I grew up watching movies like Clueless, The Princess Diaries, and Legally Blonde which made dressing up seem like an extravagant experience. There were outfits to argue over, wardrobes to raid, makeovers that transformed everything, and music that elevated even the most basic mascara application to a cinematic experience. Getting ready was never merely a means to an end in the many romantic comedies and coming-of-age movies. Before the evening started, there was a montage, a transformation, and a time spent with friends. We eventually learned to anticipate that our own lives would also feel something similar.
There might be a psychological explanation to why we feel this way. It is the feeling of anticipation that makes the evening more enjoyable. The excitement behind curating the perfect playlist, choosing the outfit and hanging out with your friends before the event has its own pleasure to it. The the night beckons with possibility, the expectations are still intact, and the evening has yet to introduce any of its inconveniences.
Let me paint you a picture of my idea of a perfect day. It starts with waking up without the blaring of an alarm, making the perfect coffee or any other drink of choice. This is followed by getting brunch with the girls. Then going to the beach and spending the early evening swimming or getting a good tan. Lastly, going back and getting ready to go out for a nice dinner.Â
It is not just about throwing on some clothes, slobbing on the makeup and heading for the door. It is a whole ritual and more often than not more fun than the actual going out part. It often feels like a way to ensure you have a great night out is dependent on the time spent getting ready. The first and most important step is having the perfect playlist blasting on the speaker depending on the vibe of the event you are getting ready for. If it is a fun girls night out, white girl music or early 2000s Jlo or Pitbull never disappoints. If it is a casual brunch, soft pop sets the mood, a house party would require some hip hop or house music. Once you have that in place, the rest just follows through naturally.
Next is taking an “everything shower” if you haven’t already, this includes putting on all kinds of masks and doing an unnecessarily elaborate skincare routine for your skin to look the exact same. Then follows the fun part of choosing an outfit, but somehow by the end of the process you are left feeling tired and your room looking like a tornado hit it. Personally this is more fun if you and your friends are getting ready together, that way you can basically put on a fashion show for them where they rate each outfit and finally after probably an hour you have the perfect fit. It might seem tedious but trust me it genuinely heals a part of you. The order depends from person to person but it’s always outfit, makeup and hair.Â
Once hair and makeup is done, one would assume the ritual ends, but this is when technically everyone is ready but not yet ready to leave. This is the part where you take pictures of each other, all while someone is complaining about the lighting, their makeup not looking well, or any of the other 100 things. These are the kinds of moments that rarely make it into the plans but often end up being the ones you remember the mostÂ
There is something comforting about how predictable getting ready with your friends can be. The room carries a familiar mix of perfumes. Someone is sitting on the bed, holding up two outfits for a second opinion, while another leans towards the mirror to fix her eyeliner. Music plays in the background, makeup gets passed around, and someone inevitably asks to borrow a lipstick. You know who will take the longest to choose an outfit, who will change her mind at the last minute, and who will be ready early but stay back to help everyone else. There is a quiet warmth in these familiar rituals, in the shared mirrors, the easy conversations and the comfort of being together. Getting ready becomes an evening in itself, one you look forward to just as much as the plans that follow.