looking younger
 

okay well as most of you know because i have complained about it so many times..... i apparently look very young for my age. I am 21 and i guess i wouldnt mind it so much if i looked around 18 or so but everyone thinks i look 13.

A couple of days before new years, i was with my family at party city buying decorations for the party we were going to have at our house and i started listening to some 70's music they had on some display. Anyhow, this lady turns around and tells me "yeah thats the kind of music your parents probably listened to when they were your age, how old are you about 12, 13?" so i like "no, im older" "oh really, how old are you" she asks "21" 21?!?!?!?"

it was so embarassing because she was so loud about it everyone heard..... i know it will be a good thing when im OLDER, but for now it kind of sucks!

I also feel that maybe if i looked older, i'd get the attention of more guys. I guess maybe thats why i get more"you are so cute" instead of the "you are so pretty"

anyone else have this problem, or a solution? ;)

My biological sister would really be able to relate to you! I remember once when she was 21 she and I went to Denny's and the hostess gave her a kiddie menu! Boy, she was p***ed! Now she is 28 years old and she looks about 20 so while her peers are complaining about getting old, she's still getting carded and now she doesn't mind looking young at all!

Sometimes this can be remedied by the way you dress. I find that if you dress more "professional" and less casual-- less people can mistake you as being younger.

But definately, you'll appreciate this when you are older! :)

See real or fake and you will see I have the same problem as you. I try to always look nice. I don't wear baggy clothes or shirts that say" Boy Scouting" or anything that reads like something a jr high girl would wear(no offense if any of you own these shirts- they are just not me). I am 20 yrs old and look very young. Even my girlfriends make fun of me. I don't feel sexy or womanly and feel like I will always be single due to this. I can never marry a guy who looks young or my poor kids will be really screwed. SO I'm not sure how we can remedy this problem bucutie02.:(

Most people say I look younger than what I am. At work everyone has told me I look 24 but I'm 29. Just about everyone in my office has told me this and most people in general say I look like I'm in my mid 20s because I have a young looking face. I always get carded and I have no problem with it. :)

Kevin

bucutie, I understand where you're coming from completely! Im 22 and I still have people thinking Im in middle school or high school. Most people find it shocking that I have graduated college already. However, a few people have said that I look my age.When I went on the interview for the school I sub at, the kids asked if I was a new student. When I taught the 7th and 8th grade, 90% were taller than me and some flirted with me. I even had a 3rd grader who was taller than me.Then at a recent interview for a group home (for kids ages 6-16) position, the staff and kids thought I was a new kid coming into the facilities. Ive been double carded (a bouncer even asked me what HS I went to and what year I graduated, This after he let one of my friends in ahead of me go, the friends behind me, and about 4 other people behind me..sheesh). I was even carded for a scratch off lotto ticket. I know theyre just doing their job, but come on. Solution?.. I just deal with it, like everyone says it'll pay off soon.

I've been told that I look young too. I'm 22 but when I worked with adolescent boys this past summer and fall they all thought I was around 18. 2 summers ago (I was 20)I was a manager for a local boutique....we had an upset customer come in and ask to speak with the manager or owner. The owner was out so I was the only person in "authority" working. The person did not believe me. She was like, I'm not kidding--I need to make a complaint. She got so pissed and she wouldn't even talk to me. She kept saying she was not going to deal with teenage help and that she would come back when the owner was in. :rolleyes: Same summer some ladies were talking to me and they said, "So was it hard for you to get a work permit?" or something like that. And I said.."Why would I need a work permit?" and they answered "Well all kids under 16 need a work permit" I just laughed and said I was 20 and about to be a senior in college. I guess sometimes it's frustrating but all my friends and I just joke about it now. I don't dress "young" either. I like to think of my look as classic but it doesn't seem to help. Makeup doesn't help either...I just look like a teenager trying to look older :p

It really bothers me when I see celebrities like Destiny's child and they look older than they are. It's not fair. I also think height makes a big difference in the age you are perceived to be. I am only 5'3. I think 5'7- 5'8 is the perfect height.

