Mirrors are not all the same. If you have ever been in a fun house you know this to be true. But even household mirrors can reflect an unkind image. Especially if the lighting is really good.
Age has taken its toll on my body. Some bad habits had their share in the collapse. With almost 80 years piled on, years of sun worship, smoking and partying did a lot of damage to my skin. Though I quit the latter two over 40 years ago, the damage is not reversible. I'm Ok with that. I'm still water proof and that is about all I am going for these days.
Then when I was diagnosed with heart disease, I got serious and lost the 45 extra pounds I was carrying around. Guess what, old skin doesn't snap back like young skin does. So those wrinkles my bad habits formed became exaggerated.
I know it all sounds crone-ish but I have gotten use to the image and my model days are long over so it is not a big deal. OK I only posed for one magazine ad so claiming to be a model is a bit presumptuous.
Anyway, to boost my confidence if I have a luncheon or meeting, I like my last look before leaving the house to be the most flattering.
For close inspection, I take off my glasses and boy does that improve the reflection. Smooth. Now most of my friends are close to my age and have failing eyesight so that helps.
For overall look however I have a couple of mirrors with a sense of humor. I only use them to make sure my outfit is color coordinated.
And then right before I leave, I stand several feet away from a small, 9" by 30" mirror on the living room wall that enjoys poor lighting. I live by the theory that used cars and old ladies look best from 20 feet at dusk.
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| Dark? Blurry? Perfect, no flaws visible. Good to go. |
Do you have any ego boosting tricks to disguise aging? I may borrow them if they sound like I could use them.
Haha, very sensible. I have certain mirrors I look in and others I ignore, and I usually turn off the lights first. These new LED spot lights may be energy saving but they sure aren't confidence building.
ReplyDeleteJoey,
DeleteSmart move. I agree LED spot lights should only be used for stage productions where pancake make up is used:)
I don't know how they do it, but the mirrors at my gym make me look buff, then I get home and the mirror in my bathroom snaps me back to reality.
ReplyDeletejoeh,
DeleteThey do the same in ladies dressing rooms. Those mirrors are awesome. Maybe we should see where they buy them.
I notice at the gym that one side of the room is ten pounds lighter than the other, according to the mirrors. I always stand on the skinny side. I think you look pretty darn good for an old broad. It happens to us all, if we live long enough. :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteYour gym has the same mirrors that joeh's has and most ladies dressing rooms. Sneaky aren't they? Aww, thanks. I should just be glad I woke up this morning huh?
I have an antique mirror by my back door that always makes me my worst. The mirror I have love/hate relationship with is the one in my car. I can check my face thoroughly in the bathroom mirror then get in the car and that's where I see the chin hairs. I keep tweezers there, now.
ReplyDeleteJean R,
DeleteHa ha, that would be more funny if it weren't so true. My car mirror is where I can see that I didn't get my lipstick on straight. Think it is the sunlight.
Okay Jean above just made me laugh out loud!
ReplyDeleteThere are no mirrors that make me look good. But I need my 10x mirror in the bathroom to put on my makeup. WOW is that frightening. But I don't wish to look like Tammy Faye Baker so I need that mirror but I also HATE that mirror.
Peggy,
DeleteThat was funny. You use your 10 X mirror? Mine is always face down. Do I want the truth? I can't stand the truth:))
I love your sense of humour! I have to say, I don't often check a mirror, I already know I'm short, fat, and not very attractive. :)
ReplyDeleteEileen
Eileen,
DeleteThank you. So glad you do.
Somehow I doubt that.
Hey, you look GREAT! I don't have a favorite mirror. They all tell me the same thing. I look tired and I should probably wear some makeup!
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteWell the distance, dark and out of focus helped. I only wear lipstick for if I don't I look embalmed.
What a perfect idea.
ReplyDeleteI try valiantly every night to make sure I have no sneaky mustache hairs. Then in the morning, I pull my shoulders down and stretch my neck up.
Mage,
DeleteOoh, think I will try that shoulders down and stretching the neck. Might help with my crepey neck.
Crepey necks are why so many film stars used to begin wearing pretty scarves at round forty years old. I could copy that idea if Australia wasn't so damn hot most of the time. These days the film stars all get surgery instead.
DeleteI hate that pushy old broad who gets in front of me every time I look in a mirror!!
ReplyDeleteFran,
DeleteKnow what you mean. She sure is agile to jump in front of us every single time.
Nope. I have no tricks or illusions. I looked so terrible in the midst of my toxic chemo that now people tell me I look great. I'm sure that's not true, but hair is better than no hair. As for aging, only Jane Fonda and Jane Pauley have such great plastic surgeons. Both of them look wonderful. As for me...I'd rather look my age than do the upkeep to look a bit younger.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
DeleteI totally agree on Jane Fonda and Jane Pauley. Amazing work on those ladies and you can't tell. I wouldn't want to look younger than my age, just not much older:))
I can't say that I have any ego boosting tricks sweet Patti. I pretty much go as I please and people can accept me as I am or not. :)
ReplyDeleteMaggie,
DeleteActually, what choice do we have but to do just that? I have found making them laugh helps a bunch.
