Lipstick and lunges. Do you wear makeup to the gym?
You’ve heard those comments. “It’s one of those kinds of gyms where women put on makeup to go and workout.” I have to confess. I’m one of those women. I just feel better with a little coverup, mascara and lipgloss on before I get moving. That I’ll probably sweat it all off before the hour is over doesn’t matter. I don’t wear it to look cute. I wear it to feel powerful. I wear it to be me.
Back in the day, female athletes looked like athletes. Billie Jean King. Martina Navratilova. Amazing athletes but neither one seemed to be worrying about her hair. The message that I gleaned was that girls like me weren’t powerful or athletic. I couldn’t be “sporty” because I cared about how I looked.
But remember Flo Jo? Florence Griffith Joyner, the Olympic track star. Six inch fingernails, Diana Ross hair flying behind her, catsuits and lipstick as she flashed past every other person on that track. Flo Jo was fierce.
Her world records for the 100 and 200 meter set in the 1980’s still stand to this day. She broke not only records but perceptions. You could be a “girly girl” and powerful at the same time. Now female athletes don’t have to choose one over the other. Race car driver Danica Patrick, tennis royalty Serena Williams, skier Lindsey Vonn prove you can check your eye makeup in the mirror and still be tough.
I’m not saying that women should be forced to wear makeup or judged on their appearance. If you hate to wear makeup, either at the gym or any day for that matter, I’m not judging. If you feel powerful that way, go for it. But don’t diss me for showing up sporting a little Maybelline Great Lash and a touch of lippy. Makeup makes me feel more powerful. That means that I can wear lipstick and and still lunge like a mo’ fo’.
As women, we should do whatever makes us feel powerful.
What about you, do you put on a little makeup before your workout?
Damn…just lost a long blog response I had typed here…anyhoo I’ll try to recreate it.
So I can totally relate to this blog…when I lived in the states I had “athletic” friends who mocked me for wearing make up to the gym…one of the women was very sporty and had been a college “basketball” star…the irony was that she always wore gym clothing but never worked out really…they perceived me as a “girly girl”…which disqualified me from being athletic…I also wore gym clothing more similar to what people where in California and these gym clothes were deemed too sexy…if you saw what I wear to work out in you would simply laugh at the “too sexy” for the gym comments…
Well to all of that i say Poppycock…life is simply to short not to flaunt the ooo la la and feel beautiful…hell yes i wear make up to the gym…even now as a happily partnered woman…someone who is not looking…haha…I agree with you I wanna feel like me even when I work out…Serena rocks…love it that she shows “girly girl” feminine is also strong…
So fun…Machel just called and was telling me that she had lunch with Michiko today…and she said it made her miss you and me ;)…love random happenings in the world…reading you and my sister calls and mentions you…also noticed your tag on the title of your blog is~life after divorce…ooh la la…for the last 8 years I’ve been signing off ~ Cheers and ooo la la…Love random signs…and love to find kindred spirits to read…
Loved your blog on being a Bitch…exceptional advice…
This next month I have a hearing coming up…The divorsticle ex owes me over $20,000 in back child support…Part of me feels sorry for him because he lost his job…and the other part of me thinks dead beat dad…he lives in a huge house with a pool on an acreage and drives a brand new car…yet supposedly I hear he and his third wife are so poor…Poppycock…part of me feels like a bitch for taking hime to court…and some weird part of me thinks in some odd way I am taking from Landon (ring bearer) who is still in college…I know this is nuts to feel this way, but still feel it…Anyhow feeling like a Bitch and gonna stand up for Lyvia…the hearing is April 13…should be interesting to see what happens…with that…
I think your blogs would make a wonderful book to publish for people going through divorce…heaven knows people going through divorce need support…love how you use your wit and humor to present your wise insights on divorce…anyhoo…rambled on long enough…
Cheers and Ooo la la from Singapore
Tracy
I’m with you on makeup to the gym. I go to a barre exercise class full of women and I always feel happier, stronger and better when I wear a little makeup and something cute to work out in! It just makes me happy when I look in the mirror and think; You’re OK lady!
I saw that you sign off Ooo La La too! It must be fate! Maybe that’s what happens when we get a second chance at life!!!
I know what you mean about feeling like a bitch but you do have to stand up for Lyvia. (And new car and huge house doesn’t sound to me like my definition of broke) So, soooo appreciate your support and love for the blog. I’m just writing what I wish I’d had to read about when I was first starting the divorce process and so afraid that I’d live alone in some basement somewhere with 19 cats using my hair for a litter box!
Have a wonderful day in Singapore!! xoxo-Rosemond
hair for litter box…that’s a new one…haha!
yes ma’am!!!