There are many different phases for girls in relation to boys, but I am only going to talk about three, because these stages effect the way we fix ourselves up the most. The first is the "I'm single and lovin' it" phase, when you are out there to declare your independence. This is great, because you dress up for yourself, you wear what you WANT to wear and perhaps try out crazy new looks. This is a wonderful stage, because you aren't worrying about impressing a certain boy. It is nice this way, because instead of thinking, "I hope _____ thinks I look pretty today," it's, "I like how I look! Who cares if boys think I'm hot or not? If they do, awesome! They have good taste." Yet, this also is a phase that lets the sloppy look sneak in. Since girls aren't interested in any particular someone, some days they'll have lazy days, and not care what other people think, because during this time you are just dressing up for fun...and sometimes you're just not in the right mood for that. 
The second phase is the "I'm single, and hatin' it!" stage, when you are interested in a particular someone, but not certain that they return those feelings. This phase is all about being dolled up ALL of the time, asking other girls, "Are you sure I look good? How about my hair? My make-up? This shirt?" and pretty much having your self-esteem randomly going up and down. It is a constant worry that the guy will suddenly find you unattractive, therefore ruining your dreams, so looking nice every day that he could possibly see you is vital. So, this phase is good, because you try your best to look presentable, but it also can have a negative hit on your self esteem, especially on the odd day when your looks just aren't working for you. 
The last stage is the "I've got me a man!" phase, which is quite self-explanatory. You already have a boyfriend, and he's not going anywhere. You know that he'll like you no matter how you look, so looking great isn't necessary, but always appreciated. You want your man to feel like he can show you off when he's with you, but when you have a bad hair day, you don't need to beat yourself up about it. You dress to impress him in particular. When you curl your hair or apply your foundation, it is with him in mind. The whole "dressing to impress" part also applies to the "I'm single and hatin' it!" phase, but when you have a boyfriend, you are a lot less stressed out while doing it. Instead of thinking, "I hope he likes this blazing blue eyeshadow!" you think, "I know my man loves this fiery red headband on me!"So, folks, there you have it. Now you can observe the girls around you and see if you can figure out what routine they are going through. Then again, they could just be naturally beautiful or untameably sloppy.
