Posted on 01/30/2009 8:20:56 AM PST by qam1
They say life improves with every decade, so good news for the thirtysomethings amongst us, after a new survey reveals women feel at their most beautiful aged 32.
After leaving behind acne in our teens, insecurities and heartbreak in our twenties, once we hit our early thirties, we feel the most comfortable in our own skin.
Nearly 40% of women quizzed on how they feel about their looks said they felt most attractive at 32 – and they’re in good company with celebs including Liv Tyler, Sophie Dahl and Sarah Michelle Gellar all entering their 32nd year in 2009.
Women who answered the survey explained that at 32 they felt their life had the perfect combination of confidence gained from life experience, an active love life and the enjoyment of eating and drinking sensibly.
Psychologist Dr Sandra Wheatley said the survey results were ‘really encouraging’ and showed that women saw life achievements as just as valuable as a youthful appearance.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Wheatley said: ‘It sounds to me like women are becoming much more swayed by personality. It's a sign that we are valued for who we are and what we are capable of, not just what is on the surface.
‘Feeling beautiful is tied in with confidence and life experience. At 32, a woman has been through and survived more experiences and achieved more than at 22.’
She added: ‘Women can be their own worst enemy, scrutinising each other's weight and wrinkles. But this is a really encouraging study that beauty is more than skin deep.’
I agree. The 30’s were the best. If I could choose an age to stay at it would have been 35. Perfect. But, tomorrow I turn 50 so I am bummmed out.
When I turned 40, I told my family it was legal for me to date two - 20 year old girls to make it even. ;)
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
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I am looking forward to visual proof.
huh. my girl and i are both 32!
32 sounds about right.
I was a newlywed and still wearing a size 6.
“sigh”
Sarah is fully clothed here, but it may be a bit much for FR:
http://www.freewebs.com/razinkss/Girls_-_Sarah_Michelle_Gellar_020.jpg
A big NSFW
But is that from this year when she's 32 or previously in her 20's? I not in a safe work location to examine the pics more closely...
Now an interesting corollary would be at what age do men find women most beautiful. I’d lay odds it’s before 32! (Please direct hate mail and invective responses to BHOshizzle@whitehouse.gov).
My wife is 48. This year, that is my favorite age.
( I get points for that, right?)
Having been given the pleasure of observing beautiful women for a looong time, I think 30-33 is peak time for babes.
But there is a certain beauty to a younger more supple ingenue and a lot can be said for a reasonably fit 40 something like Marisi Tomei as a the stripper in Wrestler.
It just depends but all things being equal I’d say early 30s.
I just had this conversation with my 44 year old wife and 20 year old daughter at dinner last nite out.
For guys....it’s harder to peg.
When I was 30 I looked like Mark Gastineu. Now I look like Mr. Peterman.
Don't be bummed. We're all gonna get there someday, if we're lucky. When I wake up in the morning of each birthday, I smile and thank the Lord for getting me through another year. I started doing that the year I turned 30. :-D
3. Absolutely nothing went wrong at age 3, everything was perfect had great future potential, along with a blissful unawareness of any need for hair color (let alone what it was) or any sort of need for concern about juice stains on face hands hair or clothing. Even matching clothing was completely optional.
3 was perfection.
Cougar hunter these days myself.......
50. It's the new 32. ;)
Speaking for all the other male FReepers who have read your About page, we suspect you are a very attractive woman.
We wish you have a Happy Birthday tomorrow!
Wow, that's the nicest thing I've heard in a very long time!!!! You and your wife are very fortunate.
I’m going with 35 right now. That’s the age I am and have more fellows giving me the “I wonder” look lately. I’m almost thinking of changing my hair back to it’s normal color instead of red, just to stop it.
Who is that girl? She looks just like girl I know.
I better hurry up then... I turn 33 in March!
Used to be that men aged better than women. However, with most the couples I know in their 40s and 50s the wives look much better than their husbands. These days, the women tend to diet, work out and pay more attention to their health. From what I see, the men really start to go down hill after 40, while the women are still looking pretty good.
Fredhead beat you by one day....he'll be along to let you know how he's handling 5-0...
Yeah but that’s not what age men think.
That just means when women sort through their rubble and come to terms with themselves.
My life struggle was finally over. I raised my three kids, got rid of my first husband and married the greatest man on earth.
I could then wear a bikini (got rid of having babies fat) weighted 125 pounds with long blond hair.
The later part of my life is better than my younger years. Of course marrying an abuser the first time made it rough.
You are obviously not from the northeast. Here women are only beginning to undo the damage they suffered from “letting go” after marriage.
And unfortunately they try “the comeback” with dieting which obviously doesn’t do anything to bring back the youth that has gone past.
Shoot just look at the male athletes in their 40s alone. One woman said to me that men do great in their 40s. For women, it’s more like they look good for being in their 40s.
But your definition of “looking pretty good” is entirely your own of course.
I feel pretty comfy in my skin at the ripe “old” age of 36. : )
35 is that short period of time for a woman much like the one day that the green banana turns fully, luciously yellow — and then the brown goopy mess presents itself the very next morning.
Not when she has genes that make her look young for a long time. :) My dad was 60, looked 40, and acted 20 when he died. I inherited those genes and hated it until I was over 30.
Now I say wow. Your description of yourself sounds just like my wife, who also turns 50 this year.
Now I know what to get her: a skimpy new bikini!
The early 30s were good for me, but believe it or not....I actually felt the best about myself shortly after having my first child at almost 36. Fortunately, I didn’t gain much baby fat, so it came off quickly. And I felt like I had just accomplished the biggest, hardest, most amazing thing in life — giving birth. I hope I feel that way after having # 2. :)
Sir, you are an excellent husband.
I'm still very lucky and happy.
I Thank God for my life change.
Well that made me feel better!!!!!!!!!! Maybe 50 is the new 32... Yeah I will think of it that way. Whooo Hooooo!!!
“Sex appeal is something you feel deep inside. I can convey as much fully clothed, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain.”—Audrey Hepburn
“All I wanted for Christmas was immediately to shoot another movie with Audrey Hepburn.”-Cary Grant
Men; 40 - 60
The question is at what age do we FEEL most beautiful...I know I looked better at 22 but at 42 (still a size 2, by the way) I feel much better about myself
That’s Live Tyler, the daughter of Steve Tyler of Aerosmith. She’s a fairly big actress.
I live in CT. Most of the gals I know work out. Most of the guys don’t. And the guys have the balding thing working against them, while the women seem to take advantage of hairstyles that flatter and make them look younger (no more short, permed hair like my aunts wore at our age. That ages a guy considerably and there’s not much you can do about it. But these are just the people I personally observe. Not sure how it goes state or nation-wide.
Glad i don't work where you do.
this is crazy.
If 32 was the best age, we would have playboy models that age- we don’t
Best age is one of maximum fertility- 24.
I might be now. 22 years and still working at it.
I think I will vacuum today.
Are most of those women you are referencing married? The single ones are without a doubt trying harder.
My buddy who was divorced got together with this woman in NJ. She was early 40s and definitely in pretty good shape. He doesn’t believe in exercise. They got married. She seems to have given up kickboxing. She’s looking more like him after two years now.
Looking younger is of course relative. Where I live in the NYC area, there are a lot of young women. And some of the older woman don’t like being single as they don’t fare well in such an environment. Haircuts only go so far.
CT at least in many areas has a wealthier income than most other parts of the country. So it wouldn’t be unusual to see women taking better care of themselves. They are competing with each other for the breadwinners.
Sounds more like a Gherkin than a Chiquita. :~)
Dwight Schrute, is that you?
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