DAE not get compliments anymore even when you feel like you look better than before..?

Just wondering if anyone else has had this sort of experience..

I was generally more quiet/reserved two years ago. I was very frequently stared at and how i looked was commented on a lot - i even had a really intense and sad one sided female friendship rivalry, where me receiving attention triggered her insecurities. I remember feeling flattered but also sometimes confused by compliments as I didn’t think I was all THAT pretty. I was in a private school so I was wearing the school uniform, no makeup was allowed and I had to tie my really long hair up to align with the dress code.

I have now graduated. I bleached my hair blonde (its still waist length and surprisingly healthy), and I wear makeup. I dress more androgynously (denim jackets, jeans everyday, sometimes oversized Tees) but i also do my hair every day, have nails done, and wear femm jewellry.

So, a new friend recently asked our group what was “a compliment that hurt your feelings” as a icebreaker. When it was my turn to share, I suddenly realised i couldnt even remember the last time i HAD gotten complimented!! I said so, and everyone said that was sad in a light hearted way. I even made a joke that “I guess I’m just really chopped” which didnt get much of a reply from anyone (awwwwkward…)

I feel like if i did think I glowed down then I’d just accept the little reality check. But the thing is that I feel like I actually do look pretty good!? I am content when I look in the mirror and sometimes I take such nice pictures that i giggle at them for a while in the name of self love before posting.. Idk how to say this in a less cocky way but i genuinely think that if you look at a group photo of my clubs, friend circles, classes, Then i am certainly not in the bottom percentile..? but it seems like everyone gets built up and supported, getting called cute, generally being complimented for things (Like they would get cat eye nails done and my friends gush over them a lot and but I have always had those kinds of nails and have never gotten any reaction about them.. :,D ?) but not me..?

Honestly there is no one around me to talk to about looks much. Excluding my big female friend group who are more surface lvl friends, the closest friends I have are males who have kinda insulted me in the past about my looks.. I’ve told them off before cus it seemed to be in a teasing way and they stopped but this whole thing has got me thinking if there was truth to those comments! Usually I don’t think about looks too hard anymore and I am more comfortable/ confident than Ive ever been in my own skin, but now im wondering why all the external validation I had before is gone now?

its not even particularly like i NEED to be complimented but now that ive noticed this discrepancy in how i feel VS how the world is reacting, I feel so compelled to figure out why!! Have i just gone delulu and need to accept a little ego death or has anyone else felt this way before? Why do i feel like i look better but get less positive feedback than i did before? Is it some sort of energy thing that has changed in me?