Ladies: When do you start getting ready for an event, and what is your ritual?

It really depends on the event. Some events I really put a lot of thought and effort into getting ready for and for some events, I’m just happy if I get there and I have shoes on and I don’t arrive to find that I happen to have the bottom of my skirt tucked into my panty hose.

You don’t want to know the amount of time and effort it takes to get me out of the house. :)

Just had a job interview last week so here is how I got ready:
Day before, I dig out a skirt that used to fit, now falls off me. Cuss, look for a safety pin to make it fit. Find a jacket that has a very strange stain on it. Try to scrub it off, doesn’t work. I find another one that doesn’t fit me either. I’ll wear it instead. Look for a pair of panty hose, find some, don’t try them on, hope they don’t have a run. Dig out a bra that doesn’t fit either, but what the heck, no one will notice. I don’t shave my armpits as I don’t have armpit hair. I don’t see the point in shaving my legs as I barely have hair on my legs and shaved a week ago, plus I’ll have hose on, so no one will notice. Threw it all together the morning of my interview and my friends husband told me I looked fantastic.

I’ll check and make sure I have something to wear about 3 days before so I know if I need to do laundry or buy something new. I’ll also make sure I have shoes, nylons, a proper bra, etc. But my nails are always done properly, I shave every day, exfoliate every 2–3 days, moisturize regularly, shower every day. So really the only thing I do differently is start getting ready about an hour before I have to leave (instead of my normal 15 minutes max before I’m out the door) so that I can hunt down jewelry and do my hair nice (which doesn’t take long cuz I’m awesome at hair) and take care of incidents that happen (perhaps a nylon with a run in it). I usually have about half an hour where I’m all dressed and ready to go and I just read a book until it’s time.

Holy Jesus. A week? I usually just pull something out of the closet and am ready in half an hour.
But keep in mind that my hair stays colored and my nails stayed done. So I guess that saves me some time.

@papayalily Laundry! I forget that. Good one. Probably what I am going to wear is dry clean, but I would make sure whatever specific underthingies I need to wear are washed and clean.

I just went to a wedding today…it was fun! Generally speaking before an event I’ll think vaguely about an outfit – then the night before I’ll find the outfit and lay it out…if it’s a formal event, a couple of hours before I’ll be in the salon getting an updo hairstyle together with a pedicure…if it’s not so formal, everything begins abt 45 mins before we gotta leave…I’ll take a shower, blowdry my hair, put on the outfit, some make up and figure out jewelry…get a bag together all the while playing with kids…it really doesn’t take a long time for me I think.

I laughed out loud at “underthingies”. haha.
Just for the record, so that you don’t feel so alone – I also start at least a week in advance. I have a very specific ritual for getting ready to go to any event.

@meagan Yeah, I don’t work regularly right now, and don’t have many formal type events, so I am not 100% sure what dress will fit well, or if I have something that I will be happy with the style, and I do not keep my nails painted all of the time. Well, they at minimum have clear, but I do them myself. I would not go with just clear polish to a formal event.

I actually don’t spend that much time thinking about what I’m going to wear to special occasions. When I get the invitation I look in my closet for something suitable. If I can’t find anything I go shopping. I get ready a couple of hours before the event and go.

[the edit was poor grammar caught it just in time

It takes me a couple of hours from shower to out the door. If it’s super fancy occasion, I’ll go get a mani/pedi and my hair done the day before.

I’d ensure I had something to wear days before the event, do my nails the day or a couple of days before. Shave the day of. With the hair, it depends. I’d probably have it already blown out/curled a day or two before, and then touch it up for the event. If not though, I’d need to set aside about an hour to do it. Makeup can be done in 15 minutes. Voila!

For something special like a wedding, banquet or romantic anniversay then I like to have myself in the salon the day before for pedicure, manicure and brow tweezing. The day of the event then I’ll bathe, shave, lotion up and then do my hair and some makeup and perfume. Clothes and jewelry go on last.

Holy crap, we are from different planets.My girl, similar. Me, day before, look in closet, make sure I have clean pants and shirt, jacket if formal. I shower and shave each morning, so that’s done. Five minutes before leaving, get rid of jeans, throw on stuff, go.