Looking or Not Looking Your Age

[Brent Long]

About an hour ago I went to buy an advance ticket for Snakes on a Plane. Being that its R-rated I was readily expecting to have to show my ID to purchase it as I don't look that old and am only 17 anyway.

Against my expectations the girl at the sales counter sold me my ticket without a thought. Given that my theater is to my knowledge rather strict about enforcing ratings this gave me the impression that I might actually look older than I really am.

Have you ever had an experience in which people have assumed you were older than you really are or vice versa?

[peacebyanymeans]

People say I look 'bout 17-ish, and I'm 15.

[Tenku]

Well, I'm 18 but people still think I'm around 13.

That's sad but I'm lucky at the same time. However, being hit on by 14 year olds is not cool.

[Brent Long]

Well, I'm 18 but people still think I'm around 13.

That's sad but I'm lucky at the same time. However, being hit on by 14 year olds is not cool.

You might be able to get kids prices on meals and movie tickets if accompanied by someone who could pass as your parent. :D

[Batgirl Beyond]

Heh, interesting. I've had both experiences where people have assumed that I'm either older or younger than I really am. Although I had one experience where someone thought I was 13 when I was 17 (which actually suprised me), I've had far more people assume that I'm older; someone thought I was "at least 15" when I was actually only 12.

I don't know if that means I don't look my age, or if different people perceive age differently. I've always thought people thought I was older because of my height, as I've always been tall for my age, maybe I was 5'5 or 5'6 when I was 12. Now I'm almost 5'8, so I don't understand the person who thought I was 13 a few months ago.

Right now I'm 18, and come to think of it, people usually get my age rightish, so I guess I grew into myself?

[Mr. Pedro]

Historically, I've always been told that I look much older than I actually am. In my middle and high school days, it was surmised that my average age was 20 or so. This likely had something to do with me refusing to shave for months at a time.

I'm 21 now, and a few times at work, I was pegged by fellow employees to be a thirty-something. I am not particularly looking foward to hearing "guesses" about my age as I grow even older. :shrug:

[SilentBat18]

well, now i'm 19 and i pass of as 19 :p buuuuut when i was like 16 and i was in China, my dad was able to pass me off as an 18 year old to get into clubs and stuff. (and those were the clubs where it didnt matter if you had an adult with you, you cant get it) it was kinda cool. but i had one person actually tell me that i looked 21, which is sorta strange cause i dont look it at all. i dont really pretty myself up with make up everyday (cause when i do i look older) so i kinda just look like myself. does that make sense?

[Michael24]

The only time I know of for sure was in 2003. I was 24, and somebody mistook for being 18. I've often wondered how other people see me. Looking at myself in a mirror, I don't think I look much different than I did when I was around 18-20, so I sometimes forget myself how old I really am. LOL!!

[Kury Wagner]

People constantly think I'm eleven or twelve. I nearly always end up with a kiddy menu at restaurants, and I've been told to "go get my mommy" so many times that I nearly physically attack people about it, now. It frustrates me to no end.

When people talk to me, though, they always think I'm a few years older than I am. I like not telling people my age, whenever I can manage it. I'm starting to deal with having to fess up to some people, but I manage my mystique with a lot of folks.

I think it runs in the family, actually. One of my sisters is constantly being figured at about sixteen, when she's only twenty-two. And when people talk to her, they think she's twenty-sixish. My other sister, who's, I think, twenty-six, has been told several times that she couldn't sign up for things because you have to be eighteen. My dad's also has age-issues, where, when clean-shaven, he's guessed to be in his thirties, when he's really in his early-forties.

Historically, I've always been told that I look much older than I actually am.That's 'cause you're a dirty old man who's lying about his age. Or so I'm told. ^^

[Areku]

Well, I'm 18 but people still think I'm around 13.

That's sad but I'm lucky at the same time. However, being hit on by 14 year olds is not cool.

Me too, im 18 years old but people keep on thinking that im like 15, 16 tops. It used to pissed me but my dad who is 44 ( or 45 ) looks like a 30 year old ( his wife turned 30 a little while ago ) so thats great. ill be like 70 and look like a 40 year old ^^

[Dr. OneWay]

About a year ago, I went to a funeral for someone on my dad's side (don't remember :p ). I went into this room, where a bunch of little kids were, and I seemed to be the only "older" one. Some boy comes up to me and goes:

"How old are you?"
"Thirteen"
"You look like your 9" And walked away.

It was a bit degrading, but kids will be kids. I have heard I look 11, but not from a seven year old :sweat: . In the last year and a half, my friends all tell me I actually look 14 now. And the voice proves it too.

[Sr.Infierno]

Most people think I'm much older then 16. You have no idea how many R-Rated movies and games I've bought without the clerks asking. :D

[solarflere]

See all you guys are lucky. When I was 20, and wanted to go buy a beer or something, everyone would ask me for an ID. Now that I am 21, no one even bothers to ask :sad:. I am ready to show them my ID, so I can look at their fase expression while they calculate the months, but no one asks. At some point I decided to make a test, I shaved ( I look older when I don't :p ) and went to my local liquer store to get a bottle of Alize, even though they have all those signs that say " No ID No Purchase" no one asks me for an ID, I just pay for it and walk out.

