I am frumptastic

[Anonymous]

...and I don't even know where to start doing something about it.

Can't wear heels. Reconstructed ankle.

I'm chunky...I like doughnuts way too much to do anything about this.

My hair is hopelessly out of date. This is probably the easiest place to start.

Clothing budget is nil, and I am getting to the age when dressing like an old lady no longer looks ironic.

I am sporting some cute glasses at least. There. That's something.


Help.

I need a low (REALLY low!) budget makeover.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I get plenty of exercise, so really, I'm cool with being a chunky doughnut lover. I would mostly like to clothe and decorate my chunk better.

[desueno]

Watch "What Not To Wear". Fun show with good points....

[Anonymous]

Kind of cryptic description...are you serious? If so, call a friend and start with a spa day...get that unsightly hair tamed and then hit the stores.

[Anonymous]

At least you've got a great sense of humor

Even though you say your budget is nil - throw away any "mom" jeans you've got in your closet. Better to have less clothes than truly frumpy ones. Next time you find some spare change, you can buy better jeans.

Go to a make-up counter and get some tips - tell them when you walk in if you aren't the type to get all gussied up (sounds like you're not - me either). They can show you how to apply it so it looks natural, only better. You can likely work with whatever you have at home, or then go to CVS for some super cheap alternatives to the dept store.

If you've got a healthy workout glow and a good attitude, I can't imagine that you're all that frumpy anyhow. Good luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kind of cryptic description...are you serious? If so, call a friend and start with a spa day...get that unsightly hair tamed and then hit the stores.

Totally serious. It snuck up on me.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you, OP! I am more used to being someone who is fairly put together, but I have a substantial amount of baby weight left on me and I need a haircut badly. I wear jeans everyday. Sometimes I don't dry my hair and put it in a ponytail right away. I was WAY too prissy for that, oh, my entire life... until now.

Until I lose the weight and cut my hair, I try to at least wear makeup (at least eyeliner/mascara/blush/gloss) and fun, cute, inexpensive jewelry. And I wear flats instead of tennis shoes. My clothes may be boring (they are) and I am two to three sizes larger than my ideal, but at least I usually have interesting earrings or a chunky necklace on.

[Anonymous]

You are funny OP. I'm frumpalicious myself.

I guess I'd say one immediate, free thing to do is to hide your workout clothes, including the shoes, and any "yoga" or sweat pants. Take them out ONLY at workout time. Then take them off.

[Anonymous]

I spend money on fun earrings, necklaces, and shoes. They can unfrump any plain tee and jeans (although I second throwing away the mom jeans...J Jill and Land's End seem to be great purveyers of those).

[Anonymous]

Check out youtube for makeup tips -- there are some amazing women and men who show you how to apply makeup. I've learned a lot!

[Anonymous]

Cute glasses are a start. I realize budget is tight, try target and old navy for a few things. Nice fitting jeans, ballet flats, cute tshirts, etc. Also, as the weather gets nicer, can you manage a one hour walk a day? Put on your music and just go. You will feel great, and it will be great for your health and I bet you will lose some weight. Grab a friend if possible or just veg to some music or listen to the birds. Reward yourself afterwards with an at home great tea or coffee or something like that (lo cal).

On clothes: Do not shop at JJill, Clearwater Creek, Talbots, Chicos, or any such nonsense if you want to get out of frump land. Instead: Gap, Zara, Target, and Old Navy will do you find for knock-around chic.

Good luck to you. Many of us have been there. You can change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cute glasses are a start. I realize budget is tight, try target and old navy for a few things. Nice fitting jeans, ballet flats, cute tshirts, etc. Also, as the weather gets nicer, can you manage a one hour walk a day? Put on your music and just go. You will feel great, and it will be great for your health and I bet you will lose some weight. Grab a friend if possible or just veg to some music or listen to the birds. Reward yourself afterwards with an at home great tea or coffee or something like that (lo cal).

On clothes: Do not shop at JJill, Clearwater Creek, Talbots, Chicos, or any such nonsense if you want to get out of frump land. Instead: Gap, Zara, Target, and Old Navy will do you find for knock-around chic.

Good luck to you. Many of us have been there. You can change.

OP here. Thanks, and I appreciate the intention of your post. Here's where I take this on a really OT tangent, though. See the part about plenty of exercise and ok with chunky. I mean, plenty as in 12 miles a day on a bike, 1 mile on the treadmill most days at about 6.5 mph, 100 crunches, weights, and oh yeah, I play a contact sport. I'm cool with my chunky body. It's healthy and probably pretty ripped under the squish. The chunk, despite what society is telling me, is not the root of my self esteem issue. It's Ok if I or anyone else is a size 14, 16, 18, etc. if we're healthy and happy with ourselves. It really is.

Now bad jeans, on the other hand, this is a crisis!

[Anonymous]

OP, I understand what you're saying. I'm a big exerciser that needs to lose a few pounds. And yes, it is better to be fit and fat than sedentary and fat. Exercise feels great when it's over and it's good to feel strong. But even if you're not thinking about sizes, there are other things to consider:

-- even an extra 10 pounds increases your risk for many kinds of cancers, no matter how fit you are

-- heart disease, too, especially if you carry your extra weight in your gut

-- over time, even an extra 10-15 pounds will put extra weight on your joints and make you vulnerable to arthritis

-- extra weight = less energy

I am the poster who is now doing all three levels of the shred together and watching calories. I really want to be around for my kids. Plus I was having a conversation with someone else the other day about how scary it is to watch people our age get really sick, and she said that the outcome -- how your body can cope -- with illness and treatments depends a lot on how strong/healthy you otherwise are going in. I know I'm going down a bleak road here.

I want to live a long, comfortable life. If I can avoid cancer by avoiding certain foods and exercising, I'll do it. And maybe I'll get cancer anyway. But maybe not. And if I do, I'll have a better chance of beating it.

[Anonymous]

OP again. That's cool and I can respect that. I don't just eat doughnuts (healthy vegetarian for 17 years now), FWIW, but when I am in a mobility device, arthritic, and no longer able to bike to Wisconsin and back in my sleep thanks to this extra stuff I'm carrying around, I plan to say to myself, "Damn, that doughnut was good."

[Anonymous]

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