I came across this one post dogging Bill Maher for saying that there is a general “slopification of America”. I didn’t watch the video, but I caught the comment thread.
I couldn’t miss it if I tried as it was a holy ball of fire.
In a nutshell, Bill and his panel were being called “elitists” who were “telling the commoners how to dress”. I happen to make the comment that the slopification in general is sort of true. I relayed my experience of being in the courthouse and often seeing many people dressed in pajamas.
Pajamas.
Fuzzy ones with cartoon characters or sports teams. Wearing this while talking to a Judge is beyond my understanding. The next thing I know, I was being lit up.
Ahhhh, Facebook.
Here’s the thing, I never said sloppy = poverty.
Sloppy is a mentality. You can be sloppy with how you act, your finances, your emotions, your personal life, your health, your diet, your belongings, your relationships, your communication. You can be sloppy with your mind. And the thing is, we’ve all been “sloppy” at one point or another.
There was a time where I was so tired that hair up, no make up and crinkled clothes happened for a few weeks. I finally caught myself in the mirror one day and realized that I had looked better and was more rested when I had a teething infant. What was my deal? I was in overdrive accomplishing things that needed to be done, but probably were not vital to my immediate existence. I finally got to the root of the problem which had more to do with putting others first and my needs last. Once I realized this, I set out to do better and start by using the resources available to me at the time.
I’ve already shown how to get quality designer clothing for very cheap. I’ve also shown free ways to polish your image. Let’s say however, that a person needs to scale back even more. Perhaps there is a Court appearance in the near future for a SAHM who lives in comfy clothes daily. Maybe a person has a job interview and no extra income to spare. Or maybe it’s a person who has decided to finally pull themselves out of a rut, or even take action steps to physically move out of a depression while doing the internal work.
No matter the reason, taking care to present our best selves is a choice. We can no longer play it small, because playing it small will never solve the world’s problems. As such, here are some baby steps that I know to be tried and true.
How to look like an adult for $10.00
I wanted this blog post to be authentic, so I enter the Goodwill armed with a $10.00 in cash. I purchase a pair of jeans for $5.00 (I can wear jeans to work when I have no clients coming in, and the jeans can do double duty for me because my lifestyle calls for jeans a lot of the time. #horses. However, if I couldn’t wear them, then a better investment would have been a pair of khakis, black, or tan pants)
I bought the shirt for $3.00 on the same trip. Bonus: It’s Ann Taylor – who figgin’ cares from what season…
I’m pairing them with a pair of shoes and a belt that I already own. They don’t need to be ironed, but they are fresh from the wash. If they did need to be ironed/steamed, then I would do so.
Now, because my shirt is a little “cleavage-y”, I’m wearing a grey top that I already own underneath it. I’m also tucking it in so that when I bend over there is zero chance of anyone seeing my underwear because showing underwear to the public without a pole is remiss.
In terms of my face and hair – I went into the Dollar Tree specifically for this post and purchased make up with the remaining $2. A $1.00 eye shadow palate, and a $1.00 eyebrow pencil because just these two things are transformative, and they can do double duty: the eyebrow pencil can be used as eyeliner…the eyes shadow can be used as a highlighter/concealer/under eye brightener.
I already owned this CC cream and the lip gloss, but for another $2.00 you can get those there too. PS: I liked this little $1 no-name pallet so much, that I keep it in my gym bag so that there is no need to lug anything bigger or more expensive around with me.
My face and hair are clean, but I was too tired to straighten my hair or put in curlers last night. So it will get brushed – Dollar Tree has brushes for $1.00, and I will pull it up and out of my face with a hair band that cost $1 for a pack of 10.
Am I ready for the runway? No. But I am presentable. If I had to go to the courthouse to drop off a filing, I would be acceptably dressed. If I had to go into my child’s school, take him to the doctor, or need to stop by the mayor’s constituent’s office, I would be taken seriously.
When we are looking good, we are feeling good. It makes us better citizens of the world, better employees, and it does wonders for mental health. We can actually complicate our lives by not taking our appearance seriously. Keeping ourselves presentable does not have to be expensive. Do not buy into the beauty bloggers and the YouTube influencers…I just proved that you only need $10. I bet you can find even more ways to lower that tab.
I’ve heard many people say that when they get money they will get their life together. Unfortunately for them, it’s the other way around. You get your life together and then you’ll get the opportunities that bring money. So the next time a person who wants to polish their image but feels that they lack the funds, I would have them consider the following…
Target Pjs vs. pants from ThredUp consignment site;
In Service,
Jenna Prosceno 