Did I get prettier?

Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror? If you're like me your answer has little to do with your general appearance, but rather is dependent on how recently you took a shower and whether or not you've done your hair. I really don't think that an individual can determine their own attractiveness based on what they see in the mirror. You've been looking at yourself for so long that you can only judge your relative appearance- but not relative to the general population, simply relative to your appearance the day before. While you can rapidly identify if your eyes are slightly puffier than normal, a mirror can't tell you how attractive you are.

So instead, we must rely on the comments and reactions our appearance receives from others. If you happen to be surrounded by people who make effusive compliments, chances are you'll think you're pretty hot. And we've all heard about oblivious husbands who make their wives feel ugly just because they don't notice the new highlights or the professionally shaped eyebrows. People need external cues in order to know they are attractive. The problem is determining how various cues should be interpreted. Obviously a compliment from your grandmother about how great you look in the sweater she knitted you should be given less weight. But how do you interpret more bizarre feedback like strangers staring at you, or walmart employees asking you out? It could be that you're amazingly hot, but is it more likely that you just have something on your face, or for some reason you seem really easy?

I've recently had a rash of strange cues about my appearance. In the last two weeks I've had two complete strangers stop me to tell me how pretty I was. I've also been hit on every time I went to the library (twice). Two of the cooks at Mimi's ask me out every time I work. And lastly, there was the walmart employee. These experiences have caused me to wonder if I've suddenly become more attractive or if somehow I've started sending out vibes of desperation. Really I think all of these experiences can be easily explained away, and they've made my life more interesting though also more awkward.

I think the real problem is that I try to interpret every experience as a comment on my appearance. I think if you are looking, you can find evidence to support any belief you have about your own attractiveness. The study of your own attractiveness will inevitably be marred by bias. So what's the point? I'm pretty sure that everyone's life is optimized by a belief that they are reasonably, though not exceptionally, attractive. Plus, such a belief will motivate you to shower and do your hair. But whether or not this belief is grossly false, everyone's appearance is improved by modest confidence.