Do you look your age ?

[TheTecknician]

Not wishing to brag, but I often feel I could pass for 5 - 10 years younger. I've never asked anybody this question and I'm purely using the judgement of my own eyes. If I go back in time 39 years to when my late Dad was the same age as I am now (53), I see a man in early middle age with a full head of black hair - some greying - but a rather lined face and seemingly expanding ears! I, on the other hand, have a lot more grey hair than he did but a much denser texture and no obvious facial lines. I've always had bags under my eyes but not Peter Woods proportions! My sister is 61 but she could pass for late 40s, in my opinion.

Maybe there's no right or right or wrong answer. I could have a skewed personal perception or perhaps we're all living longer and I'm seeing that played out at close quarters.

PS. The old man had, along with Mum, raised seven children by the time he was my age whereas I have no children. So, no parental stress!

Are you not going to tell us how old you think you look @DustyMaiden ? I have asked 3 times now.

You clearly think you look younger. So how old do you think you look?

I am curious because you are thanking people for the 'compliments' who are saying 'in your 40s,' (even though you are 60,) but when I said around 55, you just said 'I suppose I will have to take that then.'

Bizarrely you seemed slighted and miffed that I said you looked ONLY 5 years younger. 😂

You look 39. That better?

I don't think it's a contentious subject, I think people just find it amusing that people think they look 20 years younger, when they can't possibly look that young, and do, in actual fact look pretty much their age.

Mumsnet is littered with posters who think they look 2 decades younger, and who get really shirty when someone tells them they don't. And these same threads get filled with OTHER posters fangirling over them,saying 'ermagerrrd hun U look gawjuss, at LEAST 23 years younger. These posters who say you look your age are just JELLLUSS!!'

It's just soooo mumsnet!

@SweetBirdsong

Crazy isn't it, I daren't even say how old I think she looks cos it would be a pile on saying 'how ridiculous' etc. people put photos on wanting opinions... as long as we say younger. I also think it's daft putting an old photo on. She could have white hair and look older than the photo currently, but wants people to validate her belief that she looks much younger. Mumsnet eh

I look younger than my 3 friends who are the same age as me. I have avoided too much sun exposure over the years where they haven't. Two of them have smoked since their late teens. One has never eaten very healthily.
Not sure if I look our age or if they do.

Genetics play the main part, followed by nutrition and lifestyle. I inherited my dad's great skin, which he got from his mother, my grandmother, who made it to 96! She always looked a good 15 years younger than she actually was, she aged, but never got wrinkly. She was slim, her weight never fluctuated, walked daily, took an active interest in the world, and believed in treating herself when it came to the finer things in life.

I think that some individuals possess a young spirit, which gives the impression, that they're younger than their years.

And you also have to consider the difference between chronological age and biological age.

@SweetBirdsong you have to be over 16 to buy redbull

Certain things make me appear younger than my years (43)- naturally thick dark eyebrows, chubby cheeks, big eyes, brightly coloured hair, freckles which obscure forehead lines and an immature attitude 🤣 People always think I'm younger but I can definitely see my wrinkles!

I think when you get to your 40's, you could get away with an age between 5 yrs younger or 5 yrs older. People will either think you look good for your age or not.
I do know a couple of people who do look 5 yrs younger.
They have good plump facial skin whilst being slim. It's mostly genetic as their mums look young too.

'challenge 25' so if anyone looks under 25 they get asked for ID.

I know right! Someone said further back, it was ludicrous and 'unkind' to say that poster who was 60, looked 55. (That is 5 years younger!)

That is a bit of a compliment! Saying someone looks 5 years younger. 😂What are we supposed to say? ..... 'You're 60? Aww hun, U look amazing... Like 29-30 at the most!'

So it's now 'unkind' to give an honest opinion and say someone looks 55 when they are 60??? That poster did ask! I gave my opinion. And as I said, saying 5 years younger is a bit of a compliment, yet one poster claimed it was 'unkind' and the poster who posted the photo seemed miffed I thought she ONLY looked 5 years younger!

This place sometimes. 😆

I'm off to bed anyway. Work tomorrow. (Boooooo!)

Stay young everyone! 😆

/

There's a poster who usually pops up on these threads and shares a full face photo of her daughter which is such a huge overshare it makes me cross on her daughter's behalf. Hopefully she won't do it on this thread.

And if you're reading this then please don't, your poor daughter would be mortified at you doing something so inappropriate - especially without her permission and especially when it invites people to comment on her appearance!

@Mademetoxic that's for alcohol. Not for redbull.

I’ve always looked older than my age. When I was a teen people thought I was in college.

i really really looked at myself in the mirror the other day and I look 65 and I’m 52.

it bothers me but nothing I can do about it, bad genes I guess.

Yes I look about 10 years younger than my 30 years, got denied wine at the checkout last week as I didn't have my id, so my husband had to buy it.

But I think it's mostly due to genetics tbh not anything I'm doing. I'm half Chinese and only 5'2 so that contributes massively to how old you are perceived to be.

That being said I wear spf 50 daily, take care of my skin and stress levels, I don't drink alcohol or smoke, I have no major health issues and no children. All those things can add the years on to a face.

No one notices themselves ageing because it's incremental so because you see your face in the mirror every day you're not alert to it. And if asked most people will scale down the estimate out of politeness. But most people do look their age. Because that's their age.

But surely cashiers would implement the same rule as challenge 25 for red bull/energy drinks. Even if you have to be 16 to purchase it the same rule would apply, 'challenge 25'

Definitely not!!!!
At Least 10 years younger

I think one can look really youthful until about 54. Then it’s all downhill…

I was thinking 50 but wouldn’t have been shocked to learn you were younger. You’ve got great skin.

its great where I work, all my colleagues are so young Im their grandparents age and our customer base is 70+ so Im always being thought of as younger then I am :)

I hadn’t read your post and then made exactly the same point. It’s terrible isn’t it!!!!
I think mid decade is when a change occurs so I’m hoping to enjoy another 9-10 years of looking like I do now

I'm 35 and regularly get ID'd even for silly things like lottery tickets, etc. Was asked at work the other day if I'm an apprentice. Strangers regularly comment that I look too young to have kids, ask if I still live at home with my parents. I used to work in a sixth form college and I was regularly mistaken for a student. I find it oddly amusing

I always looked my age or a bit younger until I had a child and now I look at least 5 years older. Children age you for sure!

I would have said yes but at the moment I look unkempt, stressed and tired so definite no.

Need a good grooming session.

"Not wishing to brag" -- no?

It’s funny but whenever I watch The Chase and they’re introducing themselves at the beginning, I’m very rarely shocked when someone gives their age. You just don’t see many 50 year old women who look 35, or 40 year old women who look 20. But Mumsnet is absolutely packed with women who look significantly younger than their years.

Whenever I have seen someone who looks insanely young for their age, they tend to be black men or women. Most white people look their age, or within five years either side.

To answer your question, I’m 36 and I think I look my age. No older and no younger.