Quote from blackjack007:
this year i went to my 15th high school reunion and couldn't believe my eyes. how did all those cute 17 year olds turn into wrinkly, overweight prunes so quickly? i thought perhaps my nostalgic memory was playing tricks on me so i thumbed through my h.s. yearbook, and it confirmed those girls were actually pretty back in the day.
now i'm thinking, what if i marry a beautiful 21 year old who turns into a suze orman look-a-like by 35? damnit that's a sobering thought. is a girl's mom an accurate predictor of the girl when she ages?
I noticed this years ago. The good news is that YES, you can tell how badly a woman will age. You can't be 100% accurate, but just like picking stocks that are likely to soar or collapse, there are definite predictive factors.
The first thing to do is look at aspects of her looks which are vulnerable to ageing, versus those that will remain even in 20-30 years. Eyes, bone structure, hip/waist ratio, curvy ass, skin quality, lips, smile etc tend to stay even when a woman is 45-50. Whereas perky boobs, weight, hair, rest of the face, chin, general body etc will usually deteriorate. Women also tend to show their vulnerability to ageing quite early. If at 25 she is still very fresh faced with smooth skin etc, that's a good sign. If she is already starting to show a bit of ageing, that's a warning signal. It's surprising how many women in their 20s you can already see signs of ageing - the first hints of a double chin, skin deteriorating etc. There's also the personal charisma factor - if a woman oozes sensuality due to personality, the way she walks & dresses, that'll still be there when she's older (maybe even more, as she gets more experience & confidence). A beauty who acts like a frump at 25 is just going to get worse with age.
Basically, look at the woman and imagine her with a short conservative haircut, frumpy clothes, some lines on her face, slightly saggier boobs, and 15-20lbs extra weight. Take her current signs of ageing and extrapolate 10-20 years. Would she still be sexy? Could she be a foxy MILF? Or will she look like a plain Jane or worse?
The other good indicator is one you mentioned - look at her mother (assuming she's not adopted). If her mother looks ok at 50 - is in reasonably trim shape and looks younger than her age - then that's a great sign. If her mother is fat and has aged badly, then expect the daughter to do the same (not always, but why take the risk?).
So, that's the natural beauty/ageing side. The other thing to consider is her behaviour and personality. First, does she smoke? If so, forget it - smoking ages people badly and damages skin complexion, breath, and teeth, as well as health. Even if she gives up, most quitting smokers put on weight so she'll become fat (or relapse) instead. Second, does she show any discipline in her eating and drinking habits? If not, she will become fat in her 30s if not before. She will just get fatter and fatter as she goes on. Only choose a woman who, the moment she puts on 10 lbs, notices and starts exercising/dieting to work it off. She doesn't have to be in perfect shape at all, but she should at least be aware that she is going a bit above where she should be. Having a real woman who is 10lbs overweight is not a big problem; but having an obese heifer is unacceptable. If you have to point out a woman's weight first, and she complains if you mention dieting to her, then forget it - she'll become a heifer. Third, how does she dress, how does she pay attention to her looks etc? By 25-30, most people have settled on their personal sense of style/look and are unlikely to change. So pick someone who dresses in a style you like, choose someone who either takes pride in their appearance, or at least dresses in a sexy way. Go for elegance or for sluttiness, depending on your preference. Avoid frumpy or conservative at all costs.
So, there's a reasonable guide to picking women who will age well. If you look at women in their 40s, it is really amazing the difference in appearance. Some look like ugly grandmothers when they are 40, others in their 40s still look really hot and can pass for 29. Make sure you end up with a Joan Collins/Raquel Welch, not a Suze Orman or (god forbid) Rosie O'Donnell.
Finally, don't forget that looks aren't everything, and remember you will get older too. I have to laugh at guys who moan about women's looks, and they are sitting there pounding cheap beer and watching sport, patting their huge beer guts, wearing nasty clothes, with cheap haircuts, blotchy skin, and yellow teeth. You can't complain about women if you let yourself go to seed.