I completely agree. As I was reading the posts the thought that kept coming to mind was that when SM was describing why Edward could not hear Bella's thoughts she said that "Bella has a very private mind" she wants to fade into the back ground and dresses the part, but I do not think that make her a slob.

There is never a mention of any friends that she had in Pheonix, so she obviously was more successful at fading into the background there than she was in Forks.

Kat

I think there's a lot to this. In EC Bella even tells us that her clothes are "boring." Boring...to her? Because she has few alternatives? Or...boring to others, intentionally? Because she doesn't want attention.

Bella thinks her clothes are boring because she thinks everything about her is boring. She doesn't believe that she has any good qualities. I think that she recognizes the plain tendencies in her wardrobe, without realizing the subconcious reasoning (of hiding) behind her choices.

I don't believe that Bella feels she lacks good qualities. She is actually fairly self-confident for a teenage girl--she takes a certain amount of pride in being capable, efficient, useful, trustworthy, intelligent, loyal; she's aware enough to mention several of these traits when she describes parts of her life, and she knows her parents believe these things of her, as well. She acknowledges and trusts her common sense most of the time and feels her decisions are mostly good, which is why when she makes up her mind to do something, she does it.

She is shy and stand-offish with people, but it's not because she believes herself devoid of good qualities. She just doesn't expect others to easily recognize her good qualities, because they're not the flashy, obvious kinds of traits. She's typically insecure about her appearance, but not unusually so. In fact, if she were more insecure about her looks she'd probably be picking Alice's brain for makeover tips, but that doesn't really interest her. She's not out to impress. She wouldn't mind being prettier but looks (her own or other people's) weren't a major focus for her, until she was dazzled by Edward's unearthly qualities. She is definitely insecure around him and the other Cullens because she feels there's no way she can compare or live up to them--and how could she? They're supernatural, after all. Who wouldn't be insecure around such superior beings?

Bella is aware of things she lacks--grace, strength, spectacular beauty, extroversion--but I feel she's also aware of many of her good qualities.

Shimmerskin...No, you do not want to have a haystack hair when you get up in the morning. My hair is literally haystack-y when I get up in the morning and this 'stack has a mind of its own--it dictates how it will be worn on a given day!

I think Bella's wardrobe is a good combination of not wanting to be noticed, not having the cash, comfortable, insecure, and ill prepared to move to Forks (both on her and her parents' part).
I have read in previous posts that Charlie couldn't even get his bathroom ready for his daughter...Charlie could've very well neglected that his daughter is moving to Forks with Arizona clothes. That goes for Renee, too. Bella is just too low maintenance and naturally laid back a person to actually say "I need some clothes here!".

Edward certainly fell in love with her unconditionally for who she is as a person and what baggage she is coming with materially and emotionally...a good message to young adults that popularity, having "the looks", having the car or clothes isn't the end of the world if you fall in "The Basic" category (remember how Diane called Lloyd "basic" in the movie Say Anything?). Good grief, I fell in that category!

Sorry this was long...

You're right. It's a good message if the most fascinating, compelling romantic hero to come on the scene since Mr. Darcy can see past threadbare clothes, humble house, and ancient vehicle to the worthy person at the center. Which is exactly what Mr. Darcy did, too, come to think of it....

I like that Bella lacks fancy trappings. Her relationship with Edward wouldn't be nearly as meaningful if we didn't see him looking past the disparity in their positions, and her metamorphosis wouldn't be complete if she didn't have to overcome the gulf she believes is between them. To my mind, the metamorphosis should mean her realizing she doesn't need to be a vampire to be Edward's equal. Becoming superhuman would be frosting on the Bella cake, but she's already cause for celebration as she is.

I don't think being a slob and being comfortable are the same thing. Slobs don't care if the clothing is wrinkled and soiled. And, they don't care too much if things match. Bella does the laundry and does spend time deciding what to wear. Bella is constantly washing and brushing her hair. She has a wardrobe built around a Phoenix winter (are you guys up to 112F already?) and limited funds. She is a practical gal, not caught up in fashion. I don't think that makes her a slob.

I don't think comfort and slobbiness are the same, either. I believe Bella looks neat and clean and respectable. I never get the sense that she's a slob. I don't see how anyone could:

"slob n. Informal
A person regarded as slovenly, crude, or obnoxious. A lazy and untidy person."

Speaking of Mr. Darcy. Remember the time she walks 3 miles in the mud to see her sick sister, and all the Bingley sisters can do is laugh at her clothing. Mr. Darcy says he didn't even notice, and I believe him. He was already seeing that there was more than met the eye to her. Her manner of dress was not something he noticed now. I think Edward, too, is so preoccupied with what's inside Bella's head, that he's not paying attention to how it's decorated.

I like the idea of needing to create a wide gulf inorder to show Bella's transformation. I love foils! And the wider the gulf, the more dramatic the point.

I actually like the way Bella is about her clothes. She's not the girly girl that frets about her clothes and her makeup. Yea! I've never been a girly girl, I always hung out with guys, and so I like that I don't have to wade through a book with all that fashion stuff in it. That's not to say Bella doesn't care about how she looks, she just already knows that it is not the clothes that make the girl, you might say. Heck, it took her forever to even notice what any of the Cullens were wearing.

I love that this thread was started because I seriously wondered the same thing. I didn't grow up with money but I dressed pretty decent (not designer clothes) just normal in style stuff I guess. I also attempted to wear make up every now and then! I have darker features so I can get away without wearing it. But you would think that she would try to do better when you have someone like edward paying attention to you! I mean she is always saying how he is so much better looking than her and they are out balance, and thinks she isnt pretty, well its not helping when you don't wear make up and old sweats with holes in them sister!!!

To me Bella just doesn't seem to be that 'into' herself in anyway. She is very low maintenance.

That's it, you've pinned it down. She's low-maintenance. Just think, a 17 yr old girl moves in with her father, and all her toiletries fit into a little bag she carries back and forth from bedroom to bathroom. She doesn't demand miles and miles of countertop for millions of bottles and jars, she doesn't require limitless cupboard space for sprays and gels and pomades and waxes and curling irons and straightening irons and hotcombs and blowdryers. She doesn't leave a fine layer of powder over every surface or sticky residues on the mirrors, or a trail of scrunchies and barrettes, earring backs and toe separators in her wake....

Charlie has NO IDEA how great he has it.

That isit. Bella is low maintainance. It's actually quite liberating.

I think we could include "low maintenance" in the Reasons To Like Bella thread!