I never go anyplace without a cap or stocking cap on. As you might guess I'm two thirds bald but am no into the highly fashionable totally shaved pate, ie the Michael Jordon look....:)
ReplyDeleteRay,
DeleteI kind of like that shaved look but where you live, that could be brutal in the winter. Keep the caps handy--especially this week.
I have three mirrors, two in the bedroom and a larger one in the bathroom. The smaller bedroom one shows only my face and neck, so I happily can't see the rest of the "iceberg" beneath. The second bedroom mirror shows more of me and I use that one to check that my clothes are loose enough to not show off the rolls of fat. The bathroom mirror has the bright light and when I look in that one I see what appears to be fallen eyelashes on the cheeks under each eye, but they won't brush off, so I look closer and OMG, they are wrinkles! Still, I'm happy enough that the small eye wrinkles are all I have so far on my face. I'm sure more will appear in time.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteMaybe not. Not everyone does. Bathroom mirrors are the worst. As long as you only have small wrinkles, you are age appropriate and that is most of our goals.
I spend as little time looking into mirrors as possible.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
DeleteSounds like a plan though you always look good in all the photos.
That is so funny. I'm still at the avoiding all mirrors stage.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteWe do need a quick check just to make sure nothing is hanging out that shouldn't be. Just make sure the lighting is not blinding.
I do love you, Patti. I have one mirror that I really love where I look much better than in any other mirror. I guess it must be the lighting or something. I always tell anybody taking my photo to stand back... way back.
ReplyDeleteKay,
DeleteWonderful to see you here and my goodness you had a busy time catching up. Thank you so much. I had thought I had finally bored you away.
Distance is a blessing. Selfies are not our friends.
I just make sure my hair is in place, all my clothes are on, including shoes changed from what I wear around the house, and I’m off to wherever with whoever. Beyond that, my appearance is what it is — I have to put up with it — so should everybody else!
ReplyDeleteJoared,
DeleteNow that is a perfectly healthy way to deal with added years. Mirrors should be for coordination, not criticism. I am learning.
Dear Patti, sorry no tricks. I'm 82 now; will be 83 in April and the facial lines just keep getting deeper and the dark purple half-moons under my eyes just keep looking more and more bruised and the hair seems to be developed a mind of its own--rebelling exuberantly after all these years. So I mostly avoid the mirror and simply hope that those seeing me out and about will be kind with their thoughts. Mostly, I think they must wonder if I'm dressed for Halloween, mask and all! Peace.
ReplyDeleteDee,
DeleteWe are lucky to be here in our 80's and should be content to play the age card for good seating, doors opened for us and sweet smiles from most everyone we make eye contact with. I guess a few blemishes aren't that bad afterall.
I just tell myself looking old is better than the alternative. I bought a little 12X mirror with a light ringing it for when I need to have a look at errant facial hairs. I'm always shocked when I look in that mirror but am glad I can use it to clean up a bit before venturing out. There are no full length mirrors in my house - why do that to myself?
DeleteBarb,
DeleteI admire your being able to look into a magnifying mirror. They are not anyone's friend but they are useful sometimes. I just don't have the courage to let that be my last impression.
It's kind of a bummer to have your cataracts fixed.
ReplyDeleteInger,
DeleteThat made me laugh for a friend of mine emailed me that she didn't know she had wrinkles and grey hair till the cataract was removed.
HA ---I wish.... I was one not too many years ago who thought I would NEVER get old.. I used to laugh at people --like me now!!!!!!! ha ha ..... I too lost a lot of weight in 2011-2012 ---and you are right. The old skin is saggy!!! My absolute worst part is my upper arms... YUCK... I never wear sleeveless shirts or blouses or dresses any longer... Oh the JOY of getting OLD....
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Betsy,
DeleteKind of a shock wasn't it? Here we think we will look so much better thin. We do feel better but it adds years to our appearance.
Oil of Olay. I swear by it. I've been using it for decades and my face has few wrinkles. It helps that my daddy looked young close to his eighties. I'll be seventy in a few weeks. And my husband, who is seventy-one, says he has not reached middle age yet and tells me I'm beautiful every day and that helps. I think you look absolutely gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSnickelfritz,
DeleteYou were smart to start early to prevent rather than repair. Of course it appears you have good genes also.
Thank you so much. Just be grateful that the shot was dark, blurry and from a distance:))
I think my best way to not see the wear and tear is to NOT look in store windows or other reflecting places. I'm still a "hot chick" in my dreams !!
ReplyDelete