Lovelyish

good luck! i have plans to change my appearance in the future.. i want to get invisaline & lasik eye surgery…

Try hitting the drug stores for makeup that’s a bit worthy, a bit of concealer, blush and a nice lipgloss should do the trick :] I’m 18 as well & in college. Right now, to be honest with you, i barely have time to dress up when school starts. + 18 is still a young age, I think 20 is a good age. 

 x Amie

Two of the boys dumped you for boys?!? Man, that is rotten luck. Like myself, the gay guys seem to flock to you. This is not a bad thing, in my opinion, b/c one of my two best friends is a gay guy. I wouldn’t trade him for the world.

At any rate, I do believe appearances count, if simply for the sake of showing that you have pride in yourself. As far as clothes go, I find some GREAT finds at Salvation Army or Goodwill. You just have to be willing to dig through stuff and think outside of the box. I have found that a pair of dangly earrings and a small pair of high heels will jazz up the jean and t-shirt combo. It needs to be a form fitting t-shirt, but, yeah, the small high heels can help that. Think “kitten heel.” If you are going to be exposing your toes to the world in those high heels, make sure to keep your toes painted. Nail polish can be very cheap. Also, at places like Dollar General, you can find CHEAP generic makeup. Just be extra sure to wash your face at night, b/c it can wreak havoc on your skin.

The biggest thing of all, make your style your own and WEAR it. I mean, be proud of the way you look. The most stylish thing anyone can ever wear is confidence. Seriously. When you feel good about the way you look, the rest of the world will notice that, and they will automatically look at you in a different light. You are ten times prettier by default when you feel good about yourself.

Good luck!! And look forward to getting that job in college!!

be happy with yourself. you’ll grow out of it.

i read somewhere that ‘investing’ in a haircut is one of the best ‘purchases’ to make, because you wear it EVERY DAY on your head… you can’t really get rid of it (; i would just recommend going to a hair cuttery and having the stylist really understand what you want. if you can’t cut your hair as often as you’d like, make sure it’s a cut that is easy to care for and maintain (also, you’re supposed to cut short hair every 3 months opposed to 5-6 months for long hair).

personally i would skip the hair dye unless you have a really bad root problem, and in that case i would dye your hair similar to your natural color so you don’t have to maintain it as often.
my best advice would be to make your purchases wisely – don’t invest/spend in things that won’t last or aren’t ‘classic’ pieces! (: good luck!

Purple hair dye? From my experience, once you start dying, you’ll have to keep colouring your hair. I’m not sure what your natural hair colour is, but bleaching is really damaging. I think it’ll cost you more in the end.

Confidence shows (=
You’ll feel like you want to look older now, but once you actually start getting old, you’ll think the opposite.

Good luck.

Looks matter..but only in how they make YOU feel.  I’ve seen plenty of people who aren’t that gifted in the looks department, but their happiness, satisfaction, and love for themselves totally makes up for it.  If the only way for you to be comfortable in your own skin is to change yourself, go for it.  But know that the real problem is not your looks…it’s how you feel about yourself.

I think looks do matter as long as they affect how you feel about yourself. And everyone deserves to feel like a million bucks

I’ve heard that if you go to a beauty school you can get a free/really cheap hair cut by one of the students? (but you’d have to look into it)

And I’d suggest buying a pair of tweezers rather than paying however much to get your eyebrows waxed  – it’s A.so much cheaper and tweezers will last you a long time, B. Just google “shaping eyebrows” and you’ll find hundreds of sites that show you how to make the right shape for your face, and C. It really doesn’t hurt that bad at all.

Maybe saving for a little bit of make up would help? A little goes a long way, and I know from my own experience I always feel better about myself when I look more polished. I know budget is a big deal (I feel ya on that one..), and I’m not really sure what your range is, but this is what I’d recommend: L’oreal’s mineral makeup might be slightly more pricey than other brands (15$ I think?) but a little goes a long way and I’ve had the same foundation for a year! It lasts so long and looks really natural. Then there are some brands that are really cheap (like NYC), where you can get blush, lipstick, and nail polish all for just a few dollars. Don’t worry about brands or “generic” products – most are made by the same companies as high end products anyways.

