It’s one of those late summer days that we simply did not have enough of earlier this year — warm, hazy, sunshiney and altogether brilliant. So much so that in celebration, I broke out the razor for one more pass at my legs before shorts season is truly behind us for another year. (Surely I’m not the only one who puts away the lawn mower and the razors for about the same hibernation period each year?)
As I was shaving, I was thinking about a recent conversation with a friend. She was talking about being embarrassed to lift her arms up because she hadn’t recently shaved her armpits, and I reflected at the time how that really wouldn’t bother me. Hairy armpits aren’t one of my vanities. However, it’s a rare day that I’ll leave the house without showering first.
Similarly, I remember growing up that my mother always stopped at the front hall mirror before going out to apply fresh lipstick. My lipsticks last for far longer than is likely healthy because I use them so rarely. In fact, I can count on two hands the number of times since I’ve been staying home with Lucas that I’ve even bothered with makeup. On a day-to-day basis, makeup is not one of my vanities. I will, however, gladly fork over $75 for a haircut every six weeks or so.
I’ve never bought expensive shampoo or hair products – the drug store stuff is fine for me – but I do indulge a bit of extra cash for a good moisturizer for my skin.
I’m not much on fashion and the latest trends, but I am a label junkie. There are brands that I love and will go back to again and again. Jones New York, Eddie Bauer, Roots, Gap. And I dress the kids with far more care most days than I put into my own outfits. Heck, everything I wear is likely to be covered in spit-up splotches half way through the day anyway. Until I’m back into my old favourites and my old sizes (closer by the day, now down 11 lbs!) and Lucas is past this annoying spit-up phase, I’ll dress the kids up like dolls. Who needs girls to play dress-up?
What are your vanities, and what could you not care much less about?
It’s funny the things that I am vane about – it’s few and far between. I do love a good haircut and am willing to pay an awful lot of money for a pair of shoes. Certianly my girl goes out dressed much better than I on most days. I spend alot of my personal care products but that’s becasue I’m a bit of an organic nut! Reading labels makes for a hasty retreat out of the drugstore for me!
My biggest vanity these days? My kids’ hair. Pricey haircuts for them, not that I can bring myself to get AM’s hair cut yet, but it’s really in his eyes and needs to be dealt with. Soon. (cry!) My hair, however, is cut every 4-5 months by my husband. I cover it in public, so I absolutely refuse to spend the money to deal with it further–hats are their own black hole of cash.
I used to be a real stickler for showering every day, but now it kind of gets planned around when I go to the gym, because lord knows I do *not* have the time to shower twice in one day!
I love clothes from Ann Taylor, but can’t bring myself to pay full price–I hardly get to synagogue these days, dry cleaning is another expense, and chances are whatever I wear will be smeared with avocado by the end of the day. I spend way too much money at Lands End buying kids’ clothes, with the justification that they are really well made and we can pass them down to my niece and other people.
One of these days, though, I need new bras because after 4+ years of nursing I am a new size. Part of me wants to go to a really nice place, get fitted well and buy pretty things because I deserve it. Or I will go to Target and spend $14 apiece. Still undecided.
I am much more of a snob about what I put into my body than what I put on it, I guess. Mustard, soy sauce, yogurts, ice cream, etc. have to be certain brands. If I lived in a one-horse town with one grocery store I’d be entirely screwed.
Olay from the grocery store is fine for my face, but I’m all over the Aveda hair products. And I’m lucky to have a relatively inexpensive hair cutter.
I put on lipstick once a day and that’s it. But I also wear mascara every day, and I wash and blow dry my hair every day. I’m not big on labels, but I shop Eddie Bauer and JJill b/c they have clothes that I like and fit me.
Vanities:
*one shower a day
*wash, blow-dry and straighten hair every second day
*Aveda hair products
*expensive moisturizer
*salon eyebrow shaping and waxing
*pricey haircut
Could care less about:
*makeup
*fashion/clothing trends
Wish I had time for:
*a facial
*a massage
*a manicure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm mine are:
Designer purses! They break my bank, but a new purse every few years is a must have for me… my first was a Fendi and what followed where Burberry, Furla, Coach, Coach (over the shoulder version this time) and my all time favourite… Louis Vuitton! I recently bought a Marc Jacobs. And I love it.
