How to look older - male?

DylanII

Hi,
Im 18, nearly 19 and I look way too young. People are always telling me that I look about 12-14.

Every time a guard sees me driving they stop me because I look like I just stole daddys car and couldnt possibly have a full licence. I get asked for ID going to 16's movies. I often get refused at off licences because my id has to be fake.

I went of for dinner with some friends and some random person stopped me to asked me what age I was. When I said 18 they were in shock. . . said I looked like I was about 12.

Is there any way to look older. I know I will love looking young in a few years but right now I dont.

Im only 5'5" and about 120 pounds.

My hair is tight back and sides, fairly short on top with a frindge "growing" from one side (Short on the left and slightly longer as you move to the right coming about half way down my forehead) Its really dark brown near black.

These are the kind of clothes that I would wear.



Does anyone have any ideas on anyway for me to look older?

Thanks

thefa

Can you/does your circumstances allow you to grow decent looking facial hair as in stubble or a light beard? Can add a couple of years.

Jeans could possibly make your dress sense appear older than chinos even though the chinos reflect more the age bracket you are in.

If you need and wear contacts, a sophisticated pair of glasses might make you look a little bit older.

RoscommonTom

Definititely try to grow a beard or moustache, less tshirts and chinos and the like and more jeans/ jumpers/shirts/etc. And wear shoes or boots instead of runners, no fancie hairstyles either, good luck

Larianne

Wear a blazer rather than hoodies when out. Less tshirts, more fitted shirts.

Sugar Free

It's funny how things change, a few years ago I'd have said lose the jeans and get some chinos! That said I agree with the others, get some normal straight cut jeans. Not tight, not baggy, just normal.

Go with shoes, ideally lace-ups, not loafers/slip-ons, avoid anything canvas like cons, vans or plimsolls.

And wear something with a collar, though preferably not a short sleeved, check shirt, there's enough of them around.

baby and crumble

A different haircut might help- very few older men have fringes. You can see how that works in the first 2 slides on this link.

DylanII

Is this an older or a younger looking hairstyle?



Its shorter than mine is now. I also have naturally wavy hair so it would be easier for me to do.

Gavin "shels"

That kind of generic Topman type style is always going to make you look younger imo, my mate is 19 and looks about 15 because of the way he dresses.

Twee.

The less "One Direction" the better, stripy tees + chinos kind of looks. Some nice dark jeans would be a good trouser option. Nudie jeans are expensive but are very clean and slick looking - some on Asos, and you could defo get a similar looking pair on the high street http://www.asos.com/search/nudie-jeans?hrd=1&q=nudie+jeans&SearchSuggestUsed=true Dark jeans, with a shirt is a good look http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Oxford-Shirt/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1939706&cid=3602&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Blue

RoscommonTom

Twee. wrote: »

The less "One Direction" the better, stripy tees + chinos kind of looks. Some nice dark jeans would be a good trouser option. Nudie jeans are expensive but are very clean and slick looking - some on Asos, and you could defo get a similar looking pair on the high street http://www.asos.com/search/nudie-jeans?hrd=1&q=nudie+jeans&SearchSuggestUsed=true Dark jeans, with a shirt is a good look http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Oxford-Shirt/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1939706&cid=3602&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Blue

Yeah dark jeans is a good idea but don't go near the skinny ones, I dont think the haircut is too young, as long as the cloths are right

onlylooking

You haven't mentioned anything about the way you carry yourself..........like do you stand up straight or slightly hunched with your hands in your pockets?

I know your question was about clothes and styling but standing up straight, smiling and making good eye contact definitely makes you seem older with the added bonus of inspiring confidence. It's also very attractive in a guy!

On the style front, I would advise proper, well-kept shoes/trainers. Avoid those canvas Penney's style yokes.

Best of luck buddy!

ajjmk

Haha, my boyfriend has the exact same problem!! He's 20 years old - nearly 21, but he's mistaken for being 15 or 16 quite regularly!! He's been pulled aside at concerts to be told u16s have to be signed in, he's been refused entry into nightclubs because he's "too young". Thank god the staff at our local cinema know him now, so he no longer has to give ID to get in to 16s films!
One upside though, is that he's regularly given a child's ticket when going on buses or trains!
I find it very funny, but it offends him quite a bit!

I think that the majority of the time when people mistake him for being younger, it's because the didn't look at him properly. A quick glance at a skinny, clean shaven lad dressed in a hoody and runners, and they immediately assume it's a child they're dealing with. When strangers properly look at his face it's quite clear that he is older.
Maybe if you managed to get people to look properly at your face, rather than glancing at your whole appearance and making a decision about your age from that?
Best of luck!

Jimmy Iovine

A bit of facial hair will help you a lot in trying to look older. Watch out that you can actually grow a decent bit of stubble first though. Some people can grow respectable looking stubble at your age, others take another few years. If you can't then don't. It looks really bad if you only have a few hairs poking out of your chin, under your nose and on your cheeks.