I agree. In general, I think girls go through a renaissance around 26. guys go through it two or three years later i think.
In college, a lot of people don’t have to work that hard to look good. We’re young, have resiliant skin, and get a fair amount of exercise without really trying. Also, we’re relatively poor.
Then we graduate and start working in desk jobs and start to gain weight. One day we look in the mirror and think, “wth? when did i start looking like my mom/dad?” Then we start working out, eating right and get back into shape. Not only that, but we now have income and have figured out what styles look best on us and aren’t just imitating our friends. I think that convergence of money, personal style and reaction to letting ourselves go after college leads to late-20s hotness.
Alternatively, you could just get married and let yourself go. woohoo!