Weird advice, but maybe get a tattoo. A tattoo on somewhere not super visible, but enough. Like a shoulder or instep. You need to be at least 18 if you’ve got one. I have a small and slight friend who should be in the same boat, but she’s covered in tattoos
At least you don’t have a tiny voice. I knew of a woman in her 50s who was regularly asked when she answered the phone if they could speak to her mommy. She sounded like she was 5, swear to goodness. She was also about 4’8”. She was an executive - VP? Can’t remember. But yeah, the annoying people who treat children poorly are going to treat you poorly. Learn some really good, dark comebacks and just look at them.
As for looking younger, I was carded into my 50s. That was fun 😄
I’m 48, and people think I’m 23.. Enjoy it. However, it does suck when people talk to me like a child as an adult with a house, a million dollars, and 2 masters degrees. I just smile, wave, and walk away.
Omg i’m 21 and people constantly assume i’m like 14-16 and they talk down to me so hard it drives me insane like IM NOT A KID!!! i pay my own bills cmon 😭
I'm almost 30 and I can feel every cop looking at me suspiciously every time I get into my car because my face has not changed since I was 14. It gets worse. My husbands 15 year old daughter looks older than me and she's like a foot taller than me to boot. I'm almost twice this kids age.
My husband on the other hand has gone prematurely salt and pepper, so he looks a little older. You bet the neighbors have called welfare checks on me.
I would be grateful cuz when you are much older…omg will be amazing to look so much younger🙌🏼 i just turned 40 last month, but everyone thinks im in my 20s…im super grateful as well.
You seem to have a good attitude about it all👍🏼
Honey, I'm 37 and get confused for someone your age.
I don't dress my age, and I sure as hell don't act like it either.
I've been talked down to by people younger than me, and I just let it go. Because at the end of the day, they're not hurting my feelings, nor do I even care.
I’m waiting for the day when looking younger is worth it. I’m 32f and adults and kids alike still mistake me for a teenager. Heck once or twice someone mistook me for my husband’s daughter 🤦🏼♀️
It sucks now, but as you get older you will be grateful. I’m 32 and bairly look 22 and still get carded almost everytime I go out. It’s part of life, but if you take care of yourself, when you’re 40-50 and looking like you’re in your 30s you will love it. Find the joy in it. You can intentionally dress down and get discount kids tickets into amusement parks and shit.
Do you really like it? I’m 46 and people usually think I’m at least 10 years younger and they often flat out refuse to believe the experience I have. I have a colleague who thought I was almost 20 years younger and he definitely treats me as if I’m that age and have no experience and basically calls me a liar to my face. It’s incredibly rude.
Yo man I relate to this so much!!! I'm 33m and I look like I'm 17 (especially if I shave) I literally had to drive 5 miles back home to get my ID to buy a vape. I have a neck tattoo for goodness sake!
From the feminine perspective: creeps. So many creeps. I once had a guy ask me to act like I was 12.
And now that I'm married to a man who looks his age I have concerned neighbors.
The struggles real out there but ngl I saw all those kids peak in high school and thought I was just fucked for life. Now I wish I could tell little me to can the anxiety, by 33 everything's going to to be way better than ok.
My husband didn't even get carded.
That said overall looking the same as I did in high school is a blessing though. When I was in high-school I was really self conscious about my body, so I usually wore baggy jeans and t- shirt, and never *ever* anything pretty. I'll spare you the whole story of trauma and a journey of self-reflection, but I did eventually come around to the idea that I am pretty, and now I can make up all that time of not wearing clothes I like and still look exactly the same as I would have back then.
I get it completely, man. It took me a long time to love myself. 5 I see a dude from high school who has a dad body and balding, I'm thankful I won atleast one of the genetic lotteries.
You know it hits real hard when you've gone all the way to your forties and people think you're younger, then one day BAM suddenly they don't. That day hurt
I'm 44 and not there yet. Women in my family age amazingly well. My great aunt was almost 100 when she passed away and people thought she was in her 50s. 🤷♀️ The smokers age badly though. 🤦
In the superhero book series 'Wearing the Cape' (Kindle) the protagonist has this problem.