Designer sunglasses! 4 Chanel, 1 Fendi. I wear them all the time so isn’t that an investment?
Kids clothes… GAP Kids, Gymborree, Lacoste and Polo.
As for hair stuff – drug store all the way! Make up… mostly MAC.
🙂 Fun post!
And now… baby just woke up from his nap!
I’m lipstick girl. I reapply after every meal. Showers, though? Optional.
Shower every day…and dry my hair if I’m going out if not air dry.
Shampoo and hair products in general – Drug store is fine.
Not a labels girl, used to just buy & Sell Weekenders cause they fit me right, but now they don”t exsist.
Kids cloths GT boutique and Zellers
I do spend money on a hair cut and colour, I’m looking for a new place my old one was great but she left the dye on my hair an hour and a 1/2 last time, can you say ictchy scalp for 3 weeks!
Not a purses person, buy one when the old one looks awful
I MUST put on eye makeup to hide the scares that are on my eyelids. I do spend alittle on eye makeup and mascara…never wear lipstick feels gross.
Guess that’s about it
Hi Dani! I love answering questions on posts!!! My major vanity is definitely my eyebrows…I’m an eyebrow girl…a little OCD about it actually;) Not a chance I’m gonna go out of the house with stray hairs halfway down my eyelids (shudder). Everything else I could take or leave though: makeup…hair…shower, those things can wait:) I do take the time to “do myself up” a little if I’m feeling crappy or down; it tends to pick me up a bit! OMG! I almost forgot colouring my hair…can’t show the roots for long! I don’t even know if I have gray hair yet ’cause I never leave it to grow out long enough to find out;) Oh, and my chin hairs…I have two…how obscene is that? Stupid age stuff:( I can’t believe I just admitted to that, but if you knew me you’d know that I’m pretty blunt about delicate things! Take care!
Eye brow waxes and pedicures. Non-negotiables in my house :-). For the kids? LL Bean coats. But I rarely pay full price for them, so its OK, right?
This one really made me think. I LOVE clothes, but they don’t have to be brand-name or trendy. I’m not a big shoe girl; I wear the same 3 pairs of shoes over and over. I like a good hair cut, but I’m too cheap to have my hair colored at the salon, so I color it myself at home. I like make-up when I go to work, but otherwise not so much. I do like some lip gloss to give me that sexy wet look. Yeah, right! I wish I could say I shaved as much as I should, but I was embarrassed earlier today, as I was donating blood and had my legs propped up on the chair; I had capri pants on and the hair was glistening in the sun! Oops.
Hey,
You gals should try the Winners store.
I loooove their clothes and nothing looks like the other at Winners. I like to go and get lost in there; blouses, pants, winter coats, shoes, jewelry, nightgowns, they have everything. My money is spent there! I like the Winners brand.
Hey Danny,
Your site is 1h behind. I just posted something at 11:29 but it says 10:29 am. Not that it bothers me but I thought you should know.
I don’t have many (or so I would like to think!), but my running and workout clothes are a big one. I probably have more Nike, Reebok and Addidas dri-fit shirts than I really need, but I wear it a lot.
My hair. I pay good money for great hair and I think it’s my best feature, so why not.
I know how bad this will sound but gas. I buy Premium gas. I know that’s crazy, but another vanity is my vehicle, I love my vehicle and I find it’s better on it. I get more mileage and have less problems with it.
eye make-up. I don’t even like my husband seeing my raccoon eyes; my hair. I bought a hat when I was expecting my second baby such that I wouldn’t have to style my hair everyday, but I can’t seem to go through with wearing it. I’ve gotta do my hair.
The crazy thing about this post is that I can’t really think of any vanities right now – at least not for myself. I do make sure that my son is dressed impeccably and it annoys me that he comes home for daycare with dirty clothes with “washable” paints that never seem to wash out.
I guess I need to spend more time on me. I am getting back to the point where I don’t leave home without foundation and mascara and eyeliner. Now I just need to work on having my eyebrowns done on a consistent basis.
Clothes, not so much. I need to work on looking better all the way around. It is a process.