Ways to look older.

[someperson]

What are some ways to look older I'm sick of looking like some teenage punk.
I'm 23 years old. Looking like a high school freshman, does not work so good in the real world.
This has seemly made my life difficult in every way possible too.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Wait ten years.

Seriously. You are what you are - people will like you for that or they won't. It's all about attitude and confidence.

Besides, if the trend continues, when you are in your 40s you'll look late 20s and everyone will be jealous. :wink:

 

[Uncutsouthernboy]

Since we don't know how you look, I can only tell you what I did. When I was 30 y.o. someone asked me what High School I attended. I knew then I needed to do something.

1. Grow a mustache or beard.
2. Look at how you dress. It could be that you are dressing like a teenage punk. Evaluate your dress and mature it up. Look at men 10 years older than you and how they dress and emulate them.
3. Look at yourself and how you act. If you are acting like a teenage punk maybe mature it up a little.

Be there and done that. I still look much younger than I really am and enjoy the advantages.

 

[erratic]

Good, if a bit contrasting, advice from both posters so far.

I also look much younger than I am, but I've come to accept it (and even appreciate it), like ManlyBannisters suggested you do. Looking youthful is a sign of good health, if you ask me. Want to look older? Take up some terrible habits.

Or, you could do what uncutsouthernboy suggests. I kind of disagree about facial hair, though: In my opinion facial hair on a youthful looking guy can look a bit obvious. It can also look great, of course, but it brings the possibility of backfiring and making it obvious that you're trying to look older - especially if it's patchy or scraggly.

However, I fully agree that dressing the part works wonders. When I wear a button-up shirt with full sleeves and proper slacks people usually think I'm only about five years younger than I am, as opposed to the typical ten.

Also, please do try to look on the bright side. Looking younger than you are is rough in your 20s, and a bit less so in your 30s, but it's great in your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, etc. ...or so I'm told

 

[Charles Finn]

yes enjoy it while you are young
i was very lucky i always hung out with an older crowd and was very mature in most ways so at 16 I had a full mustache.
yes dress older try some facial furr

 

[ggsitc]

Dressing the part can definitely go a long way. When I started teaching I was only 22 years old ... only four years older than the seniors! By "dressing up" i.e. wearing a dress shirt and tie every day to school worked wonders in keeping me separated from the students in the eyes of the other teachers and helped the students to respect me as a staff member. Except my first picture day for the yearbook. The photographer was this old German guy who looked at my ticket slip that was marked "faculty" and looked at me and raised an eyebrow and said, "Der teacher??" rather incredulously, lol.

Yes, it's a pain in the butt now not being seen as the age you really are, but as the others have said, it'll be great later. In my case I have now been at my school over 25 years and folks' jaws drop when they hear that, they say I don't look old enough to have been working that long.

In short ... dress older.

 

[HotBulge]

Your actual age is not so much the issue as one's self-presentation and the image you are projecting to others. Without knowing you and observing you, if you are taking cues from Gap, Old Navy, Urban Outfitters, etc, save those outfits for the weekends (if that is your style). For weekdays, office/professional (at most level), or management (+) environments, you may start taking cues from the office line for Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole Reaction, or even the standard men's section at Macy's. You don't have to break a budget to change your wardrobe. Even the standard khakis and Polo shirt, as a default, goes a long way to being perceived professionally from being perceived as a teenage "punk" kid.

• Ditch "hoodies" and saggy pants
• Do wear a belt around your waist and not your knees
• Reserve gym shoes for the weekend and wear black dress shoes during the week.
• If you don't wear a tie, allow others to see you in a tie on occasion.
• Tattoos are rising in popularity, but people still have latent biases about them in the work environment. If you have a tattoo, consider not having it on display during work hours.

These tips do not come at the expense of your character -- you don't become a boring person by adhering to an unofficial yet professional dress code. Also, courtesy still goes a long way towards gaining other people's trust. And, most of all, be sure to smile on occasion. The real strategy is to be able to gain people's trust.

 

[alx]

If your not already doing this then maybe something to consider>

Go to the gym to broaden yourself.
Have a conservative hair style.
Grow some stubble, not a beard but the '2 days since shaving' look.
Dress like a adult, still fashionable but more refined quality clothing.
Wear proper fragrances rather than spray stuff like lynx.

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Put some grey in your pubes. It will really make you look a lot older.

 

[jockmaestro]

What are some ways to look older I'm sick of looking like some teenage punk.
I'm 23 years old. Looking like a high school freshman, does not work so good in the real world.
This has seemly made my life difficult in every way possible too.

Eat prunes and vote Republican.

 

[D_Girk_Jerker]

Embrace your age at 23. It will go by so fast. You'll realize that when you are 43. Just saying...

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Eat prunes and vote Republican.

That is crazy. Almost all the old people I know vote Democrap. hehe couldn't resist combining the two.

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Embrace your age at 23. It will go by so fast. You'll realize that when you are 43. Just saying...

Isn't that the truth. One day you'll wake up, and think, "Damn what happened to me?".

 

[424365]

I've been told I look like I'm in my 30's but I'm only 22 so I'll gladly trade places. I'm told that I carry myself in a more rigid way that makes people think I'm older

 

[hung]

I was carded until age 28. It always made me happy in as much as I now enjoy my senior status and people everywhere tell me how young I appear.

Therefore, it may be a problem now, but the long term benefits are very pleasant and appreciated.

 

[B_jeepguy2]

Embrace your age at 23. It will go by so fast. You'll realize that when you are 43. Just saying...

Yeah no joke man. I am 38 and it seems like only a few years ago I was 18. Where the hell did all that time go?:dunno:

 

[B_debonair87]

I'm 24 and still get carded. I hate it.

I'm so over my 20s. I just wanna hit my 30s. I think by then I'll be more established and can fully live the life of a bachelor.

tired of people telling me "aw your 24? you're still a baby" or "you're just a child"

how old do I have to be until people see me as a Man?

 

[nudeyorker]

You should just enjoy being your age but if you feel like you want a makeover, look at some magazines like GQ or Details and find a look that you could pull off. You might have to make a trip to the hair salon. Maybe some new clothing that is a tad more sophisticated than what you are wearing now.
You did not post photos so it's difficult to help except with abstract advice.
Good luck.
For whatever it's worth when I was 18 at UCLA someone one day asked me what classes I taught; I was somewhat aghast that they thought I was so much older but I was slightly titillated at the same time. Sometimes clothing and the right attitude can speak volumes about you.

 

[someperson]

You should just enjoy being your age but if you feel like you want a makeover, look at some magazines like GQ or Details and find a look that you could pull off. You might have to make a trip to the hair salon. Maybe some new clothing that is a tad more sophisticated than what you are wearing now.
You did not post photos so it's difficult to help except with abstract advice.
Good luck.
For whatever it's worth when I was 18 at UCLA someone one day asked me what classes I taught; I was somewhat aghast that they thought I was so much older but I was slightly titillated at the same time. Sometimes clothing and the right attitude can speak volumes about you.

yeah sent a photo ... only difference now is my hair is cut shorter. (1/4")

 

[nudeyorker]

You are a very handsome man. Talk to a good hair stylist and maybe grow it out a bit. Look at some magazines like I suggested and maybe take a walk on the wild side with some new clothes if you want a new look.
I have to be honest with you... there is absolutely nothing wrong with you just the way you are. I think you look great but I'm over 40 so everyone your age looks great to me.