Interesting question. I wonder if it has to do with those who no longer go out to work.
Orchid I am assuming that you still work?
I work part-time. I have various levels to my wardrobe. I wear light make-up, but will skip a day if I am home.
Although I would not say I am girlie, I do like my hair to look nice and I do enjoy wearing nice clothing.

Not girlie here... I do put on a touch of mascara from time to time (maybe once in 3-4 months) and used to go through streaks where I'd do eye shadow and blush when I worked in an actual office (though not all the time even then). I like to look nice but never liked the feeling of gunk on my face. Now that I'm working from a home office, I don't feel the need at all. And off time is usually spent in the garden, at our camp, out camping somewhere else, garage sales, other outdoor activities. So no make up or dress up required there! I do actually own a dress or two and some nice slacks and sweaters and put them on for dress up occasions when they arrive.

I have one semi formal dress that I last wore about 15 years
ago. I have one pair of heels that go with the dress.
Otherwise, no dresses, skirts, heels or make-up.
I golf a lot so my wardrobe consists of casual and "dressy"
golf outfits, sneakers, jeans, tees and slouch sweats.
My extent of formal wear is slacks and a sweater.
I towel dry my hair and that's that.

This post was edited by lindakathy on Tue, Nov 5, 13 at 9:22

I want my hair to look nice but don't put on makeup unless going out. I love jewelry but don't wear it much. I wear jeans and sweaters most day only dressing up for church or meetings. Some days I will wear the same jeans two days in a row if they aren't dirty. I guess I'm not very girlie.

This post was edited by jkayd_il5 on Tue, Nov 5, 13 at 9:24

Ah, I remember the days. . . heels, hose, hat, perfume and gloves. Just to go to work. Thank goodness that I don't have to do that now.

I don't mind getting up early, in fact, prefer it, but absolutely HATE getting dressed. When I do, if I have to go out, it's very casual. I no longer wear heels as I have very bad feet. No longer wear perfume (although I do look at the bottles on my dresser) as I now know that so many people dislike it.

Fortunately, I can wash my hair and let it air dry and it looks good. Make-up? Maybe some mascara so people will be able to see that I have eyes, but I'm so conscious of looking like a raccoon that I gave the rest of it up long ago. The older I get the lighter and lighter my lipstick goes, if I wear it at all. At least if I don't look like a raccon, I don't want to look like a clown.

I guess I am a little girlie. Unless I know for sure that I am staying home all day, I blow out my hair every day. I wash it about every three days. I put on makeup every time I leave the house -- foundation, eye liner, eye shadow (neutral colors), mascara and blush. I rarely wear lipstick, though. It just doesn't look good on me.

Even if I am just working in the yard or going for a walk, I wear makeup because I am likely to see people I know or even people I don't know.

I can dress pretty sloppy around the house but then worry that someone may come to the door. I always take the time to put on something that looks nice to go out, even if it is a nice pair of jeans and a sweater. Women around here rarely go out in old jeans in a t-shirt unless it's someone young who looks cute in anything. I do see a lot of women in their yoga-style clothes, which sometimes look nice and sometimes not depending on how lumpy they are!

I wear jewelry because I feel naked without it. Earrings, watch, bracelet, ring and necklace. Sometimes I skip the bracelet and ring.

As I've aged I feel less girly and think that it is more important than ever to take time to look nice.

I never wear perfume. It drives me crazy although I have noticed a very light scent on others that is pleasant.

No I don't work outside the home, I am a "kept" woman. lol When I pick out my clothes, it is mostly jeans & a nice shirt if I am staying at home, a little dressier if I am going out. Like today. I am wearing a pair of corduroy jeggings. a camisole that is brown to matdh my jeggings a sweater that has built in holes, hence the camisole. I have took a bath & washed my hair & fixed it with "goop" & hairspray. My hair would survive a hurrricane lol I wear Estee Lauder powder makeup (like Bare Essusentials) blush, eyeshadows, eye liner & mascara. I am also wearing a Cheetah scarf around my neck, so no necklace but I am wearing Cheetah print earrings. If I do go out I will either wear brown boots or Cheetah print flats. I have on brown knee highs with white socks over them & a pair of Cheetah houseshoes..So I am Cheetahed out today. I was going to take Molly to work this morning, but I oversllept, so I am stuck at home today. Unless I call a friend & we go out to lunch or something...OhI am wearing Inish perfume that is from Ireland.

