S/O Do you think you have gotten better looking with age?

[AnnaM]

after about 45, I can't think of anyone who looks better than they would have at 25, unless maybe there was something really wrong at 25 that they changed.

 

This is just one of those realities of life that I think modern women have a hard time accepting, but it's just true. People who look at this with an artistic eye might say, "Oh, I find her old, lined face quite beautiful in it's own way." Which is great. I love the saying, "that which is loved is beautiful." To me, my Grandmother was always always a beautiful woman.

 

But if you use traditional ideas of what makes a woman physically beautiful, women have a peak. It might be 25 for one woman and 35 for another. But it won't be 65 for almost any of them. I can't think of one.

 

Yeah, I left the question ambiguous because the definition of beauty is different for everyone.

 

I would say the answer for me is yes. I was very peer led when I was younger and lacked confidence and on top of that I had some cosmetic issues with things like my teeth, major issues. I think maturity and becoming confident in myself has done major things for how I am perceived look wise. I am definitely no model, but I am ok with the average look I have going on in my middle age.

[bzymom]

Not even a little.

 

*Sigh*

[merry gardens]

No, not me.

 

But I was just on facebook and saw photos of old friend who was not very attractive in high school. Now, (in our forties), she's beautiful!

[elegantlion]

I do think I'm aging well, I'm 45. Part of it is upkeep. There are better hair care products for curly hair than there were 20 years ago and I will continue to wear it long. I have a fairly clear complexion, except for a few age spots, and my weight has been fairly consistent, although I'm overweight.

 

In the last few years stress has been wearing heavy and that doesn't help. I feel older. This summer I went back to coloring my hair, it wasn't the grey that bothered me, it was the rest of the hair which was washed out brown. I am certainly more aware of those little signs of aging and keep some good tweezers on hand, and do my facial exercises every day. :D

 

eta: I don't think I look 20 or 25 or even 30, but I didn't expect to at age 45 either, maybe I just had low expectations overall. :lol:

Edited September 6, 2012 by elegantlion

[Heather in Neverland]

Absolutely or relatively?

Absolutely - nope, definitely not. I did look better at 20 than I do at 44.

Relatively, compared to others my age? Yes, I do think so.

 

Yep. This.

[ChristyB in TN]

Yes, because I am healthier and happier. I am not sexier, more attractive to young men, etc. I am more vibrant and healthy. In my early 20's I was always thin and starving myself, I slept very little because I bartended and worked odd hours. Now I eat great foods, run marathons, and am just happy. Happy and healthy. I wouldn't go back to 20 something, I like my 40's.

[Runningmom80]

No, I peaked at 25. :) I'm 32 and have had 3 kids since then, so relatively speaking I'm doing okay, but I definitely look back at old pics and want to slap that girl.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Runningmom80

[Tap]

I was much prettier in my youth. I see it glaring back at me when I look at dd13, who is the spitting image of me at her age.

 

Stress has taken its toll on my skin and waist line.

[6packofun]

Um, hells no?

 

LOL Sorry, but I attribute this to stress and lack of good sleep even though I really do try to look as good as possible. I think I'm not very good with hair, mainly, and I don't have an appropriate/cute cut for how I look now. But I can't seem to figure it out and my hair does not cooperate! :confused:

[BearWallowSchool]

I'm not sure. But my husband says I look better now than when we met. I guess that's a good thing. :D

[fischerl]

I stopped getting carded around age 35. :001_smile: I'm in pretty good shape and would like my look if it weren't for the wrinkles that have developed around my mouth. Argh! They drive me nuts. But after all, I am 53, so I guess they're inevitable. I also blame this dry California air. And the fact that I sleep on my side probably doesn't help. :tongue_smilie:

 

However, I much prefer my older self to my younger self, as others have mentioned. I have more confidence, more interests, stronger opinions... I wouldn't go back.

 

And DH says he doesn't notice any wrinkles. :D

[LostSurprise]

It depends on what age you mean.

 

Better than 22-25? No. That was an unusual pretty period.

 

I think I look better than my teen years or my early 30s (pregnancies 2 & 3 particularly). Something clicked after my 4th pregnancy, 33-37 was pretty good.

 

Almost 40 now, age is starting to catch up. As long as I can keep my weight stable I'm fine with that.

[eternalknot]

My husband's theory is that when an Asian woman hits somewhere between 34-36, she ages ten years overnight. Sort of like the POTUS always looks a thousand years older at the end of his term, you know? It seems sort of true of the Asian women I know ::screams:: LOL.

 

I think - generally speaking - we Asians cute as little kids, goofy as adolescents, and then tend to look best in our young adult years and then again in our grandparenting years. I'm on the cusp of leaving my young adult years, and am months away from entering that 15-20 year gap of middle-aged awkwardness so many Asian women I know tend to fall prey to. I just hope I come out the other end, still following the "formula" LOL.

