Looking older than what I am!!!!

Therickmachine

Hello

I am 24 and female. I have been recently told I look in my late 20's and once a 30 year old woman thought I was her age.

I am a bit distressed at this as I get complimented as being quite attractive and I do get quite a bit of male attention but this has gotten me down a bit.

The thing is I haven t a single wrinkle yet and other people have assured me that is the case!

So what is it thats making people think I am older than what I am?

The only thing I think of is that I am very busty for my size 10-12 frame. Does this equate mumsy and looking older?
I still am quite slim and I have obese friends who are also busty and who never mistaken for being older.

Its been the case ever since I was a teenager. I NEVER got asked for ID when buying alcohol and people always assumed I was much older than what I actually was. I was always well developed even before my teens!

What other things make a person seem older apart from the obvious sign of wrinkles?

I am getting quite paranoid at being taken for 6 years older than I actually am! Anyone else ever had this problem?

jdivision

Some people just look older. Don't worry about it. Can also be style of haircuts and way people dress. I look about five years older than I am, it doesn't bother me in the least

username123

It might not be your appearance per se that causes people to think you are older, it might be that there is a maturity to your behaviour.

There is a girl in my job who I thought was my age (mid 30s) and it turns out she is only 24. Its nothing to do with her facial features, she just 'behaves' like someone much older.

You might catch up with and pass yourself out and when youre 40 people might think youre only early 30s.

O'Coonassa

Often it's behaviour, for instance girls giggle way less often as they get older. Maybe your degree of seriousness is way beyond your years.

star-pants

As others said, it could be the fact your body seems more mature that you were (Age wise) when younger. It could be also how you dress or act.
My older sister used to say (when I was a teen) that I was going on 40.

Some people are hard to judge age wise, I've a friend who's 26/27 and still gets ID'd as she looks young. Some people look eternally 30 ish. You might be one of those people. Unless someone says you look aged, then it's not purely physical. It could be vibes you give off/ how you act, you might seem more mature than your years.

Dudess

The way you dress, perhaps?

I get this a lot from people I've talked to. I asked and they say it's the way I behave/act rather than my appearance. I was never a giggler and come across pretty serious/mature to people I don't know well - could it be this? I know it's not just my face because I always get ID'ed buying booze and they never believe I'm 23 from the way I look and dress. So it might not be a physical thing.

mags16

Like yourself, I always looked older than my years when I was in my teens and early twenties. I think it was because I didn't have the soft fleshy face that you associate with the young. Thankfully now that I am in my early forties, people tell me I look 10 years younger.

aare

Don't sweat it...:)

When I was 13 I looked 20...when I was 20 I looked 30...

Then the clock stopped...

Now 30 years on, with enough care and makeup, I am told I can still pass for 35.

I remember a girl 10 years younger than I, we were always getting mistaken for each other...people thought we were the same age too.

It's not about wrinkles (I hardly have any even yet). It's just the type of face you have...

allabouteve

Therickmachine wrote: »

Hello

I am 24 and female. I have been recently told I look in my late 20's and once a 30 year old woman thought I was her age.

I am a bit distressed at this as I get complimented as being quite attractive and I do get quite a bit of male attention but this has gotten me down a bit.

The thing is I haven t a single wrinkle yet and other people have assured me that is the case!

So what is it thats making people think I am older than what I am?

The only thing I think of is that I am very busty for my size 10-12 frame. Does this equate mumsy and looking older?
I still am quite slim and I have obese friends who are also busty and who never mistaken for being older.

Its been the case ever since I was a teenager. I NEVER got asked for ID when buying alcohol and people always assumed I was much older than what I actually was. I was always well developed even before my teens!

What other things make a person seem older apart from the obvious sign of wrinkles?

I am getting quite paranoid at being taken for 6 years older than I actually am! Anyone else ever had this problem?

Speaking as a 31 year old woman, its sometimes difficult to put an age on those ten years younger than yourself.

You might look more mature than your peers, it might be the way your face is constructed, it might be your expression.

I have a friend who was always put in her late 20's when she was 20 ish. She eventually got to her late 20's and time stood still for her. By the time she was mid 30's she still looked late 20's, so you might be as lucky as she is. Don't waste a minute worrying about it.

dreamlogic

Could be that people are associating a way of dressing with a certain age group. A suit will make you appear a few years older than jeans and a hoodie for example.

Overheal

Therickmachine wrote: »

Its been the case ever since I was a teenager. I NEVER got asked for ID when buying alcohol and people always assumed I was much older than what I actually was. I was always well developed even before my teens!

Could easily be up to maturity. On the other hand depending on who was at the counter it might have been on account of your well developed features - who are to tell though

On the other hand my brother just turned 23 last week and he still gets carded everywhere he goes. I've ever only been carded the odd time, and have been getting in and out of pubs since I was 15, and I'm 2 years younger than him. Odd to me, seeing as I can just barely grow any facial hair. But I guess a lot plays into it. Youthful looks are part of it sure (doesnt mean you dont have them) but also body language and attire as was being said above. Theres a lot going on in the way certain people carry themselves and act that can make it hard to tell their real age.

More on getting carded, the First time I was ever carded for drink was the day before my 18th birthday. Clearly there is more to it. I must have been putting off a too-excited vibe or something that day, given the anticipation. And I'd say thats exactly why I came off as too young to be buying pints that day because I had done it a hundred times before that with no hassle.

Therickmachine

O'Coonassa wrote: »

Often it's behaviour, for instance girls giggle way less often as they get older. Maybe your degree of seriousness is way beyond your years.

Thanks for all the replies. They have all been pretty spot on! I think the one about seriousness hits the nail on the head. I am the oldest in my family and have been told I act way older than what I am.

I have also had quite a bit of experience for a 24 year old. I have lived abroad twice, taught and worked, got my degree and teaching cert all before the age of 25. That was why one girl thought I was alot older.

Could be that people are associating a way of dressing with a certain age group. A suit will make you appear a few years older than jeans and a hoodie for example.

Dress mmmm last year I did dress conservatively - comes from living in a Muslim country. I have tried to turn it around when I moved back to Europe. Though I hate hoodie and sportsgear and wear dresses and very feminine clothes

Some people look eternally 30 ish. You might be one of those people.

I ve gotten told that both in my 20s and teens. Fingers crossed:)

RacoonQueen

Once people hit 21 or so it's very hard to tell the diffence in age between a 21 year old and someone in their late 20's, your face doesn't change much. People have always thought I'm about 3 or 4 years older than I am, doesn't bother me in the slightest, I generally take it as a compliment that I don't act like an immature idiot.

Zzee

OP, dont worry about it, it can be hard to judge someones age and we all are wrong at times.