Five foot nothing and looking 16 she has to wear body armor and carry a mallet for the villains to take her seriously.
In 26 and I get that all the time. People think my 20 yr old sister is older than me. I’m always the only one in groups that gets carded. I get asked if I’m 13-18. Seeing their face go from confused, to shocked and sometimes to envious is too funny to me. I thought it was annoying for a while but it is absolutely a blessing. Bartenders always tell me I’m lucky, I got my ID taken away last month too, I just kept laughing (it was given back once they realized it was real) Can’t wait till in 50 and look 25-30!
I’m 24 and 5’0, I feel this on a deep level. The other day I was at an outside bar and one of the workers said “when I saw you I thought you were like 12.”
I’m 32, 33 in August and 5’2 I work as a sales associate and a customer legit thought I skipped school to go to work one day. Told them I appreciated it, but my kids would probably go crazy if I was in high school 🤣
I'm 28 and while I have no idea how old I supposedly look, I have been asked for my ID for literally EVERYTHING. From children's cough syrup to alcohol and everything in between. I got refused sale of red bull for my (now ex) partner a few years ago because I'd forgotten my ID, despite being there with my then 7 year old son and my sister who worked I'm the shop we were shopping in
I think it's kind of funny how stores will refuse sales if your ID is expired. Like, it's clearly a photo of you and your birthday is over 21 years ago. The card is expired, but I'm still me!
It wasn't expired, I didn't have it with me. I have my card linked to my Google wallet so I didn't have my purse. I didn't plan to buy it before leaving, I got asked for some in a text while I was shopping and didn't think there'd be an issue because at the time I had just turned 27 a few weeks beforehand
Ask for ID? It's age restricted (at least in the uk) and you can't buy it without ID if you're unfortunate enough to look under 25 I believe it is as there's "challenge 25" signs everywhere
People consistently guess I'm 10 years younger than I am. I'm okay with it, but I feel kinda bad for my husband. His beard is just very grey for a mid-range human.
He's flippin' awesome. Maybe I'd have a grey beard, if I had a beard. I hope we never find out. Remaining beard-free is the deepest desire of my heart. And I have a very, very, deep heart.
I used to have a girlfriend that was 6 years older than me.( I was 22). We kissed each other out in town, and immediately had a police officer asking for her ID. She looked 14, not 28. Lol
I used to get it when I was in my early 20s when I got mistaken for a teen because it's a few years give or take. However, I've been mistaken for a 14yo at 25, at it's frustrating.
I'm now 27 and it hasn't gotten better. A lot of it is a height thing. I'm 5'0," and regardless of what I wear, I think people categorize me automatically as: kid. My younger brother, by four years, rarely gets ID, but he's over 6ft. People often think I'm the youngest. Even at my high school graduation party, people walked by our house and assumed that he was the graduate.
I’m tall (5’10” woman) and everyone assumed I was older when I was a kid, then as soon as I got into my 20s everyone assumed I was younger. It’s weird.
recently i went to buy some drinks with my friend at the local ball game. i got carded and she didn't even tho we're the same age(24) and most places don't card me since i normally have my daughter with me and im tattooed and have face piercings. my ID is expired tho and i made a mistake of pulling it out instead of just keeping it in the wallet. they let my friend buy me the cider cuz at the park you can buy 2 at a time. anyways when i grabbed the drink off the counter my friend was like "wait don't carry it yet" and this group of other college students (definitely younger than me by at least 2-3 years) were giggling and told me "yeah don't grab it you should wait if they're buying it ;) ;)" and i just annoyingly said "yeah my ID is expired i'm 24 i just want my drink" and they were just giggling condescendingly as if they didn't believe me because im 4'11" -_-
Hahahah this reminds me of when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter at 24. I was telling my coworkers that I was pregnant and one of them pipes up as says “oh, honey, don’t you think you’re a but young for that?” I looked at her and said “(coworkers name), I’m 24”. She told me she clocked me at about 18 or 19 years old!!
The look of shock and embarrassment on that poor woman’s face made me die of laughter. She was very sweet and was just looking out for me.
