If you could look the way you did at a younger age of your choice permanently, would you?

My late 30’s sounds good.

Kind of a complex question in my case (cuz overthinking is how I roll now).
In a younger day my competency level was often judged by my looks, I was small, blond, cute, and big-boobed, which led others to assume I was ditzy, easy, and fairly unintelligent. Now that I have aged and chubbed out of conventionally attractive, I have much more credibility, I like that a lot. I like that I can choose to be invisible. I like that I am left alone in public if I want to be.

So I guess, no. I wouldn’t.

Like @canidmajor, this is a complex question for me. When I look in the mirror, I see behind the skin, and I see all the experiences that have formed my personality. I have grown exponentially in the last 10 years. I’m really tremendously proud of myself. I see that in the face I see in the mirror. I think I’ll keep that face, and I look forward to the changes I’ll see in the next 10 or 20 years.

@Hawaii_Jake Yay for us for appreciating what comes with aging! :-)

I would take the body I had around 25–26.

Right now (29) sounds good to me. I look more grown-up than I did in my early 20s. I’d be okay with no further changes (no further wrinkles or gray hairs!)

I would choose a body that worked better than my current one, but since the Q is about looks…

I try hard not to look at myself at all. Unless it’s unavoidable, as when shaving or brushing my teeth.

Given the choice I would probably pick my mid 20s, but I’m pretty sure that’s based more on what I remember of my outlook on life and my optimism then for the future.

I looked good @ 27.

I had an interesting experience meeting a friend for a beer this week who I had not seen for 20 years. In my mind, picturing the event, I still see the mid-30s guy, not the nearly-60 guy.

That wouldn’t be a bad age to stay. Though I’d be OK staying where I am, too. This summer I got down to my early 2000s weight. Getting in shape was one of the few bright spots of 2020.

@canidmajor I agree. I was so fit and goodlooking in my 20’s it was a burden in many ways, and sometimes dangerous for me, like running at night, errands after dark, etc… I’ll just appreciate the opportunity to age with grace, as so many are denied that.
I also feel much more myself and at peace in my late 40’s than I ever did back then.

Yes. Probably late 20s, I suppose.

~Maybe the week year when I went from 165lbs. – 262 lbs. ... I never noticed when I was in perfect shape….. It just jumps from one extreme to the other. I was too skinny and then too fat.

Other than my fat stomach everything else is ok now.

27 was my best age.

The one thing that my life has taught me is to love me for who I am & be proud of what I’ve done to get there!!!

When I look in the mirror, I still see that 18 year old who was cute & perky. When I look with “honest” eyes, I’m PROUD of how that insecure little 18 y/o has turned out considering everything she’s been through. I’ve earned every gray hair & every wrinkle; & at the same time, I wouldn’t change my life to go back to looking like that cute & perky 18 y/o…just think of all those old perverts who would be trying to take advantage of her!!!

LOL @ LadyMarissa

Holy cow yes ! I’d say about 26. Half my lifetime ago. Sheesh.

For many people, the ideal physical age is early-30s. The person’s settled into adulthood but not yet aging. Good skin; firm muscle tone; plenty of energy and body strength. I’d choose somewhere around age 32.

Well, I’m happy to know that most of you folks had at least one good looking juncture of your lives. I’ve always had to sneak up on the mirror to shave, then try to go catch it when it jumped off the wall and ran down the hallway screaming. But it is what it is.

25 maybe? I was lighter, healthier, had tons of hair and didn’t feel like I was falling apart.

To answer for myself, I’m probably more content with my looks than ever before and people whom I haven’t seen since school days recognize me but I do “feel bad about my neck” as Nora Ephron wrote. Weight has always been an issue for me to control so I wouldn’t mind going back to one of my thinner ages and not having to work so hard at it. Probably around 30, post first baby and fighting weight would be my choice, just superficially speaking.

I can’t help but think the age you are now plays a big part in whether you’d like to look younger. From 25 to 50 I didn’t change much and never saw any age issues. From 50–70 things went down hill. Grey hair, muscle tone, flexibility all began to desert me. I guess any time between 25 and 50 would work just fine for me.

But @Jaxk, then you are getting into the subject of body functionality, not looks. Yeah, everything about my physical self functioned better thirty years ago, but I like the advantages of how I look now.

@Jaxk My husband and I were just talking about that. We feel it’s more like 55 and older is the next stage. Life is in trimesters more or less, even for looks. The first trimester young. The mid trimester adult and even though our looks mature we still look basically the same, it’s sort of a plateau. The last trimester we start looking old. But, I use the terms loosely, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with looking older.

@canidmajor – I suppose that’s at least partially true. The grey hair and muscle tone are more about looks and the flexibility is more about my fat belly that doesn’t allow me to touch my toes any more. Hell when I get my shoes shined, I have to take the guys word for it.

@JLeslie – It all depends on how old is older.

Feel sorry for me. HA!
I never cared much about my looks. Why? Because I’ve always been an ugly duckling. Never had good hair (always very thin and baby fine). Now I’m old and ugly looking (bald head and can’t even grow decent facial hair).

I’ll take the looks of a young Bruce Springsteen.

@gondwanalon I think you’re on to another question there! :-)

I looked my best between ages 19 and 25, It would be weird, but I’d go with the younger end of the spectrum.

35.

@gondwanalon I’m naturally drawn to unattractive people, always have been. They often have kinder souls, in my experience. :)

I think it’s a great good fortune that we are not physically designed to see our own faces. Back before I was married, I had an apartment, the front door of which opened into an open room with a huge mirror on the opposite wall. It was always fascinating to watch the reaction of visitors to that mirror.