I do it for me and to look nice for my DH, who appreciates it. Just like I get up before him, make his lunch & breakfast & we all cook dinner together.

I have a house cleaning schedule that I go by. Today I have to clean my room, dust all 3 bedrooms & clean my bathroom. Tonight either Tony or Molly will vacuum the bedrooms & Molly will clean her bathroom. And I will play on the laptop when I come out to smoke..

To answer the question, I don't consider myself "girly", but I guess my definition is a bit different. By girly, I thought you meant all kinds of pink and foo-foo and frilly. That's not me at all.

On work days I obviously get dressed appropriately. For my job, appropriate isn't necessarily suits and dresses, but "business casual". Today I'm wearing nice slacks, a black turtleneck (a nice one), and a vest. Oh, and heels. I don't mind heels; in fact, I like them. I like shoes, in general!

When I get home from work now that it gets dark and cold so early, I often will get right into my pajamas!

But on weekend or non-work days? I dress very down. Jeans or workout pants. Perhaps a sweatshirt or other sweater. Always clean. I shower and wash my hair every day, and do blow-dry my hair as it only looks good that way. But never, ever spend more than 5 minutes drying my hair. Fortunately, I don't need to use styling products. And I can't imagine using hairspray!

I do use makeup, but not heavily at all. Foundation, some blush, some shadow and mascara. Only when going to work, church, out with friends, that type of thing. Never, ever when taking the walk, working in the yard, or at home.

>> I have on brown knee highs with white socks over them
I don't understand .... are you saying knee high nylons with socks over the knee highs? If so, why? Why not one or the other?

I'm in the middle. I wear makeup and perfume every day for work, but I won't on the weekends unless I'm going out. However, I will not go in public without at least a little bit of makeup on. I envy people who can go without it and still look human.

As soon as I get home from work, I change into my pajamas. :)

I have long, straight hair that doesn't need anything other than washing and brushing. I don't think I've used a blow dryer or hairspray in over 5 years. I am also not really a jewelry person.

Not at all. I do put on make up when I go to town...usually...mascara and lipstick. I only wear comfortable clothes and that usually means no bra. I am not at all interested in clothes. I am interested in plants, junk, mules, donkeys, food.....that's about it.

I have tile in my laundry room & kitchen that is cold & the knee highs won't keep my feet warm hence the socks over the knee highs. The knee highs had to go on before I put the jeggings on, so I put the socks & houseshoes on to keep my feet warm. My hair is short so I have to "fix" it unless I want to look like a boy..lol I have worked out a makeup routine so it only takes between 5 & 10 minutes for the full make up. I take longer if I am going out on a date with Tony....

WoW! Orchid, it wore me out just reading your daily plan.I am a jeans and sweater/tshirt kinda gal out in public, capri style jeans in warmer weather. I have lots of cute tops, I do like to look cute;) I like shoes also, of course cute ones. I never wear make up, I just never got in the habit, since I worked in an elementary cafeteria it was too humid for makeup. I do have tinted BB lotion, I love to wear, but usually too lazy to do it. Always wear lippy stick, when I am out and about.

I live in pj's, and my yoga pants when in the house~~I would wear my PJ bottoms out but DH would have a fit~~~so yoga pants are a good second to wear for a quick run to the store.

I have allergies so no perfumes. I do wear jewelry always when I am out. Since my mantra in life is Peace, I am never with out a piece of jewelry that says it or has the Peace sign~it is my signature thing. I wear daily on my right middle finger a ring that says it and smallish diamond hoop earrings. That is my casual, if I am really going out I wear, a ring on each hand, I have several middle finger rings, some silver, some white gold. Going out out I always wear bracelets, another signature item. I wear them in odds 1-3-5-I have a group of 7 thin silver ones I wear alot. Always one with Peace on it, I like small jewlery, never bulky.

