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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say that women often look better as they age!

96 replies

Goodnightchristopherrobin · 06/07/2019 21:27

I keep hearing that men get better with age! Society seem to promote this belief and at the same time, suggest that women get worse with age!

AIBU to challenge this? At almost 40, I have DC that sleep, disposable income to spend on skin care, treatments, clothes and hair! I have time for a proper exercise routine. I definitely look better now than at 30.

So where does this ridiculous saying come from? AIBU to suggest it is absolutely untrue and lots of women do actually get better with age Grin

OP posts:
recklessruby · 06/07/2019 22:14

I look better at 51 than 41. Facebook timehop showed me a picture from 2009 when my kids were hard work as teenagers.
I was 4 stone heavier with crap clothes and hair just tied back any old how as i was either at work or looking after them.
I m now a size 12 with nicely streaked styled hair and clothes that are actually me and flattering.
I ve also had the time to have my gappy teeth fixed.
I definitely look better (and younger!) nowGrin

Hermagsjesty · 06/07/2019 22:18

I completely agree. I’m only in my late 30s but look back at younger photos and much prefer how I look now. Same with lots of friends: more confident in own skins and in own style, less heavy nights partying, more income to spend on nicer quality clothes etc...

TigerJoy · 06/07/2019 22:27

I definitely looked better at 35 than 25. However after a decade of barely aging, just as I hit 40 I suddenly aged massively! Trying to get used to it....it was only a little over a year ago I was regularly getting ID'd for booze...

StepAwayFromGoogle · 06/07/2019 22:31

Whaaat? How in the world is everyone else aging backwards while I look a year older every day?!

dootball · 06/07/2019 22:32

But you probably looked better at 20!

Original poster
Goodnightchristopherrobin · 06/07/2019 22:38

dootball my lovely ex-DH tells me I look very similar now to when I was 20. In fact he told me the other day that I’ve hardly changed! True story Grin

OP posts:
TeachesOfPeaches · 06/07/2019 22:39

Women tend to look their best in between 18 - 25.

FortniteIsRuiningMyLife · 06/07/2019 22:42

Women tend to look their best in between 18 - 25

Well that's depressing, I looked shit then too!

LaurieFairyCake · 06/07/2019 22:44

Nah. I looked great at 30.

I now look like a rusty bag of spanners left out in the garden too long

horseferryroad · 06/07/2019 22:45

I think women tend to peak in mid 39s.

horseferryroad · 06/07/2019 22:45

30s!

Curlyshabtree · 06/07/2019 22:47

If you have the disposable income for skin, hair and clothes......

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 06/07/2019 22:48

Totally disagree. I definitely peaked aged 25-30. 38 now and look like a bag of shit.

that25cUKHeatwaveof2019 · 06/07/2019 22:51

You might look better, but it's not true for most women. They look better when they are younger without needing to do much or at all.
You learn what suits you, and you can afford better quality everything, but you do need to work to get there - again, MOST women.

I think that the ones who really blossom with age were quite unattractive when they were younger.

At least, we do know that with a bit effort, we can look just as good as in our 20s, which is reassuring

Gwenhwyfar · 06/07/2019 22:53

"Women tend to look their best in between 18 - 25"

Unfortunately, yes. And not everyone has a great career where they make more and more money. I don't earn any more in my 40s than I did in my 20s, but I have a lot more wrinkles and it's much harder to control my weight. I'm sure the change will bring its own problems.

that25cUKHeatwaveof2019 · 06/07/2019 22:53

I don't know why we say women, works just the same for men

LobsterJar · 06/07/2019 22:53

Well, I don’t have money or leisure to cultivate skin, hair etc, but I look better at 46 than 36. My face has more definition, and I’m fitter.

Benjispruce · 06/07/2019 22:55

40? Yes. Late 40s things slide a bit. I look back on my late 30s/early 40s as my prime. I still think I look good/make an effort but after 45/46 age creeps up quicker.

CrazyToast · 06/07/2019 22:56

Depends what you think 'better' look like.

Society tends to think that 'better' is just 'young' when it comes to women.

Which is bullshit IMO.

Why should wrinkles and greys be sexy on one type of person (males) but not on the other half? It's all crap.

Leftielefterson · 06/07/2019 22:58

You’re right OP, you never really hear that saying referencing a woman. A mans lines and grey flecks are adorned whereas many women spend fortunes hiding theirs.

I think it’s an individual thing but generally speaking I don’t know of many women who look better at 50 than when they were 30. Certainly there are some out there but none I know IRL.

I thought I’d be fine with ageing but I’m actually quite petrified.

Taswama · 06/07/2019 23:00

Society sees grey hair on men as making them distinguished. Not so for women unfortunately.
I’m fitter than I was 10 years ago, not sure I look better though.

Getoffmylilo · 06/07/2019 23:03

Ok in 20s, properly nailed it in my 30s, plummeted in my 40s, currently addicted to RealSelf reviews and Botched on turning 50. I have a friend who looks younger now at 55 than she did in her 30s (hairstyle, different specs mainly)

TigerJoy · 06/07/2019 23:06

I generally think women look at their best in their 30s. They are comfortable in their skin and their character is showing in their face, which makes them look more interesting.

I think girls aged 18 look lovely, but they can't be beautiful in a way a more mature woman can. They look a bit blank.

However of course they have to have a nice character....they do say everyone ends up with the face they deserve!

I think one of the problems is we appreciate strong character in a man but less so in a woman...

Shelbybear · 06/07/2019 23:07

I think most men and women do not look better as they age. Some do but not many.

Ponoka7 · 06/07/2019 23:11

"Women tend to look their best in between 18 - 25."

I don't agree. I think the late 20's to late 30's, are better.

I'd say that i looked my best around 37.

I looked like shit during the Peri-Menopause, but then improved again.