At what age (honestly) did you look your best?

[catsaremylife]

Society tells us that youth is beautiful, but I look at photos of myself at 18 and think I looked a total state! No idea about how to dress, skincare, and I still had the puppy fat.

Maybe I'm deluded, but I think I started to look my best from my very late 20s (in early 30s now), but maybe that's due to lots of things - being healthier, exercising more, better fashion, taking care of my skin etc.

35, I looked great!

28 - I was always the same weight but could eat what I wanted without putting weight on. So I was quite unhealthy in terms of eating, drinking too much, partying from 18-28ish. Youth meant I could get away with it but I definitely looked healthier when I calmed down.

Then kids early 30s, a cancer diagnoses, and ageing kicks in. Though I was still happy with how Iooked right up until early. 40s.

Now at 47 perimenopause means I am exercising more than I ever have yet still don’t have the flat stomach and the toned body of previous years.

About 18 I think. Although I had beautiful hair when I was about 9.

Right now (33) - I’m the fittest I have ever been and my acne has finally cleared up (20 f’ing years…).

I looked a complete state 18-25, then there were the dressing hot/caked in makeup years of my late 20s in which I was superficially attractive but hated myself.

Much much happier now. :)

So from this thread it looks like things go majorly tits up after having kids? 😂

I hate the thought of all my hard work being undone 😭

We probably need another thread on the bounce-back from pregnancy / baby years and how long that takes!

In my early 40s! I got a completely new hair style, think very short and very blonde, and my DH was dumb struck!
We had the best sex life ever, as we could barely keep our hands off each other, he'd had the snip, and the children were not waking us up during the night. So,
a combination of feeling very desirable, and not giving a damn about the wobbly bits that had birthed our children.
I'm widowed now, and have gained far to much weight and grief to care too much how I look, but those memories still keep me warm at night. 😉

34/35. I'd got fit and lost a lot of weight. 6 years later I don't look that different, but I have gone up a dress size (working on it!).

@SilentHedges
It's always the way!
Remember in 10 years you'll look back at photos of you now and marvel at how young and fresh you look 😂
So bring that confidence to today 😊

Late twenties through thirties and early forties. But thinking back it was as much about professional fulfilment as it was my appearance.

Started putting weight on late 40s. Became a sahp for a while. Lost my mojo. Put a lot more weight on from mid-fifties. Trying to lose it now and find my way back to who I used to be before simultaneously raising teenagers and looking after elderly parents.

24-26. Great figure, young and healthy looking.
Went downhill from my late twenties. Weight wasn't so easy to get off etc. Then in my thirties, thinning hair, starting to get lines around the eyes. Will only get worse sadly.

22-27

Had kids at 27 so there were years of being a bit podgy, skint and knackered

I had another great phase 36-39 when I got my mojo back

46 now and it’s all going south fast but I give no fucks

35 ish was best for me

Late 20s to mid 30s for me for sure.

Late 20s to early 30s. Then maybe 50s when I lost weight and regained health

Mid to late 30's
Lots of disposable income, at my best weight 60kg, fit and lean.
Early 40's now, still don't think I look too bad. But the stress is obvious on my face.

23

Yeah - also late twenties here. Having children has destroyed me. My hair also fell out after my first and not recovered.

Looking back i think my late 20s, but at the time I really didn't realise it and used to wear baggy jeans and oversized shirts.

Once I'd got rid of the arsehole that ruined my self confidence and dated a man who gave it back to me, I think it was in my late 30s and early 40s I realised my worth and my confidence in myself and my curves was there. So looking back, although I might not have looked in my prime, my late 30s and early 49s were when I felt like I did.

40s. I know people always say 20s but for me its 40s. I started running and weight training so am very toned, I finally found a hairstyle/colour that suited me- honey highlights rather than black box dye all over which I did for years for some unknown reason, I got a nose job, I have the money for facial lasers/treatments and I gave up drinking. I was also knackered in my 30s due to having two kids very close together. Now they are in their teens and I sleep like a dream. In fact, some people dont even recognise me from photos in my 20s. This feels like the decade of "me" for once!

About 32. Rough af now at 42 😂

Now, at 42. I agree with whoever mentioned the stage when women lose some fat in their face being relevant. My bone structure looks sharper than ever.
I'm also at my fittest, know how to eat to suit my body, have more money for looking after myself and have learnt to appreciate the value and impact of good clothes.

I think your priorities just change for a while. Once they're out of primary age then your life becomes your own again and some people re-prioritise their appearance/well being again.

28-32 I think. Definitely all went down hill after I had my first DS aged 34🙄

20s-30s. Wish I’d appreciated my slim figure and lack of wrinkles more.

Didn’t detect any great difference once I had kids but by the time I hit 50 it was as if someone flicked an internal switch and said
‘ You know all those times you stuffed your face and never had to worry about your weight? Well buckle up…’

Plus I honestly don’t recognise myself anymore in the mirror. Face is jowly, eyelids hooded and collapsed. Deep crevices. Looking permanently knackered.
Now I get the whole plastic surgery thing. It’s just a pity it can make people look worse!

Make the most of it whilst you can!

I don't feel I look bad for 63 as never smoked, rarely drink. Also the fact that i am overweight means my face is plumper and not too line-y!

About two years ago I came across an old photo of me age 21. I loved my curly wavy hair then and so I decided to grow it. Although it is a pain in the arse and gets tangle-y I am happier with it now.