Just the other day a guy came to my door selling water. At first he wasn't sure if it was my apartment. When I told him that I wasn't interested b/c I just graduated from college and was getting ready to move, he had the craziest look on his face, as if to say, "you've graduated from college...are you old enough?" He asked if it would be o.k. to ask me my age and I said "sure, I'm 24, why?" he gave another crazy look and said, "wow, I thought you were 18!" I thanked him and he was on his way.

I'm flattered by these situations. We're not going to be young forever. Also, not everyone is as fortunate...I know some people who look older than their age.

Embrace it...you're lucky!!!

I can relate... I will be turning 28 in April and everyone thinks I am in my early 20's. I still get carded also. I have even had stranges comment on how cute my kids are--and follow it up with "wow you must have been VERY young when you had your first" I usually just smile and respond "I guess-if you consider 24 young".

Generally it is nice to be younger looking--and I am sure the older I get the more I will appreciate it. The only time I have been slightly embarassed by it was a few months ago at a business dinner. We had a dinner meeting at a local resturant--the owner goes over his year plan, etc. Well the meeting is usually pretty boring so all the guys in the office decided to head to the bar before the meeting began--I joined the guys. So here I am only "girl" with 9 guys at the bar--and I get carded when I ordered. I handed over my ID and ordered--the entire time we were in the bar the guys laughed at me for being so young.

Like I said -- one day I am sure I will appreciate it more than I do now---but I still really don't mind.

I think Alphagam1019 hit the nail on the head. If you have a problem with it skillful make-up, dress, and elevator shoes might make a world of difference.

As far as guys not liking younger looking girls, as long as you are on the planet Earth you should never have a problem. Assuming that you look at least puberty age.

If you maintain that youthful appearance into later life you will be truly envied and hated. However, you won't really know until you hit about 25 whether you are likely to age well. I have seen a lot of girls completely lose their good looks by their mid twenties. sometimes even earlier. Sad for them.

Also, its funny how much of age is really appearance.

We had an RA at our school that was in his mid thirties (or close) that must have dated every pretty Freshmen girl that walked through school. He looked like he was 20, he still got carded.

Conversely I know of a guy that was 22 when he graduated and couldn;t get a date on campus. Why? He was over 6'3" with a lined face and preamturely gray hair. Girls thought he was in his 30's and didn't want to date him.

Even where girls learned the real ages of both these people, it didn;'t much matter because their hind brains still judged ages and therefore suitablity of dating by appearance.

This isnt a citicism, its just an observation on the way our perceptual sets work. If a 13 year old looked 23 that 13 year old would be attractive to people in their 20's.

Amazing.

I'm 32 and no one ever believes me. They always think I'm 26 or 27. And it is GREAT now, but when I was 20 and I'd say "I'm a sophomore"" and they assumed I meant High School, it was very frustrating. And I am TALL (5'9) and have been this tall since 8th grade, so I always thought that would work to my advantage with people thinking I was not 12, but apparently not, lol.

Now it is great though. Nothing like knowing you're fast approaching 35 and still get carded from time to time!

:)
Amy

Just dress to look old and when your old dress young and things will be great for you no matter what because people will think you never age and will be the envy of everyone.

yep. I am on the down side of my 20's and people think I am 21 or 22. I get carded for booze all the time. my favorite game toplay is throw a fit about it and THEn dig out the ID. Just to see the look on their faces. Of course, I always carry 2 pieces of ID because I am afraid they will think my real ID is a fake, because I really look younger. I throw on my abercrombie cap, forget it. I am 18. My age decreases in direct proportional relationship to how low my cap bill goes. Really low, and I am 17. I happily refer to my cap as my fountain of youth. :)

My father aged very well, he always looked about 15 years younger than he was.

yes I think how well your same-sex parent ages has something to do w it.

my mom looks freakishly young for her 54 years. :) I can live with that! lol

I am 27 and have 18 and a 16 year old sisters. When we were out for mother's day last year they poured wine for my sisters and carded me! I was so annoyed!

