I look in the mirror and think I'm gorgeous

Never mind looking like your mother......the other day I caught a glimpse of myself in the hall mirror......And saw my GRAN!

I look lovely in the morning when I am putting on my makeup & then I catch sight of myself sometime during the day when I am not expecting it & there is a miserable old bag looking back at me. If I inadvertently switch phone camera to 'selfie' there is an old witch in the viewfinder.
I think we all look OK when we are actually looking at ourselves but once face is in repose you change unto totally different person. I want the morning one back!

There is something wrong with all the mirrors in my house, they keep showing an old,fat woman which can't possibly be me. I am slim and in my forties !

One of the few advantages about becoming 'more mature' is the fading eyesight - what wrinkles, what double chin, what crowsfeet?

When I was around 40/42 ish my oh and I we sat having a meal in a pub . I kept seeing a couple look over to us, it got quite unnerving on how much they were looking. When they got up to go the woman past our table and came to say her husband was an artist and said I had a beautiful face and very expressive eyes ( I've never had a compliment like that before ) now nearly 20 years later I don't feel anyone really looks my way at all !

My hands have been suddenly become very wrinkly since I had these new glasses! It's been very disappointing.

I'm sure we all have mirrors and photos that make us look divine, and those that make us look ruddy awful slightly less so. My tip - avoid or delete the bad ones, embrace the good!

Difficult though, when M & S have the most brutal mirrors imaginable. I much preferred them when they had those flattering ones they got into trouble about - they really matched my own opinion of my gorgeousness.

I look like somebody's Nanna which I am so that's all good then.

I think it's sad that women are judged by their looks from toddlerhood onwards. I admire Kathy Burke, she is so down to earth and has succeeded with confidence in an industry which favours good looking, (and generally middle class women). Luckily as we age looks don't matter so much - nobody notices us Don't think it's quite the same for men?

I find it very sad the way some of you view yourselves.
Harrigran
I've looked at your pics and you look the same size as me, am I deluded?
Marmight
I think you look fabulous. I'm really envious of any woman that can wear a beret

Don't the Germans have a lovely way with words, harrigran!

I don’t do mirrors; or cameras - definitely not cameras. I definitely have a different image of myself to the reality, which is pretty dreadful. I will continue to perpetuate the myth!

Every so often it happens that I look in the mirror and think "You look great". Then usually a few weeks or months later I'll wear the same outfit, look in the mirror and mutter "What were you thinking!?" - never to wear it again

I hate looking in the mirror because I see a rather large sack of potatoes and no matter how well I dress I look as if I shop at jumble sales.
I was moaning to my sister and she told me the Germans have a saying, ' better a fat cow than a scrawny goat' which I think was supposed to make me feel better.

Oh "Liz* have done just that

One of the worst things is to accidentally get the camera on my mobile phone when I am looking down!

As long as I haven't got my glasses on, I don't think I look too bad.
Glasses on is a different matter and best avoided!

I keep a paper to put over my head when leaving home..

There is a saying that you can keep your face or your figure as you age, but not both.

I've opted for face!

I actually have grown more confident and don't really worry about my looks any more but I am still shocked by shop windows!

I look at myself and all my battle scars and badges of honour and think I look amazing to have come through life relatively intact. I don't care what anyone else thinks because the only opinion I consider is mine ? my SO says I'm beautiful but he does need specs and you won't see me on the cover of vogue. Ladies, we are all gorgeous and beautiful and anyone that says otherwise is just jealous. ?

Last week found an old photo which had got caught in the film processing envelope . At first I didn't know who it was then it dawned on me that it was me , 4 years ago ! I looked gorgeous . Hour glass figure, half naked , drying my healthy looking hair , smiling with firm cheeks and a rosy glow . Today I'm grey faced , much heavier , wrapped in a thick dressing gown, hair frizzy and needing coloured or chopped , wheezing needing my inhaler , wondering how 4 years could have changed me so much . Can this be reversed ?

I am so grateful that as I have got older my DH needs glasses! I am another one who is turning into her mother but even then I wonder if I am kidding myself as she was much younger than I am now when she died!

Very few people ever knew me when I was younger so they have no idea if I have aged well or not!

DH has just received photos via the internet from someone we haven't clapped eyes on for 30 years. When he showed me I asked, "Who on earth is that?" and when he told me I replied, "Never!" Swiftly followed by, "Don't let's send one of us!"

I've met Grannyactivist she looks really good!

I once complimented a customers wife to him when she wasn't there.I said Mrs F is a beautiful woman,probably one of the most beautiful I've met.He said she thinks she's FAT ,but I tell her I'd rather be married to a lovely juicy plump plum than a wrinkled prune any day .They had been married over 50 years and she wasn't FAT just not thin.She had a stunningly beautiful face though and amazing skin for a woman of her years .

I have plumped up a bit since not being able to walk as I used to, but my DD always says to me that thin women of my age look haggard and that the bit of extra weight suits me and makes me look younger.

I am very impressed by the way I brought her up - her wisdom is so impressive.