OK, so you wouldn’t normally wear a reindeer sweater, but if that same sweater was just green, is that the sort of thing you would normally wear? Because the cut of that sweater is pretty frumpy, especially with the khakis.
More like this. http://www.bonobos.com/store/item/Cotton_V-Neck_Silhouette_Sweater
Very basic and classic but I try to get a modern fit. Obviously I don’t quite have that physique. I definitely try to avoid frumpy but I didn`t really think my reindeer sweater was frumpy either.
Glasses make most people look older, although those particular frames do look especially aging. I would maybe try changing frames if that’s possible.
Brighter colors and form-fitting clothes might help as well.
I definitely haven’t taken offense to anything anyone said; I really appreciate all the advice everyone has given. If it seems like I haven’t taken the clothing advice to heart, or that I want to look differently without changing, it’s just that I don’t know how flexible it is.
I completely get the advice about fit, but honestly I like the way my clothes fit. I put a lot of thought into making sure the clothes I buy fit as well as I can get them to. It’s definitely great advice and I only posted one photo but I think I’ve got it pretty well.
I’m going to see what I can do about updating my casual style and think more about my hair and glasses and maybe just deal with looking 35 when I’m dressed for work.
I’ve gotten so many unsolicited compliments about the frames in person and nothing positive in this thread… I wonder if they photograph really poorly? They’re about 2 years old though and I’ve been considering updating them even before this thread.
You own the rental property? Sell it and buy a Volkswagon van. Young people don’t own property. That could have very well influenced his perception of you just as much as your physical appearance.
Most glasses look like shit in any indoor photographs because most people taking photos of people indoors aren’t using a bounced flash which is the only way to make indoor flash photography look good.
I was hoping that something like that might explain a lot of it but I didn’t want to poison the well by putting too much emphasis on it. Unfortunately just by the picture most people seem to think I look older than I am.
When I meet people in a situation where they wouldn`t normally know my age (i.e. not a personal relationship), the primary thing the know about me is usually 1) that I own several rental properties, 2) that I own an early stage technology company or 3) that I’m completely responsible for my very ill father.
All 3 seem very old… but of course, I’m talking about talking to a plumber or a new tenant for my rentals or a new hire at my company or a social worker or nurse for my dad. It’s the exception rather than the norm that they’re inconsiderate enough to come out and say they thought I was much older, but it happens reasonably often. But judging by this thread, when you take those factors out of the equation people still seem to think I look old.
The guy was blind. You completely look your age. Maybe a few years older, but no older than 30. Don’t worry about it.
Yeah. Going by the picture I wouldn’t put you at over young 30s, and certainly not old enough to be the father of a 24 year old. Maybe she was looking especially young that day? There is probably some message board where she is posting asking how she can make herself look older. And, oddly, the responses in her thread have a lot more links to websites were she can make untold hundreds.
As a side note, I am not sure I will ever be able to read one of your threads without saying to myself “Hey! that’s the guy with the Christmas moose sweater!”
Moisturize. Regularly. Good skin care goes a long way to keeping younger looking.
Act younger and you will appear younger
I used to have a friend who had an ageless look. Unfortunately for him, it was an older look, so he looked like he was in his forties from age 27 to 36, when I knew him. If he had lived longer, he would’ve still looked exactly the same into his fifties.
On the one hand, that would possibly be considered disappointing for some people to have to live with, but on the other hand, he was a stage actor, so it actually meant he could play older dramatic roles seamlessly.
Well, he did say she was not wearing makeup and looked frumpy. If she doesn’t show any significant wrinkling, that would make her look a lot younger. Especially if she’s somewhat short.
One thing you didn’t mention, OP. Are more than a few inches taller than her? I mean, even though these two people are probably the same age, there is a subconscious pull to think he must be older. Combine that with other things, and it probably reinforces it.
