An interesting observation on my day off...

Even though I don't look like a million bucks when I'm at work (let's face it, I barely look like $7.82) I still attempt to put some semblance of mascara on, brush my hair, and smell not like a foot (aka I shower on the regs.) On my day off this past week,I had no plans thus I woke up around 10:30 and hung out for a little while and then accompanied my dear mother to the grocery store which is one of my favorite activities. In lieu of the fact that it was hot out and I was only going to Market Basket, I put no makeup on, wore a VERY casual outfit that could have doubled as an outfit for a game of pick up basketball, and threw my hair up in a rough hewn manner with no cares in the world. I was in a YOLO state of mind, to put it in the words of today's young people. While I was walking around the grocery store and interacting with people, it seemed as though I was getting weird looks. Yes, I was dressed like a slob and yes I might have looked like a hot mess but it was my choice to look that way. The people in Market Basket were a small sampling of the general population (and not a great representation at that...) but it got me thinking about looking good and feeling good in relation to societal pressures. When I look nicer, which takes more time and effort than just throwing on clothes and pulling my hair back, I feel more confident and have a more positive self image but is that because of my own personal feelings or a result of societal conditioning? I honestly have no idea but I get upset if people do not look a certain way, they are treated less than or just not given the same attention as people who abide by and uphold the "normal" standards of beauty. Everyone has their own sense of style and it seems unfair to judge him/her in comparison to an often unrealistic standard of beauty. I wish people were less critical of physical characteristics(even if it is unconscious criticism) and be more attentive to a person's character as his/her defining quality. That's all for tonight! Stay cool! -Mere :)