a thought.....I think it's because this one was cropped, could've saved myself a lot of time!!

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  5. I get ready the same way everyday no matter where I'm going. This is decades of grooming behavior!! I love wearing make up and styling my hair for me :) Lovely photo of you!

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