 

So no, not yet; check with me in another 15 years though ;)

[krisperry]

Anyone else wishing these posts had pics? :lol:

 

I was much prettier 20 years ago. My husband looks even better. It is distressing. ;)

[Barb_]

My husband's theory is that when an Asian woman hits somewhere between 34-36, she ages ten years overnight. Sort of like the POTUS always looks a thousand years older at the end of his term, you know? It seems sort of true of the Asian women I know ::screams:: LOL.

 

I think - generally speaking - we Asians cute as little kids, goofy as adolescents, and then tend to look best in our young adult years and then again in our grandparenting years. I'm on the cusp of leaving my young adult years, and am months away from entering that 15-20 year gap of middle-aged awkwardness so many Asian women I know tend to fall prey to. I just hope I come out the other end, still following the "formula" LOL.

 

So no, not yet; check with me in another 15 years though ;)

 

Would you be offended if I agreed? I never really thought about that before, but I think you're right! Maybe you'll be the exception though...and if not, there's always your senior years to look forward to ;)

[Barb_]

I was "cute" in my teens and 20s, and then with all the pregnancies (and the sun damage from the tanning contests in high school...grew up in S. Florida) I began to look rode hard and put up wet. My 30's were not good to me. Once I hit 40, I started paying attention to skin care and taking my vitamins and fish oil regularly and lately my teenagers have said it looks like I'm aging backwards. I think they're flattering me a little, but I'll take it :D

[acablue]

I've been told I have, but I still think I peaked around 22. :tongue_smilie:

[sbgrace]

I've aged a lot in the last year or so (noticing wrinkles, changing skin tone, graying hair). I don't know if it is just age--I turn 40 this year--or that they have been the hardest years of my life. I do not think I look better than I did at 20 or 30. I probably wouldn't have answered the question the same a few years ago though. The last 1.5 years have not been kind! :tongue_smilie:

[eternalknot]

Would you be offended if I agreed? I never really thought about that before, but I think you're right! Maybe you'll be the exception though...and if not, there's always your senior years to look forward to ;)

 

Not at all offended :lol: I threw it out there because it's been my own observation as well! I'm certainly no exception, so here begins the countdown to my next set of Glory Days!

[meggie]

No, I was skinny and decent looking in high school.

 

Now I'm overweight and still get terrible acne. I try not to think about how ugly I am, but thanks a lot :tongue_smilie: this thread totally reminded me :lol:

[Chelli]

I peaked around 23. I was in the best shape of my life, jogging four times a week about four miles each time. My butt was AMAZING! If I had known what having three kids and being 40 pounds overweight would have done to my backside, I would have taken pictures. Seriously.

 

My one piece of advice to my daughters is going to be: Take the pictures. Nobody will believe you if you don't. You won't even believe it yourself. :001_smile:

[JennyD]

No, not really. My body looks pretty much the same as long as I keep my clothes on (we will not discuss the wreckage that lies beneath, sigh) but I look so TIRED. At 40, that lovely freshness I see in my 22-25yo students' faces is just gone, baby, gone.

[Ibbygirl]

I peaked around 23. I was in the best shape of my life, jogging four times a week about four miles each time. My butt was AMAZING! If I had known what having three kids and being 40 pounds overweight would have done to my backside, I would have taken pictures. Seriously.

 

My one piece of advice to my daughters is going to be: Take the pictures. Nobody will believe you if you don't. You won't even believe it yourself. :001_smile:

 

:lol::lol::lol: :iagree::iagree: I'm horribly camera shy and always thought I was fat when I was a teen and young 20's. I wore a size 7 at 5'10! :glare: I wish now I had more pictures of myself back then too. I always had a flat stomach when I was young before children. It was a real shock to me after giving birth to my first born to see that my stomach didn't just "go back" after the baby came out. I still looked 6 months pregnant and had a pooch for the first time in my life. Yeah, if I knew then what I know now. ;)

 

And to OP, no, I definitely looked better when I was in my early 20's. I'm now 41 and just trying to find a way to keep it all up. LOL

[EthiopianFood]

Nope, and I really wish I had appreciated it when I was younger. I was very conservative, and not at all body or appearance conscious, so I had no idea. :(

[Audrey]

I always looked MUCH younger than my actual age. When I was much younger, that was not good. Now that I'm much older, it's a major bonus.

 

I do think that I look better now, though. I'm in better shape physically, but also mentally and emotionally and that shows from the inside outward very much.

[Mama2Many4]

Absolutely or relatively?

Absolutely - nope, definitely not. I did look better at 20 than I do at 44.

Relatively, compared to others my age? Yes, I do think so.

 

:iagree: I agree with this totally. Now if I had two pictures of myself handy I'd prove it!

[cindergretta]

I look younger than I am. I always have.

 

I looked like a dork in high school; moderately better but not much in college.

 

I looked HOT from about 24-30ish. Then after my 4th, I started a downhill skid... ::sigh::

 

I don't look horrible, I think, for my age, but I am certainly not attractive or anything.