I am a girlie girl~~~but never fussy.

I'm not girly. Not at all. I wear t-shirts and jeans all the time; this time of year I also wear sweatshirts and a Carhart jacket. Flat hiking shoes all the time because I have orthopedic problems - need the support. No makeup either, no purse.

I do not work outside the home, and I don't see the point of dressing up for a trip into town/the hardware store/wherever. People in this small town in particular tend to be really informal - even more than is typical for Western Washington.

When I was younger, I liked dressing up, even when my work didn't require that I look nice. I did makeup, nail polish, dresses, heels - the works. Now I dress strictly for comfort.

I also do non girly things - split most of the firewood that we use - about 4 cords a year. Things like that. My dh works at his job all day, so I'd feel horrible if I didn't pitch in with the outside work. I don't do non girly things because I wish I were a man (!), but because I'm practical - those things need to be done, so I do them.

I guess I'm girlie as I wear Estee Lauder foundation every day plus blush and prime it with a moisturizer, then fill in eyebrows, line my eyes, soft lipstick. I do my hair every day. For clothes I usually wear jeans and tops with jackets. I wear John Hardy bracelets every day on one arm and wear four rings, they never come off. I wear mostly earthy colors even though I'm fair and blonde. For shoes I wear Mephistos exclusively due to back issues. I have a host of shoulder bags, all large. I like scarves and, on very cold days, I wear my "hair hat" Raquel Welch wig that matches my hair to a tee so I don't have a cold head. This sounds so complicated in print but I can be out of bed, showed and dressed in 15 minutes if need be. Owning a salon for over 40 years I had to be the standard for others to follow so I felt we should all look our best every day.

gladys, I can barely lift an AX! How the heck can you split firewood, and I'm a pretty strong woman. I am too weak for a chainsaw too! I do a lot of man things like mow and weed eat but I think that chopping firewood is where I'd have to draw the line simply because I cannot physically do it myself.

I hope Gladys splits it the way I do--with a hydraulic splitter. Mine is relatively small and electric, but it does a great job. Here's some of my handiwork. Like Gladys, I do it for practical reasons: I want to save a ton of money (and enjoy my woodstove) by burning wood, so it needs to be cut. But when it comes to going out, I like to think I clean up good. :-)

{{!gwi}}

Arkansas Girl - I confess that I actually use a splitting maul - I think it's 8 pounds. I use it with 5-6 lb splitting wedges, but I don't do over the head swings. I'd probably miss the target! I just swing it about 2 feet, kind of like pounding a nail in. I do use an axe for making kindling - a large axe with the larger pieces; when I get the pieces smaller (like 2 inches thick or less), I switch to a hatchet, like what you'd use on a camping trip. It really isn't difficult, and I'm not amazingly fit (darn).

Once a politician stopped at our house - doorbelling, you know. I walked over to greet him absentmindedly swinging a big ax - I'd been busy making kindling. I was amazed at how quickly he left! I'm sure he thought he'd stumbled onto a crazy woman!

It's funny - my mother used to tell me I should let my dh split wood - I could chop off a finger, you know. So I should let my dh chop off *his* finger instead? Anyway, with this method, it's easy and safe....my mother also told me that I would lose my child bearing ability by splitting wood. Of course, that isn't something that would ever happen to any woman, and anyway, by that time, I'd already *lost* my childbearing ability! hah!

I know that wood splitting/carrying isn't considered ladylike, but I think it's easier and less messy than schlepping babies and toddlers around - little ones that may have overflowing diapers at any moment!

I am very low maintenance but like to look nice. I wear business casual clothes when I go out but do own a couple of dresses that I wear with flats or sandals because my legs are good if I must say so myself. I love jeans but they have to fit well. I always wear foundation and lipstick but seldom wear perfume. I also have three or four good chains and pendants that I take turns wearing. I always have one of them around my neck.

