Aging and what makes women look older than they are

[DontMentionChorizo]

Uhmmm.. I have been exercising and eating better lately, which has considerably improved my skin and this got me thinking about things that make you look older than you are.

BTW I am 37 so no spring chicken meself . I would say for me these stand out:

Being overweight
Dressing frumpily
Smoking
Having loooong unkept hair

What do you think? and on the other hand what makes women look younger?

Lighthearted thread, btw

Looking constantly miserable is definitely ageing imho.

A glass half full attitude takes years off.

Smoking
Short, permed, middle-aged style hair
Large, boring clothes
Unstylish glasses
Sensible flat shoes.

In my opinion, right in at number one, Being overweight. It starts to make the neck look thick and the chin wobble and it just makes you take a quick glance and think 'older woman'.

I'm not recommending thin, as in magazine thin here btw, but healthy slim.

And almost a tie, at number two, I agree with you, don't smoke. That one is very important.

these hold true for men too btw.

Agree with you Choogirl.

Also being more natural, as in your look, hair, make-up. I reckon less is more.

With you on that Valium.

Not advocating skinniness (that even a word?)

It sure applies to men.

Dressing muttony

Dressing in an inappropriately youthful style draws attention to the excessive age of the wearer. I don't mean fashionable, but that little girl/surfer/teen fashion sort of look.

Mutton dressed as lamb, as my grandma would say.

x posts , Lady

Good teeth!!!

(not bleached Hollywood stuff)

hair bleached to a frazzle!
too much make-up.

You were more to the point

I meant there's something youthful about good teeth

Being too thin, therefore having turkey neck

Sunbeds

Long hair. IMO women over a certain age shouldn't have hair down to their bum

Also bad hair colour - jet black/plum is not natural on the majority of folk

Smoking, being over made-up (heavy foundation), unflattering tight clothing, bingo-wings, saggy neck/chest on show. God helo me I'm 40 next week so this could all be about me!!

Poor posture: everyone looks better if you tuck you tummy in and pull your shoulders back. I think this gets more so as you get older as you tend to stoop.

LOL, Durham

Not laughing at you but that made me actually LOL.

Apologies to LOL haters

Geordieminx, spot on re: sunbeds and sun damaged skin in general

Durham, that's why I decided to lose ten pounds. I can cope with being 40, but not frumpy, dumpy and forty.

Bingo wings that would be me

Lol, I even have the long messy hair! (in my defence I don't smoke, I love wearing make-up but don't wear foundation and only have the beginnings of bingo-wings!)

I agree about sun damaged skin, it adds years and is the main reason why I don't mind going to the Lake District for my holiday!

Can you clarify the long hair thing? I'm 44 - I usually have longish wavy hair (shoulder length) just because anything shorter quickly becomes an unmanageable frizz. I need some weight to keep it under control.

If I leave it long it ages me.
If I put it up in a bun it ages me.
If I cut it shorter I look insane.

What do I do?

being too thin and hair instyled.

Shoulder length is ok, surely??? My own is a bit longer than shoulder length and I'm attempting to grow it a bit longer. Not to my bum, but to 5 inches below shoulder.....? My hair is thick though. Not stringy at all.

I hate when people just keep their hair long, and never ever get it cut or coloured or styled, but they think their hair is like their glory or something, and they would be terrified to get it cut. Weird.

Oh Hassled.

Didn't mean to sound mean.

re: Long hair, I meant very long normally dry, unkept with lots of grey and no discernible style.

I can't have short hair either, that would make me look like the a frizzy french poodle. I have shoulder length hair cut in layers to avoid the mega volume. Sometimes I straighten with irons not always..

Valium put it better. re: Hair