To think women hit their best in their 40s and 50s?

[Urbanhymngirl]

I found some pictures of me in my 20s today- I really didn’t look great at all. Overweight, frumpy , bad hair, unconfident, not knowing who I was & what suited me.

Now in my late 40s, I have better hair, makeup, I know who I am and what I like, want & what clothes suit me. I think I am hitting my best years now at a time when ironically society starts to write you off! And that’s despite having 2 kids and being knackered too and being in perimenopause!

Aibu to think it’s often the case that women hit their peak in their 40s and 50’s? Knowing yourself and taking no shit is fantastic!

It’s great that you feel you’ve improved with age, but it’s not a given.

I’m mid 50’s and look really shocking. My 70 odd yr old mother looked better just before she died!
I found a pic of me from my early 30’s and I was taken aback with how much I’ve changed, and that I looked ok back then, even wearing specs.

Depends - I looked great in my 20's - not so much in my 30's into 40 - 51 now and I don;t look bad - I also have way more me time to get things done like going to the gym, hair etc and more disposable income for nice clothes

also the HRT I am on has given me the libido of a 16 year old boy!

I don't know but as a 37yo I'm going to read your thread title and say "ooooh I hope so!"

I certainly do! I had a very playdough type face until about 40. My whole family are late maturing. Same in our careers - we really hit our strides in experience, motivation and ambition the older we get!

My mum looks fabulous at 78 so I'm hopeful 😊

I wish I'm 46 and look like a bag of spanner's 🙁

not so far in my experience.

Yep agreed. I was morbidly obese and cracked the weight thing over 45 and look much better now! Plus much improved fashion and hair choices.

God, I feckin hope so!

I was lovely in my 20s, fat old gimmer now.

Mid 30s are great. Still little effort needed to make the face look fresh, but with loads of confidence.

Interesting- maybe it’s just because I looked rough as fuck in my 20’s with a blind hairdresser I have a brilliant hairdresser now which really really helps!

Oh god, not in my case. Ten stone heavier at 41 than I was at 31. I look old an awful. No money to spend on hair, make up, skin care or clothes. I look a horror show.

And I'm bloody knackered with a baby.

I look back at photos of me in my 20s and I look amazing. Had my first at 22 and I looked my best around 27/28.

It's the same for me, OP. I looked awful in my teens and twenties, and even into my thirties, started to improve mid-thirties and I'm now mid-forties and never looked better! I use way more confidence and get more positive comments than I ever have. I'm loving it!

Maybe for a few but I can’t personally think of anyone

I would have liked the confidence and not caring so much attitude in my 20’s and 30’s

I love being in my 40s! I used to dread getting a bit older as I genuinely thought I'd be old and past it by 38. In reality I'm still a size 8 (after two DC) have a few laughter lines, but still get told I don't look my age.

I don't give a shit what anyone thinks of how I dress. I love bright, colourful age inappropriate clothes that cheer me up every day. My DH fucked off over a year ago and now I'm past even caring about men's opinions of me. I'm great and any guy who disagrees is mistaken

I realise this all sounds horribly conceited but I promise I'm not. I just love feeling liberated of all the crippling insecurities of my 20s and 30s.

Definetly not in my case

Well I feel I am still waiting to hit my stride at 49, bizarrely I have been getting eyed up out and about recently which my ds (19) has lovingly reassured me this has got nothing to do with how I am looking but just that men having been on Lockdown for a year are just absolutely desperate. Thanks love....

It is fabulous that you are much more confident, know yourself, can stand up for yourself etc. Your personality is different from looks though. I think it’s dependent on the individual. Many people are conventionally attractive in their 20s so could experience the opposite to you

I look pretty much the same at nearly 50 as I did at 20 - but at 20, I looked young, so I looked better. I was incredibly pretty when I was 20, but I didn't realise it. DD was looking at photos of me when I was her age, and she just kept saying how stunning I was. She was right. I am still slim and attractive, with good hair - but I look my age. I feel it, too.

Actually, I take some of this back. I did realise I was attractive at 20. It was impossible not to realise, not least as people kept telling me. However, it sets you up for problems later on, as you end up hanging on to how attractive you were when you were younger, and feeling crap for not looking like that now. It has affected my choice of men - I tend to go for older men who make me feel younger and more attractive.

I hope so! I definitely know what suits me best now but my body was much better before I had my 2nd child at 38. Definitely lost some shape and tone that I dont think I'll ever get back. I'm not overweight tho. But my skin can look very grey and dull and unless I have botox I have a very scowly face!

@Bearnecessity

Well I feel I am still waiting to hit my stride at 49, bizarrely I have been getting eyed up out and about recently which my ds (19) has lovingly reassured me this has got nothing to do with how I am looking but just that men having been on Lockdown for a year are just absolutely desperate. Thanks love....