When it comes to standards women are expected to look more appropriate than men. It’s normal for men to look dressed down, but women are expected to look presentable. If you look at any award ceremony women are dressed up in extravagant gowns and outfits while men tend to stick with a black suit and tie. We are allowed to dress comfortably and not look presentable at times.
This issue becomes hard to fix when we have always been taught to put on something nice, do our hair, put on makeup, and look appropriate. I remember girls being made fun of or called tomboys if they were dressed in more comfortable clothes. Being made fun of for being a tomboy shows how it’s appropriate for men to wear these clothes but not women. We need to train ourselves to not always feel like we have to “look nice”.
It’s hard to not put on nice clothes or makeup before going out to the store, a friend’s house, or to eat but it’s not always necessary. Sometimes you don’t want to take the time to do all the steps it takes to get dressed up and that’s okay. We can start taking little steps to break this habit.
I think getting dressed up and putting on makeup is so much fun but we should not feel pressured to do it. No matter what we are wearing or how much makeup we have on we are beautiful. To break the habit of always getting dressed up we can start doing small things. Next time you leave the house for something simple try just putting on mascara and concealer. This way you are still putting on something but nothing too much. Don’t be afraid to put your hair up or wear sweats with a t-shirt when you go out because you have to admit, it’s easier and comfier!
It’s hard getting out of this mindset when you see famous women getting made fun of for not looking nice. Feeling pretty no matter how you look is something we aren’t used to, but we can normalize it. We need to start complimenting ourselves and other women when they aren’t dressed up. I challenge you to compliment your friend the next time she isn’t wearing makeup. Do you get dressed up every time you leave the house? To help make a change share this post with women you know.
