How can I make myself look older? (Pics included)

[Makemeover]

Excuse the unflattering photo, im rubbish at selfies. I hate the way I look, people often think I'm 16 and I hate it, I'm fed up of being spoken down to and not taken seriously. What can I do to make myself look more my age? I'm 27. Will try and add another pic but it will only attach one atm.

Honestly I don’t think you look that far off your age. 25 maybe. Don’t mess with your face. You look gorgeous!

Agree that you are beautiful, but I also agree with you that you do look very young.

• If you can afford it, a decent choppier haircut, on or a little above your shoulders with a parting and choppy fringe would be good. You have a high forehead, - which is a gift, but in combination with your big, wide eyes (also a massive gift) it contributes to you looking very young. You basically naturally look the way a lot of people look after faffing about with filters and photo editing apps!
• balance your lips and eyes more, so some colour on your lips, not pale pink and no shimmer, and a more muted blended eye treatment.
• for interviews, practice a confident smile, frequent, good eye contact and good posture. A shy demeanour is much more common with younger candidates, as is squirming, fiddling with sleeves and looking nervously around the room. Faking quiet confidence makes people seem older.
• accessorise a bit. You can do this really cheaply at shops like Primark and New Look but avoid massive earrings.

Basically your make up, hair & clothes look like something a (young) teenage would wear.

After you've had your haircut go to a department store / or Bobbie Brown's etc if you can get there and ask for a grown-up make over.

I think hair and makeup will make a massive difference and hopefully will give you the confidence you need.

Children have proportionally larger heads and eyes than adults. By emphasising your eyes and forehead you emphasise your youth.

Wear your hair down, or try a fringe.

Define your brows a little more (without doing the teenager full heavy brow thing.

Use a little lip colour- soft though, with such shapely lips you don't want to accidentally do geisha or rag doll lips!

You are beautiful.

Ok, the whole thread hadn't loaded when I posted. I've just seen your hair- it's stunning.

Can I suggest channeling a really bolshy woman? So imagine you are someone really powerful- game of thrones type woman. Meet people's eyes with a challenge. Play patriarchy chicken for practice.

Is your hair naturally curly? I’d work with that texture if it is.

To the ‘gun’ obsessives, not everyone with a firearm is a right wing nut.

Your eye makeup gives you a ‘baby doll’ look which makes you look younger I think

OP, I think you have a Maisie Williams vibe (GoT - thanks @picklemepopcorn - knew OP reminded me of someone). I know Maisie is only 21 but if you have a Google I think she has a look that would really suit you, especially as you are a little older. And, BTW, I was also someone who was "young looking" at your age. It did cause the odd issue but I learned to let those people do their best then feel totally foolish when i pointed out "I'm actually nearly 30", "I did leave school x years ago" or whatever was appropriate in the situation. Good luck!

Thinned out lob with full fringe and red lips would look great on you.

Use brow mascara ditch the eyeliner. If you feel naked without it try smudging an eyeshadow under the lower lashes, and have bottom lashes tinted rather than putting mascara on them.

There's a book called Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner office which had some tips about being taken seriously at work. It does talk

*posted too soon

It does talk about appearance, but also about how you need to assert yourself and project yourself in general at work if you're a young woman.

Wait until you late 30s.
I looked young until I hit 37.
39 now and everything has sagged and crumpled

Round eyes, full lips and great skin mean you look young. It’s not a bad thing, you look great! I’m jealous 😉 I also think a long bob would be good. Maybe get an undercut (have the same problem with thick hair and it makes the bottom lie flatter)

@Funkyferret I was thinking of Maisie, but OP is much prettier so I didn't want to mention her.

OP look up styles for heart shaped faces.

My DIL still gets asked for ID she is in her thirties. Looking at the family it is genetic the parents, grandparents all look so much younger. She finds it flattering to be confused for a young un these days.

Good advice here re: hair make up.

I think you look even younger with your hair down tbh OP. I have a DD who is 12 tomorrow and you look a similar age to her.

I’m sure wearing smart clothes, high neckline and heels for job interviews etc might help give off an older vibe. Definitely lipstick too.

If it helps, I was paying child’s fare on the bus till I was 30, so don’t knock it. I’m 52 now and don’t get away with that any more.

I might need a visit to the optician. I thought the guns were empty shelves 🤣

Have a second child, order one that doesn’t sleep. You’ll look 30+ in no time!

I USED to look very young for my age. Even at 35 I was often mistaken for a teenager. I’m more likely to be mistaken for Gangsta Granny right now 😖

You do look very pretty. I was always getting mistaken for a teenager at your age so have no advice except always carry id!

Even now if I am in my work tunic or gym gear with my hair in a ponytail & minimal makeup then people think I'm younger than i actually am. Which is great now im 42!

God, you are gorgeous.

I had the same problem, to the point that even at almost 30 the waiters in restaurants would offer me an orange juice .

I kind of miss it now (I'm 45).

Try a lighter hair colours with some layers. Definitely less eye make up. But mostly think about your manner and your expression. Adopting a deeper tone of voice and maintaining a good posture can make you seem much older. Also try to look more polished. Blow dry if you can be bothered, wear simple clothes in good quality fabrics. Fussy patterns and mismatchedclothes will also make you seem more juvenile. I would be cautious with trends like lipstick and bangs etc. These things tend to make young looking people look like children and old looking people look like their parents.

You are super gorgeous! I would keep your eye make up exactly as it is but totally lose the under eye liner. And your lips (with your perfect skin) could take a fantastic bright red lipstick - black top eyeliner, red lips, clear skin - chic central!

Good advice on here. I was the same until I hit 37. I would also add a side swept fringe and long bob. Skip eyeliner, go for light mascara and shadow and lipstick in a darker but natural tone (bobbi brown). Clothing - avoid urban outfitters, topshop, river island etc and head for Zara, &otherstories, higher quality stuff like Hush from facebook selling groups and ebay. You're very gorgeous but I do not what you mean. I was an MD at 27 and pitch meetings with new clients was always vile until they'd heard me speak for a bit!

Why would anyone want to change that? Love yourself OP. you are lovely.

As someone who now finally looks my age at nearly 50 (at 40 I still was quite young looking and patronised) I'd just like to point out that looking young is an absolute pain at work.

There's a good blog post about dressing older somwhere, I'll hunt it out for you later

My hair is super thick too .. I had an undercut .. complete game changer .. you can't see it when my hair is down and it's lost 1/3 of its volume ( still massive and curly ) I would do that and get a fringe !

Oh and I used to look really young .. still people question my age in my mid 40's .. I think what makes me appear younger is I am short and I laugh a lot .. people I think equate that to youth . Enjoy it !