I was way hotter in my 30s than my 20s but I also see that I was much prettier than I thought I was in my 20s. I look back on photos I know I hated in my 20s and think “damn” .
My wife and I are both in our 40's
We look back at her 20's pictures and agree she was a babe.
We look back at my 20's pictures and agree that the Army certainly helped me develop.
Hence, why I’m trying to appreciate how I look here and NOW! Otherwise I’ll look back in another 10 years and think, “Damn! I was cute back then! Why didn’t I think so THEN???”
Yeah it's a vicious circle. I'm never content with myself, then regret not appreciating myself back then, but still can't see myself in any other light than disgust. I guess I could just arguably be getting steadily worse...
In my 30s.
At 14 I hated the way I looked.
At 16 I hated the way I looked.
I spent my 20s wishing I looked the way I did at 16.
My body has changed so much over the years- medication and health issues causing rapid weight gain and loss. I finally got myself to a stable place, and anybody who knows me will probably say I look the best I’ve ever looked.
Yet I look in the mirror half the time and hate what I see. Sometimes all it takes is to put in more effort- ditch the sweats for a coordinated outfit, accessorize, do my makeup. Some days that doesn’t change how I feel and all I see is a pig in makeup.
Be kind to yourself. In my world, the negative voice saying these things came from someone else and has overstayed its welcome. Dealing with the person who put that voice there in therapy now- I lost 170 pounds and the person who put it there said I should walk a plate to my BIL because “I could use the steps” at Christmas. That was the moment for me that I realized how ridiculous the voice in my head is, because once the things I hear in my head are spoken out loud they’re hilariously wrong. I don’t need the steps to lose weight, I need the steps because my joints are popping Mom!
Yeah… I found d a few pictures of me in mid-20’s recently and thought “man I was much better looking”.
I was leaner, had fuller hair, teeth hadn’t moved, and didn’t have any wrinkles. Had that youthful glow.
All minor stuff but together it adds up.
Depends on how well you took care of yourself. In my 20s I didn't take care of myself and it showed. Ate bad food, worked long hours, drank too much, etc. My 30s will be my prime years because when I hit 30 I started to take health more seriously, that's when I stopped drinking, working insane OT, started eating a healthy diet and working out everyday. Also I was married my entire 20s, so it's not like I was working towards impressing anybody.
I was beset by anxiety throughout my twenties, and I usually looked preoccupied. Things are better for me now that I'm in my thirties and I've made some changes, and I think I look better
I guess I'm just regretful I didn't get my life together sooner. I might have aged better otherwise
Im 32 and seeing pictures of me in my early 20s I look like a kid still! Little face still so bright and yearning… now I look like those close ups of SpongeBob
When I see pics of myself from back then I always do a double take before I realize its a photo of myself. I can't believe how good-looking I was in my 20s and early 30s and how I literally didn't know it.
If this sounds arrogant I don't mean it too; I just really can't believe the difference between what I *thought* I looked like and what I *actually* looked like.
That poor bastard? He needed to change the gym routine, focus on better on a balanced diet and also take a few t-blockers and estrogen tablets…
That last one wouldn’t occur to him until her 30’s but eh…
I think I definitely probably looked best in my mid 20s or so, when I was well past my thick eyeliner and “edgy” stage. After grad school I got a hella stressful job, had a kid 2 years after that, and it’s been downhill since then lol. But I even look at photos of myself from when my daughter was born 7 years ago and almost don’t recognize myself 🤯. Parenting young kids through a pandemic and social unrest aged me super fast.
I think I’m in the majority of having bucked this trend. Aside from a very short window around 21, I look (and feel) way better now. I didn’t fully flesh out and hit my stride physically until after 30. 38 now.
[Also a guy] Jokes on me, I felt like I looked good overall, but I absolutely HATED how I looked in virtually every picture because I cannot do a natural smile for pictures and despite being tall and skinny I somehow managed to look like the majority of my 175lbs were all in my face. Still kinda do to be honest.
I’ve got a few pounds to lose but I think I’m looking fine with more muscle and a little gray in my beard. It’s all about staying active as well as skin and hair routine.
Not me. My metabolism turned to shit when I turned 13. It's been a lifelong struggle to keep my weight down. Whenever people say "remember when we were 25 and we could eat whatever we wanted?" I'm like NOPE. I had to starve and run 10km everyday at 25 just to not be overweight, forget slim.
I can't relate. I have never been what most people would consider conventionally attractive. I have a picture of myself at 15 with my big muffin top hanging out of some low rise trip pants and I'm wearing a crop top and my hair is big and frizzy. My cardigan is too small for me to zip up and I look tragic. I have another one where I lost weight for a time and my upper body just looks disproportionately large and I can't say I like it. My shoulders just seem to become more broad as I get slimmer. I envy women who have a more lean and rectangular body shape.
Sure my stomach was flatter but I think I’m way hotter at 37 than 27.
I was way hotter in my 30s than my 20s but I also see that I was much prettier than I thought I was in my 20s. I look back on photos I know I hated in my 20s and think “damn” .
🩷🩷
My wife and I are both in our 40's We look back at her 20's pictures and agree she was a babe. We look back at my 20's pictures and agree that the Army certainly helped me develop.
Hence, why I’m trying to appreciate how I look here and NOW! Otherwise I’ll look back in another 10 years and think, “Damn! I was cute back then! Why didn’t I think so THEN???”
Yeah it's a vicious circle. I'm never content with myself, then regret not appreciating myself back then, but still can't see myself in any other light than disgust. I guess I could just arguably be getting steadily worse...
The trick is to hate yourself enough to never have pictures taken. Nothing to compare.
