Not an ambi-turner

I've never been an expert in all things beauty.

I wax nothing. I bite my fingernails and only paint my toenails out of peer pressure in the summertime. I don't show cleavage, even though I've got plenty of it (high fives self). I really don't know what I'm doing when I put on makeup. I usually have multiple hairs out of place. I go 6 months without a haircut and don't think twice about it.

I have to leave for a work trip tomorrow, which meant I reluctantly made time at the very last minute for a haircut. My last one was in September. I don't know why I'm so lazy, or why I find $35-$40 to be such an extraordinary amount of money to spend on myself more frequently. Whatever the reason, it results in me getting a haircut during a time of desperation, and trying to come up with a game plan in the ten minutes it takes to get to the hair dresser from my apartment. Suddenly I start thinking about doing something drastic, just because.

I found myself in a similar dilemma today. Upon realizing I could leave work on time for the first time in, well, six months, I decided to make a hair appointment for tonight. I had no idea what I wanted them to do, I just knew I needed to be cleaned up a bit. Stupid public speaking.

I figured I'd have plenty of opportunity for inspiration during my 40 minute Metro ride from work to Pentagon City. I could people watch, look around and see if someone else's tresses might do me good as well.

Well, I did not find inspiration. Instead, I realized the truth behind something I'd been hearing about the DC area for a while, but never gave serious thought to. I come to you today with every assurance, however, that it's true:

DC is full of frumpy, unstylish women.

Again, I'm no fashionista. I have a lot to learn if I cared more. But it would appear this is a philosophy plaguing many throughout the DC Metro area.

I didn't find a single style that was fun or interesting. Most of us DC ladies have everything up in a claw clip by the time the commute home rolls around. But it went beyond that. No one had layers in their hair or trendy cuts.. every single woman in DC has the same straight, parted on the side hairstyle. I swear to God. And we can't dress. Period.

It made me sad. Sad that we've all kind of given up on ourselves, but also fascinated that I was so much more focused on my appearance in Boston. There's a city where you need to bring your A game 90% of the time. It's no NYC - a definite 100% of the time kind of town - but it's close. When I started my first job in Boston I looked around at my co-workers, and, upon realization that everyone looked like they belonged on Melrose Place, realized I had some work to do. Where did I come from at the time? Well, DC of course. It was time for a new wardrobe, new hair, you name it.

For what it's worth I got a decent cut and, per usual, got suckered into buying a $13 bottle of shampoo. My hair dresser said I could take three months this time before going back, but not six. I'll try to keep that in mind. If, for any other reason, than to help inspire my sisters on the Metro.