I wear a little make-up everyday. A light foundation, lip gloss and masacara. It has always been a part of my daily routine and only takes a couple of minutes. I do it even if I am home all day, working in the garden or sick. Same goes for my hair. It's naturally wavy and thick, so I use a flat iron to control the frizzies. I wear scented body lotion instead of perfume. My current favorite is Beautiful by Estee Lauder. It's very subtle.

I work 4 days a week in a small office with men. I dress like them. Pants and sweaters this time of year, shorts and tops in the summer. I wear make up to work and some jewelry. At home it's leggings and tshirts/sweatshirts/shorts depending on the weather. The bolder holder is the first thing to come off when I get home. The make up is next. I wear no jewelry when I'm home and if I have to run out it's whatever I have on at the time. I wear no perfume, can't stand it when someone comes in my office with it on and it stays in there when they are gone. I'm a country girl, barefoot when I can be and generally funky. My hair is very short and somewhat curly, silver with a touch of black. I wash it, finger comb it and let it be. My hair hasn't seen a dryer since the 80's.
I don't own a dress, can't stand them. Heels, out of the question, I'm like a bull in a china closet and not the least bit graceful. I say what's on my mind and try not to be disrespectul. Met with my new boss yesterday making plans for one side of our business, we were discussing bringing on a specialist for our life insurance business, I have seen my share of them and tried working with them in the past, told new boss they were useless as tits on a bull, I thought he was going to lose his lunch.
I'm not sure I made a good impression on him or not.

I am thinking of quitting smoking, so I have been using a cigarette holder like women did in the roaring twenties. I don't get the full on flavor or near the amount of nicotine doing it this way...lmbo

I hope you do quit. :) I lost my mom a few years ago from lung cancer and she was only in her 40's. She won't see me get married or meet her grandkids. I miss her every day.

Laura, is there a hospital or Childrens Hospital in your town? Most need volunteers, if that's something that interests you.

What an enlightening thread. I thought I was the only tee shirt and jeans every day woman. I try to keep up on those pesky gray roots. I used to do the make up and hair doo thing when I worked, but only worry about that stuff when I go out. Which is not very often.
I also split wood. Last year DH bought me the little electric splitter like alisande's. That thing maybe little but boy does it work great. Before that I used to split with a maul.
This year he bought the bigger gas one. And he bought me a new electric chain saw. I wore the last one out. lol

we go through a lot of wood.
Laura

I enjoy being home and I have a favorite Aunt that is in a nursing home just down the road that I try to go visit once a week. I have another Aunt that I am afraid I won't see again unless I go up there soon. I just saw her Sunday and she is in bad shape. I hope she makes it to her birthday on the 8th of November she will be 94. I get a lot of my "girlieness" from my Aunt Rachel even as sick as she was when I saw her Sunday she still had on a necklace, her rings, powder, blush & bright pink lipstick. Her daughter had "fixed" her up because Aunt Rachel knew that my DB & I would be coming to see her.....

I have raised two wonderful kids so volunteering at a children's hospital is out....I am waiting on grandkids..LOL

Really I do enjoy the quietness of being alone in the house.. I don't get bored at all. I play on the computer, piddle around the house, watch TV and take a nap every day about now. I take a round of meds that make me sleepy. If I am still asleep when DH gets home my Prince Charming wakes me with a kiss or lets me sleep while he has some alone time..Now once our DD comes in from work everyone is awake & we either start dinner or finish up what I have already started....

As I said before I am now a "kept" woman & I love it!!!!! And my Prince Charming loves it too..

You use a chainsaw, auntyara? I'm impressed. Chainsawing is something I've always left up to my dh. I think I'm afraid of chainsaws! What kind of wood is that?

People often ask why we don't get/rent a wood splitter. We joke that we have two of them already! I am the primary splitter; dh is the backup! It's excellent exercise - beats working out in a gym.

Right now we're in an apartment while we build - no wood stove, and I miss it! BUT - we'll get the stove installed in our new house next week, after drywall - yippee!

