I'm not blowing my own trumpet here but...

The gardener was amazed when he found out DHs age, luckily I wasn’t mentioned!

My husband had a nice Complementary from our Handyman he was telling us about his dad who is 71 and I said o he's just.a couple of years older than DH then and he was genuinely shocked! He thought DH was in his 50s like the Handyman! The landlady of our local admired my shoes and said they looked comfortable so I ordered her a pair !

Lettice, I met a friend recently who said that as she’d walked towards me across the fields, she’d thought I looked like a teenager. She then spoilt it by saying “till I got close”.

Well said Lettice - I think one of the compensations of age is that we can pay compliments and nobody suspects any ulterior motive!
I rember while teaching I loved it if a kid said "You look nice Miss" or "I like your hair" etc but remember from my childhood that such compliments were viewed as personal remarks and deemed inappropriate.
But if it brings a smile to a face - it can't be bad

Yes, just this week. Walking down the road in my favourite summer dress, a good hair day, and thinking happy thoughts. A woman walking towards me with her husband said, "I've been looking at you as you came towards us, thinking how lovely you look". I thanked her for the compliment particularly as it was my 83rd birthday. She said she was astonished. As I continued my walk home I came across a young girl who looked very sad. She had the most beautiful copper coloured hair and I stopped and told her how I loved her hair. Her thank-you-smile was glorious. It was just as nice to give that compliment as it was to receive.

I don’t get compliments often but can remember feeling flattered by a woman asking where I got my hair cut as it was a nice style. 🙎🏻
Shop assistants often ask where I buy my handbags as I have some nice ones (I think. Not expensive). 🎒

NotSpaghetti

Lexisgranny - now we all want yo see your fabulous shoes!

We certainly do!

It's lovely to receive compliments and at the age of 72 I'm still vain enough to enjoy an appreciative glance or two.

I think many of us spent quite a lot of our lives wearing a uniform of sorts. For me it was school uniform (navy) and then corporate wear, either my employers uniform or some form of formal business dress, usually dark colours such as navy, black or grey, colours which do absolutely nothing for me. They drain me and they aways made me look old and tired. I always felt frumpy in my work clothes.

The joy of retirement is that you can please yourself. I no longer have to be constrained in my style choices, I can indulge myself and dress exactly how I please. It's liberating. I still tend to dress in fairly classic simple tailored styles because they suit my body shape but I now chose more flattering colours and fabrics. I do look more youthful in brighter colours and instead of dark neutrals such as black and navy for the basics I wear a lot of cream/camel/winter white. A lot more flattering for my skin tones and hair colouring.

Both my mum and my grandmother died at the age of 90 and both had beautiful skin, so I'm hopeful. 😉. Mum always told me to be careful in the sun and use moisturiser every day.

I did sunbathe a lot when I was young (without sunscreen😱). Luckily I don't think I've done too much damage because my skin looks ok. I've seen much worse. Luckily I've never smoked so I think that's helped. My skin is much dryer than it used to be so I now use lashings of industrial strength moisturiser.

And I tend to be more careful in the sun. 😉.

I think as we age paying more attention to grooming, skin care and dressing well pays dividends, plus of course moderate exercise, a good diet and good posture. Nothing is much aging than slouching and stooping.

And a nice warm friendly smile can light up the plainest face.

Lexisgranny - now we all want yo see your fabulous shoes!

I don't wear make up, hate the stuff, so wouldn't have that specific compliment, but I always used to look much younger than my actual age, even sans make up. I was always being mistaken for younger. I was in a gay pub once, playing pool with a young girl who was flirting with me, until she discovered I was 45 (at that time), as she though I was late 20's, early 30's. When I was 58 I was mistaken for a 40 year old. Unfortunately, mother nature is a cruel mistress and now, at 62, I think definitely look my age but I daren't ask anyone in case they say 70! Lol!

It’s a while ago but once I broke a nail at work, and a colleague looked at me in amazement saying that everyone thought my nails were false because they were always so perfect. As I say that was a while ago, but recently the chief compliment I get is regarding a pair of summer shoes. My husband finds this very amusing for some reason. I even got complimented by a nurse as I was being pushed into A&E with a suspected heart attack!

