I agree that she looked bad back then but I still love looking at old Pam, especially from Season 2. Her hair was terrible so good for her on the mini makeover. It also had to do with her confidence, she wasn't happy so it reflected in her appearance.

Yeah she's slowly getting more pretty isn't she? Like in the cold opener of Money, she looked so gorgeous in that green blouse with a little make-up.
After watching the premiere I saw one of those jam videos about the last seasons and it really surprised me because she actually looks like a different person.

I also think the photos are portraying her badly because the writers wanted a girl who was more reserved, and, dare i say, frumpy? They didn't want a girl who would stand out in any way, and now, FNB is definitely standing out.