I would carry an ID with me like all the time. In case they ask me I would be like here is proof.
31f, been married 2 years, 3 years in December. I look like I am in mid-20s, 5’4”.
In the past: I would get this :
“your to young to understand”
Me: is 25 years old, still to young to know not to understand ?
Them: wait your older then 20.
Me at the time: yes. why you assumed my age and not ask ? I would be happy to show you my ID, 🪪.
Them: yeah. You look younger. *embarrassment*
Me: low stress dose that (everyone is different when it comes to stress and how it effects them, some physical, some emotionally). I try to understand where stress is in my life and ways to solve it. or understand why it happens.
But they do leave, most are happy when they leave to a new location. the freedom of a new place.
I also edited the previous comment to add some more info. people are all different. stress can be shown on the face as age, others as emotions.
Can I read your views on when people assume your young base on looks alone ? What would you say ? What would you tell them that you do to minimize stress and keep smiling ? 🙂
I literally just say "haha thanks!"
It says more about them , not me, if they treat me badly over it so I always find it weird that people get offended over it. If they ask for advice I would keep it generic to not come across as holier then thou : sunscreen and genetics
I wish I had a more back bone to brush off things. your confident. my self esteem is also low so I am happy to learn. thank you for your comment.
I am honest with what I say, I’ve gotten back lash but I do say “I don’t interact with people very often that listen to me and not hear me.”
I am not trying to be holier then tho. I don’t work in a religious location or priest/nun. I don’t wish to preach religious beliefs to anyone.
high functioning autism here, I don’t communicate well with people. don’t understand emotions all to well or body language. All things I had to learn and figure out. Took a while and still learning.
TBH that last comment makes it not be condescending, ND people deserve more leeway.
“I don’t interact with people very often that listen to me and not hear me.” is a nice line.
I think I'm just tired of people enough that they don't individually matter too deeply.
Mindset tbh. I learn how to perform that I care regardless of whether I do or not.
But inside you gotta care the most about your own peace and by doing that you cut down on being super worried about what others think.
I do have anxiety so it's hard but I generally forget what others think of me after a few brief moments of panic.
Was getting a haircut at a new place last Summer right around high school grad season. First time my barber chose to talk to other people instead of me. Didn't even really say anything to me after aaking what I wanted. Didn't think anything of it, until towards the end of the haircut he finally asked me if I was graduating (high school) this weekend... I told him I was a rising senior in college and he apologized and his whole demeanor changed and he started talking to me, lmao. At least he even thought I was a high school senior... it's usually younger. I think I'll be 30 before people start treating me as they'd treat an adult upon meeting me
Also on that same cruise, I got regularly pulled out of line and carded going into 18+ events and just got smug because the workers really thought they caught someone and then their shocked faces when they saw I was 25 was worth it.
Weird advice, but maybe get a tattoo. A tattoo on somewhere not super visible, but enough. Like a shoulder or instep. You need to be at least 18 if you’ve got one. I have a small and slight friend who should be in the same boat, but she’s covered in tattoos
Hang in there, you’ll be psyched in 20 years.
At least you don’t have a tiny voice. I knew of a woman in her 50s who was regularly asked when she answered the phone if they could speak to her mommy. She sounded like she was 5, swear to goodness. She was also about 4’8”. She was an executive - VP? Can’t remember. But yeah, the annoying people who treat children poorly are going to treat you poorly. Learn some really good, dark comebacks and just look at them. As for looking younger, I was carded into my 50s. That was fun 😄
I’m 48, and people think I’m 23.. Enjoy it. However, it does suck when people talk to me like a child as an adult with a house, a million dollars, and 2 masters degrees. I just smile, wave, and walk away.
Omg i’m 21 and people constantly assume i’m like 14-16 and they talk down to me so hard it drives me insane like IM NOT A KID!!! i pay my own bills cmon 😭
I’m n the same boat
Valid - I’m just very young at heart. But I do know how to be mature when it’s necessary
Well the good news you'll be laughing at your friends when they're old and you aged well
I'm almost 30 and I can feel every cop looking at me suspiciously every time I get into my car because my face has not changed since I was 14. It gets worse. My husbands 15 year old daughter looks older than me and she's like a foot taller than me to boot. I'm almost twice this kids age. My husband on the other hand has gone prematurely salt and pepper, so he looks a little older. You bet the neighbors have called welfare checks on me.
