Monday, September 28, 2020

Monday Spruce Up-Trial Run for Getting Back to a New Office Environment

      This is a brave post for me-actual pictures of me included. I'm not the most fashionable of sorts, and I'm sure my face could radiate beauty if I  followed a regiment for skin care and make up that takes a good portion of an hour to perform. But hey, what folks see is what they get. I like to be moderately put together though at work and when I go out of the house. Let me tell you though my standards which were not that high to begin with have really fallen in this work from home-stay at home as much as possible- world I am living in. Since I actually will be in the office, the first time in six months, I'm a little anxious. People will see my hair, my clothes, my eyes and when I do a  meeting in my office when others are remote, my whole face. Outside of my office, though I'll have the mask on, so do not want to leave a residue of make up behind. Today's going to be my trial run for when office life resumes sometime after the first of the year partially, but with masks a required wardrobe staple. I'll bring two back-up masks today.

     I have a little bit of summer color, so I don't really need make up to give me a glow, but I could use some evening out of my skin tone. Other than that, I'm wearing a little eye make-up, just to help my eyes "smile", and just a bit of blush. What's the sense of putting a huge face on to just have to scrub the heck out of the masks later? 

     Wardrobe wise, I'd love to dress up in a suit meeting way just to feel a little work normal, but that would be silly. The timing of this trip is so I can get my flue shot in the open clinic on site, so need my arm accessible. I also am not sure what the office temps will be, and I tend to get warm. I think I will wear one of the new sleeveless blouses with a cardigan since it's quite cool today. 

     And there I am, the finished package. If you don't look too close, you might not see the roots that definitely have gone gray since I've waited too long to color. The length of my hair is getting a bit  ridiculous for me as well, but between last week when I decided to schedule time in the office and now, I didn't have time or inclination to take care of either. I'll have an easy drive in the office, since it will be midday, but the end of the day will be rush hour. It has been some time since I've tackled  the traffic, so I'm both nervous and exhilarated. 

My readers know camera work is not my best blog element, and trying to take photos of myself, even worse. Here's an attempt. Pup wanted to be in the picture too. Ignore my awkward pose. There you have it, my Monday spruce up, ready for the office. 

Obviously no anti-glare frames.

I don't know why my legs look so short.


28 comments:

  1. I think you look lovely, and the advantage of not wearing much make-up is that nobody faints when you take it all off! The older I got the less make-up I worse too but I don't think that's a bad thing. And if your legs look short in that last picture, it seems like the camera is way up above you. But you still look great!

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    1. You have a point with the no make-up. I had so little on yesterday not much difference, but I felt a little spruced up. YEs-I took a wrong angle as I have leanred.

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  2. Sam, you are beautiful! Those are great photos of you. I know how you feel about taking photos of yourself. I tried to take one to update mine and I just gave up, lol. Stay safe at work today and I hope you have a good day!

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    1. It was OK in the office-check todays post comin gin a bit. You are very kind, and I encourage you to give the self photos a try.

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  3. I think you are perfectly beautiful. I love your hair!

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    1. Thanks, Meg. I have a love hate relationship with my hair. It grows so fast and is thick, but it is not graying gracefully so I have been tied to color.

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  4. You look great! I try to tell myself that I don't really pay super close attention to the details of someone else's appearance, so they probably don't with me either, LOL.

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    1. Funny though, in some work cultures, the image is key. I don't have that so much, but on occasion, I have felt under or overdressed.

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  5. You look great, enjoy your trial run!

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  6. I also hate pictures of myself but I don't think you have anything to worry about. I haven't worn makeup since my early 30's. Just not a candidate for all the stuff on my face - I chew off lipstick, and I rub my eyes so always got raccoon eyes. Not a great look. I know the makeup that is available now is water proof, smear proof etc. but that doesn't sound any more appealing to me. And with the mask wearing, I would think it would be a real pain. You are a lovely lady and I suspect you would look just as nice without makeup. Hope your day is going as well as possible. You've got this. Ranee (MN)

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    1. I hear you! Part of wearing mascara keeps me from rubbing my eyes, and I do a lot of that as I've aged. Sleep crystals are so heavy and not just when I sleep. I see the amount some of these beauty vloggers wear and I can't imagine that it isn't all just on their masks, but I guess they know what they are doing.

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  7. Replies
    1. It is a good 4-6 inches longer than I would like, but most days I twist and put it back in a messy bun.

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  8. You look awesome, SAM - your hair is magnificent (I have hair envy!) and so thick! That's a perfect office outfit (it will be colder than you think in your office, I'd wager). Layers are always key!

    A camera trick that I use (I take all my own pictures, using the 10-second timer on my camera), is to put my camera on something at waist height, like a desk or bookshelf. It will actually make you look taller overall. I am only 5'4", so you can see it works on my pics! Alternately, if someone is taking your picture, have them sit down and be about 10' away from you. The slight angle up of the camera will elongate your legs.

    Good luck with the traffic, and stay safe!

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    1. I appreciate the camera advice-obviously now I now I was dong the exact wrong thing. With my office door shut, it got really warm so I was glad to have the sleeveless shirt underneath. Who knows, maybe I'll add pictures of my dress every Monday. I inherited good hair from my dad. He had a full head of thick hair, though very dark, right until he passed away. My mom didn't have overly thin hair either, though she was a permed and setter, and tough on her hair where I a pretty minimalist, until the last 6 years when I started coloring four times per year.

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  9. Beautiful! And you also have way more courage than me, I’d be so nervous to show my face. Any negativity would eat me alive, even from some troll-bot. I keep up with my roots because my dark hair has been wanting to go grey since my 20’s and only wear makeup from the eyes up. Other than that I’m pretty low maintenance. You do look happy to be going in for a little bit. JoAnn

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    1. Well, I go no where so no fans will recognize me anyway, haha. I'm sure I say worse about myself than a troll ever would, and the bots-I've almost developed a sense of humor with how stupid they are.

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  10. Love it!
    I think this trial run should be a more permanent thing! You look great

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    1. We'll see. Maybe a Monday nod to the week.

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  11. Nice to see you! Looking very pretty. I love your hair. It looks very healthy. I decided to go gray so, my hair looks ridiculuous these days. I am thinking, I need a good whole year to get rid of the color in my hair. It doesn't grow fast enough.

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    1. I am not ready for full gray, so until then, I will color, but I can imagine it will take along time to get to a nice gray stage if I decide to go natural. While my hair grows fast, I would also want to cut it fairly short. I have had short bobs before, so could do it.

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  12. You look wonderful! I figure the angle of the camera is what makes you legs look short. I don't take pictures of myself and only let others take them under duress.

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    1. I am trying to be brave as I age, and yep, bad camera angle I have learned.

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  13. You look great! I love your long, thick hair! How tall are you? A trial run was a good move for your first day back. Stay safe!

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    1. A bit too long at my age though perhaps, though most days I pull back in a bun or pony. I'm 5'6" so not short but not tall either-pretty average.

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  14. You look so lovely! And, I think your hair looks fantastic. I have a color grow out at this point almost to my ear line, and the sad part is that pre-COVID (6 weeks before, maybe?) was the first time I'd colored my hair in ~4-5 years. So many regrets! Oh well. I'm going to now just let it grow all the way out, so it matches, and cut it short, once I can get back to a hair salon.

    My hair is almost the same length at this point. I'm hoping to go about shoulder length, once the salons open.

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  15. You look fantastic! Your hair is stunning, so thick and long. I have hair envy.
    I'm loving the top you're wearing, too. Such a good print. x

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