Everybody Looks Older

[Ash]

I am almost 34 years old and was born April 19th, 1974.  But I physically look like I'm 24 or 25 years of age.  I can easily hang around a crowd of young people and they don't even think to ask me how old I am.
I guess I'm blessed that I look young. 

But most people aren't.

I constantly look at people and think that they're 30+ years old.  And when I ask them their age they say, "I'm 22."

WTF!!??

Why is it that most people look older than they really are and others like me do not?

Another example:
My friend Brenda came over the other day with her friend Leslie and we watched, "There Will Be Blood".
Leslie looked to me to be in her late 20's to early 30's.  I thought she was 29 or 30.
I finally asked her how old she was and she told me she was 21!
Barely old enough to drink!
WTF!?

I recently hung out with a group of 18-25 year olds at a computer LAN party and I fit right in because of my youthful appearance.
I was clean shaven and wore "hip" clothes and they took me in like I was one of their own.

When I eventually revealed that I was almost 34 years old, they treated me very differently.  Almost badly...  They wanted to see my I.D.

------------------------------------

Why do younger people look so much older nowadays?
Is it evolution?

Do you think most people look older than they really are?

Do you look younger or older?

[Mr. DS]

I'm 31, I get "you look your age"  half the time.  Then again some people are shocked when I tell them because they think I'm much younger. 

I'm not exactly sure what it is with this concept but I know what you're saying Ash.  I think part of it with some people is diet, excercise (or lack thereof) and overall well being.   For example, when I was 30 pounds heavier I use to get the "I though you were older than your age" a lot.  I notice girls who are heavy smokers really end up looking older early. 

[RCMerchant]

Cripes...I used to look young (I'm 45 now...) but In the last two years I have aged drasticlly. I used to get ID'ed alla time when I was in my late twenties and early thirties...but alcohol and hard life is catching up...and the hardest thing of all...being a sober parent-has really taken it's toll on my mug. But that's ok...I actually am starting to feel comfertable with my age...I have a tendency to lament and get misty about my youth...but I think I'm finally starting to feel ok about getting older. It has it's advantages. I can blame my lack of ambition on my age instead of it being what it is...(my lack of ambition!)

[AnubisVonMojo]

I don't know Ash, maybe the depressing weight of the world is wearing younger people out faster these days. Or maybe it's all the meth and under-aged smoking the news says the kids are into these days, gosh darn it! Heh heh. I was able to grow just enough facial hair back in high school that the guy at the adult bookstore didn't feel the need to card me when I was 15. As such, I was the go to guy when friends needed porn or a new bong... plus my 15% goatee tax. Cigarettes were another thing all together though, because everybody in our neck of the woods was stalwart of deny lung cancer to the youth of America. Much like yourself Ash, I've stayed pretty much the same age appearance for the last 8 years, but depending on the beard I can either trim it to look younger or grow it out to look a couple years older if need be.

My problem has been with kids in their early-to-mid teens trying to look older, then getting skeeved with myself when it's like, "Hey, there's an attractive girl I wouldn't mind... wait... she's getting on a school bus... I'm going to be sick". The girls I went to high school with wore t-shirts and jeans and didn't try so hard to look older because they all had older brothers and sisters to buy them beer. Is that what it is? Is trying to look older an act that they need to live throughout the week just to make sure they don't pull a McLovin on Friday night? Bah, as such I've taken to only meeting women online and only ones who can show me ID when I meet 'em... or meat 'em... sorry, my better judgment wasn't strong enough to keep that terrible terrible pun inside any more. 

[Derf]

I've been mistaken for being both older and younger than I am (44). Most of the time, people consider me to look young for my age except for the gray hair on my chest and temples. If I shaved my head (which I'm not too far from now--I cut my own hair with a #1 clipper), I'd probably be mistaken for mid-thirties.

I think a lot of aging has to do with genetics, which we don't understand all that well yet. Some people are genetically inclined to look young. Also, some are genetically more susceptible to lifestyle consequences. By that I mean that there are some people who can party and still maintain youthful looks, but they are few and far between. Smoking will usually age a person not only healthwise, but it will also make them look older. Same with alcohol. Same with insufficient rest. Some can escape the physical toll these types of activities take on a person; most cannot.

Ash, I know you've talked before about heavy drinking, so consider yourself lucky that it has never taken it's toll on your looks.

Other, more recent factors in age-appropriate looks include drugs for ADHD; kids who have been on these medications tend to have stunted growth and look much younger than they actually are. I know a couple of high schoolers (one a senior) who both look to be about 12-14.

