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.’
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?
Surprisingly most of them are married. It’s such a strange thing, but I seem to notice more and more young women who are overweight. Maybe because they’re still in the child-bearing age range, they haven’t had time to work off the post-baby fat? Maybe the women around my age (46) and older have grown children, so they have more time to work out and take care of themselves? I agree with you that income most likely plays a role. Things like having your hair professionally highlighted or using retin-a on your skin go a long way (I’m not in favor of Boxtox or plastic surgery, they never seem to look natural).
You’ve picked a great exemplar in Audrey Hepburn.
Measuring self-worth and physical beauty are two different things. Aging can bring frailty and illness, but it can also bring depth and richness of experience, complexity of Being, serenity, wisdom and its own special kind of power and grace. Being comfortable in “your own skin” at any age.
Thank you 444FDlyer.
One amusing anecdote, if I may.......... at some point in her life a women realizes the “things are not quite the same anymore” and that moment came for me when I went to the same butcher for years and employees stopped calling me “Miss” and I became “Ma’am.” Then you know that other people’s perceptions of you have changed.
Now it has come full circle and I am a “Miss” again ... b/c I know they are being charmingly sarcastic....and they need my loyalty.
P.S. I can't believe I left Shaun Connery off my list. He was my first real crush playing “Bond”.
And he looks good in a kilt!
Please come teach that skill to my husband of 19 years :)
I’d say 32 is pretty darn close.
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