What do MEN take off at the end of the day?

As I stood in the shower this evening and internally repeated a conversation I had with my partner earlier this morning, I started thinking about all the trouble and effort that women go through on a daily basis…

To fill you in briefly on the conversation… the man in my life is a DJ, so he mostly works nights and sleeps the mornings and sometimes the days away. In addition to this, he is probably one of the most easy going “min ge spin” people I have ever met. (it’s an Afrikaans, South African term for: not phased about anything)

It is amusing that we are actually in a relationship, because I am an exceptionally fast paced, high energy individual and David moves at, what I like to refer to as “a glacial pace” haha ;) Nonetheless, he had a networking meeting to attend today so he had to wake up at sparrows – like the rest of us normal folk… and he made a chirp whilst looking outside the window saying “oh, so this is what the morning looks like” – I laughed and continued my morning routine…

In the re-living of this conversation during my shower, I started thinking about all the CRAP (because it is crap really, isn’t it) that I put myself through everyday… and for what?!

Let’s take a look at this shall we…

Guys get up, shower, throw on any one of many monotonous looking pairs of pants and any of their shirts that happen to be hanging in their wardrobe… and let’s be honest, the decision making process for that probably revolves around “ironed or not ironed.” Lol

Other than the usual rubbish that we all have to do, like brushing our teeth, and sticking on a little deo, that’s it! They are done! – And they are perfectly happy with being done like “that”! And for the most part - they look GOOD!

What the bloody hell are we doing wrong ladies? Lol

There is a saying… “KISS” – Keep It Simple Stupid” and I don’t think us ladies will EVER grasp it! Lol

On an average day (which happens few and far between), I will grab my “go to’s” in the wardrobe and off I go, but the reality is, I am NEVER happy with myself afterward! I feel like Sh*t and as I go through the day and I see other women prancing around in their fabulous little outfits, it makes me feel even bloody worse - regretting my lack of effort earlier that day... Lol!

And this is why; those occasions are few and far between…hahaha! True Story!

On most days, (if I haven’t picked out my outfit the night before), I will wake up… VERY GRADUALLY... if at all possible, check the weather, and then contemplate what to wear over a cup of coffee… Then, its shower time - which apart from body washing - consists of shaving, washing hair, exfoliating and a whole lot more. Lol… (And yet, amazingly enough - in that department, we STILL finish quicker than guys, who simply stand still under the water for their full 27 minute quota) hehehehe! FACT!

Then it’s time to get dressed, and the “so called outfit” that you had visualised in your mind, suddenly doesn’t work in practice, so its changed, and then perhaps changed again…. And for me, this is all done in-between waking my son up, making hot chocolate, breakfast, packing his school bag and setting out the school uniform etc.

Ok, so the outfit is sorted, all generally consisting of bra, heels, tops that are too tight, pants that give your g-string a headache and many other unspoken factors. Haha!

And let’s not even get on to the make-up routine (OR LETS DO LOL)… Or even worse, selecting the perfect accessories…. Hehehe!

First its moisturizer, then pore refiner, then foundation, then powder and then eye shadow which essentially consists of 5764 different shades of the same colour. Then its eyeliner which requires a SERIOUS amount of skill if you don't want to walk out the door looking like a panda bear! Once you have managed to get that right, its blush, bronzer and then mascara – and after all that, you still need to go back to the mirror to clean up the blobs and smudges of eyeliner, mascara and eye shadow that have seemingly attached themselves to every OTHER part of your face other than the ones they were originally intended for.

– The struggle is REAL!!!!!

What the BL**DY HELL ladies?! hehe

Don’t get me wrong! I love it all!! I always walk out the door feeling like a million bucks… PLUS SOME! And I love the inner confidence that it brings with it…

But I cannot deny… that at the end of the day… When I come home and take those mouth-watering stilettos off, or even better… lose the BRA… and make-up… It is THE BEST FEELING EVER!!!! Hahaha!! No, REALLY!

Women spend SO much time on their appearance; I cannot help but beg the question… WHY?!

Well, yes, in many ways – I suppose it is pointless and a waste of time… but it is almost as if we are hard-wired that way. And no, this is not a new thing. It has ALWAYS been this way. Women have forever been the creatures of “beauty, mystery, grace and elegance”.

Is it a primal thing?

Because, let’s be honest… men are visual creatures. and men and women are designed to integrate.

Is it inherent in women to beautify themselves to please their male counterparts? Do we do it for ourselves? Do we do it because we want validation? Or do we do it simply because it feels good?

Irrelevant really, because no matter how good it feels to take off that bra and shoes at the end of the day – we will do it all again the next day… and we will love it!

In fact, the satisfaction of losing it all at the end of the day is reward enough for the effort…

So I have to ask… what do men take off at the end of the day that offers them the same reward? Hehehe

… and go!

(Keep it clean folks! Haha)

Until next time...

Much love from Cape Town xxx