Timesonline – Is this your beauty decade?

This article probably gives many women the secret relief that they are normal in many ways. Whom of us don’t feel slightly, wickedly, gleeful when we meet up with a long, lost, used to be so gorgeous woman looking plain now?

I have one ex-colleague just like that. She was a divorcee, dated and slept with a few men at the same time (she told me so, ok?) and sometimes, I had to drive her and drop her at one of her chosen boyfriend’s place when she got too drunk to drive. After she left her job, I lost contact with her. Until one day, she turned up as a shopowner. Hair all entangled, apron dirty, piled on several pounds and woohoo! I suddenly feel pretty next to her. (Otherwise, no woman has any chance to shine next to her. She got all the guys, all the time.)

Until now, if I ever passed by the neighbourhood, I would still peek into the shop to see if she is still as rundown.  Yeap!  Seems that some women’s beauty last only a fleeting second.  Makes the motherly me so much happier to know that.

I know this is a wicked thought but then, this author from Timesonline echoes my thought.

Is this your beauty decade?
The school siren becomes a mousy mum. The ugly duckling turns into a beautiful swan. So how can a woman tell if her best is yet to come, asks Kathryn Knight
Earlier this month, I bumped into an old school friend who I hadn’t seen for years. I say “friend”. In truth, I spent a large portion of my school days trying to avoid her. Frankly, she was just too damn pretty

And I found a little good news here:

These days, lots of women in their forties look the best they ever have.”

These women are wives, mothers, businesswomen. They are a powerful consumer force — women in their forties are at the forefront of a £1 billion nationwide fashion boom — and they are happy to spend money on making the most of what they have. At the same time, many are far more insouciant about their appearance than they were 20 years ago — and it only adds to their appeal.

Ok, not exactly the best news but at least I know I don’t have to gripe over the lost youth.  I am into the best decade, I hope. Learnt a new word – insouciant = nonchalant/casual