Do you take care to look presentable and nice?

[Fadeaway]

If I have a reason to be, I will look presentable even if I don't feel like it. Usually my appearance is a good predictor of where I am at. I have been known to wear the same thing for days in a row, just because I can't bring myself to do laundry.

 

[Changing4Best]

If I have a reason to be, I will look presentable even if I don't feel like it. Usually my appearance...

I wear the same things for days sometimes because I either am too wrapped up in my own world and unable to form the thoughts needed to choose a new set of cloths, or I am trying to avoid piling up laundry so that I won't have to do it at the end of the week, or so that I won't have to do 2 loads. I live alone, so usually I just do one load a week, colors and whites mixed together, using color safe bleach. So MANY times I have burned white spots or even holes in my cloths with chlorine bleach, that I have sworn never to use it again!

 

[Changing4Best]

I forgot to mention how SCARY I look when I am in a period of not caring how I look...no dentures...

I am missing one front tooth. I look like "Alfred E. Newman" of MAD MAGAZINE fame! I sometimes remember to smile with my mouth closed, but usually I forget!

 

[Changing4Best]

Nope. Stopped caring. I'm a crazy old man in the woods. I have no problem looking like one.

I was homeless for 3 years, and during that time in my life I had 2 sets of cloths that I kept. One in a bag nearby where I begged in the streets and the one I was wearing. Half my hair was died red, and the other half of it was gray, as it grew longer and longer. None the less, I guess I did not look so bad as to scare folks away, because they used to give me quite a bit of money throughout the day as I begged. I usually collected about enough for a cheap motel room, and some Ramen Noodles.

I have a routine. Outfits are picked out either the night before or once a week when the weather is mor...

I wonder if how we dress for therapy changes or affects how they run the therapy sessions, now that I think about it in response to your thoughts here!

 

[Fadeaway]

That is a really good question!

I wonder if how we dress for therapy changes or affects how they run the therapy sessions, now that I think about it in response to your thoughts here!

 

[Changing4Best]

Maybe some therapist who visits this website will give us some clues?

 

[Hopefully]

I always plan what I wear and give myself more time to get ready on T days, I almost treat it like a job interview. I'll always do my hair, wear more make up and try to make myself look smart and put together. I am sure it is some way to keep feeling in control, I hope she knows it is not a reflection on how I feel, because on the inside I feel a mess.

I always wear make up, I couldn't leave the house without it but I know it is all a crutch to not let the world see the real me, I don't want to see that either, it is hard enough with the make up and products.

Saying that, I can find washing challenging, when things are not good I will avoid showering or have to push against how uncomfortable and vulnerable it makes me feel.

 

[Deleted member 42320]

T-shirts, jeans and no make up since my ptsd took my life over. And I'm okay with this, my thinking.......im not trying to impress anybody anymore:eek:

 

[Changing4Best]

@Hopefully I stopped wearing make-up when I turned maybe 30 or so, except for a few rare occasions. Even then, I finally decided to show my real unmade-up self to someone I had thought needed to see me in make-up only, and that person said I looked better without it. So from that point on, I pretty much stopped wearing it altogether. It's been probably 30 or so years now since I gave it up and my life is so much simpler and better now!

I'm starting a new job these days and I will not be wearing make-up to it either. I would feel awkward wearing it at all anywhere in my life these days, I think, having not worn it for so long now.

 

[Fadeaway]

I completely forgot about this, but there was a time I tried to make myself as unattractive as possible. I wanted to gain excessive amounts of weight. I think it was an avoidance thing to keep people away when I was in my teens and early 20's.

 

[Changing4Best]

I've heard of others doing that kind of thing. You were not alone when you did that. I think that we can be hurt so bad sometimes that we do things like that, to protect ourselves from further hurt. @Fadeaway

 

[Hopefully]

@Hopefully I stopped wearing make-up when I turned maybe 30 or so, except for a...

It is an odd relationship I have with it. Part of me really enjoys using make up, hair styling and fashion, I find it fun, creative and a way to express myself but as I said before it is also a crutch and a mask that I want to hide behind. I probably worry far too much what people will think of me and I struggle with very low self esteem.

I am glad you have found a balance that works for you. I would of course never hold other people up to the rules I apply for myself!