[Punisher]

When paired beside my older brother, who is much shorter than me, I often get mistaken for being the older one. Otherwise, not many problems.

[Elven Moon]

When I was around 21, someone once approached my boss and asked why they had a 12 year old working there (keep in mind I was the youngest employee at the time, so I can only assume it was me).

Now that I'm 25, people still assume I'm around 15 or 16 (which I don't really mind, mind you). People are always shocked when they find out my real age :sweat:

[Weatherman]

I occasionally get craded for drinks still, but I've never really bene mistaken for someone too much younger for a long time.

[Zubby]

I've always been told that I look younger than I am. People seem surprised when I tell them how old I am. I take that as a compliment!

The first time I got carded was on my 21st birthday, however. I went to a place that I knew carded everyone to buy a bottle of wine (funny how when you're in college you know which stores will card you and which won't).
I didn't drink it for a couple of weeks. I didn't want wine, I just wanted to get carded on my 21st birthday!

[ManicWebb]

Back when I was about 17 or 18, people thought I was still 15. Now that I'm 22 and finally capable of growing facial hair, people think I'm much older. One of the supervisors at my job was 23 years old, and he was shocked to find out I was younger than him. It probably doesn't help that I listen to old music, and react to everything like an elderly man.

Once in a blue moon, when I shave, people guess my age accurately.

[Wolfie~Giri]

I've been told I look like I'm 18. It's just the height really... :sweat:

[Mittenz]

I'm 22 and I already look like I'm in my 30s. :shrug:

[silverwings]

When I'm by myself or with my whole family, people tend to think that I'm around 16 or 17.

When it's just me and my youngest sister (who's 8), then they think I'm in my mid-twenties (and her mom).

Yet, I'm just 21. I did have one guy at the liquor store examine my license for like 10 minutes as he really thought it was a fake ID. :sweat:

[Jerry Mouse]

I went to a place that I knew carded everyone
Some places take the whole carding everybody a little too seriously. Back in March, 2 friends of mine were down in Atlanta for the NASCAR race. They are roughly 51 and 57 or so and do look their age. They went to a place to eat and have a few drinks and got carded! I heard that my one friend asked the guy who carded them: "Can you see??".
I myself am 30 and probably look a bit younger when I shave.

[Beguiled]

Ooooooh yes, I get this a lot. Let's see, when I was ten, my neighbor thought I was thirteen. In Italy this year, a guy thought I was in my twenties. My favorite story is Hawaii though. My friend and I, while playing scrabble at the pool, were discussing how awesome it would be if some hot guys came and played with us. About two minutes later about five or six hot guys walked in and started talking with us. Finally one of them asked how old we were. I told them I was fifteen and they looked at each other and started laughing. I asked them what they were laughing about and they said they thought I was 'waaaaaaaaaaaay older'. XD Still laugh over that one a lot.

[True Noir]

I actually do look like my age range (15-18) at least that is what I've been told.

[Axion-Pup]

I've been mistaken for being older by a few years more times than I can remember. I've always got people trying to sell me meberships into this or that... And once I was at a supermarket with my nephew and a lady thought he was my kid. O_o It's because I'm taller than most girls my age (5'7), and according to my mom I "carry" myself like an adult.

[Batgirl Beyond]

Was that a typo or are you actually 6'7? :eek:

And I thought I was tall (for a female) . . .

[Weatherman]

I've been mistaken for being older by a few years more times than I can remember. I've always got people trying to sell me meberships into this or that... And once I was at a supermarket with my nephew and a lady thought he was my kid. O_o It's because I'm taller than most girls my age (6'7), and according to my mom I "carry" myself like an adult.

Six foot seven? YOu sure you don't mean five foot seven? 6'7" is tall no matter what the age.

[Kaoru]

Until recently my voice sounded like I'm 10, luckily that changed now.

[True Noir]

Until recently my voice sounded like I'm 10, luckily that changed now.

Oh yeah, that is one thing that doesn't make me look my age. My friends say that when I talk on the phone, I sound like I'm 10 which is bothersome. I would say that is because in person, I have a really "girly" voice.

[Czar Gato]

Hah, I went to a winery for a bachelorette party when I was 19 and wasn't carded. I've never bought alcohol or cigarettes myself, so I can't say for sure if someone would ask me for ID- I'm too young to buy beer anyway (for only two months more, that is :D). Never been carded for movie tickets, even when I was underage.

Speaking of voice, I've been confused for a guy over the phone so many times it's not even funny (last time one of my dad's friends called, he thought I was my brother unexpectedly home from Iraq). I'm not exactly very feminine- I'd even go so far as to call myself slightly genderqueer- so I can't say that it bothers or insults me; at least they don't think I'm a little kid, anyway. Everyone thinks my older sister is twelve when on the phone, she has such a childlike voice (though she cusses like a sailor, so I guess that makes up for it :P).

[KuwabaraTheMan]

When I was in middle school, people thought I was 4th grader. In high school, I often got mistaken for being several years younger, too.

