My Morning Routine

I have been working on a post regarding beauty and aesthetics in the everyday, but for some reason, I can't seem to conclude it.  I'm not sure where it is supposed to end up.

However, I was motivated by Mat. Emily's Friday's Feminine Tip for today to write up some of my thoughts on personal care and appearance.  As a mother of young children who doesn't leave the house often (and likes it that way--a topic for another post), it might be tempting for me to go through my days in PJs and a greasy pony tail.

If I did this, I would never get anything done.

Ever.

I've tried it occasionally, and it doesn't work for me.

One of FlyLady's basic rules and a part of her AM routine is to "Dress to Shoes, Hair, and Face."  As a longtime "FlyBaby," I've long been in the habit of at least knowing I need to do these things.  Shoes really do help me to accomplish more, especially as I gain more weight with this pregnancy and as my feet swell.  I just feel more steady on my feet with good lace-up shoes on.

Lately—probably as a part of my third-trimester nesting impulse (which, as I may have mentioned elsewhere, usually take shape for me as streamlined housekeeping and childcare routines)—I have been showering daily.  A recent new hairstyle helped me along this path.  Once I had a hairstyle that I was happy with instead of the long, long hair I'd had for so long it was ragged, and which I had no idea what to do with any more, I was much more motivated to jump in the shower and figure out what to do with it.  Even though caring for this short style takes more time sometimes (other times I put it up or pin it back a little and let it do what it will), knowing that I'm happy with what it looks like motivates me to take care of it.

Finally, my face.  This is really the part of the routine that I probably can't live without.  If every time I used the bathroom and looked in the mirror I were confronted with a puffy-eyed, splotchy-faced, pale-lipped person, I would quickly sink into depression.  I make it a point to do a simplified make-up routine daily.  I usually go all out and do foundation, concealer, and powder.  In the winter, I follow that with a sweep of blush on my cheeks, a dusting of the same on my forehead and chin, and some more on the brow bone part of my eyelids.  In the summer, I replace the blush with a bronzer.  (When I'm actually going out somewhere nice or to church, I use blush and various eye shadows.)  I add a little eyeliner (or line with eye shadow) and some mascara, and finally some lip gloss.  I even reapply the lip gloss during the day.  It makes me feel put together and truly motivates me to be productive. 

It is my goal to treat what I do during the day as my job—after all, I have to put "homemaker" in the employment section of applications, don't I?  An article about the importance of aprons over at Hillbilly Housewife tells us to recall iconic homemakers such as Donna Reed or Beaver Cleaver's Mom with their full skirts, heels, and pearls. So, I get dressed in something that I like, I put on my shoes, and I fix my hair and face.  It helps me to take me seriously.  I hope it helps my children and others I encounter throughout the day to do the same.

As I will most likely note in my forthcoming post on aesthetics in other everyday things, I am learning that beauty can be extremely functional.