Finally, my sister loves to tell me about how, when she was working for the school at 21, her perceived age depended on which school she was at. At high schools, she was assumed to be a high schooler. At elementary schools, she was assumed to be a parent. She didn’t change her look at all: it’s always at least business casual. And they didn’t seem to think she was an teenage mom. She estimates a difference of 6 years difference from situation alone. Context matters.
BTW, who’s the guy in sales who is stupid enough to do the whole father-daughter shtick? What if you had been old enough? It still would have made you uncomfortable. It’s not just politeness, but bad business. (I don’t think I’ve ever hear the father-daughter thing without it being done in a “judgy” manner.)
Thank you to you and the couple other people who said I don`t look that old. I’ve mostly been responding to the constructive criticism/feedback but I appreciate the reassurances too.
I actually asked her last night if I could post a picture of us but she said it was weird, which is probably true. She also tried to reassure me that when we stopped at Lowes to get the extra keys cut, everyone assumed I was her boyfriend not her dad… (she works there)
I think it’s clearly a Christmas reindeer sweater but either way I’m completely ok with that. Interesting fact about that sweater - Toby Flenderson from the Office wore that EXACT sweater in 2010’s Christmas episode. I wore it much better in it than him.
I think we’re both almost exactly average height for men and women, respectively. I know I am, and she’s maybe an inch or 2 below average.. not short. Interesting idea though.
I didn’t realize there was a picture when I last posted…
You definitely look tense, even constipated, in your picture, take a look at your left hand, it looks like it is stuck in that position (as well as the rest of your body). Loosen up and relax is the most important thing even if it doesn’t make you appear younger, it could slow up the aging process (or so I have read)… The fake smile and the low eyes don’t help any either, you look mad as hell… Go ahead and let your cat tare your sweater into shreds, go get some Levi jeans, a white tee shirt, and some casual white tennis shoes. Get a necklace or a watch or something. If you don’t like lifting weights, definitely go jogging because your neck looks a little flabby for some reason. I don’t know whats wrong with your hair lining but I guess grow some hair…
Most importantly, you look stressed the fuck out
First of all, don’t pay much attention to what people guess your age to be. They are bad at it.
That said, I think you look at least mid-30s in the pic you posted, so yeah, older than your age. But you look fine, not ‘aged’ or wrinkly anything. You have good skin actually. You just look older than you are. 
And you in no way look like the father of a 24-year-old (mid-40s at least?)
If you want to look younger, I’d suggest updating your wardrobe a bit to make sure you’re achieving ‘professional’ style the way other men your age would, not the way someone in their mid-40s would. Read GQ for ideas.
And if you *really *want to look younger but want to work hard at it, change your diet and get leaner. Lower body fat % (healthfully achieved - the opposite is true if you’re going to starve yourself etc) is the number one reason people consider other people to be younger than their age, IME. There aren’t that many lean people around anymore, and those who are are almost uniformly under 25-30 years old. This is true for men especially as they tend to put on a lot of weight in their face and neck as they get older/heavier.
Well, lose the cat, the old-man sweater, and the boring pants. Replace with iguana/snake/raved-out teddy bear/tattoo, T-shirt of hip band/Diesel Sweeties pixel skull T-shirt/college sweatshirt, and jeans (no choices here).
Then – and I’m not saying you should do this, but it *will *make you look younger – I have two words for you: facial piercing.
Eyebrow (if you’re conservative), lip, tongue, are all good. Nose if you don’t mind a bit of androgyny. A normal earring will do a little, but a giant earlobe-stretching disk will really up the street cred, and move you out of the ‘boring middle aged guy’ box.
I suppose if you want to make the ultimate sacrifice, you could spray yourself with Axe or something.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think you look older than your age - early 30’s maximum.
I also think the reindeer sweater is rather fetching! Wear it (at Christmas time) with pride
Fuck it. Go full old man. Wear an ascot and tweed coat, Buddy Holly frames. It’s a good look, and think how young you’ll seem in 20+ years!