As I stand waiting for my children, chatting to the other mums, I'm often secretly studying them and thinking, "When did you all stop looking in a mirror?" Ten-year-old tapered M&S jeans, baggy T-shirts, navy anoraks, Crocs – or, worse, flipflops – and not a pedicure in sight. It's as if Trinny and Susannah, Grazia and Gok Wan never happened.
It's not just about the lack of stylish clothes or make-up (although, really, how hard is it to apply some tinted moisturiser?), but the complete lack of respect for themselves. When did these women stop caring? Why? And what do their husbands think? It's hard to believe they walk in and think, "Phwoarr, unwashed hair, tracksuit bottoms and eyebrows that meet in the middle… I've got to have her now!"
It's obviously massively pathetic to admit to being bothered by this. What's it got to do with me? (Someone who hasn't left the house without make-up for over 20 years.) Nothing, that's what. But I can't help feeling that the somewhat downtrodden attitude that seems common among the mums I meet isn't helped by the fact they often don't even bother to do their hair each day.
I wish I was brave enough to go up to them and offer some advice, but I know it would not only embarrass/anger/baffle them, they would also think I was shallow and vain. Much easier to hide behind this column and hope that one of them will read it and take note.
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