I think the "girlie" thing relates to if you are in a rural environment or in a city. In our small town, many of the women are active outdoors, working on property and/or doing backcountry stuff on our mountain trails. Hard to be inspired to be "girlie" here. But in town, especially if you live in a condo/small house - sure. It's easier to maintain your hair/nails because you're not always beating them up outside!

Not girly at all. Yoga pants and sweatshirts in the winter , shorts and tee shirt in the summer. No bra around the house. No make up unless I'm going somewhere. I have never worn foundation, so a little bronzer, pale eyeshadow and lipstick. I wash my hair two or three times a week , never colored or had a perm and I blow dry it till the next time.

I love the juxtaposition of those talking about cheetah scarves and those talking about chain saws and splitting wood, lol.

I should be girly, because I have several closets full of clothes, many pairs of heels and boots, accessories, makeup, face and hair products, etc. But I am not anymore. I'm one of those who wear my yoga pants everywhere (no lumps that I can see, ha ha). I have, however, maintained very nice skin for a 54 year old by eating right, exercising, not smoking, and drinking alcohol minimally. That may sound boring to some, but I love my life. I look really good with makeup on but I just don't care to impress anyone anymore. And if I wear makeup to work it gets all over my surgical mask, so why bother. I just feel like I don''t really need it.

I wish the OP much success in her endeavor to quit the cigs. If you are on a regimen of medications that make you sleepy I assume you have pain of some sort. I find that many chronic pain patients feel better when they live healthy. Not research based, just my own observation. Good luck.

Are you a nurse or a doc, sleeperblues? My main neuro nurse always wears full makeup and jewelry, even to OR. I remember waking up in OR - they woke me up deliberately, not accidentally - and being impressed at how nice she looked! Although I don't think she was there in a sterile job - was in front of the sterile drape. But OTOH, if you spend most of your time masked, it could be a pain to deal with makeup.

I am 58 and still work full-time. It is sometimes hard to make "attractive" and "sensible" meet, but that is my goal. I don't think I would call myself "girlie", more like "womanly". I don't mean that to refer to any level of maturity, but when I visualize the word "girlie", I picture Barbie, LOL. I still wear makeup every day, weekends included - not much, just eyeliner and mascara and sometimes lip gloss. Even though I now have a "sensible" hairdo, I still consider it attractive. I spend less time on it, but I wouldn't go out without every hair in place (unless I'm going fishing and have to wear a hat). Even after I've finished with my do and makeup, if I am going to go out I will still go into the bathroom and check to see if anything needs rearranging, which really makes DH laugh. He always says, "You look fine", but I think he would say that if I asked him that question after I just got out of bed, LOL. I wear slacks and blouses both at work and at home most of the time. I do own jeans, but I'm not really comfortable in them. It has been years since I wore a dress, though. Oh, I take that back. I did wear a dress last year to a niece's wedding, but I wasn't really comfortable in it. The one area that I can't get attractive and sensible to blend is shoes. My feet are shot from walking in heels several miles a day when I was young and vain and didn't drive. I now spend more than I'd like on shoes that I haven't quite convinced myself that they look nice. But comfort wins out in this instance. Now, if I just find a bra that offers me the support I need that is REALLY comfortable.

I always wear makeup to work. I usually go without (or just wear a little powder) on the weekends unless we are going to a nice restaurant. I'm lucky to have good skin & don't need much makeup. I just keep my nails shaped; I don't bother with polish on fingers or toes. I usually style my hair even if I'm going to be home. It's short & doesn't take much time. I love clothes & enjoy dressing up. I wear business clothes to work every day. I like accessorizing with jewelry & scarves. My usual at-home outfit is yoga pants & a tee shirt. My absolute favorite "uniform" is a maxi dress with sandals. That's pretty much what I live in from spring to fall. It looks dressed up but is very comfortable & requires little effort.

I like to look presentable, but if someone sees me dressed down or without makeup on, its ok. However, I shower dailey and dont wear gross stuff to walmart. I get weary of bad odors on folks at winco and walmart.

