S/O Moms who look put together

[Anonymous]

I gave up.

I look hot at school functions and on Friday or Saturday nights...during the week not at all.

I WAH. If I want to workout and run to Whole Foods (or another errand) before elem. school pick-up- I don't have time to shower or change out of workout clothes until later that evening.

I also will fit a workout in between sports' games on the weekends.... so I don't look 'cute' at games.

I don't even see men during the day---it's just other moms at pick-ups. I really don't care what they think. Thankfully, the moms at our school are very similar. There are no fashion plates standing in pick-up zone.

When I used to WOH I always made an effort. It's just me in my home office now...so why bother?

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM that looks pretty put together. I really love fashion and know what looks good on me. BUT, I always feel like I'm dressed too "nice" or too put together oddly enough, compared to the moms a pick-up. I'm talking pretty simple outfits like jeans, shirt, and scarf or tunic with leggings and boots, nothing fancy. Almost all of the other moms are dressed in either sweats or their work out clothes.


I don't really like wearing sweatshirts, I'm petite and I don't like bulky tops with too much material around my arms but I feel like I need to go buy some sweatshirts just to wear to pick-up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My alarm goes off at 5AM for the gym M-F. Two days a week I'm with a personal trainer, 3 days a week I'm on the treadmill in the basement. I pick one weekend morning to do a long 2hr work out.

I hardly ever go out to eat and always pack my lunch. I walk the stairs at work, up 8 flights each time I need to go to the bathroom.

I only shop 2xs a year and do a big shopping. I always accessorize (this I think is critical)

I do not let my hair get grey. I get my eyebrows and lip waxed every 10 days.

I do not get mani/pedis. Only pedis in the summer and I mostly do them myself.

I hardly leave the house without at least a little make-up. At a minimum: concealer, mascara, and lip gloss. Takes 60 seconds.

You are the person I wish I were. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

I guess I (and actually my DH) find that it's important for us to still feel like ourselves, and to demonstrate good habits to our kids. So we work out - I run and do crossfit, my husband does triathalons. I mean this in the nicest way, but I worry about the parents who have "given up." You are still you, even with kids. You should be able to get a little time in to buy new jeans, get a hair cut or go for a run if that's your thing. I don't think you should feel remotely bad about this.

[Anonymous]

Genetics? I also find that (outside of work) I never stop moving, which probably helps me to stay naturally thin even when life gets busy and I have to drop a few workouts.

Also, I wake up 30 minutes before everyone else so that I can focus on my hair and makeup.

Clothing -- I go for high-end apparel with a classic appeal. I'll mix in a few "trendy" items each season, but the fact that 80% of my wardrobe is wearable year after year is how I justify the cost of each piece.

Last trick is just to get lots of sleep!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I (and actually my DH) find that it's important for us to still feel like ourselves, and to demonstrate good habits to our kids. So we work out - I run and do crossfit, my husband does triathalons. I mean this in the nicest way, but I worry about the parents who have "given up." You are still you, even with kids. You should be able to get a little time in to buy new jeans, get a hair cut or go for a run if that's your thing. I don't think you should feel remotely bad about this.

I haven't given up on fitness or my body , my roots or skin. I workout 6 days a week and have for the last 25 years.

I have given up on dressing up to sit in my home office alone during the work week. I wear workout gear to drop-off/pick-up school go to grocery store to save precious working hours.

[Anonymous]

Put-together mom who shop online: How do you find things that fit and flatter? I shop online a good bit, but so many things I buy don't fit or don't fit well and must be returned. What am I doing wrong?

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Fear of being dumped or cheated on.
Fear of being fat.
Insecurity.
Vanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Fear of being dumped or cheated on.
Fear of being fat.
Insecurity.
Vanity.

I'd have to agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Fear of being dumped or cheated on.
Fear of being fat.
Insecurity.
Vanity.

I'd have to agree with this.

+1
It's obvious to everyone but them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Fear of being dumped or cheated on.
Fear of being fat.
Insecurity.
Vanity.

That's what I was thinking too, but I doubt they'll admit that. They'll say something like "I take pride in taking care of myself and don't want to let myself go like the rest of you slobs!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Because I used to not exercise and adopted it about 3 years ago and feel so much better. Physically I have more energy, the difference is striking. My skin tone has even brightened up. I can no longer sleep in, physically impossible- why not? I look back to when I did not exercise and I have no idea how I even functioned. Humans are meant to move and it is very difficult in a first world country to be very physical without structured exercise.

I did not finish college
I do have a good job, making almost 200K/yr, but consider myself tremendously lucky.
I would not be considered an overachiever. I'm probably a type B+ personality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about those "5am workout" moms. Would you generally be considered an overachiever (you went to a top school, have a great, prestigious career, etc) or are you just ambitious in your workouts? What drives you to get up at 5am to workout when you could just sleep in like the rest of us?

Fear of being dumped or cheated on.
Fear of being fat.
Insecurity.
Vanity.

I'd have to agree with this.

+1
It's obvious to everyone but them.

Keep in drinking that haterade. Makes you ugly on the inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Put-together mom who shop online: How do you find things that fit and flatter? I shop online a good bit, but so many things I buy don't fit or don't fit well and must be returned. What am I doing wrong?

I order from a few stores that I know well and that take returns in-store--JCrew, Madewell, Gap. I can shop late at night and try stuff on at my leisure at home; I probably return 30-40% of it, which takes very little time when I'm out running errands.

I tend not to order from places if I can't return in store--except for Zappos for shoes, which does free returns and makes them about as easy as possible.