When my ex was in the replay stage, he thought I was dating someone. He was over at the house one day and said, "If you are dating anyone you can totally forget about us". He had been seeing OW for about a year when he said that. He meant what he said. In their irrational mind, even though they are living adulterous lifes, they do not expect you to. It did not make my ex jealous, it made him angry and more willing to move on.
Now my ex is clearly in the depression/withdrawal stage. I THINK if he thought I was dating someone, he might become jealous. However, he does not think I am dating. I have toyed with the idea of making him jealous, but I want my ex to come back not out of jealousy, but because he really really believes in us.
I feel their thinking is different in different stages.
As far as looking hot. Yes, I believe they notice. Their reaction to "looking hot" varies also depending upon where they are in their MLC journey. Looking good also effects how YOU feel about yourself. This I believe has more effect on your H.
Me: 46 H:44 Together: 25 years Married: 20 years Separated: 11-30-06 Divorced 12-21-07 OW: EA began 2005 PA began end of 2006 3 children,20, 16, 6 ex asked for forgiveness 01/16/11