Grocery Store Outfits

When I was working full-time and went grocery store shopping, I was never happy to be there. It was usually after work, and I was tired and ready to be home and out of work clothes.

Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, I feel like the grocery store is my home-away-from home.  This sentiment may sound cozy and calm, like my trips there are full of waves at the fish man and deli woman, chit chat with the checker. I do enjoy seeing all these people that work there, almost like it's its own small town.

But there is one problem that has arisen. Just as at home I am super comfortable in sweat pants and no makeup, my grocery store trips sometimes get the same treatment.

My increased frequency and time at the grocery store have also impacted the amount of people I run into there. When I was working, even if I looked a little haggard from the end of the day, I at least had remnants of make-up and an outfit that thought had gone into.  I was presentable.

Now, I sometimes see people coming and want to hide behind the pita chip display, cringing at why I hadn't changed before I drove to the store.

Today was one of those days that I put on exercise shorts (a little tight) and a white t-shirt (a little tight), took the baby on a walk, and then realized I needed to race to make it to the store before I picked up my 4-year-old from school.  I had no ounce of makeup on, but I had brushed my teeth and hair. Right before I got out of the car, I put a little lip gloss on, and off I went.

Now, you know that if I had looked cute at all, I would not have seen anyone I knew. But even in this 20 minute trip to the store at 11 a.m., I saw two people I know (neither of them well).

I feel like I am to the point where I need to put some thought into how I look every time I leave the house. I don't think I can get away with the grunge look anymore (wasn't that when I was in college? yikes.)

It seems like someone who is not working full-time outside of the home could manage to get fully dressed (including mascara) before leaving the house. But I can't always make it happen. I have to be efficient with my time while the kids are at school, so sometimes this means going places quickly--like right after the gym or a walk. I can't always go straight to a shower because I may need to make sure we have a meal that night and I know that if I take a tired pre-schooler with me to the store it will not be a good scene. I have to weigh the pros and cons of looking cute at the store.

Maybe this is just a season, and when the kids are a little older, I'll look fabulous at the grocery store.

Or maybe I can find some sort of telephone booth to disappear into and change like Super Woman, emerging ready to conquer the store and dazzle onlookers with my strength and dignity.

Maybe I should lean into this verse a little more and just not worry about it: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Prov. 31:30)