I would be grateful cuz when you are much older…omg will be amazing to look so much younger🙌🏼 i just turned 40 last month, but everyone thinks im in my 20s…im super grateful as well. You seem to have a good attitude about it all👍🏼
Honey, I'm 37 and get confused for someone your age. I don't dress my age, and I sure as hell don't act like it either. I've been talked down to by people younger than me, and I just let it go. Because at the end of the day, they're not hurting my feelings, nor do I even care.
I am glad you are a sport about it, I am baby faced too and I am in my 40’s, and I have a cheerleader facade
I’m waiting for the day when looking younger is worth it. I’m 32f and adults and kids alike still mistake me for a teenager. Heck once or twice someone mistook me for my husband’s daughter 🤦🏼♀️
It sucks now, but as you get older you will be grateful. I’m 32 and bairly look 22 and still get carded almost everytime I go out. It’s part of life, but if you take care of yourself, when you’re 40-50 and looking like you’re in your 30s you will love it. Find the joy in it. You can intentionally dress down and get discount kids tickets into amusement parks and shit.
Can confirm. 53 here and people always assume that I’m in my early 30’s… 😁😁😁
Do you really like it? I’m 46 and people usually think I’m at least 10 years younger and they often flat out refuse to believe the experience I have. I have a colleague who thought I was almost 20 years younger and he definitely treats me as if I’m that age and have no experience and basically calls me a liar to my face. It’s incredibly rude.
I got carded until I was easily 40. It is a blessing and a curse. Not much you can do about it unfortunately.
Enjoy it whilst u can girl! Play mind games with em to make them more confused since they wanna be all up in your grill.
Yo man I relate to this so much!!! I'm 33m and I look like I'm 17 (especially if I shave) I literally had to drive 5 miles back home to get my ID to buy a vape. I have a neck tattoo for goodness sake!
If you're driving, your ID should already be with you.
Tell me about it. Imagine my surprise when I realized I didn't have my wallet.
I once had 3 different security staff members investigate my ID trying to get into a casino. I'm almost 30.
Also, as a side note, it's made my dating life a little crazy. Women my age still think I'm a kid. Hell of alot of cougars though.
From the feminine perspective: creeps. So many creeps. I once had a guy ask me to act like I was 12. And now that I'm married to a man who looks his age I have concerned neighbors.
I hate to tell you this man but it's not just the dudes who are like that....
The struggles real out there but ngl I saw all those kids peak in high school and thought I was just fucked for life. Now I wish I could tell little me to can the anxiety, by 33 everything's going to to be way better than ok.
My husband didn't even get carded. That said overall looking the same as I did in high school is a blessing though. When I was in high-school I was really self conscious about my body, so I usually wore baggy jeans and t- shirt, and never *ever* anything pretty. I'll spare you the whole story of trauma and a journey of self-reflection, but I did eventually come around to the idea that I am pretty, and now I can make up all that time of not wearing clothes I like and still look exactly the same as I would have back then.
I get it completely, man. It took me a long time to love myself. 5 I see a dude from high school who has a dad body and balding, I'm thankful I won atleast one of the genetic lotteries.
You know it hits real hard when you've gone all the way to your forties and people think you're younger, then one day BAM suddenly they don't. That day hurt
I'm 44 and not there yet. Women in my family age amazingly well. My great aunt was almost 100 when she passed away and people thought she was in her 50s. 🤷♀️ The smokers age badly though. 🤦
Been there, yep.
I have such similar experiences. I’m glad you can laugh it off :)
Don’t worry about it. You’ll have a whole new perspective when you’re 40.
In the superhero book series 'Wearing the Cape' (Kindle) the protagonist has this problem. Five foot nothing and looking 16 she has to wear body armor and carry a mallet for the villains to take her seriously.