I think that how well your parents age definitely has something to do with it. In college my dad took my roomie and I out for a movie and dinner one night. We went to the Brewing Co. and they carded my dad. He was so excited! He was 50 and it had been two years since he was last carded. At first he thought the bouncer was joking, but he wasn't. I hope I get carded at his age!

I was cooking dinner last week for my friend Katie, and we went to the store to get a few things I dint have on hand, bellpeppers, onion, butter, etc. And we decide to make it a wine night. So I pick my favorite, and the FREAK checker was all about the ID (I took the cap off to age myself). Katie is only 20, so she was NO help. She (Freak checker) called her supervisor and he was a Keanu wanna be and gave me the "Sorry buuud. Not gonna happen." Like he had saved me from myself. UGH. The guy in me wanted to go home, get the ID and come back. Katie woulda kicked my ass tho. So I just cooked and forgot about it.

I've got the opposite problem - I look older than I am. I was rarely carded once I turned 18 :D and everyone at work thinks I'm around 30 when I'm actually in my mid-20's.

It's all in how you carry yourself. If you order a drink or buy some booze like it's no big deal, you won't get carded. If you dress well (nice shirt and slacks/skirt, no jeans) you'll look older. If you wear your hair short or up in a bun, you'll look older. If you stand/sit up straight, you'll look older; if you slouch, you'll look like a kid.

I always find it amusing-

when I was 14, people always thought I was older, like 18 or so.

But now that I am 22, people really think that I'm 16! It kills me! The other day on the way home from work, some grown man asked me how school was. I was CTHU! (My fault though, I had one of those one-strap backpacks).

I reaaaally wondered why this grown ass man would be trying to flirt with someone who he thought was young enough to be his kid! Eww!

It's probably my fault though. I think I probably dressed older when I was in high school than I do now (I like to be comfortable, something that I would sacrifice in a heartbeat for fashion when I was in high school- I still remember the debacle with the thigh highs, lol). I was never allowed to dress scandulously or anything, but I wore skirts more and tighter shirts.

It's all good though. I see how my Mom is- she does not remotely look her age, and that makes me quite happy, lol. She has beeeoooootiiiful skin. The only thing I'm afraid of inheriting from my Mom is her chest size! I will be #1 in line for a reduction if I get that big post-kids!

I can relate to everybody one this board. I am 29,but everybody swears up and down that I look about 21.:D

It use to bother me,but now I sort of get a kick out of shocking people when I tell them my age.

About 4 years ago,I was meeting at friend at the movies. Since I lived closer to the movie theather,I was going to buy both our tickets. Anyway, for some reason I had left my drivers liecense in the car. So I go to purchase the tickets(we were going to see Romy and Michelle's HS reunion which is rated R) and the clerk is all "Do you have any id"? I was all "I left it in the car." She's all I can't sell you the tickets cause you're underage.":rolleyes:

So I go out to my car to get my driver's liecense,and get back in line. Imagine the cahsier's surprise when she saw that I was 25 and not 17 like she thought.:p She could not apologize enough.

Then another time,I was riding the Greyhound and I was sitting in the very last row next to a couple of guys. Well I don't how we got arounnd talking about age,but when one guy found out that I was 21(at the time),he didn't believe me. I had to pull out my id to prove to him that I was not lying about my age.

The good thing about looking younger then I am is that when I'm 90,I'll look 60.:D My mom will be 52 on Thursday and she doesn't look a day over 35;) So I say enjoy looking young while it lasts

I got carded for an R-rated movie over christmas - that was freaking awesome.

I love looking young - it's great. My demeanor (diction, composure, etc) often forces people to think I'm 25, but I look 15. That's the trick - only half of it is how you look, the rest is how you act. Bouncers never question my ID - but they always ask for it. Fantastic.

If you really feel that self-conscious about looking young, seek therapy, because it's the greatest gift in the world - you'll reap the rewards 1000fold. Listen to Amycat and James - those parables are key examples of why I embrace my looking fifteen-ness.

When I went to a dressmaker for my cotillion dress, the dressmaker first said "This isn't a wedding dress, is it?" and I said "no." She replied "Good - how old are you? 13, 14?" I was 18.

