Has your look changed and do people treat you differently?

[ClementineSalad]

Over the last 2 - 3 years I have totally changed my look after discovering colour and make-up, started spending more on myself, stopped wearing glasses, grown my hair long and lost a bit of weight. Sometimes I see people who knew me 'before' and I see them do a double take. At risk of sounding vain, I know I look much better than I used to damn right after all the money Ive spent

But there's the thing - I think people treat me differently now. I really notice it with shop assistants, but I've noticed a shift in other people too that's not all the positive. I think people were almost kinder to me when I was dowdier and they thought I was smarter. Someone called me formidable and I'd never been called that before.

I don't THINK I've changed on the inside but maybe I have, but it's led to a bit of a crisis of self I hadn't expected now I feel like I'm a different person in a room and not always in a good way.

Has anyone else had this? How did you cope?

Yep. Was quite pinky/grungy in my youth. Now over 30 and smartened up a lot, I'm tall and pretty in an old fashioned sort of way. Got the train to London the other week, had people holding doors for me and at least 3 men of a certain age offered to help me with my bag.

I’m finding this thread quite interesting.

I was hugely led by my family in my late teens and most of my twenties. I had a boring style which didn’t feel ‘me’ at all. I always craved something more alternative...piercings/tattoos/interesting clothes.
It’s only now at 29 that I’m finally getting pierced and tattooed...and wearing exactly what I want!! I’ve had some people seem shocked by it...but I feel more like me than I ever have done!! I wish I’d had the courage to do it sooner.

@OverTheWeather I'll tag you in it.

Such interesting discussion.

My change was quite slow over about two years - first step being dropping the glasses. It wasn’t that I wanted to have people look at me more, it’s that I wanted to feel better. I still have days when I exist in active wear and don’t do my hair or makeup and wear glasses but it feels different than before because I know it’s not me all the time if that makes sense

I'm in my 40s and notice I've become increasingly invisible to men. It's rather pleasing after decades of feeling leched upon.

What occurred to me yesterday as I walked out of a high end shop was how much attention I get shopping.

There's never any suggestion in the sales assistants approach that I will not be spending. They are so helpful.

I guess I've gone from hot challenge to lady that lunches

The opposite happens to me when I wear glasses, my DH loves it, thinks I look very sexy, I avoid wearing them at work though, a co worker became quite flustered when he saw me for the first time in glasses telling me how much they suited me etc. I think I have a Miss Money Penny vibe going on so I stick to my contacts.

I've really noticed this recently. I went back to blonde after being dark for a few years and have started to lose weight. I'm already being treated better generally after being invisible for a few tears. When I make an effort and wear my contacts I don't wait so long in queues, people (men) give way more often in traffic, help with shopping bags/lifting etc.