To pretend to be all right or that everything is going well. ----------------------- for instance: a) You got smacked, and you want to keep up appearances so that you told your mate you sliped. b) Having lost his icecream, Dark Pather sucked his fingers to keep up the appearance. :)

To keep up appearances= to maintain the public impression of well being or normality even though your life is terrible

Sacrificing your own personality.