I get asked for proof when I shop at Iceland and the Co-op on Senior discount Tuesdays… it tickles me and my DD says , Mom they’re checking your age because you’ve bought wine!!

Last time I was buying something in Next the young, male assistant asked if I was on my lunch break? I explained I had been retired for years and was (then) in my early 70s. He seemed impressed!
Mind you I did wonder if that was part of their training ... flattering customers!

Recently, when I asked a market stall holder if he would hold some plants for me until I’d finished my shopping , he replied,
“ You may have a lovely smile but the answer’s still no!”

Offices are a great deal less formal now than before the pandemic. Smart casual is now the rule in many places where it was previously suits and ties.

One of the reasons people enjoy remote working is because they dont have to waste time or money getting ready for work and buying a complete wardrobs of suitable clothes. Not to mention time wasted on the commute. For "teams" meetings you just make the top half presentable with a smart blouse or shirt. No one knows you are still in your pjs or joggers. You dont even have to bother doing your hair when wigs are so cheap. And those zoom virtual backdrops can be a godsend.

No, I'd need to start wearing mack up! :D

BB = beauty balm, usually quite sheer and used to replace foundation and primer to even out skin tone.

When you work for a large organization you (may) have to conform to a dress code and certain standards of dress. You have to look neat, tidy and professional. Especially in a customer facing environment
You don’t say!
Anybody would think that being a grandparent means sitting at home, knitting their Shreddies. I imagine we have all, or very nearly all worked in a professional capacity and some still do.
I don’t disagree about looking neat, tidy and professional, but just because one is no longer in a professional environment means that standards should slip, or that without an audience one cannot look all of the above things, plus, most important stylish
As I said , that’s all part of self respect and indeed respect for the people one comes into contact with in our everyday life.

What is BB cream?

My bb cream is Garnier but I do think it's quite thick. Or maybe I put it in too thickly!!!

I have been told that I have lovely skin, and very few wrinkles for my age, by a beautician friend so I was flattered. I don't agree with what you said BigLouis; I always make a point of being presentable, not for an employer, not for anyone else, but for me, not suited and booted granted, but always groomed. And always wearing a well fitting bra. My Mother was always very chic, and although I cannot possible emulate her, I absolutely will not slip into the no bra, tracksuit bottoms, comb dragged through the hair look, even if I am spending the day at home!

We were at an event with our 20 something daughter when a man asked me if I was Mr Paddy's daughter .I laughed and asked why he thought that and he said because you're his wife's double when she was young....lol I told him I was Mr Paddy's wife ,the same one he'd always had . He had known us decades earlier when our daughter was a toddler I often get told I have "beautiful skin" most recently when I visited my sister in hospital .The woman in the next bed was very complimentary.It makes up for all the times I was knocked back from pubs in my 30's because I looked too young to drink

All the time..... As if🤣🤣

yogitree

Skydancer

I used to look much younger than I was. People used to be amazed when I told them my age. But now, when I tell people I am in my 70s, nobody ever expresses surprise. What has happened! Must try harder! But I must admit it's all such an effort these days.

It's hard to get used to isn't it Skydancer, we've been spoiled. Right up until I was 60 I regularly had folks comment that they thought I was in my 40's, however now I am 68 and compliments have gone. I guess I look 68 now - ah well, I had my moment as did you!

I think everyone has ‘their time’. I didn’t fit what was regarded as pretty in my teens and twenties. Flat chested, fat legs, thin hair, sticky out ears, freckles….But then, in my late thirties going into my forties and fifties I aged much better than many of my contemporaries ( having more money to spend on myself and having dental work helped) and I felt quite smug about it. However, over the past three or so years it’s as if my ageing has gone into fast forward and I almost want to hide away.

biglouis

*Why would working for an employer make any difference*

When you work for a large organization you (may) have to conform to a dress code and certain standards of dress. You have to look neat, tidy and professional. Especially in a customer facing environment.

When you say goodbye to that life you dont have to conform to any standards - except public decency when you go out. So you can do away with uncomfortable clothes like bras, tights, etc.

My self respect comes from inside me, and not what randoms think.

I agree, but it is nice to have your hair and clothess looking nice.
I always take a pride in myself, but today I am out in a lovely thin strapped dress with no bra on, no one knows and it dies not notice.