 

:)

[Perry]

No. Although I have a better haircut. :)

[Pretty in Pink]

I'm only 32 and I've always looked young for my age. I pretty much look the same as I did in high school.

[IsabelC]

Nope. I've gone from slightly pretty to rather, well, not pretty. It's partly genetic (light, sensitive and wrinkle prone skin), partly health related, and partly because I haven't taken much trouble over my appearance.

[Melissa in Australia]

no!

I have never really looked pretty. So what I did at a young age (teen) was make sure I have a huge smile. People notice my smile and don't notice how plane I really am.

[Rosie_0801]

no!

I have never really looked pretty. So what I did at a young age (teen) was make sure I have a huge smile. People notice my smile and don't notice how plane I really am.

 

Pigswill. You look gorgeous, and I've seen you before you've done your hair in the morning. :p

 

 

I was cute when I was three and it's all been downhill since then because my mum stopped doing my hair and my face lengthened. Being called "Horsehead" by your aunts doesn't exactly fill you with confidence, however, on reflection, I'm better looking than they are because I don't look like their dad. :D I have plans to be gorgeous in another year or two. Some things just can't be rushed.

 

Rosie

Edited September 7, 2012 by Rosie_0801

[Ibbygirl]

Pigswill. You look gorgeous, and I've seen you before you've done your hair in the morning. :p

 

 

I was cute when I was three and it's all been downhill since then because my mum stopped doing my hair and my face lengthened. Being called "Horsehead" by your aunts doesn't exactly fill you with confidence, however, on reflection, I'm better looking than they are because I don't look like their dad. :D I have plans to be gorgeous in another year or two. Some things just can't be rushed.

 

Rosie

 

Ay Rosie!! I puffy heart love you! You always say the funniest things. :lol::lol::lol:

[mommymilkies]

I think I peaked at about age 4. It's all been downhill since. :lol: since #5, my body has fallen to pieces and the gray hair & wrinkles have shown up. I feel the need to wear a veil.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Oh I totally thought I was hitting my peak....

 

....until I saw the pics of me at my daughter's wedding. Sigh. Haggard--that was the only word I could think to describe myself.

 

Guess it really is downhill and I'm just glad I already snagged a hot hubby who loves me :001_smile:

[PeacefulChaos]

:ack2: Not a chance.

My skin is worse than when I was a teenager, I weighed 133-140 and I was cute. I had cute hair and a pretty smile and I didn't have to wear these stupid glasses all the time (I wore contacts instead). I was 2 sizes smaller.

I hate the way I look now. I hate the glasses. Hate them. I don't love my hair but it isn't horrid, and hair grows anyway, and I hate that I'm not at least 150. I hate that I'm lumpy and just feel overall gross and unattractive. My clothes don't fit well and I just feel fat.

So no, I definitely haven't 'gotten better looking with age'. As a person, however, I guess I have. I'm not as harsh as I used to be, and I'm not as mean - though I'm still not nicey-nice, it's just not my personality. I've matured and I've learned how to keep my mouth shut, and I'm wiser than I once was. So I guess it isn't all for naught, at least. :tongue_smilie:

Edited September 12, 2012 by PeacefulChaos

[BakersDozen]

(Overheard this summer):

 

"That's your mom?? Man, she looked a lot better back then!" :glare:

 

Spoken by a friend of my son's who was looking at a picture of me in my 20s.

 

I have not gotten better with age.

 

Thankfully, I no longer care. :D

[Melissa in Australia]

Pigswill. You look gorgeous, and I've seen you before you've done your hair in the morning. :p

 

 

 

Rosie

 

Ow, Rosie, You say the nicest things :D

[2squared]

I haven't read this thread, but I can say that....

 

the women around me are just beautiful. I have to believe that they have gotten better looking with age. Their bodies may be a little softer, but they look gorgeous.

 

Me? Definitely not so much.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Nope, I still look silly, I've always looked silly but I fit in smaller jeans once. :D

[Wheres Toto]

This would have been interesting as a poll incorporating age in some way.

 

I'm 43 and definitely do NOT look better than I did when younger.

 

My teen years were a nightmare - it was the 80's and I just wasn't willing to spend hours doing the big hair every day. My 20's I was tired and fat but looked a lot younger. I pretty much peaked in my early 30's, when I had just divorced my ex, lost a ton of weight, and was making an effort to color my hair and wear make-up/dress night. I was regularly carded and looked like I was in my mid-20's (I was asked out my a lot of 20-somethings, including a 22 year old who thought I was 25).

 

Then I got remarried and was pregnant twice in two years. Now I'm fat again, I'm tired, bags under the eyes, wrinkles popping out, worse breakouts than when I was a teenager, hair dull with some grays showing up. I live in sweats and t-shirts and wear make-up maybe twice a year.

 

I know if I had the energy I could look better. I am starting to work out more, watch what I eat, try to start a healthier lifestyle, and I hope to lose some weight and get more energy.