I always feel like I look young in comparison to lots of girls - like they have a more sophistocated look. But then I realize that they're willing to sacrifice their comfort to wear black pants and one-shoulder tops to the grocery store on Saturday night, when I can be happy in jeans and a dressy sweater :)

I started looking older when I cut my hair to above shoulder length, got rid of my straight cut bangs, and got highlights. I also find that wearing "bigger" earrings helps too. Not giant doorknockers, but I have a pair of CZ studs that are about 1 ct each. Not huge, but big enough to look like something a college student would wear.

The same sex parent is true.

In male folklore there is a saying: Look at the Mother!

Because that is what your GF will turn into later in life.

That is supposed to encompass both looks and personality.

So if the mom is heavy . . run.

If the mom is evil . . . run.


I have actually known guys to mentally erase their GF's as marriageable after meeting the Mom.

Hey bucutie I know exactly what you are talking about. Over the christmas break I went to get a new cell phone service and when I was in there the guy asked me are you 18? Cause you obviously have to be unless your parents are sigining the contract. I was like yes I am 21. And he was shocked he thought I was like 16. I know its not as bad as yours but its pretty bad. But when we left my little sister who is 18 and looks older than me said you will be happy that you look younger than everyone once you get older. So I think about that and smile. We are going to look a lot younger when we get older than the other people we are with. :-)

Re: looking younger
 

to most guys cute=pretty :) Just a less sappy way to say it.

Ahhh, I can totally relate. I'm 23 but I look like I'm 12. All my patients at work are like, are you old enough to work here? I get carded for everything-beer, lottery tickets-you name it. But the worst ever-I'm still mad about this :mad: -my mom and I were boarding a plane, and we were handing the stewardess our tickets, and she takes mine, looks at me, and says "How old are you?". I told her I was 23, and she's like, oh...nevermind. I looked all confused and she was like, I'll tell you why I asked when we get on the plane. So, my mom and I are trying to figure out why on earth she would ask, and she comes up, and she's like, here's why I asked how old you are-that seat your sitting in? You have to be at least 15 years old to sit there (it was the seat with the emergency exit next to it). My mom burst out laughing, but I was pissed. Ever since I've turned 23 people either think I'm 15 or 18-19. And then I see girls who are my age or younger and they look older than me! And I just want to look my age!! :)

It's weird for me because when I was younger everyone thought I looked much older than my age....getting into bars and getting served was never a problem for me even in high school. But then, somewhere in my early to mid twenties it reversed. Now everyone thinks I am much younger than I really am. I love it because I will be 30 in May and I am not exactly thrilled about that. In fact, one day a salesman came to the door when I had my hair in a ponytail, no makeup, and sweats on. I was holding my son when I opened the door and he just kind of looked at me. Then he asked if I was the babysitter!!!! I said no and he said "well then is your mom or dad here?" I just laughed and told him if he was trying to make a sale he was well on his way. He was really embarrassed when I told him how old I was because I was a lot older than him!!!!

If I go out alone I get carded most of the time, except like at the grocery store. But whenever I am with Brent I never get it and I know it is because he looks so much older. He is only 31 but he could pass for 41 easily. Not that this is a bad thing. I like cute young men just like anyone else but I have always been so turned on by older men. Brent broke his finger and had to go to the hospital so his brother took him. Mind you, they are twins but Dave is a lot heavier....the nurse thought Dave was Brent's DAD!!!!!! We will never let him live that one down!!!!!

I'm 37, turning 38 in October.

Some believe that I look like I'm in my mid- to-late 20s. I have very few wrinkles and little damage in my skin. Constantly wear 15 SPF sunscreen.

When I get older, I would love to age on the order of Diahann Carroll or Lena Horne, the most glamorous 80-something woman on the planet. :D

I know how you all feel: I'm 23 but apparently don't look at day over 16, grrr. My mum keeps telling me however, I will greatly appreciate it a few years from.

Sorry, but I don't buy that. I have had judges ask me how old I am when I've been dressed in a suit with my hair in a bun and glasses and makeup on. I've been ordering alcohol for a long time like it's not a big deal b/c it isn't. That hasn't stopped anyone from carding me.

