To feel a bit of sadness to see looks gradually fading

[Maisyblue]

Just that really, I wonder if we all take it for granted when we have young fresh faces. I can remember when looking in the mirror first thing in the morning before putting makeup on wasn't an unpleasant sight. Now it's a bit of a scary sight. Also it gets longer to get ready now to look half decent. Isn't it a bit sad to see the face that was once young and glowing slowly start to fade.

It's more than a 'bit' sad, it's proper shit.

Fuck wisdom, I'd rather be jowl free and have my norks around my neck.

It happens to everyone. I feel sad like that when I see a certain ex's face, even though he can't pull the strings he once did because of it.

Growing old is better than the alternative.

That's true Yama

Well I am 33, slim, and have long curly hair and am considered by many to be attractive. I am in the very prime of my life I feel.

However, when I look in the mirror is see this old, grey, short haired old lady who is plump and has dodgy knees. It is, indeed, shit.

What is more alarming is that it happens much quicker than you think it will.
Don't blink, dear, don't blink

I look back now at photos taken in my teens and twenties and wonder why I used to worry about my looks and figure. I'd give anything to look like that again.

Well I'm still in my 20's and appear to be developing vitiligo on my face. That's depressing :(

i nearly WEPT at my passport photo yesterday, fucking wept, I am 41

I looked OLD and a tad ugly :-(

but yes yama, better old than dead

YANBU. It's a small problem among many large ones, but I feel the same way.

No YANBU, I definitely think youth is wasted on the young and it is totally taken for granted. I'm in my early 30's, have a few grey hairs which I keep pulling out a dodgy knee joint and back pain when I "do too much". Cripes if I feel like this now, how the hell will I feel in another 30 years .

As pp said though better than the alternative

This time of year is fine.

In my 40s I find the harsh morning light on winter days the most "unforgiving"

It does not make me sad though, I just a bit cross for a moment and then I forget about it. I am generally more inclined to count my blessings, which is lucky I guess.

Try looking at the mirror and focus on what you like, and imagine looking back a photos of you now when you are 84, and think how you will by then realise how you were not really old at all in your 30s and 40s (and 50s and 60s)

Cheer up.

A smile makes everyone look better than a scowl

ok, I'll bugger off now!!!

Another thing is when you gradually realise you're not getting second glances when walking down the street. Vain I know but it hurts.

That's true bravepotato

Don't you get second glances any more? I do. And every one, to a man, is from a chap old enough to be my Dad

So true Vintagejazz. I saw a picture of myself just today from only about 8 years ago ( but pre husband and three pregnancies) and I thought "Gosh I look thin. And young" I really didn't appreciate it at the time. Just thought I was short and mousey and a bit plump! And I'm only 36 now!

We don't get long enough at being young do we.

I'm getting older, yes, & my looks are ageing, true, but I actually think I look better compared to other women (and men) of my own age (49) than when I was younger.

I do still get the odd compliment and when I do it keeps me going for weeks.

I was quite a looker in my youth. Now I'm a crone and I hate it :(

I'm reading this on a tablet,which has horrendous reflective properties. All I see is a crepey neck ( note, careful autocracy from "creepy"!) On the screen. Very depressing.
I still wear makeup rarely and wonder if I should change that now.

Irony at correcting autocorrect

I thought this morning on looking in the mirror that though I have gone downhill lately, I will never look this good again.

THAT was a scary thought :o

I might not look as good as I did in my 20's but am happy and (relatively) fit for an old bird.

Having just been told this morning that a really fit ex colleague, also 50, has been given months to live, I am counting my blessings

I was looking at a photo of me and DP from a wedding we went to this summer.

When we got together 14 years ago, I was hotter than DP.

This is definitely not the case now

Someone should warn women that while they probably look all slim and glowy and happy in their earlier twenties, men grow into their looks as they get older...

I'm not going to change the photos we have up on the wall, I'm going to leave the ones where I was slimmer and he was chubbier up rather than the other way around as it is now