Lastly, maybe consider getting a pair of wearable high heels from a discount store? (try payless – they have sales that have shoes for $10-$15!) It will give you a little height, make you feel older and more sophisticated, and no one would think a girl in high heels is 12 years old.

Do whatever you need to to make YOU love YOU – confidence is everything. Good luck

Looks do count. They count for you – it doesn’t matter about anyone else. I agree with the above commenters – looks are important for YOU. If you don’t feel good with the way you look, that’s a legitimate reason to change, but don’t bother changing for other people. Your own confidence is all you need.

If I were you, I would skip the dye for the reasons others already said. You don’t have to throw out the style you have now. If this is something you’re comfortable in, jeans and hoodies are for you, just as they are for many other girls. You can honestly buy some pretty good products in the dollar range – why use Pantene when Suave is $1 a bottle that works just as well? You can aim for anti-frizz shampoos and conditioners at low prices too, and iron your hair so it looks more controlled.

When it comes to clothes, department stores are pretty good places to get inexpensive clothes that still look good. Or if you have a specific store in mind, watch it for sales. Heels do great in both providing height and adding a slimming look, even a 1″ kitten heel. I love boots for extending the leg. I have a couple pairs of calf high boots with heels and having that extension makes it look like I have more leg and height (I’m 5’2″, 19, and kind of stumpy if that makes you feel better )! Doesn’t have to be a slim stiletto kind of heel either; platforms still look great.

I wouldn’t bother getting an eyebrow wax. It’s so much easier to do at home with tweezers (like $2 at a drug or department store). You can use a cheap little eyeliner pencil to outline how you want to shape your brows, and chances are as long as you follow your natural browbone, you’ll be able to do a good job yourself.

Don’t be afraid to look for bargains. Liquidations, inventory clearouts (when the time rolls around again, the end of December is a great time to shop for inventory deals and old Christmas deals), sales, department stores, even thrift stores. They’re all gold mines for finding great things to make you feel good about yourself on a fraction of the cost of going to ritzy salons or shopping at super girly places or really overrated A&F or Hollister stores. I won’t shop anywhere unless things are on sale.

lol I’m with you – sometimes people think I’m still in highschool
But I wouldnt change my appearance for anyone else

So what if I dont dress like a 20 years old, with the whole sexy office look going on
Im comfortable in my hoodies and jeans
Thats all that matters

Do you really want to attract the kind of boys who only care about looks?

You don’t have to make big changes. After my 21st, I decided to make little changes and surprisingly people noticed (I don’t know, it may be the body language). You could get to an op shop and get some great finds that you wouldn’t get from a normal store. Some of my favourite clothes are from op shops (cheap!) and they define who i am.

As for hair, I would recommend going to a good hairstylist when you get a job. I have been to cheap hairstylists and they completely destroyed my hair. Your eyebrows? There are some good tutorials on youtube on how to pluck eyebrows. I recommend xteeener or our fellow xangan, ricebunny.

Looks do count unfortunately. But a lot of it is also about how you carry yourself. Be confidant and that will go a long way. I understand about people mistaking your for being a lot younger than you are; I’m 26 and people still think I’m in high school – no matter how I dress/wear my make up. People tell me I’ll be thankful later in life, but right now it’s definately frustrating. I would reccomend a good hair cut and a hair straightner. I got mine at walmart for fairly cheap and it is the biggeste life saver ever! Good luck!!

I finally figured out when I was 17 that appearances really do count.. and it really doesn’t take a lot more time or money. I honestly used to not do anything about my looks, but I began to realize that people really do treat you differently when you make the smallest effort on your appearance. AND yes, people did think I was like 12 years old.. when I was 17.

For makeup, just go to the drugstore and try eyeliner, mascara and some lipbalm. Buy a tweezer for your eyebrows.  I recommend NYC color for the mascara and eyeliner, Softlips lip balm, Maybelline PURE for foundation (if you want to use foundation), and CoverGirl tweezers (and eyelash curler if you need it). The TOTAL for these items shouldn’t surpass $20-$25.