I haven’t really aged much since I was about 25 but I’d take my 30-year-old body over the one I have now.

That it. To feel as good as I looked then.

At 35 I was at the peak of my attractiveness, people routinely assumed I was in my early 20s, I was physically stronger than I had ever been, I was in prime shape, I knew my worth, I didn’t need a man to fee confident in myself….and I became a Gramma for the first time! Everyone assumed he was my son because I looked so young.

@Dutchess_III Well, at 35 you were young to be a Grandma! That wasn’t such a reach.

Yes, when I was between 35 and 37. But if I had to choose between health or looks. I would choose health. I could do anything. Do a hard work out till my muscles were sore and it only took a day to rebound. Now if I try to vacuum the whole house in one day my back is sore for 3 days. I have to do half one day and half the next. Take a quick awkward turn and I can hurt my back for a week. Yeah, I miss healthy 35 me more than I miss youthful me

My daughter was 16 when she had him @janbb. It was a bit of a rough go of it. I pretty much raised him the first 5 years. She was not mature enough to handle it.

Anywhere between 17 and 42 would be fine.

I could do anything too @Pandora. Now I’m lucky to get out of bed in the morning. And my arms hurt and I don’t know why. Probably because I vacuumed a little.

I just turned 60. People that don’t know, when asked, think I’m 45. I’m comfortable with that. When I was young, up until I was about 25, I was a scrawny thing…6’ about 145 when I went into the Navy. I. Did. Not. Look. Good. When I was around 30 I looked okay, but I’m going to stick with today. Keep me as I am.

@Dutchess_III When you are a child you can fall asleep with you head lopped over like it’s broken and wake up hours later without a hurt neck. Then you get to our age and a pillow that raises our head an inch above normal can put us in traction for a day. LOL

@Dutchess_III And I thought it was bad when I became a grandpa at 45. You have me beat by a decade! But now my first grand son is 22, married and about to be a daddy for the first time. Which makes me a great grand paw? Hell just shoot me.

People always thought I was younger than I was, as a child and up until my mid 40s. Then it all went to hell.

Yes, um, @Nomore_lockout.’s My grandson is 25 and I don’t really want to discusses but his son is SOOOOO cute! He’s just about a year now. And so far away. In Washinton State.
Other than that I don’t want to discuss it.
His name is Malik. Pronounced Mal-Ick.
I don’t want to discuss it.

Not really. I honestly think I look better the older I get. Though, I did have a couple of years in my early 20s where I probably peaked in attractiveness if I’m being objective. I’m still happiest with my appearance now which I think is both psychological and true in its own way.

@Dutchess_III And I find I must honor your request. But I will say I wish ya’ll lived closer. I shall say no more.

but I do “feel bad about my neck” as Nora Ephron wrote

I took some selfies today to show off my I Voted Early sticker.

I’m a 57 year old male and deleted the pics that showed my neck. They looked like some old guy. I never thought about it before. Welcome to reality, dude!

^^ Damn, Jay, I wanted to see what you look like.

@janbb I keep my online presence anonymous and don’t post pictures.

Years ago I asked Fluther about exposing myself online, and I took the advice to stay anonymous. Reduce your Google presence.

When I was in my 40s and told people my age, they’d always be surprised and say they thought I was in my 30s. Then I started thinking I shouldn’t tell, because it’s flattering to have them think I’m younger than I really am.

I wear sunscreen every day (a moisturizing sunscreen that’s specifically for the face, not one you’d wear on the beach). I think that’s part of the secret. I advocate for wearing sunscreen, which was recommended to me when I was 30 with a new job, and a new dermatologist (part of the great health benefits) and I asked him how I can reduce the signs of aging. He recommended sunscreen and he said he wears it every day. I don’t just put it on my face, but on my neck and chest too. I see a lot of older people who have a lot of sun spots, which is sun damage.

If I could pause my looks at one age in my life, it would be around age 30. Ideally, it would be nice to have those looks with the knowledge and experience (brain) of the present time.

@Call_Me_Jay: One thing I do to try to make it harder for people searching me is I don’t put my photo as my profile photo on FB. I use a cat photo, or a cartoon or something. I just searched my image, out of curiosity, putting my name and my town (where I live presently) into Google search, and there was one photo that’s actually me, although the caption doesn’t say my name. I’m with two men, union presidents, so if someone knows my job, they’d know it’s got to be me. Otherwise, the other photos that came up were all women who are not me.

I don’t post my photo too often on FB. I’m not looking for praise or “likes.”

I’ve had wrinkles around my eyes since I was very very young. Wearing a mask I think it’s a good thing. When I smile people see it in my eyes, because it creates more wrinkles. That’s one thing about too much Botox I don’t like, is those people have very little expression on their faces. At least if they can smile it doesn’t matter that around their eyes doesn’t move, but when you can’t smile and your upper face is frozen also, it’s a little odd to me.

I’d go with mid to late 30s. I like that look – as long as it comes with a prostate.

^^^ But, things didn’t work out so great for you and your prostate. Would you really want it back again? I’d hate to see our friend, @LuckyGuy, revert to @WorriedGuy.

^ The prostate worked great with no problems or pains whatsoever until they removed it in my 50s. I wasn’t worried a bit until I got lab results indicating a big, unpleasant surprise.

So glad you’re past that @LuckyGuy. ♥

<——Yes, when I had this healthy glow in my early 20’s!

LOL! Acid much @Brian1946? :D