Help me look older!

[pamplem0usse]

So I'm about to do my teacher training in September and I have a recurrent problem with looking 'young'. This is not a brag at all... it's beginning to get very embarrassing. I'm 30 in a little over a month and have two children but I still get asked for ID at the supermarket (frequently!). Today I delivered a workshop to a class about my current job and was introduced by the class teacher as 'this young lady... who has come to tell us about....'. And several teachers have almost fallen off their chairs when I've told them I'm Mrs Pamplemousse, rather than 'Miss'.
SO I've attached several photos. One makeup free hair down (usual weekend look) and one in my work 'gear'. Can someone please help. What would you wear/ how would you do your makeup etc...
I'm a size 10-12, mousey fine hair, bad skin, 5 foot 11.
TIA!

I feel your pain. I'm in my forties now and actually have let my grey hair come through because I am sick to death as being referred to as 'little girl' by people who didn't know me. The only thing I can say is that I developed a bit of a 'don't f**k with me' attitude with people who pissed me off, I'm not recommending that but I just got so fed up at times, especially by blokes in work who would say annoying sexist stuff like 'good girl' even though I was in my 30's. There will come a day though when you will be glad you look young, I meet women I went to school with who look 20 years older than me.

I'm another young looking one, I'm mid 20s and could probably pass for under 16 if I tried! The doctor's receptionist referred to me as a "young lady" yesterday. I'm sick of the comments already.

I did a bit of googling about it a couple of months back and have started wearing smarter clothes and changing my make up. Things like wearing lipstick rather than lip gloss make a big difference oddly! I usually wore glittery lip gloss, but a lip stick's more grown up looking and even though it's a little difference, it does male a big difference!

I really don't think you look especially young, tbh, but maybe you need to focus on deportment and confidence? My middle sister was always mistaken for the youngest as she used to slope into a room rather than command it, if that makes sense. I think gravitas and presence are possibly where you need to focus (although where, I've no idea, sorry)

I don't think you look overly young tbh.
I have similar problems. I had some jehovahs witnesses come to the door a week ago and ask whether my parents were in. It took a lot of control to say 'actually this is my house, I'm 25 and I have 2 kids'. I was slobbing in pyjamas at the time, but still.

What's helped me look a little older is to wear slightly more tailored, structured clothing (no frills, excessive sequins, etc) in strong colours - teal, dark blue, burgundy, mustard etc. No pinks or lilacs or anything that could look wishy washy. This is my general preference anyway.

I try and keep my make up neat, nothing sparkly or girly. I've also went for the snip and got rid of my long layers. I now have a short pixie crop but have also had a sharp graduated bob which aged me up a little.

Postures important too like frank said. Slouching and looking nervous makes anyone look younger

YouTube Pixie Woo's video on the Marlene Dietrich look. Just doing the eyeshadow like that looks so grown up and stunning. i use Rimmel's Orion quad of taupe shades to do it.

It's not just me then!! I'm nearly 24 but I could easily pass for 16. I am naturally quite a shy and quiet person so I know this doesn't help. I feel like my clothes and my hair and make-up really let me down but I don't know what to do about it.

I had to sort out a similar thing when I got promoted at work, apparently I just looked to young to be doing what I was doing (I was 30, so not really to young).

In the end I ditched anything too girly (floral scarfs, cath kidston type bags etc) and wore suits, smart shirts and heels. I went off to the Lancome and Estee Lauder counters for make up tips and got a really really smart hair cut (off the shoulders and 'done' every day).

I've watched a lot of people (men and women) do presentations and speak in meetings, the more confident (not arrogant, which you don't sound anyway...) you come across the better. When you need to speak with volume make the sound come from your chest, not your throat and never ever ever end a statement with a raised voice at the end of your sentence...it makes what you have said sound like a question rather than a fact.

All the above worked really well, at the weekend my staff could walk past me in the street and not recognise me if I was make up free and in my normal, much younger clothes.