OMG I Am Looking So OLD!!!!!!

[Domino]

When you transition from your 20s to 30s, there's something of a freak-out that can occur. I freaked around 27, then got over it. THANK GOODNESS. Once I hit 30, I determined, on a cellular level, that I would punch the daylights out of anyone judging my appearance and I felt calm. I recently went to a club and someone guessed my age as 21. Some lady in a grocery store asked if I was 23 or 24. I chalk this up to taking care of myself, encouraging good genetics, and refusing to act old.

Smack anyone who bitchs about getting old just so you can suffer with them. Yes, getting older is hard in many ways, but don't let anyone take you hostage.

 

[Tallulah]

I feel like I look a bit older this year, despite doing everything I could to take care of myself all my life. At a certain point, you lose some of the fat in your face, which makes stuff shift around or hollow out. But yeah, there are still facial exercises you can do, and most people aren't looking at you with as much scrutiny as you would yourself. I still get the same reactions that I did before I started looking older to myself. But it still sucks because I know what's different. I'd say, try not to look in the mirror expecting to see a 20 year old.

I tend to think women who are in their 40s and 50s who've taken care of themselves are quite beautiful, so I'm less scared of what lies ahead. It's just hard to see yourself through the same lens.

 

[Domino]

I've seen you, Tallulah. You're stunning. I want to age as well as you have/are.

Then again, I may, because we cuzzinz!

 

[Tallulah]

I've seen you, Tallulah. You're stunning. I want to age as well as you have/are.

Then again, I may, because we cuzzinz!

Merci, dear cousin! You will always be stunning!

 

[rav3n]

*pouts*

I wanna see Tallulah!

 

[Domino]

You should, Jen. She's a peach.

 

[ThatGirl]

Lol @ this thread. First of all, I just hit 30. Though if anyone asks for the next 30 years, I will be 25.

My 20s, were horrible. One thing after another. While things are finally starting to look up, I feel like I handled the past stress well, never let it show (physically). In the last 6 months, my looks have declined at a massively accelerated rate. I went from looking 20 to 35 in six months. In the last six months, I gained weight to 170 lbs. My hair has a huge patch of grey growing in right in the front. My skin elasticity is worn from fluctuations in weight, and if I turn my head to the side I get all these wrinkles down my neck. Everything is starting to sag, and jiggle.

I know I feel ugly because the thought of feeling sexy right now is absolutely absurd to me. Instead I just have to have a cheerful disposition to be charming, and to me, that is exactly how women get old! Once they really start loosing their looks.

My mental maturity, has not caught up to my physical aging. I know everyone is beautiful. I see beauty in everyone. I know that right now I look ten times younger than I will in the future, so I should enjoy it. I know Looks are such a superficial thing, one should not even consider it in the first place. I know all this. But I am not ready.

I may not look awful, but I don't look like me. Gingko was correct in saying I should heed my own signature, but my mind hasn't caught up with my physical limitation.

 

[Domino]

Give yourself some time to get calm, truly calm, before trying to do anything about your concerns. And know that you aren't alone (in this sucky club!)

 

[Gish]

Yeah, definitely take some time to chill out before you make a decision, sometimes the desire for something can make you forgo thinking about the effects of making that decision. Which is why I always masturbate before making important relationship decisions.

 

[CzeCze]

Ah, so you're talking about the jarring when you see yourself in the mirror now compared to your mental image. I think most people look at themselves and go on autopilot, the way you drive familiar routes without even thinking. Once you get over the shock of looking different from how you see yourself, you can adjust your self-image or tell yourself you are whoever at whatever age you prefer.

As far as ageing, it's like with all the other stuff in life, you're only competing against yourself and your genes.

As far as comparing with the rest of the population, what I always say is that beauty is a marathon, not a race. People age poorly because they either did not have the opportunities or the desire to take care of themselves when they thought they looked fine. Lots of stuff catches up to you years and years after the fact. And ounce of prevention = a pound of cure and all that.

That's what I tell myself when others stare at me for wearing large floppy hats, huge sunglasses, that thick SPF that makes you slightly oily and pasty and gloves when it's sunny out. Laugh at me now mofos! We'll see who's laughing when we're 60.

^^ That was totally on topic.

So don't worry TG. Every day is a new chance to drink lots of water, not smoke, etc. and take care of ourselves.