I call it polished..on work days I am polished...on weekends..I am comfortable and finished. Lol
Sometimes that is sans make up and in jeans and boots...or yoga pants and tshirt with hot pink sneakers.

I am a girly girl I wear a lot of pink..

Today for work..I am in denim cuffed trousers, red ballet flats, black lace cami and red cardigan.
My hair is in a pony tail with a braid. My eye make up is pinks with cat eye liner. I never wear foundation or lip stick..usually just lip balm, date night mauve gloss.

Yesterday I was in a black denim skirt with ruffles, black boots, tank and hot pink cardigan..my hair was pulled back behind my ears but long...my make up was a smokey eye.

I have been looking for just the right pair of animal print ballets..my preference is zebra...I am not opposed to cheetah. :)

I don't wear foundation often -- never got back to that since hot flashes, and foundation is difficult with Senior fuzz and wrinkles.

I wash and blow dry my (colored) chin-length hair twice a week. I add brown to my greying eyebrows and wear a little mascara, lipliner and lipstick daily -- at home or out.

I like to look 'nice', more tailored than girlie -- and not some indeterminate gender, draped in a sack. I still have a waistline and good posture -- 5'6"and 115 lbs. (I keep the saggy parts covered!)

I was never a 'ring' person; just my diamond/wedding band. I wouldn't want to draw attention to my hands today anyway. They've changed from model shapely to old, with some arthritic joints. (Do encourage any girls you know NOT to over-use their hands on strenuous chores. Some things really are 'men's work'.)

I am down to just gold and pearl earrings since being burgled a few years ago. I prefer small and quality to 'flash' anyway.

I can't tolerate perfume, but I do use scented soap. Occasionally someone standing next to me will comment that I 'smell nice'. LOL

I think I'm doing OK. No children have run away, shrieking. DH is happy to be seen in my company.

Sorry, Chisue, but I'll have to differ with you on the issue of *women* doing men's work.

I'm not sure that doing strenuous work causes old, ugly hands. I haven't seen any scientific evidence to that effect, and of the elderly women that I've known well - my mother and my MIL - they both have/had arthritic, unmodel like hands, and I *know* they never did any "men's" work.

To the contrary - I haven't split much wood this year due to our house building project, and I can tell how out of shape I am from the lessened activity. Both men and women should use proper technique when doing strenuous activity, but that kind of thing is important for long term good health. Whether it's lifting actual weights or lifting a splitting maul - that kind of thing helps keep your bones strong and your heart healthy.

(Climbing off my soapbox now and returning to my day of doing "men's work": Splitting and moving firewood and not obsessing about keeping my hands pretty. ;-) )

Total tomboy here and would only wear jeans or workout pants if I didn't work outside the home. I wear light foundation and mascara only. I just can't justify the time to apply any other makeup as I can get ready in 20 minutes each morning including feeding the dog. My work clothes are all separates I can mix and match so I just open the closet and pick two. Luckily I only need to wash my hair every second or third day so all I have to do is brush and I'm good. Not a fan of perfume or jewelry either.

gladys1924 -- I scoffed when a childhood friend's mother cautioned me, "You'll ruin your beautiful hands!" She was right, though. My hands were a wreck before I was fifty -- and to what purpose?

My parents divorced when I was a child. My mother and I did most of the 'men's work' at our house, and I did most of it when I married an 'un-handy' man. I'm not talking about full-body movement. I am talking about grabbing, pushing, pulling, rubbing, forcing, wringing, twisting -- with your hands. I was proud that I could do so much. Now I'm sorry. There was no *need* for it. Nobody would have been the worse had I not done it. My long, thin fingers weren't made for it. I don't know what I thought I was proving!

I guess if there is no "need" to do physical stuff, then you shouldn't do it.

