# Do you think you look younger than others your age? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953 "2012-05-15T02:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/101 "2012-05-17T00:19:19Z")
Heavens no, I was \*born \*middle-aged, like Edward Everett Horton. Now that I \*am \*middle-aged, I look every day of it; I wonder if things will slow down now and I won’t skid headlong into elderly? ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/102 "2012-05-17T00:53:27Z")
Yes, I think I look younger than my age. ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/103 "2012-05-17T01:49:49Z")
Depends on how recently I’ve shaved. If I have [recently](http://i.imgur.com/fpMUg.jpg) shaved, I think I look maybe a little younger. If I haven’t shaved for a [month](http://i.imgur.com/Vqr3y.jpg), I’d say I look about my age. I’ve only grown my beard out once and couldn’t get used to looking at myself in the mirror. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/104 "2012-05-17T06:39:52Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > No, I’m just not asking what _other_ people think of you; I’m asking what you think of yourself. But perhaps your opinion of yourself is influenced by what others say, so it’s impossible to give an opinion on yourself that is truly divorced from the opinion of others. But at least give it a shot and don’t post what other people tell you. My opinion of myself is _contrary_ to both your hypothesis and what other people tell me. I think I look mostly my age. Sometimes I think I look maybe 5 years older. But I have, often enough to be notable, been told that I look ten years younger. They weren’t just being nice. One example was a friend who was genuinely confused as to why I was talking about my college years as if they were more than just a couple years ago. Another was a bartender who carded me, I joked with him “aw, ya flatter me,” he riposted “Oh, it’s not that bad” and then promptly did a spit-take when he looked down at my ID. Poor guy was all flustered for the rest of the transaction. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/105 "2012-05-17T06:43:37Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Depends on how recently I’ve shaved. If I have [recently](http://i.imgur.com/fpMUg.jpg) shaved, I think I look maybe a little younger. [OT] Whoa… that building is the spitting image of a building at my alma mater. Is that Mead Hall? [/OT] ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/106 "2012-05-17T06:48:38Z")
Oh, third example – not too long ago I was seriously considered to play a role in an indie film of a character 12 years younger than me – the character explicitly stated her age in the script. It was down to me and one other, and presumably I lost the role to someone who really was 12 years younger than me… ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/107 "2012-05-17T13:42:35Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > [OT] Whoa… that building is the spitting image of a building at my alma mater. Is that Mead Hall? [/OT] If you went to college at a wedding venue in Greenwood, Mississippi, perhaps… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/108 "2012-05-17T13:53:05Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Depends on how recently I’ve shaved. If I have [recently](http://i.imgur.com/fpMUg.jpg) shaved, I think I look maybe a little younger. If I haven’t shaved for a [month](http://i.imgur.com/Vqr3y.jpg), I’d say I look about my age. I’ve only grown my beard out once and couldn’t get used to looking at myself in the mirror. How \*you \*doin’? Sorry, had to be done. Seriously now, I’ll say, oh, 29. Kaio, for you I’m guessing 38. Am I in the ballpark here? ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/109 "2012-05-18T22:51:41Z")
Actually, I thought I looked young for my age a few years ago, but then lost about 30 pounds. Now that I’m on the skinny side of average, I think I look my age…if not older. Strange… ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/110 "2012-05-18T23:58:47Z")
I did look younger than I was for years. I remember once when I was 19 and I told someone I was a freshman–they thought I meant at the high school. I got carded as late as 32. But in the last couple of years it seems that it’s catching up with me. People have expressed surprised that I’m nearing 50, but I think they’re just being polite; I can see the lines. I think I’ve moved into the “holding up well for her age” category. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/111 "2012-05-19T00:00:45Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > Actually, I thought I looked young for my age a few years ago, but then lost about 30 pounds. Now that I’m on the skinny side of average, I think I look my age…if not older. > > Strange… Not really; losing a (fairly) significant amount of weight can make one’s face appear gaunt and make the lines and wrinkles stand out that much more. I’ve seen it with quite a few people. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/112 "2012-05-19T00:39:21Z")
I just bought some Olay skin smoothing lotion for the first time in my life, after noticing how deep the creases in my forehead are. I’m the farthest thing from vain, but I’m starting to look like Cuba Gooding Jr now. That ain’t good. How do I think I look compared to others my age? I don’t know. My body feels the same as it did when I was a teenager, and I have yet to hit the “middle age spread” thing that happens to folks my age. But I also don’t put much effort into my appearance. You can get away with that when you’re a kid, but not when you reach a certain age. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/113 "2012-05-19T01:11:08Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Not really; losing a (fairly) significant amount of weight can make one’s face appear gaunt and make the lines and wrinkles stand out that much more. I’ve seen it with quite a few people. That’s how I justify my 20 extra pounds to myself: they keep my face youthfully plump. (Yeah…that’s the ticket…) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/114 "2012-05-19T01:24:29Z")
OK. Here’s [me](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/54508.html) a couple of years ago. I haven’t changed. How old am I? ETA: It’s a tiny picture, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/115 "2012-05-19T01:29:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > OK. Here’s [me](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/54508.html) a couple of years ago. I haven’t changed. > > How old am I? > ETA: It’s a tiny picture, sorry. My honest impression is 43. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/116 "2012-05-19T01:43:25Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > OK. Here’s [me](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/54508.html) a couple of years ago. I haven’t changed. > > How old am I? > ETA: It’s a tiny picture, sorry. Mid to late 40s? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/117 "2012-05-19T01:50:08Z")
Well, shit. I’ll be 50 in a couple of months. Many of my friends of similar age are fat, grey, and balding. I thought I could get away with 40, although **Ambivalid** did me a favour. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/118 "2012-05-19T02:20:24Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I thought I could get away with 40 In some ways you can, except people who are actually 40 don’t really look like that anymore, they now look like they’re in their mid 30s. I think I’m confusing myself. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/119 "2012-05-19T03:39:34Z")
I get told i look a lot younger than my age constantly. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953/120 "2012-05-19T04:49:00Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I get told i look a lot younger than my age constantly. Yeah…And? Does this factor heavily into your _own_ feelings on the subject? Or not at all? Or just a little? Do tell… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-you-look-younger-than-others-your-age/621953.md?page=7)