history
From 《后汉书·马援传》 (Book of the Later Han, Biography of Ma Yuan): 边幅 originally meant 'the edge (selvage) of fabric' - to 修边幅 was to dress up the hem of a cloth. Refusing to 'trim the cloth's edge' became a metaphor for not bothering with personal grooming. The phrase carries mild disapproval in modern use.