For your hair, if you really want a new style, get it professionally cut. The most important thing, however, is just to keep it clean and neat.. whether or not your hair is in the newest style out there is really not that important.

Looks matter, but more for yourself than what other people see. I’m 20 and I still don’t wear makeup, so I wouldn’t say it’s very necessary. Then again, I’m not really sure how old people think I am. I was once thought by a custodian at my university to be a middle school student…but he’s probably not the brightest guy and has bad perception of age.

I have a friend who is a year older than me, but is still thought by some people to be 12 years old. She’s about 5’1″, and the way she dresses, it’s no wonder why people think she’s in middle school or even elementary school. Wearing jeans isn’t the problem, it’s just that she also wears these childish-looking tennis shoes (I think they’re Skechers, she has these baby blue and white-checkered shoelaces on them too), and coming from a big family that aren’t so well-to-do financially, she doesn’t have money to get a perm (she’s Black, though looks pretty mixed) and just pulls her hair back in a bun. So I can understand we’re you’re coming from.

I don’t know if this goes for all college campuses in the U.S., but at my school, dressing up doesn’t matter as much as it may have in high school. A lot of students that live on campus are very relaxed about what they wear, so with hoodies and jeans I’d imagine you’d fit in. Wish I could say the same about college in Japan…it’s like a big catwalk on campus, I kinda despise it.

So yeah…I’d say start with clothes. And they don’t have to be revealing or anything to look more your age. Being on a budget myself, I only look for clothes in the clearance section of most stores. Whatever you do, the most important thing is just to stay true to your style

@KasumiCelesta@xanga - agreed! great advice.

footwear does make a huge difference in your look. also, i think a hoodie and jeans can look great achieving a look that makes you comfortable in your own skin and a little more confident is not a “one way” ordeal, so it’s important to think about what specific things you want to change and what you want to change it to…then go from there. developing a style that you like might be a good idea, because wearing clothes that you know suit you well is a confidence booster. good luck.

I know looks don’t matter, but i’ve discovered I feel better about myself on the inside when I look good on the outside. Why? Who knows. But I know exactly how you feel, limited budget and all.

Find whatever makes you feel sexiest… invest in some lip gloss, or eyeliner. Foundation or cover up.

Try shopping at stores that are a little cheaper, and a lot of holiday sales at the moment.

When I’m broke and lazy I just put on a little eyeliner and red lipstick and I feel better already. Try something like that. But really, without a little confidence you’ve got nothing.

stand up straight.  wear neutral colors.  sometimes it`s in the way you act.  look people in the eye.  enunciate, don`t mumble.  be polite and professional. 

target<3

pluck your eyebrows if you can`t wax.  if you have frizzy but straight hair: shower at night, blow dry, and hopefully in the morning you`ll have smoother hair.  or you can twist your hair into a bun after blow-drying and let it down later. 

a darker brow and more defined eyes can make you look older.  so save your money for eyeliner if you have to skimp.

appearance = first impression.
majority of us judge others by their covers.

depends on your hair, but you might want a haircut. you could just save up for that, and splurge on it, you know? i’m not sure what kind of hair you have, so i can’t really give you any ideas.

if you have any friends who can do this, have them pluck your eyebrows for you. of course, i’d watch out… too many bad plucking experiences lol. or you could find a middle eastern place that does threading. that’s usually like $4.

as for clothes… wear jeans, but get them to be more flattering. i’m too cheap to buy anything full price, so i’m all over the sale/clearance sections. i’ve never spent more than $15 on any shirt. most of them are like $2-5, anyway. you just need to find sweeeet deals. and also, we’ve got like an overstock/slightly damaged store called gabriel’s. usually you can find lovely things there.

i’m not into make up.
blush and mascara, if any.

it’s also about the way you present yourself.
i hate non-confident people. i don’t even want to be around them.

I wish I had freckles!  And boys love short girls.  And confidence is key.

My current boyfriend asked me when he first met me like 10 times how old I was (I’m 23, he’s 24) because I sounded so young on the phone and look so young in person.  I was like, do you need to see my license so I can prove it?  So I understand where you’re coming from.