Now, approaching 19, I don't seem to run into as many problems, as I finally have started to look my age, thankfully. But it always really annoyed me when I was younger.

Mostly it came due to height. I was always 5-6 inches shorter then everyone else my age, but around my junior year of high school, I had a growth spurt.

Now I'm about 5'11, so I'm around average height, and don't get mistaken for being a lot younger.

I did always get lots of people who always assumed I had skipped grades, though.

[candy17]

I'm 21, but I just don't believe it. I still look like I'm seventeen.

Of course, I look older when I have my hair and clothes done in a certain way, around late 20's-early 30's.

[Phantasm]

haha. As a short and petite 19 year old, I get mistaken for a 14/15 year old most of the time. It was quite the annoyance as a kid but as I'm aging I think this will prove to beneficial. ;) :p

[mystery]

I'm 14,people think I'm 16.

[Tenku]

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that I look real young around my parents because they don't look their age, especially my mom. She's 38 but she looks like she's still in her mid to late-twenties. My dad, who's retired military is 43 but still looks like mid-30's. Can you imagine the looks we get when we go out?
(Better yet, can you imagine the looks my parents got when I was a baby?)

I have no idea what my brother looks like since I've seen him two years ago, but he's always looked his age.

However, my uncle (who is 14) looks like he's 19 (so darn tall).

[KCJ506]

I'm 22 and people say I look 16/17. Three times this year when I went to go see a rated R movie, people either asked me for my ID or asked me how old I was.

[ToOn~g@l]

When I was about 12 or 13 people would always think I looked older like 15 or 16. But nowadays people think I look younger than my age, probably a good thing though. ;)

[Axion-Pup]

Six foot seven? YOu sure you don't mean five foot seven? 6'7" is tall no matter what the age.

Yes, I meant 5'7. Gawd, I'm dyslexic even when I'm typing...

[IanC]

Its weird. Some places i go to they accept me as been over 18 (for example when i bought Prey for the Xbox 360 - rated a BBFC 18 so i have to be that age to buy it) while other times im asked for id (when i bought a 12 rated dvd in HMV once. Yes a TWELVE rated dvd).

Recently im getting asked for ID less and less, so either shopworkers are getting used to me, which is possible, or im looking more my age.

Bars never believe im over 18, but tbh i cant blame them. Annoying if i forget my ID tho :)

[Yojimbo]

I don't know the exact reason, but I get both from people I talk to. I'm a 21, tall, mid build Japanese only looking (though I am part English, Portuguese, Hawaiian, as well). Some people think that I am younger but when I start talking to them, they realize I'm not a teenager.

Some say I look way older than 21. Some have mistaken me for my mother's older brother. That I take the most compliment in. :D

[Timmay]

There was a guy on another team we used to play in basketball that looked like he was in his 40s.

[FireWarrior]

I'm 19 and I'm always mistaken for being 16 years old. Doesn't help that I'm only 5'7. However when I went to Vietnam for vacation (I'm Vietnamese) some of my relatives thought I looked like 26.

[CheshireKitten]

I always get guessed at sixteen/seventeen, which is six years younger than I actually am. People tell me all the time that I still look like I'm in high school.

[zimbach]

I'm 34 and I still get asked for my ID when buying alcohol. Do I really look that much younger than I am?
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9641/img00321wb.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img00321wb.jpg)
At least I get to date women who are in their early 20s.

[Mittenz]

I'm 34 and I still get asked for my ID when buying alcohol. Do I really look that much younger than I am?
Yes...

[EzraBladerunner]

I'm 19, but I look as if I'm still 15-16ish years. It's said that the age gaps get wider as you grow up. Like in the future when I'm 40, I might look 20 years younger.

:sweat: Hopefully! My dad's side of the family have good(or is it bad?) aging genes. My dad and my uncles doesn't look 50. They look more in their late 30's or late 40's.
Then there's my second cousin(I'm HER second cousin) and she's 40 years old. Yet, most people could guess that her age is around in her early 20s. Dang! I totally want that!

Also, my mom doesn't look like she's almost 50. Just like my dad, she looks more like she's in her late 30s or late 40s.:cool:

[The Detective]

I'm 34 and I still get asked for my ID when buying alcohol. Do I really look that much younger than I am?
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9641/img00321wb.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img00321wb.jpg)
At least I get to date women who are in their early 20s.
I'd card you.

</The Detective>

[Super Sonic]

Historically, I've always been told that I look much older than I actually am. In my middle and high school days, it was surmised that my average age was 20 or so. This likely had something to do with me refusing to shave for months at a time.

I'm 21 now, and a few times at work, I was pegged by fellow employees to be a thirty-something. I am not particularly looking foward to hearing "guesses" about my age as I grow even older. :shrug:

Judging from that post, you must know some rude people.

[Kury Wagner]

Last Friday, for the first time ever, I was guessed to be of legal drinking age, go figure. Someone else, earlier that night, also pegged me at 17 or 19. Apparently I'm just "disturbingly mature for my age." Or so said a bystander/friend.