How others see you????

I know this post is a couple of days old but just had to comment.
I mentioned that people treated me differently since I lost weight. My husband says that it is very much because I AM different. He says that the increased confidence I feel is readily apparent even when I think I am just walking around a shopping mall. He pointed out that even larger and obese people who for what ever reason have a good self esteem and confidence are treated like someone who isn't large for the most part.  I have a freind that is about 90 pounds overweight. She doesn't mind exactly and frequently says her body misperception is that she still sees herself as " one hot momma". She says no one ever treats her differently from her small freinds even when she is out on the town. I kind of agree with him and her.  I don't think I looked people in the eye. If someone even started to smile at me I either thought it was intended for someone behind me or that they were making fun of me. I certainly didn't approach a salesperson with confidence or assertiveness. According to my husband I have become more like the high school and college girl he knew and fell in love with. He believes that my perception that people treat me better is a reality however it is a result of me being more confident and liking myself more.
That being said I still think of myself as fat. I look in the mirror and all I see is the weight I still want to lose. I even don't pick myself out of a group photo without really trying. The other day shortly after my daughter and her family had been with us for a visit  I was doing laundry. I took jeans out of the dryer, folded them and took them into the other room where my husband was. I told him that DD had left her jeans behind. I held them up. He laughed, told me I was crazy and pointed out that those were my jeans. He had to convince me to look at the tag and in fact, THEY WERE MINE!
I am not sure when this distorted body image will go away.