Are you ever shocked how *old* you look in a mirror?

[fizzbuzz]

Have just spent 2 hours in hairdressers. Most of it was spent without specs on as they faffed around with my hair.

So finally put specs on to admire hairstyle (which was v nice) but look old old old, and yet feel 24. In fact I can't believe I don't look 24, and am really shocked to see middle aged frump looking back at me!!!

I love clothes, but have convinced myself I look old and frumpy in all of them. Wore one of those printed t-shirts, and thought I looked good, and then caught glimpse of middle aged women in a shop...and realised it was me

Shirt now residing in bin.....Does anyone else ever feel shocked when they look in the mirror?

my body surprises me, with its lack of tone, rubbish skin (cant be arsed to moiusturise any more) and floppy, stretchmarked, saggy bits.

but im kinda used to it now, i think.

my face is ok i think so far... few lines, but hey, ive earned them

mind you, im only 32 lol.

gimme a decade and i am gonna look like SHIT

I too struggle with the difference between my inner nymphette and outer age-withered old bat.

I recently remarked to my husband that I don't like photos of me and my daughter head-to-head because they just make me look even older and uglier. To which my darling offspring interjected "but mummy you look old and ugly without me". Yesterday, a propos a nice sensible Hobbs skirt I was contemplating at the sales, she said "mummy, you would look like you were wearing a carpet".

Out of the mouths of babes. Gah!

sounds like a useful (if irritating) advisor to have around, madbad. you dont want to start dressing in carpets fgs, that'll only age you more!

I have lovely mirrors in my house that must lie to me. I don't mind looking in them - but when I am out shopping or whatever, I look in mirrors there and nearly recoil from shock at how much worse I look. I think it is all in the lighting - clearly strip-lighting is called that because it strips away any fantasy I might have that I still look passably good!!

my fave mirror to look in is in my bathroom.
the light rocks in there. i look hot.

Happy - indeed! I thought something from Hobbs would be a big improvement on my usual chainstore tat, and more suited to a woman of a certain age, but the six year old lovechild of Trinny, Susannah and Gok thought differently. Trouble is, she only approves of clothing which is pink, sequinned and (ideally) adorned with Barbie or Bratz. Brown tweed just doesn't float her boat.

tbh I can see her point on the brown tweed....

5 years ago, a photo was taken of me holding newborn ds1. In it, I was coming up to 23, and I lokk like my (now 18 year old) sister does now.

Fast forward 3 years, to me holding a newborn ds2. In it, I am coming up to 26, and I look like my mother.

Children are a parasitic life form. They eat your life's essence with tantrums, questions, running away, and split lips.

I like my bedroom mirrors, I look OK in them and my skin tone on my face looks fine in them . Bathroom mirror sucks it shows everything.

I've a lovely bathroom mirrior, it's always dusty and is slightly golden toned - so you lose your wrinkles and gain a lovely tan!

lol coldy
looking at immediately-after-birth pics of me aged 26, 27 and 29 is tres amusing
26yo looks like a train hit her
27yo looks amazing! no time to sweat or mess up hair; and recent visit to hairdresser. i love that pic.
29yo looks... kinda swollen. i look ok i guess, just not remotely like myself. v odd.

Those hair salon mirrors are terrible though. I used to go to one and you had to sit in front of a full length mirror with only your head poking out of the overall thing and all these harsh bright lights beaming down on you.

I always thought I looked like Tony Harrison from the Mighty Boosh sat there.

for years and years people always thought i was younger than i was, (i had luverly skin), i should have been a dolly on a skincare counter, i'd have made TONS of commission!

then i had ds.

now i tell people my age and they go "uh huh" in a totally accepting, thats no surprise, yes you look THAT old tone. And i want to scream, no no no, tell me i look 5 years younger NOW NOW damn you. I would weep but adding red puffy eyes to the sleep deprived skin is insult to injury.

This is my mirror. Just step away now and you won't get hurt!

Oh yes. You get lulled into a false sense of security without specs, and then what horror when you put them back on and the soft focus disappears.
It's even more horrific going to the hairdressers all pale and pasty and bug eyed straight from a night shift (which is what I shall be doing tomorrow morning).

ooh sue, that looks evil [scowl]

Oh no, madbad, is that what you get from 6yos? When does it change? DD is 4 and I still get an awed 'mummy, you look beautiful' if I wear a new necklace.

Lol at your dd, MadBad. My dd keeps threatening to send my name into 10 YYears Younger. "Gee, thanks, kid!"

I am suprised by the fact that I have only just realised that my smile itr really crooked

I think my eyes aren't level or my ears aren't level cause my glasses dont sit striaght

I am quite sad to say, I think I'm rather ugly looking
I think I've never actually seen myself before until I started to feel much better recently

I'm never stopping take=ing the ad's

I harte going to the hairdressers because the lighting is so unflattering and you just sit and look at yourself !

Sometimes when I'm shopping I think: "Oh there's a fat woman wearing the same outfit as me. "

Then I realise it's me in a mirror.

Hairdressers' mirrors are the worst. The lighting is so harsh, I always find myself trying to subtly reapply my make up.

I am constantly amazed that I am no longer 19. And as I still have baby weight, constantly horrified when I catch a glimpse of myself in shop windows, especially when I thought I was looking OK that day.

I'm starting to loathe my droops around my mouth. I'm thinking a couple of stout elastic bands around the ears might have to be utilised.