Help Me De-Frumpify

I'm going through the post-baby “I look frumpy” stage of life. I've been ecstatic to have my clothes back and not to have the remnants of winter clothing/maternity clothes to limp by on, but now my own clothes have reminded me of the sad truth; I don't look like I did before the baby. I've gone through this before with Lydia, and I know that eventually my old clothes will not only fit on my body I (which for the most part they do), but actually look flattering while doing so (which for the most part they don't).

This has all emphasized the greater frumpiness I feel; It's something about having a baby. Both times in the months afterwards I've felt this. It could to do with the almost permanent spit-up adorning my shoulder (and sometimes hair that happened to be on the unfortunate shoulder). Maybe it's the bags under my eyes from night feedings. Not to mention the previously stated clothing problem. All this together makes me want to do something drastic, something exotic, so I'll feel human and attractive again.

Hence, I've decided to wear make-up.

What, you say? You don't wear make-up? Umm, no. I actually can't remember the last time I wore any. In fact, I don't even own any make-up any more, it's been so long.

Normally I feel confident in my own “natural beauty” (actually normally I just feel lazy), but at times like these post-baby ones, drastic measures are needed.

So, for all my female readers, what make-up do you wear and adore?

I'm pretty minimal, usually (well, when I used to wear make-up at all); I like foundation, mascara and eye shadow. Occasionally I'll wear eye liner, and even less often lipstick (I hate how it tastes, and so does Avram), and I never wear blush. I've never put any on that didn't look powdery and fake on me.

I like natural colors, like shades of pinks and browns; not blues and greens. (For the eyeshadow).

Anyway, please, someone with some fashion sense tell me what to get and where. While you're at it, tell me what to do with my hair so it has some volume while growing it long. And what to do with it every day.

For that matter, would anyone like to volunteer to be my personal fashion assistant? I can pick out my own clothes, but I'd need you to do everything else that I'm to lazy to do on a daily basis so that I look put together. The pay stinks, as do the rewards, but the thanks will be high.

After all, a well intentioned woman around my age and from Montana recently told me that I would love it there. Here words paraphrased: They don't keep up with national styles, and are all natural and don't wear make-up. It would be perfect for me! She meant this in a positive way; she loved growing up there. But for a moment it did sound to me like, “You wear ugly clothes and don't do anything with your hair or face, you'd love it there!” And this is how I come across to people who like me. I can only imagine what strangers see.

Not that I believe that make-up and nice hair and clothes do a nice person make. And I would never want to be so dependent on make-up that I wouldn't leave home without it on.

Stopping wearing make-up came very naturally. The first boyfriend I had in college commented shortly after we started dating that my face smelled like make-up (he had been in plays in high school, and so had worn stage make-up, and so had some intimacy with the product). He also asked me what I did to my eyebrows, which were plucked, and was horrified by the reply. Both led to my demise of facial products and manipulation. Avram told me he wouldn't kiss me on our wedding day if I wore lipstick. Guess who wore no lipstick on her wedding day?

Avram seems to be generally oblivious to how I look; he always thinks I look beautiful, even when I'm nine months pregnant and have a cold. I do appreciate this; I'd rather have this end of the spectrum than husbands who have standards their wives have to live up to, weight-wise, or looks wise. But sometimes it makes it hard to remember that just because Avram always thinks I'm beautiful doesn't mean that I feel beautiful if I feel frumpy.

By the way, I really like the word frumpy in this context. It sounds like what I feel.

What do you all think about make-up? What's a nice amount for day to day? Would you leave home without wearing any? Are there any others like me, who don't even own make-up? And remember, tell me what brands and kinds of make-up are good, because in case you haven't figured it out by this point of the post, I'm basically clueless on the matter.