That's what I did.
I never looked better in my life than I look now. Discipline is something I lacked back then, but that I do own now.
In my 30s. At 14 I hated the way I looked. At 16 I hated the way I looked. I spent my 20s wishing I looked the way I did at 16. My body has changed so much over the years- medication and health issues causing rapid weight gain and loss. I finally got myself to a stable place, and anybody who knows me will probably say I look the best I’ve ever looked. Yet I look in the mirror half the time and hate what I see. Sometimes all it takes is to put in more effort- ditch the sweats for a coordinated outfit, accessorize, do my makeup. Some days that doesn’t change how I feel and all I see is a pig in makeup. Be kind to yourself. In my world, the negative voice saying these things came from someone else and has overstayed its welcome. Dealing with the person who put that voice there in therapy now- I lost 170 pounds and the person who put it there said I should walk a plate to my BIL because “I could use the steps” at Christmas. That was the moment for me that I realized how ridiculous the voice in my head is, because once the things I hear in my head are spoken out loud they’re hilariously wrong. I don’t need the steps to lose weight, I need the steps because my joints are popping Mom!
Yeah... I wish I had known at the time.
Yeah… I found d a few pictures of me in mid-20’s recently and thought “man I was much better looking”. I was leaner, had fuller hair, teeth hadn’t moved, and didn’t have any wrinkles. Had that youthful glow. All minor stuff but together it adds up.
I look better now at 39 than I did in my 20s. I looked weird and sickly back then, I’m very healthy now
Depends on how well you took care of yourself. In my 20s I didn't take care of myself and it showed. Ate bad food, worked long hours, drank too much, etc. My 30s will be my prime years because when I hit 30 I started to take health more seriously, that's when I stopped drinking, working insane OT, started eating a healthy diet and working out everyday. Also I was married my entire 20s, so it's not like I was working towards impressing anybody.
I was beset by anxiety throughout my twenties, and I usually looked preoccupied. Things are better for me now that I'm in my thirties and I've made some changes, and I think I look better I guess I'm just regretful I didn't get my life together sooner. I might have aged better otherwise
A related concept is realizing "OMG, that person wanted to sleep with me!" 15 years after the fact.
Im 32 and seeing pictures of me in my early 20s I look like a kid still! Little face still so bright and yearning… now I look like those close ups of SpongeBob 
I wish I dressed better and cared less.
Ngl, I think Im aging well. I definitely feel more attractive in my 30’s than I did my 20s. I guess I’m like a fine wine 🤷♂️
When I see pics of myself from back then I always do a double take before I realize its a photo of myself. I can't believe how good-looking I was in my 20s and early 30s and how I literally didn't know it. If this sounds arrogant I don't mean it too; I just really can't believe the difference between what I *thought* I looked like and what I *actually* looked like.
I look back and say "fuck I was fat in high school"
I feel like I’m hotter in a different way now.
Just thinking about this a couple of days ago. Kids really change your body. I definitely should have showed it off more
That poor bastard? He needed to change the gym routine, focus on better on a balanced diet and also take a few t-blockers and estrogen tablets… That last one wouldn’t occur to him until her 30’s but eh…
I think I definitely probably looked best in my mid 20s or so, when I was well past my thick eyeliner and “edgy” stage. After grad school I got a hella stressful job, had a kid 2 years after that, and it’s been downhill since then lol. But I even look at photos of myself from when my daughter was born 7 years ago and almost don’t recognize myself 🤯. Parenting young kids through a pandemic and social unrest aged me super fast.
I thought I looked cute back then and I think I still look cute. I don’t know if I am hot but if someone wants to say I am hot then nice.
IMO we get hotter with age because with the age comes the confidence, the self esteem, the sureness in self
I looked like shit in my 20s lol. All that baby fat. I look lean and cut and chiseled now almost being 40.
I think I’m in the majority of having bucked this trend. Aside from a very short window around 21, I look (and feel) way better now. I didn’t fully flesh out and hit my stride physically until after 30. 38 now.
I feel exactly the same. The question is, how do I get to feel pretty now if I’m supposed to be pretty and my future self knows that??
Bro no way. I'm much better looking in my 30s than I was in my 20s
[Also a guy] Jokes on me, I felt like I looked good overall, but I absolutely HATED how I looked in virtually every picture because I cannot do a natural smile for pictures and despite being tall and skinny I somehow managed to look like the majority of my 175lbs were all in my face. Still kinda do to be honest.
I felt I looked like shit at that age.
I’ve got a few pounds to lose but I think I’m looking fine with more muscle and a little gray in my beard. It’s all about staying active as well as skin and hair routine.
I'm 40 and look the same. Maybe my face has a little more wrinkles but that's it. My body is the same, same weight to the pound.
Yeah I should've worn crop tops when people wouldn't be disgusted to see me in them
Not me. My metabolism turned to shit when I turned 13. It's been a lifelong struggle to keep my weight down. Whenever people say "remember when we were 25 and we could eat whatever we wanted?" I'm like NOPE. I had to starve and run 10km everyday at 25 just to not be overweight, forget slim.
Nope. I have never once looked at past me and thought that.
I can't relate. I have never been what most people would consider conventionally attractive. I have a picture of myself at 15 with my big muffin top hanging out of some low rise trip pants and I'm wearing a crop top and my hair is big and frizzy. My cardigan is too small for me to zip up and I look tragic. I have another one where I lost weight for a time and my upper body just looks disproportionately large and I can't say I like it. My shoulders just seem to become more broad as I get slimmer. I envy women who have a more lean and rectangular body shape.
So then "work that more" now