But for some of us - some of us have property. Large yards, etc. Dh and I have almost 6 acres. We heat our house with wood heat. He earns a good living as a professional for a large airplane manufacturer. If we are going to live where we do and the way that we do - we love the wood stove - that means I need to pitch in and do my share of the work. I don't mind, either. I'm limited in other ways, due to knee injuries (that are due to my body structure, not my activities). But I *can* split wood and do other work. Dh does have a thinner bone structure than I do, so in some ways, I am probably better off doing the wood splitting.

Being active keeps me strong and healthy. If it makes my hands ugly - which I really doubt - then that's the way it is. I'm really not concerned about having model like hands. Although despite decades of hard work (I'm over 50), I think they look darned good.

I'm not someone to say "oh, I can't do X. That's a job for a man." If I have the physical ability to do a task, I will.

But - each to her own, I guess! ;-)

Nah, not me. After I retired I just got comfy. Jeans or shorts and tees. I don't think I even own a dress and only a couple of skirts. I didn't have to dress up very much when I worked but I did do make-up. I seldom wear it now. Just once in a while. My hair is wash and go but I'm trying to let it grow out a little so I have used the curling brush the last couple of days. I never use hairspray and rarely use mascara. I hate it.

I used to wear jewelry but now I only wear my wedding rings. I had to give up cologne/perfume years ago due to allergies. No earrings even thought my ears are pierced. Allergic to metal and got allergic to the hypoallergenic earrings too.

I'm just basically low maintenance. I used to like to shop but now I'd rather go to Lowes than the mall.

Yeah, Lindy! Lowes and HD are great places. In our small town we have a unique hardware store - it has fun, uneven hardwood floors, narrow twisty aisles, terrific selection of hardware (terrific for this town of 3,002). It's decorated with vintage lanterns, tools, etc. Wonderful place! We have a Cabelas in a nearby town - fun place to buy clothes! Neither place is "girly" at all!!

What an interesting thread! I can definitely say I come down on the girly side. Makeup is as much a part of my daily routine as toothpaste. My hair is short and colored and I use various products depending on the look I'm going for. I love jewelry and am never without earrings and a watch, usually a necklace. I change my jewelry daily to go with my outfit.
I still work, and I get fairly dressed up, especially on the two or three days a week I am in court. On other days I can be a little more casual, but usually still have a jacket or blazer, just in case.On days off it's jeans, or capris in warm weather. but nice dark jeans and nice tops. I only own two sweatshirts and they are zippered hoodies that I take to picnics, or when working in the garden.
The biggest problem I have as I get older is finding the right shoes. Like many here, I can't really wear high heels anymore, although I love the way they look. But I still want a narrow, feminine heel. Shoes tend to look either too old, like orthopedic, or too young, like clunky. Summer is easier because there are lots of pretty sandals and open toed shoes with a lower feminine heel, but in winter it is tough to find a closed toe shoe or booty with a kitten type heel. I don't like flats at all,my legs are short and they make me look stumpy.
I really believe in taking good care of your feet, so now that the weather is cold, I will remove the polish from toenails and moisturize them every morning before putting on knee-highs, or trouser socks. I never wear bare feet in closed-toe shoes. and I never walk barefoot. I am 60 years old but my feet look 30.
When my children were little and I was home all day, I got in the habit of wearing sneakers all the time. After a while I couldn't wear shoes without feeling that they hurt my feet. I had to learn to wear shoes again. Now I rarely wear sneakers unless I'm gardening, working out, or doing a lot of walking, like at Disney World.
I think you can be comfortable in nice clothes, it is just what you get used to.

I am girlie but not so much in the make up department anymore for everyday but if I am going somewhere other than staying home I wear makeup, I wear my rings, ear rings, nice clothes, lip stick always. I love purses

My house decor is very feminine, I like doing needlework and hand stitching, love pink roses, a few character figurines and crystal. .