[JJ80]

When I was younger I tended to be on the tall and plump side and many people assumed that I was older than I was. I was sometimes banned from funfair rides for being allegedly too old for them. These days, I seem to be taken for younger than I actually am. For instance I was prevented from buying a copy of "The Departed" in a local supermarket as the smug, lazy madam behind the counter refused to believe that I was over the eighteen and I had no acceptable I.D on me at the time.

[Killer Bees]

I'm 41, but I've been told by my male friends (who have no hidden sexual agenda), that I look at least 10 years younger.  Most women I speak to can't believe my son is 17.  They all think I must have him in my teens 

I'm always surprised by the ages of the young ones these days, they look so much older.  I put it down to:  excessive drinking, smoking and the taking of hard drugs.  These self destructive behaviours are so endemic in Gen Y these days.

Even women my age and a bit younger look really old.  We have a huge drinking culture in our country, so it's no surprise that everyone's looking a little haggard these days.  I have no self destructive behaviours and I'm proud of taking care of myself and I apologise to no one for it.

It's a nice ego boost for me too.  Although a lot of people feel sorry for me that I'm not a boozer or a pill popper    They seem to think I have a boring life (I don't)

[Trevor]

  Happy birthday for Saturday, Ash. 

It's said that most leading cinematographers put a silk stocking over the lens of their cameras to photograph their leading ladies to their best advantage.

I am 40 now, going on 41 and the only way you could photograph me to my best advantage is if you put a concrete pillar in front of the lens. 

[trekgeezer]

If you're interested in your real physical age take this test.


I've taken it a couple of times and my physical age has come out to 8-10 years younger than my chronological age.  They also give advice on how to decrease your physical age.

[Trevor]

 

Time for me to slowwwww down: I'm eighty according to this!!!! 

[Hammock Rider]

I always say it's my immaturity that keeps me looking young. I work with alot of people in their 20's and most of them are surprised to learn that I'm 42. They usually think I'm about 30. Most don't seem to care one way or another which is fine by me, but some of the kids actually seem aghast at the idea that they are carrying on a normal conversation with someone who is so old.. I guess once they find out that I'm as old as some of their parents they figure I couldn't possibly have a valid opinion on books,movies,politics etc. After awhile some of them chill out about this non-issue and tell me that I"m kinda cool for an old guy. Was I that arrogant as a callow youth? Damn whippersnappers! I know Mark Twain said something once to the effect" When I was 16 I thought my father was an idiot, but by the time I was 21 I was amazed at how smart he had become in only a few short years."

I seem to have a different view. Most of the younger people I work with look like Muppet Baby versions of the adults they will eventually become. When we have to dress up because we're holding a Corporate Board meeting here or something, they remind me of those "Little Rascal" episodes whre the kids would wear their parents too-big clothes. On the other hand, when we occasiionally go out for drinks, the girls at least look way older than their actual age.  I think that's called the "LaMotta Conundrum ".

[Killer Bees]

Happy birthday for Saturday, Ash. 

It's said that most leading cinematographers put a silk stocking over the lens of their cameras to photograph their leading ladies to their best advantage.

I am 40 now, going on 41 and the only way you could photograph me to my best advantage is if you put a concrete pillar in front of the lens. 

Now THAT'S one heckuva filter  *lmao*

Trevor, you crack me up!   

[Yaddo 42]

I'm of the same opinion as Hammock Rider. To me it seem most people look younger than their ages these days on average, not older. I figure that has more to do with genetics, exercise, better living and working conditions in the industrialized world,  the resulting increased life spans, and better nutrition on average. And Alabama tends to rate lower on surveys of state by state health and life span ratings.

When I started hanging out with some friends who were still in college in the past year or two, they all looked younger than what they were to me, which made me feel older. Even the middle aged and older adults I know don't look as old as the adults I knew who were the same ages when I was younger and that includes when I look at photos. My mom doesn't look as old as my grandmother did at the same age, but Mom didn't raise nine kids with little money.

This even holds true of movie stars from the Golden age of the studio system (who had professional hair and makeup help to look younger/healthier), an example off the top of my head would be Gregory Peck. Even in his prime, he always looked at least 40 years old to me.

Personally, I'm 34 and people say I look younger than I really am. Some of that has to do with my height and maybe genetics, but I also seem to have have a roundish "babyface". Although after I lost about 30 lbs. and began to take better care of myself people said I looked younger. Before I grew my goatee again, I usually could pass for 23-25. Now it's more around 27, I get carded less with the facial hair, but I got carded a lot without it. I have some grey hair I didn't have before, but I'm surrpised how few people notice it, even family.