Gransnet forums

Chat

How old are you ...

(91 Posts)
b1zzle Wed 03-Jun-20 11:38:18

... before you look in the mirror?

(I just don't understand why there's always this old woman of 72 looking back at me. In my head I'm always 35!

Megs36 Thu 04-Jun-20 09:59:27

PS I’m 83, she was 75 when she died. ????

Growing0ldDisgracefully Thu 04-Jun-20 10:00:29

Annecordelia I'm with you there! I'm 63, love heavy rock music and am still riding my motorbike - think its what keeps me from descending into waiting to die! However when I look in the mirror its more like my Dad looking back at me - I have inherited a lot of his features.

BladeAnnie Thu 04-Jun-20 10:05:11

I'm 57 and everyone tells me I look younger as I've been quite lucky with my skin but I think my hands give me away. I've not been too worried to see my grey roots since lockdown - i certainly won't be rushing anywhere to get them covered up when hairdressers do re-open. What does make me feel old is the fact that an operation 2 years ago has left me with poor mobility and I don't feel ready to slow down but my body dictates I must!! Did anyone think Britt Ekland looked awful on The Marigold Hotel? Not a good advert for botox, fillers etc imo!!

sarahellenwhitney Thu 04-Jun-20 10:21:20

I don't look in the mirror unless I am going out and need to make sure 'presentable' If you visit you 'take as you find'
No complaints as yetgrin.

Davida1968 Thu 04-Jun-20 10:21:33

In my head I'm in my 30s. (Twice that, in reality) Some days I can feel that I look OK in the mirror, but oh, what is going on with that darn web-cam? (Who is that old lady they are seeing at the other end?)

Lupin Thu 04-Jun-20 10:34:52

In my head and in my dreams I am 40s to 50s. In reality I am 73 and since spinal issues have developed I walk like it or even older. I have been blessed with good skin. The only upside of being plump is that the plumpness plumps out the wrinkles. My hands are showing my true age or older since all the hand washing has been going on.

BelindaB Thu 04-Jun-20 10:35:43

A wise man once told me that we mentally freeze our age at a "happy spot".

I think I'm still in my mid 40's. I'm only 73 when I look either in a mirror or at the skin on my arms - it seems to have "creped" very suddenly.

By the way - I had my last lover in my mid 40's.....

EEJit Thu 04-Jun-20 10:37:17

Physically 68, mentally about 6

timetogo2016 Thu 04-Jun-20 10:38:56

A silk scarf Pinkcakes.
I`m 60 and have the same problem and i have noticed alot of women our age cover up that part with something or another.

Theoddbird Thu 04-Jun-20 10:44:21

I am not really sure how I am supposed to feel or act at 69. People tell me I don't look that. This is probably because I stopped sun bathing at 34 and have never smoked. Oh and I slap on the face cream twice a day. As for feeling my age...what is a woman of 69 supposed to feel like? I lift weights so have upper body strength. I have to do a lot of jobs yo do with my narrow boat home that require physical strength... I often hear people saying that they don't act their age. Where are these rules written down is what I want to know. Who decides how we are supposed to be at any particular age?

inishowen Thu 04-Jun-20 10:45:17

I feel about 50 but I'm actually 67. I have noticed over recent years that strangers treat me as an old lady! For instance I was queuing to get into a shop the other day when the young man in front of me insisted I went before him. I'm not sure how I feel about that!

knspol Thu 04-Jun-20 10:50:08

Have a really big b'day looming and trying not to stress about it too much. Maybe that's why I seem to be looking at myself more closely, definitely the wrinkly arms and when on earth did I start getting thread veins on my legs, why didn't I use lockdown to finally have those slimming drinks that have been festering in a cupboard and where oh where did that facial fuzz come from?

leeds22 Thu 04-Jun-20 10:59:56

Look in the mirror and think I look ok, then I put on my specs - oh dear. Sometimes I look in a shiny shop window and wonder who is the old bat stood next to me.

pen50 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:06:46

I find that smiling takes 20 years off my face. So friends and family all think that I'm a cheerful, happy person - and actually, I think that my essentially vanity driven behaviour does make me nicer to be around!

But yes, looking at myself in the mirror without grinning is rather chastening.

Gwenisgreat1 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:33:42

Definitely about 55, but my joints, lungs, grey hair and wrinkles tell a different story. Although sometimes I can be dafter than my daughters (eldest 47)

annodomini Thu 04-Jun-20 11:36:48

A man is as old as he's feeling
A woman's as old as she looks.

Byron!

GaGa67 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:38:05

Well I'm a 53yr old gran and mum to 4 daughters, and I never look in a mirror!!, I just hate seeing the "old" me looking back at me!!???

Kim19 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:38:36

People are regularly surprised/unbelieving when I reveal my age. Think it's probably because I have such a kinky sense of humour to life in general. I have indeed been fortunate with health thus far. Believe any chronic condition must be very ageing/draining. Sad. However, as I lie in bed unable to avoid mirror I see my lovely Mother. Great but.... reality!

Millie22 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:40:51

28 as I was so happy then and still happy now .. most of the time x

Alison333 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:45:38

When I was about ten years old, my granny told me 'I'm still a young spirit, just in an old case!' I thought that was a bit odd.
Now I understand what she meant!

grandtanteJE65 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:47:13

I am as old as my tongue and a little older than my teeth, as my grandmother used to say!

Sometimes I stare in astonishment when I see her in shop windows. Then I realise I am looking at my own reflection!

Charleygirl5 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:49:07

Looking at the vast majority of the so called celebs on TV, most of them are so stick-thin they do not look to me as though they have had a decent meal for many years.

grandtanteJE65 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:53:12

Sorry, didn't answer the question, did I?

Feel somewhere around the fortyish mark inside.

Legs and backside look younger than that, but then professional dancing probably did that. Neck and hands do not look fortyish ( add on 20+) and tum-tum seems to have acquired some flab and creases.

halfpint1 Thu 04-Jun-20 11:58:04

Megs36that did make me laugh, I'm the same except its
my DAD looking back!
Mind you when I'm with my older sister I feel like a young 'en
again because she looks and sounds like my MUM!

MaryXYX Thu 04-Jun-20 12:10:28

I have the advantage of being a computer geek. My age is 47 (that is in hexadecimal). I certainly don't act my age, perhaps somewhere between that and the decimal figure.