Faded beauty

Without a doubt time takes its toll but I obviously have retained the essence of my younger self. A wee while back I was stepping out of my car in a car park at the same time as this guy stepped out of his. When we looked at each other we both instantly recognised each other from 45 years ago when we last saw each other at school. He said I hadn't changed a bit which I thought was hilarious.

Dear Luckylegs 9,

I no longer turn heads at 68, but take joy in other things in life. I still colour my hair and it's gone a rather nice shade of purple (quite by accident as a chemical reaction). No exaggeration, I must have had hundreds of people stop me and say how much they like it. It's not a purple rinse as people have but a very strange dark brown shining purple in different light. Also people have commented on my very old winter coat, how much they like the style, colour etc. Take a few things in your life and turn them around and take an interest in other people too, this will lift your spirits.

You probably look a lot better than you think.It sounds as if you were a looker, and if so, probably have good bone structure which will still show. Lots of us, as evidenced above, spent a lot of angst over our looks when young and look at photos taken then and wonder what we were worried about. Same for now. My advice is to take your glasses off/contacts out when you look in the mirror. It does wonders for the state of the housework too.
Cosmetic procedures don't last very long and don't really work.
A well known lady was on Dancing with the Stars a few years ago and she looked unnatural with her frozen face.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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 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'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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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