I’ve been told both. I think I look pretty much my age for the most part. My mom looks 10 years younger than her real age and no one believes her when she says she has a grown daughter, so I’m hoping she’s passed those genes on to me. We’ll see.
I look a lot younger generally; I have very little body fat which is quite unusual for a fifty-one-year-0ld in the United States. No gut. No overlapping belly. No spare tire. OTOH I went bald very early, and face-to-face you can certainly see a few lines. All-in-all though I’ve been pretty fortunate. A neighbor said I looked like I was in my thirties, and it was she volunteering that to my wife.
Older alas.
I’m another one of those who bloomed early - I could and did pass for 16 by the time I was 12 - but eventually flipped over to looking younger than my age. I’ve always had very oily skin (and the accompanying acne problem), so I’m completely wrinkle/crowfeet/etc. free. Not that the average 33 year old has many, I don’t think, but I don’t have anything at all. (I’m sure the acne skews me younger in many people’s minds, too.)
The whole looking older then flip-flopping and looking younger is pretty much the standard where I live. I am no exception. When I was 7, I had to prove it to eat off the children’s menu. And I grew a beard in seventh grade. But now I have to keep that beard to avoid looking younger.
I am very tempted to post a picture of my friend Eddy and see if you guys can figure out how old he actually is. Alas, while I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, I feel really silly asking him.
Younger. I’ve never really been an easy one to peg my age. When I was 12 I had people thinking I was 19, but I was pretty mature for a 12 year old. I’ll be 42 next month and I get estimates anywhere from 32 to 38. I have a few little wrinkles in my forehead, but no crows feet. Since I quit working two years ago (and lost all my stress) my face glows and my skin is soft and smooth. I don’t get out in the sun much either, since I burn really easily. Apparently I take after my dad, who had pretty smooth skin when he was in his 70s.
32 y/o here and still regularly get carded. I even had a guy, rather recently, give me the stink eye and call into question the validity of my license.
The OP’s carnival story reminded me of my mother at Disney World a few years ago. She (and I - though time will tell for me) were blessed with great skin from my grandmother. She wanted to win the biggest prize for the age guessing, and we stood there watching the guy for 10 min, while he guessed peoples ages within ±1 year. She walks up to the game stand with my youngest brother - instructing me (age 13), Kevin (age 9), and my dad to stay out of sight. Ryan, my youngest brother, was 5 at the time, making her 43. They guessed she was 32. We walked away with some enormous animal of some sort.
A not so good story was my 20 year old boyfriend being told he “looked 16” on Saturday.
Just last night I was talking to a woman who asked me my age. I told her truthfully, and she accused me of being a liar. She simply wouldn’t believe me. When I asked her how old she thought I looked, she guessed ten years younger.
Back when I was 36, a young friend (23, I think) said something about my age, and I said “How old do you think I am?” “Twenty-eight?” she said. “Twenty-eight?!?” I exclaimed. “Sorry sorry sorry!”, she said. “Twenty six?”
Yeah, that’s closer. 
It runs in my family. My parents are redefining what 70 and 75 look like.
That’s a good question, and I’m not sure of the answer. Here’s a photo of me taken a couple weeks ago - I’m a girl, so that’s me on the left. How old do you think I am?
I’ll be 40 later this summer, and that’s my 15-year-old son next to me, at his confirmation.
I’d say 'bout 37-38.
I’m 23 but everyone’s always suprised to find out about it. They think I’m anywhere from 16 - 19. Maybe I act a little immature sometimes so I bet that doesn’t help.
Anyways, funny story to go with it. I’m going to a bar last summer (22 y.o.) and the guy carding me looks at me and says, “nice one kid.” Yeah, that’s me actually. Thanks asshole.
When I was 16-17, I’d go to restaurants with my (older) sister and parents. When the waitress asked us if we wanted anything to drink, we’d order three beers. Invariably, one would be put in front of me and not my sister. This never failed to piss her off.
http://http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z76/pitocyn/CynJune08.jpg
I’ll be 47. I’m told I look younger.
I’m 24 and often get ID’d when I play the lottery (for which you have to be 16 or above). Likewise in pubs and bars I am also I.D’d.
What I find interesting though is that I am convinced I don’t look younger than I am. I am 5’9 so certainly not short in any way. Hopefully it will still happen in 10years time and I will take it as a compliment 
I’m always told I look a lot younger than my 53 years. I have a friend who is 8years older than me. She’s always telling me “this” or “that” will happen when I reach a certain age, and it never does. She, on the other hand, seems to catch all the negatives of aging more than just about anyone I know. I think a lot of it is attitude, though. And general health.
I’m 21, and I reckon I look about that. My parents have told me that their peers thought I was older, but it was more to do with my demeanor than my appearance.
When my brother and I were in our early teens (he’s 15 months older than me), people frequently expressed surprise to my mother that she had such old children (I thought you were thirty!"). I used to wonder whether she ever wished we weren’t around so she could pass younger.
I’m 38, but am often mistaken for 30 or 31.
Although one person guessed 23. It was in a dark bar, though.
Yesterday, I had a totally unprecedented thing happen to me- a stranger guessed my age right. I think I’m still in shock.
I only get happy over the places that don’t card everyone.
I was carded today, at a place I’ve gone to at least twice a week for the past 6 years, and have never been carded there before. There is no “we card everyone” policy (it’s a food co-op). So yeah, I count that.
I don’t so much count waiters/waitresses, who may be fishing for bigger tips.