*shrug* Maybe it's just me, then... I found, when I was 19 or 20, that if I wore my hair down and I wore a t-shirt and jeans, the probability of my getting carded was a lot higher than if I wore a nice shirt and slacks and put my hair up in a bun.

XO Princess's story reminds me of something that happened to one of my sorority sisters... she also looks really young for her age. She was sitting in the exit row of an airplane, and the flight attendant came up to her and asked her "Are you 15?" (Meaning, "are you at least 15") She was very puzzled (she interpreted it as "are you as young as 15") and said "well... no." So the flight attendant asked her to move! "Why?" "You have to be at least 15 to sit in an exit row." "Ummm... I'm 22." "...Oh." That poor flight attendant :)

okay well im glad im not alone on looking younger! :D

By the way, i always get the kiddie menu at restaurants if i go with my family. Once we were at Soup and Salad and the waitress which was probably in high school asked my mom how old her two kids were because "12 and under eat free!".

I guess if i were to dress up a little more i would look older. At school i just dress casual but when i go to work I do dress up a lot more.

I dont really wear a lot of makeup either, just eye shadow, mascara, blush and lipstick. I have always wanted to wear eyeliner but it doesnt look good on me, i look weird!

Thanks for replying everyone!

I think attitude has a lot to do with it if you're on the border of looking 'of age' - like AEPhiAlum said, the way you carry yourself, dress, etc. can push you over the edge. However, if you look way too young, no amount of acting is going to make up for that.

Now, I've always looked older than I am - whether it was in high school with my facial hair (what the hell was i thinking going with just the mustache), or even now clean-shaven, I've looked like I could be 21 from the time I was 16.

All in all though, it's like Rob said; looking young is not a bad thing. For the rest of our lives we'll be searching for ways to re-capture our youth, so why be upset if you look a little young.

Collin

I have so many stories for this one! My aplogies in advance if I get long winded.:)

1. When I was 18 or 19, I went home from school on a break, and my mom and I went to look at some dolls she was thinking about buying. (Some lady had them advertised in the paper or something.) So, we go to this woman's house, and she asked me if I was enjoying spending the day with my GRANDMA. Well, my grandma had just passed away, so I got all serious and said something like 'my grandma just passed away, but I am having a nice day out with my mother, thank you.' She thought I was about 10, 12 at the most.

2. I worked as a sub in the district I attended for a few years after college, and I had another job in retail at the time. Both in the same town. The store I worked in had a key cutter, and I was one of the few who knew how to cut keys. This woman came in to have a key copied, and the cutter broke down before I had all of her keys done. She got all rude with me about it and told me to get the manager, so I did. There was nothing he could do, so she stormed out. That night, I got a call to come in as a long term sub for maternity leave. Her son just happened to be in that class. This is elementary, so I walked the class out to the bus lot, and there she was to pick up her son. She shoots me this horrible look and asks what I'm doing there. Subbing for the teacher... She says, "oh, I am so sorry about yelling at you at the store. I thought you were just a kid who didn't know what you were doing." I said, " Nope. Now you know I'm over 16, and I even have a college education."

3. I got called in to sub at the high school. This was fun because I knew I still passed for 17, and the students thought I was a transfer. When I was leaving, school hadn't let out yet, but there was a guy just outside the door, and he asked if I was a junior or senior. "Teacher" OOPS!

4. Another one from the high school... the father of one of my friends was working the same day, and I had lunch duty in the lobby. My friend's dad was on his lunch and headed home, and he stopped to talk to me. Right about then, the principal (who came in after I had graduated) walked over to us and starts telling John to watch a certain group. John told him he was on lunch, and the principal looked all confused, so he apologized and asked if John knew who was on duty. I told him I was, and he looked at me like I was nuts. He even asked John if that was true. I wanted so badly to walk him down the hall and show him my class composite picture from nearly 10 years ago.

Oh, and this is really bad but a lot of people think I'm my husband's teen daughter. We get a lot of turned heads if we hold hands in public.

BTW.... sometimes it doesn't matter how you dress. If you look young enough, it doesn't stop everyone.