Looking Neat

You don’t have to look like a model or Hollywood celebrity all of the time, but you should aim to give a good impression with your hygiene and mature style.  You don’t have to be a “girlie girl” to adhere to these suggestions.  You never know who you’ll have to impress:  a cute boy, a potential boss, a college counselor, a sponsor for a scholarship, or unexpected guests.  The way you look should not prevent you from making a possibly productive connection.  What does this mean?  The day you rushed out of the house without showering, no make-up, hair barely done, and your hot pink nail polish peeling off is the day you meet the one guy you wish would ask you out!  Don’t let that be you!

1. Shower at night.  If you ever skip showers in the morning, because you can’t get up on time, shower right before bed.  Blow out your hair, shave, and exfoliate, all of the time-consuming stuff.  In the morning, take a “quick rinse”, sans hair wetting, and you’ll be ready in less than 10 minutes to walk out the door, but you’ll be fresh as a daisy.  Soap suggestion:  Buy natural soap from LUSH or use organic Castile peppermint soap for sensitive skin.
2. Watch your nails.  If you like to get them manicured, keep them “normal.”  There is nothing more distracting than a little girl with nails that don’t belong on her body.  Your best bet is clean with clear gloss (you can reapply when it flakes off and it won’t look bad).  In the interest of saving money for more important things in life—like I don’t know, college—skip the silk wrap and acrylic fanciness.  If you must do color, get a French manicure or cover up short nails with a regular bold red manicure.  There is nothing worse than shaking someone’s hand with yucky-looking nails!  Nail polish suggestion:  Bring your own nail polish for retouching at home.  Invest in O.P.I nail polish.
3. Have a clean face.  Use oil blotters (for oily skin) or facial wipes (for normal/dry skins).  Even if you don’t wear make-up, this will keep your face looking “done” even though there is nothing on it.  Most importantly, it will diminish the shine and dirt on any zits!  Clean face suggestion:  Avoid blotters with powder residue.  Buy witch hazel travel wipes for your purse.
4. Pick good jewelry.  There’s a difference between “bling” and trashy.  If you’re going to mix gold and silver, fake and real, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and toe rings all on the same outfit, you’re just going to look awful.  Save your money and get yourself quality items that may last you a lifetime:  sterling silver, solid gold (not gold-plated), precious stones, and good watches (one for everyday use and one or two for dress-up).  Pick your fake jewelry wisely.  Jewelry suggestion:  Ask your jeweler for “classic” designs to avoid purchases going out of style.
5. Wear your size.  This may sound like a “no duh” idea, but you’d be surprised how many women do not wear flattering clothes.  First step:  go get measured for a bra.  You don’t want to have your straps too tight on your back or your breasts slipping out on the top or bottom.  Try your shoes on before you buy them.  If they’re too big, you’ll walk like an idiot.  If they’re too small, you’ll annoy everyone around you with your inevitable blister pain.  Whether you are heavy or skinny, don’t wear clothes that crease your “soft”—a.k.a. fat—parts.  Be confident.  You’ll look slimmer by wearing clothes that fit you “just right” than by wearing larger sizes to cover up bulges or flatness.  At the same time, don’t exaggerate with tightness. 

Always remember that you are a teenager, which means that you should have fun experimenting with your look.  Just don’t get carried away.  In a few years, you’ll want to look back at pictures and enjoy the memory, not hide a bad choice of outfit or style “phase.” 

Extremes in any part of your life are hardly ever a good idea.  Mix and balance—remember these two words—mix and balance.