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?
Yes, I think I look younger than my age.
Depends on how recently I’ve shaved. If I have recently shaved, I think I look maybe a little younger. If I haven’t shaved for a month, 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.
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. 
[OT] Whoa… that building is the spitting image of a building at my alma mater. Is that Mead Hall? [/OT]
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…
If you went to college at a wedding venue in Greenwood, Mississippi, perhaps… 
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?
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…
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.
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.
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.
That’s how I justify my 20 extra pounds to myself: they keep my face youthfully plump. (Yeah…that’s the ticket…)
OK. Here’s me 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.
Mid to late 40s?
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.
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.
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…