Have I Let Myself Go?

It dawned on me the other day that I look a lot cuter when I'm not at work. Too bad my co workers will never know the magnitude of my true hotness.

It's not exactly a corporate or fashion forward type of environment.  If you are an administrator you might wear Ann Taylor suiting and dresses but other then that most of my co workers don't.  I've never had to wear a suit to work thank goodness, so I don't even own one.  The style of dress ranges from tennis shoes and jeans to slacks, suits and dresses.  The age range is anywhere from 20's to 60's.  We don't have an official dress code. I mean, there is the moral code of not wanting to look like a ragamuffin at work but overall, it really is left to our own discretion to wear what is appropriate.  There is little to no face to face interaction with anyone outside my office.  I see the same people every day.  I sit inside an air conditioned office for about 9 hours staring at computer screens and most of the time don't even go outside.  And then I go home.  So what's to get all beautified for?  I'd rather spend the extra time in the morning scrolling through Instagram and Twitter feeds thinking about getting out of bed instead.  I don't think I have to look "done up" to present a professional image and I'm comfortable with my appearance without make up. 

There is some cross over, but my more conservative work outfits are less exciting then my non work ones.  Monday through Wednesday I wear my favorite chino type pants that I get from J.C. Penny's or slacks from The Limited and Express.  I try not to wear any pants that are too bright or skinny delicious on those days.  I pair them with casual tops or button ups and cardigans.  I do casual Friday AND casual Thursday just because I can.  Those days I'm in colored denim or blue jeans and cute tops.  I like my casual clothes way more and I hate ironing.  I live in flats.
NO make up, NO filter, NO problem
And then there is the face.  I feel like I used to care a lot more, but somewhere along the way it stopped mattering so much.  I've never been a big make up person anyways.  There was a time that I never showed up to work without at least blush and a colored lip gloss which I keep in my purse and put on in the car on the way there.  About a year ago I stopped doing that every day.  I even show up to work totally bare faced.  The horror.  It feels like too much effort to do it every day before 7am. When I do feel like wearing make up for work it's just my 5 minute face with the basic fixings. I really don't see the point of any more then that.   Unless I have plans directly AFTER work.  Sometimes I have to whip out the flat iron but the hair is basically get up and go.

I don't think I look bad.  Typically anyways, unless I'm running on hardly any sleep or it's the day after an annoyingly mid week holiday.  Yes, I'm talking about you 4th of July 2013.  If I'm in an outfit that I feel good in and well groomed that works for me. And earrings.  For some odd reason I feel naked without earrings and I get bummed out for a second when I realize I forgot them.  I wear the same necklace everyday.  It rarely comes off.  Outside of work  I put in more effort with make up and styling my outfits.  I get to wear fun things that won't cut it even in our casual office environment and I enjoy taking the extra step with make up to feel extra pretty.  I'm not a glamour girl.  Unless we are going out out out I'm still not wearing a lot make up but I will wear a little more and switch up the jewelry.  I'm more motivated to take those extra steps on weekends when I'm on MY TIME enjoying life with friends and family and doing things that I want and when I'm just schlepping around doing errands lately, I just rock the glasess and don't even bother putting in my contacts.  I'm not going out like the people of Walmart but I'm definitely not going to get done up.  And if I run into someone I know from work or elsewhere?  Who cares.  Since I don't wear a lot of make up anyways I don't look all that much different. 

So have I really let myself go?  I mean, is this where it starts? One day you stop wearing make up on the daily and the next you are shopping in the ugly Missy section at Macy's and leaving the house with pink rollers in your hair. I'm not quite there yet so I'm going to go with no.  As much as I wish I was more glam...it's just not me.  I'm going to call it settling into my casual self and not caring what anybody around me thinks of it instead and I'm finding it to be very liberating.

23 comments

  1. I think you look beautiful! But I totally know what you mean by having a different work look. Since I teach college freshmen, I feel like I need to dress up a tiny bit and be more conservative. At the same time I want to be the "fun" professor who wears cowboy boots with a dress. It's a strange space to negotiate, this work persona and my real persona.

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  2. I look totally different when I am at work. I put on minimal makeup and don't really care about what I wear (and it's all boring looking anyways!).

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  3. It all depends on what you do on the regular at work. If you don't have to meet with people, then the minimal is fine. I on the other hand interact with people and even when I don't, I feel naked or like a bum if I don't put some effort into my style and makeup. It doesn't have to be a glammed up thing, but some lipstick and a nice work outfit makes me look put together. You should look like the position you desire or are currently in... in my opinion.

