Do people tell you you're pretty?

[wishiwasinbarbados]

Probably a very shallow post, but here goes…
Background - people used to tell me I was pretty when I was younger. Then I got married, had kids, got depressed and I admit I "let myself go" and put on 4 stone.
I'm now 49, and am getting my life back on track. I've lost 2 stone, started face care routine again etc and am generally much happier.
I think I look pretty good, especially for my age . (I'm still a bit overweight by 1 stone though)
Lots of people comment on how nice my hair is, but no one actually says I look nice.

If you're pretty, do people still tell you?

Yes, but I do find that I have features that most people think are nice: big blue eyes, full lips, high cheekbones. I am also photogenic though, which is more to do with it, so I photograph as more attractive than I am. Shame about my body though.

As a teenager I asked my mother if I was pretty & got the reply 'You're alright in your own way'. Thanks mum

As an adult I came to realise that I'm quite striking & that I polish up well, but that one comment from my mother affected my confidence for years. Incidentally, she is pretty - I take after my dad.

Surely pretty is for girls/young women.

Beautiful is for special occasions or people who actually are very attractive.

Looking good or great Is probably the most likely compliment for anyone over 35 and yes I have been told that I do recently.

But as we get older fewer people care about looks so it just isn’t such a big deal as it was when a teen or tween (where I was either told I was pretty or wanted reassurance that I was on a semi regular basis)

No I’m not pretty, but striking, apparently. DH says I have presence. People do tend to gawp and DH will say that I don’t realise how attractive I am.
They may just stare because cause they think I’m pug ugly, but I’m happy to believe the opposite!!

No, but I'd find it quite odd if someone randomly told me I was pretty.
I'd never tell anyone that either, it's a weird thing to say to an adult.

I'm 43. I got told I was a pretty girl by a date on Saturday. Quite frankly I was offended, I saw it as patronising. Beautiful, sexy, hot, attractive, I'd take those, but not pretty. (He also slapped my arse and sulked when I would go home with him).
My small child tells me I'm pretty all the time. That's a lovely compliment and I'll take that all day

@DramaAlpaca I asked my Mum if I was pretty ( aged 10) if I was pretty. She replied no is pretty , you’re attractive but not pretty.
It has stayed with me ever since. My Mum is pretty and I always think that she is disappointed that I don’t look like her.

@BlueRussian - I think beautoful women attract shallow men. I used to be very conventionally pretty (didn't age well., as 'pretty'women often don't). I attracted the kind of superficial jerk who wanted to be seen around town with me, but didn't want me to behave like a human being with down days and difficulties and insecurities. I was just supposed to glide everywhere like a swan.

I met DH when my looks were on the turn and he's Aspergic and didn't really notice my looks much though he;s always been very affectionate and comoplimentary. But it was our minds that clicked. A much happier and more long lasting solution.

I don;t miss turning the heads of every salacious businessman on the tube. But I do sometimes wish when I walked into a party that someone would say I look nice. No one ever does.

I've had more weird stalkers than others it seems. Mainly in my twenties. I know it was a combination of my looks and my jobs (tech heavy) bolstered by my bolshiness. Thank god social media and the internet didn't exist or they'd have been much harder to shake off.

Erm this thread is full of people claiming complete randomers have told them his amazing looking they are count. I just don't believe this is actually true.

I got my first pretty in decades last Sat night - in my mind pretty is the nicest compliment ever. I'm 47 and worked VeRY hard for 3 weeks before night out - no sugar/salt/booze, exercise every day etc. I'm 47. I also got a "wow, you're beautiful". But the pretty made my day.

When I was a teen I asked my mum if I was pretty. She burst out laughing

@Morgenrot that's awful. Cruel, in fact.
It's something my mum would do.. that's one of the reasons I've gone no contact.

Erm this thread is full of people claiming complete randomers have told them his amazing looking they are count.

In English...

Yeah, I did that for a while @Zero79me . She was damaged. Lashing out made her feel better.

I am distinctly average looking, but my 4 year old son tells me I'm beautiful all the time and that is good enough for me.

Pre children I would have strangers tell me I'm beautiful: men and women. After children, and over 40, not so much.

I do but I think they're just being nice. I'd rather be beautiful or stunning.

I've never been called pretty, not really that I can think of.

I'm 41 though and still get called 'hot' on occasion.

It's interesting to think of the difference between pretty, hot, striking etc.

To add: to describe my look I'd describe myself as well-groomed yet average, in that I have good techniques and tools to improve how I look but don't think I'm naturally beautiful at all. I do have an hourglass figure though as well as quite long hair, and wear well-fitting bright clothes

Until I turned about 35 I was often told I was pretty. I wasn’t amazing but I scrubbed up well. Now I’m old I get complimented on hair/skin/outfit/general appearance but I’m never told I’m pretty anymore. I KNOW it’s shallow and that I’m very lucky to still have good health and the mobility to able to exercise and remain well groomed but I really miss being young and pretty and occasionally turning heads when I entered a room.

They do still for me. But I never really believe them.

Yes. I went through an ugly duckling stage as a teen. I looked awkward, crap hair, crap clothes, not enough money to invest in my appearance.

I always second guessed guys who complimented me. I thought they were lying.

I am confident in my looks now. It has taken years.

I read that as petty and was about to say, yes all the time. But pretty - no.

waxcrayon.