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Scenario: It’s Sunday. Lowe’s is closing in 20 minutes. And despite my previous four trips to just about every home improvement store this weekend, I am missing one last item from the house that will let me finish my project.

The only catch? I’m dressed in THAT outfit.

You know the one. The t-shirt I’ve been DIYing in for two days—the one with paint on my left boob, a hole in the armpit, and the world’s shortest short shorts because it’s May and Atlanta and hot as heck in my garage and this is comfortable, dammit. No makeup. Bruises all over my legs. I smell of a rank combination of bug spray, sweat, and sawdust. If I were a cartoon, there would be Pigpen stink lines above my messy, mousy bun. In short: this is what I like to call #DIYsheveled.

diysheveled

Sure, I’m always a little embarrassed when it happens. And it has happened many, many times in one outfit or another—about as equally as me shopping for lumber in a dress and heels that I wore for work. But as self-conscious and very un-blogger-like as it makes me feel, I suck it up and jump in the car anyway… because my project could wait to be finished a day later, but I might lose precious momentum. And the fact is, there aren’t enough awkward stares in the world that will stop me from making progress on this house when all I need are six lousy freaking screws that are just a half inch longer!

I guess today I thought I’d let you guys have a chuckle at my expense, or at least know that you’re not the only one who has ever looked like a hot mess at the home improvement store with your legs a little too on display (funny too that I’m totally fine wearing these when I am with my running group, but it just feels so wrong outside of it!). Can anyone relate?

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16 Comments

  1. ALL THEORY TIME. Seriously. I think there are two places in the world it’s OK to go with your hair in a messy ponytail or bun and sweaty. The home after the gym and to the hardware store.
    If I’m asking for help, I do try to stand an arm length away so that I hopefully don’t offend too much, but the guys and gals at my local Lowe’s have never batted an eye no matter how much of my project I wear into the store. :)

  2. As someone who works at Lowe’s, I never judge people who look like what you’ve described. I just assume they needed something mid-project. I will, however, judge those who come in wearing pajamas.

  3. We have ALL been there! It usually happens to us in every project that we do! What make it even better is running into someone you know at the Lowes or HD while in said outfit and state of dis-sheveledness :-)

  4. Totally, but I just tell myself it makes me look more legit. I feel the same way when camping… after two days without showering, smelling like bug spray and campfire, I find myself at the checkout with my s’mores items in line behind some professional on their lunch break and I instantly feel like a hobo.

  5. Back in the 70s shorts that short were very common for girls and women, they were called hot pants. :) We were at Home Depot last weekend and as we were leaving there was a woman coming in and she had paint smeared on her face and I said to my wife “Do you suppose she knows she has paint on her face?” to which my she replied “Probably. She probably ran out of paint and came to get more.” But I don’t think either of us really thought anything of it beyond that. It’s a home improvement store and I think it makes much more sense to see people who look like they’ve been improving something than those that look like they should be shopping at Tiffineys.

    1. Haha, every time I hear someone use the term “hot pants” I think of this clip of Nancy Grace. I used to watch The Soup all the time and they played it as a punchline all the time!

  6. Yes, just Sunday, actually. I am repainting all.the.rooms. before we sell a house. Apparently, with a brush and traditional roller. About an hour after I thought my arm was going to fall off, I decided to make a dirty, sweaty, stinky run to Lowe’s to get the HomeRight EZ twist.

    Who knew you could get so gross so quickly caulking and painting. One wall.

    In my defense, it is Alabama in May. I just tried not to get too close to anyone!

  7. Hate when that happens … and it does too often, but never in pajamas, Holly! Agree with you on that!

  8. Nope…you are NOT alone! :))))) A woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do ah hah… (in my best John Wayne voice).

  9. you probably looked adorable! i would think home improvement stores would welcome #diysheveled customers :)

  10. Oh how I can relate!!! When I was working on my backyard seating area (in Texas in July), I was at my Home Depot probably 7 or 8 times in one day all hot, sweaty and gross!!! At least you have a cute color of nail polish on your toes!!!! I didn’t even have that at the time! ;-)

    1. It’s RARE for my toes to be painted, but my mom and I recently went to get them done as a way to relax after my grandmother’s passing (Granny loved “getting her toes done”). I chose the flashy teal because I’ve never painted them that color and I think I’m now going to sport the same color all summer long! They make my feet look more tan ;)

  11. Oh I can definitely relate to this! I have my “project” clothes – and often when I’m in the swing of things I haven’t talked to anyone in a while and probably look it, lol! Thanks for sharing this, it definitely helps me feel a little less awkward when I have to go out in public like this.