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  4. i definitely don't put in a big effort for work. i mainly stay in my office all day too and barely talk to my coworkers. i usually just do eyeliner and undereye concealer and blowdry my hair. it's a lot more fun to go out when i'm not working and i'll wear cuter clothes and make an effort. i don't see anything wrong with it - we're just being efficient :)
    -- jackie @ jade and oak

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  5. You look gorgeous with makeup! I wear a full face of makeup no matter where I go (well except the gym hahaha). I also hate wearing suits. I have tons though that I have collected over the years for interviews. They all were super cheap though. I'd hate to wear them for a job 24/7.

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  6. love this post! I too put in the bare minimum of presentableness at work. Like you, I just sit in my office and only interact with 6 co-workers a day. Nothing to get dolled up for! I worry for myself if my next job needs me to step it up because I am out of practice and used to the extra sleep!

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  7. You look lovely, and I can relate so much to this post. I actually think it's a good thing - I really think my self-esteem is much better now that I feel okay going out bare-faced than back when I needed to put on makeup just to leave the house. It's not letting yourself go - in fact, I think I look better now than I used to and make more of an effort to feel pretty, whereas before, I think I was mainly trying to hide myself. So definitely a step in the right direction.

    - Lix | A Classic Notion

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  8. You look great both ways.

    I don't dress of for work either and most think I'm Mary Poppins as I wear and abaya every day... outside of work it's Shazam!

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  9. At my last job, I put a lot of effort in looking cute and fashionable since I was on display daily. At my new laid back position, what I wear is up to me. I don't think you have let yourself go. You look amazing!

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  10. Funny you should write about this. I have been asking myself the same question lately. My new job is more laid back and I find myself barely wearing makeup.

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  11. You totally have not let yourself go. You are just low maintenance and that's completely different.

    You have such a beautiful flawless face by the way, don't hide it with makeup anyway.

    I am always very low maintenance during the week. I don't want to spend too much time getting ready and all that. The weekend, I pamper myself :)

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  12. I would probably be the same if I were in your shoes. I am a teacher for high school, so I am ON STAGE all day! And they don't miss a thing! I love weekend so I can dress down!!!

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  13. I can't tell the difference between you with makeup and without. You look pretty either way. I too don't like makeup. My face naturally looks made-up to the extent that I've had people rub their thumb on my cheeks to make sure I wasn't lying when I said I didn't have makeup on. Give me lip gloss and I'm good. These days, depending on my mood, I throw in eye-liner for good measure:)

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  14. You are crazy! Your skin is unreal - you don't even need makeup!!!!!

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  15. i've actually never been much of a makeup person so going open-kimono with my face and not wearing anything on it except for moisturizer wasn't much of a big deal. it helps, too, that even though i work for a conservative bank, none of the women really wear makeup. au natural baby. the best look ever.

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  16. When I worked, I hardly ever wore makeup to work! Haha I know exactly how you feel!

    Win a pair of baby moccs!

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  17. I think everyone is different. I work in finance in NYC on Wall St so most tend to dress nice and fashionable for work. Not suits per se but just nice. I can't imagine wearing flats only because I hate them. I am a stilletto wearing girl. I The only flats you will see me in are my running sneakers(that I wear to and from work so I don't ruin my heels). I wear heels on the weekends also. Even my friends daughter always says hi and immeadiately looks at my feet to see what heels I have on. It's personal preference.

    As for makeup. I wear it to work everyday but not a lot. I definitely do my face more on the weekend.

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  18. I had causal Friday every single day so I never wore a lick of makeup to work. If I didn't have to I didn't want to. That's why on the weekends I enjoy getting all dolled up. My redemption for looking a hot mess during the week.

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  19. I totally feel you with this post- I definitely come to work without make up on ... but would never leave my house on the weekends without it. Its so funny to me. Some days I wish I was like some of my coworkers who show up with at least a little bit of make up, but nope it never happens. If only I could come up with a quick daily routine or something... AND I hate to iron as well and definitely go in super casual thursday and friday.

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  20. i know that feeling all too well. when i worked in an office i felt the same way! i dont think theres anything wrong with and you look beautiful both ways!

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  21. I put effort into my look because I have to.. and not only that, but I put effort into the way I look because I've grown to love it. My previous places of employment I really didn't care. I mean, I didn't go looking a mess but I seriously dressed as casual as I could without disobeying the dress code. But now, I put a little more effort and umph into my appearance. I don't spend a lot of time on makeup. I don't even know how to apply it to be honest. I do touch up my lips and may add shadow if I have some extra time. But I do it all for me, because I can honestly say when I look pretty, I feel pretty and the day just goes by a little smoother to me.

    Nevertheless, I'm sure you look beautiful either way. You're naturally beautiful.

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  22. You are crazy! You are BEAUTIFUL no matter what. You look gorgeous with no makeup.

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