 

[ThatGirl]

Exactly,

I still think of myself like this.

This is disturbing.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. I do still have time. Idk, maybe give myself time. Something.

 

[Ginkgo]

Exactly,

I still think of myself like this.

This is disturbing.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. I do still have time. Idk, maybe give myself time. Something.

The biggest difference is the change in attitude.

 

[rav3n]

The biggest difference is the change in attitude.

Agreed. Not that your current haircut is terrible but your prior one was more flattering.

 

[Tallulah]

It's hard to tell, TG, because of the attitude difference and the lighting, etc., but you definitely don't look drastically different.

I do know from experience, too, that when I'm depressed, I feel like I look old or unattractive, then when I'm in a better headspace, I see that my physical appearance hasn't really changed.

I agree with Jenaphor, though--that first haircut looked amazing on you. Highlights, too.

 

[sciski]

Try investing in a good warm-toned lamp and put it next to the mirror where you usually do your makeup (or the mirror you most look into at home--could be the bathroom mirror). Poor lighting (especially in these fluorescently-lit times, which just KILL my asian skintone) will make you look years older. And your psyche will feel a lot better if the mirror you most look into is telling you nice things--self-confidence does wonders for your looks. You can actually see some of the tonal difference between your two photos--the first one's lighting brought out the pink overtones in your skin/makeup, and second's lighting took out all the pink tones.

One thing you can do to quickly and immediately look more youthful--open up your eyes a tiny bit more than they are now. Look up some eye-widening exercises on the net. For some reason, we all get much squintier as we get older, and merely opening up your eyes makes a huge difference to your overall look.

Also, yes, to add to the chorus--the first haircut was more flattering and more edgy.

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

The biggest difference is the change in attitude.

No...

Agreed. Not that your current haircut is terrible but your prior one was more flattering.

And no.

The main difference is the angle you took the picture from. Just make sure people are always looking down upon you (should be relatively easy) and you're solid. I don't think you look that much different at all. Face got a little chubbier, but no one'll care if you're making over 100K.

You're making over 100K, right?

 

[RDF]

@TG:

Just judging from some of your threads, it sounds like you have a pretty full life right now. I remember a thread where you were planning on venturing out and doing some things you wanted to accomplish before your 30th birthday. And then if I understood it right, you recently applied for and landed a job or a promotion that you wanted. And then you were planning on working on your disposition or your temper or whatever.

It sounds like you're setting priorities, and that specifically you’re prioritizing life experience and self-improvement ahead of facials and detox regimens. Nothing wrong with that.

If you’re showing the effects of aging, then view it as a choice, not as a failing. You can’t be all things for all people. You have to set priorities and invest your limited time and resources in the things that suit you. Personally I think you’re right to set your priorities as you have. The main thing is to keep a sense of adventure alive and keep your head fresh. That’s the investment that really counts over the long-term.

*******************

BTW, I think you look good in the more recent photo. Of course, that’s coming from an older guy--everything’s relative. But to me you look *real* in the second photo, whereas in the first you look young, poised, but untested.

Young people all look the same. It takes a bit of age and experience to start to differentiate people’s looks over time. Show off a little wear and tear from a life lived well or adventurously, and that’s way more attractive than mere soft skin and straight lines.

 

[ThatGirl]

No...



And no.

The main difference is the angle you took the picture from. Just make sure people are always looking down upon you (should be relatively easy) and you're solid. I don't think you look that much different at all. Face got a little chubbier, but no one'll care if you're making over 100K.

You're making over 100K, right?

Remember that one time we were walking through the parking lot, and you were talking about how I was much more tolerant than you had imagined, and asked me when I was going to start framing with you?

 

[Ginkgo]

No...



And no.

The main difference is the angle you took the picture from. Just make sure people are always looking down upon you (should be relatively easy) and you're solid. I don't think you look that much different at all. Face got a little chubbier, but no one'll care if you're making over 100K.

You're making over 100K, right?

You are lustful o er giant lots of dook ND knonwo kniow bounds hh??!?!?

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

Remember that one time we were walking through the parking lot, and you were talking about how I was much more tolerant than you had imagined, and asked me when I was going to start framing with you?

STOP framing! :steam: Edit: WTF no :steam:?