We’ve all been there. Waking up after a long night out at someone else’s house – possibly someone else’s bed – and realizing you have to make the long trek home. Unfortunately, the people judging you on the street don’t care whether you slept over at a friend’s house or you spent some quality time with the cutie you met at a party. For this reason, it’s so important to put your best foot forward and walk with confidence. While confidence will get you far, below are some tips to help take your last-night outfit to a confident I-didn’t-just-sleep-on-someone’s-floor outfit.
1) Try to prepare.
If you know you’re going to spend the night at your boyfriend’s or a friend’s house, try your best to prepare for the next day. Your absolute best option is to pack a small overnight bag with all your essentials – mouthwash, make-up remover, change of clothes, deodorant, hairbrush, phone charger, etc. Try to leave your bag at your end location before your night begins so you’re not dragging a huge bag around.
2) Make it work.
Let’s face it: you had your fun last night and this morning isn’t supposed to be a highlight. Just get through it and rock what you have going for you. If you had a surprise sleepover and have absolutely nothing, you’ll have to become an “outfit repeater” and re-wear your outfit from the previous night. While rocking a crop top and mini skirt at 9 am will probably give away to the world that you didn’t make it home last night, your confidence will make sure people are overlooking your questionable daytime look.
3) Polish your look.
You don’t have too many options with your clothes, especially if you don’t have the opportunity to prepare. However, there are some bare minimum things you can do that will help your morning walk.
While some may think it’s a good idea to preserve whatever make-up is leftover from the night before, it’s actually better to start off with a clean slate. It’s best to wash your face the night before, if you can, especially since no one wants your make-up staining their pillowcases. At the very least, take it off in the morning to eliminate raccoon eyes. If you’re really trying to save your make up, wet a paper towel and clean up your look, because no matter how “smudge-proof” your mascara claims to be, it is now all over your face, the pillow, and, potentially, your bed buddy.
Before you leave, try to rinse with mouthwash or at least brush your teeth with some toothpaste on your finger. Not only will it make you feel a little less grimy, but will also help perk up your energy.
4) Own it.
You had an awesome time last night – hopefully. While everyone else watching you walk home is judging you, just keep strutting your stuff!
If you’re still feeling unsure of yourself, watch this video to learn about the “scientific” viewpoint of the “March of Shame.”
But most importantly, keep your chin up and walk with confidence!