Faded beauty

I suppose that's a legacy of once having had heads turn. In my case I can't miss what I never had. I'm still me you're still you life goes on and its what you make it. Make interesting, find other focuses than your mirror!

These days it's more a case that stomachs turn rather than heads.
Actually, having never been a raving beauty ( pretty at most) Like Jane says,I don't look in the mirror too much( I don't clean my bedroom dressing table mirror much either ,that way you get the soft focus effect.)
I don't mind the dear or sweetheart, but draw the line at 'ah bless!'

I am quite grateful that DH now needs glasses as he thinks I look just the same as I always did!

I don't know whether I turned heads when I was young but I suspect not as I was totally lacking in self confidence.

Now, I'm much more self assured and don't worry much about what people think so I imagine I am, comparatively, more attractive.

I think a lot of us were much more attractive when we were younger than we realised at the time.

If I come across a photo of me in my twenties I'm quite taken aback - I was absolutely gorgeous! Not now, though...

Self-confidence is the key, I agree kitty, but illness and bereavement take their toll and it's sometimes difficult to feel positive. We can but try, though!

I have got photos of me in my 20s and 30s when I was so much prettier (and thinner!!) than I thought.

I also find that I am not treated as a person any more, just old. You can see that 'look' in peoples' eyes. I want to jump up and down and yell "I am still the same person "

I was never gorgeous! or even pretty
But I did get asked on a lot of dates, that's what comes of being in a male-dominated college

I always thought I was horrible, but yes I found an old photo and thought wow I wasn't half bad actually, pity I didn't realise that at the time. I don't like what I see now when I look in the mirror.

My body is good, tall and slim, my legs are great, shame about the face lol

I think I was quite attractive in my youth and didn't have problems getting boyfriends.

My (female) dentist does facial therapies as a sideline and recently gave me some fillers round the mouth and the deep lines by the nose. It was very subtle but I do look much more 'refreshed' rather than younger. It has given me more confidence.

My DH always compliments me and till says he fancies me, which also gives me confidence, even though I know I probably look my age (64)

My hair is still quite dark and I apply a semi-perm rinse every 6 weeks or so to cover the worst of the grey which is peppered through my hair.

This is not about trying to recapture my youth, it's about making the best of yourself, physically & mentally.

People used to say I looked like Audrey Hepburn - I certainly don't any more!

But.....maybe we need to rethink our attitude to youthful looks and get rid of the value judgement that says young looks are the aim. When I worked as a photographer I loved taking photos of elderly people - their faces had such character and the skin textures were beautiful in their own way. Old can be beautiful too.

I doubt Audrey Hepburn looks as good as you now, Lucky. I agree that older faces are full of character.

I know what you say is true Ana and I realise that life can be difficult for lots people at different times and in different circumstances.

However, I wonder how many of us actually spend any time thinking about how we look during the day?

Having performed my normal morning routine I rarely look at myself again unless I'm going 'out'!. It's not because I think I look wonderful (I'm 67, 5'5", a size 20 for goodness sake) but because there are other things to think about.

I'm still shocked when I see my mum in shop window reflections but I never feel invisible and I rarely feel that I have been treated negatively because of my age or looks.

At 79 such vanity is long gone. I just like to feel good now.

I've only met one of those who posted above but she looked good to me. I think our generation look younger, dress better and look after ourselves better than previous ones.

It's not so much vanity as self respect. I agree with Ann that feeling good, feeling you want to get up, get dressed and get out is very important.

I will never look as young as I do today because tomorrow I will be a day older. Same for all of you so be happy with what you look like now. Make the best of yourself in a way that makes you feel comfortable, stand up straight get on with it. And smile.

My MIL at 83 still looks amazing - I was never particularly attractive, but was much loved by two gorgeous men, one my fabulous toyboy DH, almost 10 years younger. Now have the advantage that I can wear comfortable rather than fashion clothes. Never hankered after helping nature, but would like to treat myself to a more regular hair style pampering session!

I'm the same as Kitty, I never had any self confidence and never thought of myself as pretty. I was quite shy in my younger days but getting older (I'm 64)I've found my missing self confidence and people always say I don't look my age, I have my hair highlighted, wear clothes that I'm comfortable in but most of all I walk about town and smile and chat to people in shops and amazingly rather than think I'm a crazy woman, they smile and chat back.

I was watching a programme about Japan with Johanna Lumley and the Japanese think that 61 years old is a new beginning. I liked the idea of that.

It's the beginning of a 'third age'. Maybe a time to let the past go, make the best of what you have, and get on with it.

Turning heads maybe who you were but you are surely a more interesting person now!

I was gorgeous , very tall, slim, lovely hair and complexion... with not an iota of self-confidence! So I still see myself as that gawky girl, much older now, more wrinkles and loads fatter.
Not keen on full length mirrors , but as I have always worn clothes well, I can wear "grown-up" clothes and still look acceptable.
Inside? I'm a heap happier, more self-confident, more myself. Roll on my 70s!

I think all you can do is be the best version of you that you can be at any age so good grooming and a big smile will be fine- doesn't matter how you look as long as you feel you've done your best for yourself.

There is a lot I enjoy about being a senior, mostly not being anxious about always doing and saying the 'right' thing rather than what I'm actually thinking. But with age has come the wrinkles. I always get a surprise to see I'm not the 30 something I think I am when I look in the mirror. And that's the same everyday. But I'm really glad I still feel I'm 30 something even though I know I look everyone one of my 60 something self. I keep myself fit and still have a good figure. As for the face, others say I'm attractive - I just see a graceful but old lady.

As I'm currently incapacitated there's no possibility of thinking about how I look. Putting on make up is unfeasible as is trying to wear other than the stretchiest of comfortable clothes. My hair is a haystack. Surgical stockings for 6 weeks precludes wearing anything but sensible shoes.
Yet- somehow life goes on. Nobody is bothered about how I look only about how I feel. I'm going to concentrate on that in future. It'll save me a fortune apart from anything else.

Dear Luckylegs9 - I can so sympathise with you, as I once was quite a beauty (that's not being big-headed, I did a lot of modelling) but now at nearly 78 I obviously do not recognise the person in the mirror, although a kind friend last week said she thinks I still have a lovely face! I may be thought of as dreadfully vain, but I have two enormous Black-and-White enlargements of a couple of photos, which won accolades in a photographic competition in Tokyo, in 1966, hanging on my bedroom wall - just to remind my flagging ego that I didn't always look like this!!! I still feel deflated as to how I look, but I still do not look as bad as Brigitte Bardot!!

Yep I too am amazed at how I look in old photographs. I think oh look at those lovely arms. I was never beautiful or even pretty but I think I was (well this is how my husband thinks) striking. So turned the occasional head and had my fair share of attention, most of it unwelcomed because I was quiet shy and a bit prudish. I miss it a very little bit. I haven't age particularly well. I must be completely grey now, I've put on loads of weight around three stone + Mostly though I enjoy the freedom of not worrying that men think I may be coming on to them. I would never ever have worn a swimming costume in my youth even though my figure was probably my greatest asset. Now I do, bright red. I know the young, firm and beautiful probably look at me and think 'oh look she looks like my granny" then they carry on worrying about their own looks. In my opinion the greatest most attractive asset we wear is a smile and a look that's approachable. The other thing is, most of us are old and wise enough to know there are worse things to loose and worry about than looks. I do envy those who've aged gracefully a little bit.