Also, I hear you on the money issues.  But it is totally possible to look gorgeous on a budget.  You just have to look a little harder, is all.

i think looks really count.
it makes up how you feel about yourself, and in turn, will contribute to how others feel about you. i would say just keep your natural hair colour. but if you do want to change the way u look, get your eyebrows done! i agree with others and i say u should just get a pair of tweezers.. u can get them for about $3 CAD or so. if you’re looking to put makeup on and stuff, i think u could invest in some eyeliner and eyeshadow or sometihng from the drugstore. always keep your lips moisturized with a lipbalm or soemthing. good luck!

looks count…to a certain degree. if those guys dumped you because of your looks, they weren’t worth keeping. a guy can cheat on you no matter what you look like. look at halle berry and all of her man troubles throughout the years…i could go on and on.

i like hoodies and jeans too, but i also like dresses and the steretypical girly stuff. you don’t have to dress prissy to look good–make sure that your jeans are flattering to your shape and that they’re clean, ect. watch out for sales at the end of each season, you can get stuff for pretty cheap. you don’t have to go all out with your makeup…lipgloss and mascara are pretty cheap and go a long way.

i’m african american, so i’m sure my hair advice won’t help you much…but generally, a flat iron should help you tame your frizzies. try to invest in one when you get your job; CHI’s are the best in my opinion (for all hair types) but wal-mart has cheaper ones that work pretty great too. good luck!

Not to be ‘that person’, but confidence goes a huge way – and it’s free! It really does make a huge difference.

You can go to some local thrift stores for some really cheap clothes that if you have any style to begin with, you can make work.

As for makeup, you really just need the basics, which if you look around, you can get cheap.

:]

Hope this helped!

Well, you do sound way to young to be worrying about that stuff, but aside from that….

Looks DO matter. Sorry, but this is the real world. First impressions ARE important, and they are usually based on appearance. Don’t judge a book by a cover? Yeah, nice ideal, but one that’s hardly lived up. People judge the way you look every day, not just for dating, but for anything.

I’m not suggesting you sex yourself up, by too many posters on here think it’s acceptable to just walk around like you just rolled out of bed. Not good.

Meh, they don’t matter if the energy and attraction is there…looks don’t matter when your personality is what caught a person (and dangit you don’t wanna date someone shallow). Unfortunately, though, like in nature…it just really helps to have pretty feathers.

I don’t mean literally of course.

You could try making your own clothes…choosing designs that flatter your figure. Maybe buying some nice second hand stuff?You could save up for contacts.
 Try styling your own hair? I tend to dye mine with Kool Aid (there’s tons of how-to’s online nowadays) and it’s cheap.

Believe me, I’m pretty short..I don’t have problems with my weight and can come off as androgynous, I also have crooked front teeth…but trust me if you have just one little thing that makes you stick out then more people will ask you out.
 It’s actually the OPPOSITE of what I want, and I have plenty of stuff that I got for just spare change that makes me stick out (sigh).

(1. I’m a head shorter than most kids my own age, often more on the case of guys.
(2. Red tips to long and often wild — ’cause I’m a wash and wear girl — hair…makes people stare.
(3. Accessories. I have a sash I found at a garage sale. It’s black with beads on the end that I often use for a belt with my jeans…even when I don’t use it. I have ribbons too that I use for about the same thing. They’re long and can give the illusion of a sashay when I walk. PLUS I can add stuff to it. I have a little braid made of leather on a key chain I can tie into it. I also have fingerless gloves which’re out of the ordinary enough — and you don’t have to buy them like I did, you can easily make some by buying some old gloves at a garage sale.

You just gotta have your own style to stand out and if you’re confident and take good care of yourself it’s even better.
I personally don’t believe in designer crap and I like doing things myself…so that’s me. I’m sure you can find some things for your own expression which’ll catch the eye of some good guys.

I’m 17 and graduating in a few months, I wear make-up (for the eyes), I dress like a typical teenager and people still assume I’m 14. Even worse, once I walked into a store and the sales lady asked if I was 13. I was pretty embarassed