A Pet Peeve

I hear a lot of stay-at-home-moms (sahm) lament the fact that they have become slovenly. They aren’t happy with their lack of make-up, clean hair and a pulled together ensemble.  I have heard these women say that in order to get some style back into their lives they need to get a job. This drives me right up a wall! Why? Why would you have to get a job in order to brush your hair, put on lip gloss and wear something other than yoga pants and your husband’s t-shirt? This thought process absolutely makes no sense.

I have 3 small children. Trust me. I  get it.  Little sticky fingers are pulling on us and hugging us and leaving little sticky messes on our clothes. Babies are spitting up on us and their diapers are exploding on us.  Toddlers are pulling our hair and our earrings out of our ears. I understand this. But? You don’t need to put on a suit, dangling earrings and spend an hour on your hair in order to feel pretty and pulled together.

Get yourself some jeans that fit well and are flattering. You don’t like jeans? Get some other pants. It’s spring! Almost summer (yay!!) get some cute capris, shorts or skirts and well fitting t-shirts. Don’t have a lot of money to spend on your own wardrobe when your kids are outgrowing everything in a month? Go to Target! They have some really, really cute and stylish, even trendy clothes at great prices. You can get some nice long tanks and t-shirts that fit well and are from $4 – $10.  Jeans that fit well for as little as $20.  If you are so lucky to have one in your city, go to H&M. Kohl’s and JC Penney’s have great clothes at a good price.

Don’t forget to get some cute shoes. There are some really cute little sneakers out there and sandals that are super inexpensive. Payless Shoes, Target, Ross, TJMaxx, you get the idea. A lot of them are even leather or made well and will last. But if they only last a few months? So what? You’ve gotten your money’s worth.

You do have time to take a shower and fix your hair! You do! Ok, if your baby is under 6 months old, maybe you don’t. Or you don’t have the energy. Ok. I’ll let you slack until the baby is 6 months old. But then, get it together, woman. You don’t have to feel like a dairy cow and a slob.  Wash  your hair, use the best invention in the last 100 years, my favorite thing ever – a flat iron. Or if you don’t have the few minutes that takes, put  your hair in a pony tail. Nothing wrong with that.  Not that sloppy thing that you slap your hair into at 6am when your kid wakes up. No. Brush your hair and pull it back into a neat pony tail. OK? You can do this! I believe in you.

Go to the drug store or Target or wherever you shop for discount items and get yourself some make-up. A little lip gloss and some concealer is all you need. Ladies! It’s not hard. Please. Quit whining about what a slob you’ve become and take a half an hour to get yourself together. You will feel better. You will look better. Everyone will be happy. You won’t have to get a job. Unless, of course you want to.