I only use the electric chainsaw. The gas ones are way too heavy for me now. And I have such a hard time starting them. Dang pull start tools! We buy the log lengths because they work out less than $100.00 a cord. Mostly oak, some hickory, maple and ash. All good stuff. I used to hate stacking until DH set up pallet walls. All the logs are cut up and split. Some were just quartered so I can lift them and split to smaller sizes when I feel like it :)

You have some good hard wood down there, don't you? We mostly have fir here, some alder. The softer woods. Oh well. You use what you have. We have gotten logging truck loads of logs - rejects from the lumber mills, I think. The price comes out to be about $100 a cord for us as well. Dh chainsaws it up and then I stack it and split it as I have time....working with the wood is such good exercise! I have to be careful moving it because of my trashed knees, but splitting seems okay. So I split as much as I have time for!

I'm impressed with those of you who split wood! I don't do that...but then, don't have a wood burning stove. I do a lot of physical labor though. A few weeks ago, I unloaded thirty 50 lb. bags of feed, by myself. Jody wasn't home to help and I needed to get it done. I admit, I stopped to rest a lot, and I didn't get finished until 4 a.m....because I stopped at 2 a.m. and went to bed for an hour, but I got up and finished it. I was proud of myself....and I didn't hurt my back doing it, and was fine the next day....except for the lack of sleep the night before. I'm 67 years old...I try to stay active.

I'm 74...yes Orchid.I got old while you were absent and I don't really do any of your routines either but still girlie...I do hair every day...but it's pretty much still wash and wear and finally quit coloring it...I only do makeup when I go somewhere and at 74 I have toned that wayyyyyy down but I still love makeup and wish I could still wear it all...all the chemo and radiation have left me with lots of missing lashes and brows so I color those a bit but since I have all the wrinkles that comes with being 74 I don't do anything to draw attention to them...My retired attire is jeans and t's or around home I wear a lot of pj type things with t's....I picked up that habit when I was sick but remember I live in the country so no one is likely to just pop in...I'd say I'm pretty girly..probably more more old girly,,,

Good grief, Marilyn - 50 lb bags of feed is nothing to sneeze at! Not to mention moving them during the middle of the night. You probably have horses as well - and take care of them, cleaning stalls and grooming? I've done that - in a volunteer job - hard work.

Splitting wood is easy. Really. Mostly it's moving light weight over and over...It just has the Paul Bunyan lumberjack image that is completely unearned! And - there is something satisfying about hearing the ping as another piece of wood splits and then watching the wood pile grow.

I have routines and I'm girly! The only day I don't wear makeup is Saturday. It's to give it all a rest. But I wear jewelry every day. And coordinated. My younger sis used to give me heck when my underclothing color matched my outerclothing color. Or coordinated. I guess I'm overboard! Except, I had to quit wearing high heels. I have a now diagnosed back disorder and nothing over an inch. I have given up trying to find cute shoes that work either. I have a pair of black and a pair of brown bicycle shoes. I feel like a guy! Far from it, but no more heels. I'm still mourning the loss.

Not much "Girlie" about me.

Don't have much hair ... use a comb; get a haircut occasionally.

Wash my face.

And hands.

Casual clothes ... when going out: rough clothes, coveralls, most of 'em patched (or needing some), etc. for the garden.

Asked at the library, etc. the other day how people liked my pants ... part of a suit that I had tailor-made in Hong Kong ... 56 years ago. Had a sheet of silk about a foot high running from seam to seam over the front part of the leg to let the leg slide over one's knee more easily.

ole joyful

P.S. I've said for years that I think that many people expect (male) clergypersons to be/act semi-female ... as they're supposed to be kind, considerate, loving, forgiving, compassionate, etc., which we often consider (well, considered, in an earlier generation) to be female characteristics.

But ...

... wait a minute ...

... we say that God's like that, too, don't we?

Maybe some of such characteristics might not look bad on your average male, either.

It'll be a happier society if we choose to act on such ideas.

o j

OJ -- You are living proof that a real 'guy' can be a good guy.

My grandmother had a (justified) distrust of men, but she always said she'd married one of the good ones. I think that must have been true, although he died before I was born. My mother got her love for her fellow man from her father, rejecting her mother's fearful, suspicious nature. (Grandpa followed his Masonic creed.)