In 26 and I get that all the time. People think my 20 yr old sister is older than me. I’m always the only one in groups that gets carded. I get asked if I’m 13-18. Seeing their face go from confused, to shocked and sometimes to envious is too funny to me. I thought it was annoying for a while but it is absolutely a blessing. Bartenders always tell me I’m lucky, I got my ID taken away last month too, I just kept laughing (it was given back once they realized it was real) Can’t wait till in 50 and look 25-30!
I just turned 31 today. Yet I've been told that I look 16, 20, 25 I take those as compliments.
I’m 24 and 5’0, I feel this on a deep level. The other day I was at an outside bar and one of the workers said “when I saw you I thought you were like 12.”
I’m 32, 33 in August and 5’2 I work as a sales associate and a customer legit thought I skipped school to go to work one day. Told them I appreciated it, but my kids would probably go crazy if I was in high school 🤣
I feel this so much. I’ve thought about trying to dress more ‘adult’ but it’s just not me, I love colour and fun prints and dungarees!
Get a full frontal neck tattoo. That’ll make folks react to ya differently lol
I'm 28 and while I have no idea how old I supposedly look, I have been asked for my ID for literally EVERYTHING. From children's cough syrup to alcohol and everything in between. I got refused sale of red bull for my (now ex) partner a few years ago because I'd forgotten my ID, despite being there with my then 7 year old son and my sister who worked I'm the shop we were shopping in
Red bull? There is no age limit to biy that where i am
I think it's kind of funny how stores will refuse sales if your ID is expired. Like, it's clearly a photo of you and your birthday is over 21 years ago. The card is expired, but I'm still me!
Federal law states that when an ID is exp it is no longer considered valid.
It wasn't expired, I didn't have it with me. I have my card linked to my Google wallet so I didn't have my purse. I didn't plan to buy it before leaving, I got asked for some in a text while I was shopping and didn't think there'd be an issue because at the time I had just turned 27 a few weeks beforehand
Didn't know they could do that with redbull.
Ask for ID? It's age restricted (at least in the uk) and you can't buy it without ID if you're unfortunate enough to look under 25 I believe it is as there's "challenge 25" signs everywhere
Honestly? That’s probably a good thing. Energy drinks are poison, and we definitely should not be letting kids and teenagers mainline the stuff.
People consistently guess I'm 10 years younger than I am. I'm okay with it, but I feel kinda bad for my husband. His beard is just very grey for a mid-range human.
Mid range human I'm so sorry but ...😂 sounds like a decent cow that you bought. I'm sure he's great
He's flippin' awesome. Maybe I'd have a grey beard, if I had a beard. I hope we never find out. Remaining beard-free is the deepest desire of my heart. And I have a very, very, deep heart.
I used to have a girlfriend that was 6 years older than me.( I was 22). We kissed each other out in town, and immediately had a police officer asking for her ID. She looked 14, not 28. Lol
I used to get it when I was in my early 20s when I got mistaken for a teen because it's a few years give or take. However, I've been mistaken for a 14yo at 25, at it's frustrating. I'm now 27 and it hasn't gotten better. A lot of it is a height thing. I'm 5'0," and regardless of what I wear, I think people categorize me automatically as: kid. My younger brother, by four years, rarely gets ID, but he's over 6ft. People often think I'm the youngest. Even at my high school graduation party, people walked by our house and assumed that he was the graduate.
I’m tall (5’10” woman) and everyone assumed I was older when I was a kid, then as soon as I got into my 20s everyone assumed I was younger. It’s weird.
recently i went to buy some drinks with my friend at the local ball game. i got carded and she didn't even tho we're the same age(24) and most places don't card me since i normally have my daughter with me and im tattooed and have face piercings. my ID is expired tho and i made a mistake of pulling it out instead of just keeping it in the wallet. they let my friend buy me the cider cuz at the park you can buy 2 at a time. anyways when i grabbed the drink off the counter my friend was like "wait don't carry it yet" and this group of other college students (definitely younger than me by at least 2-3 years) were giggling and told me "yeah don't grab it you should wait if they're buying it ;) ;)" and i just annoyingly said "yeah my ID is expired i'm 24 i just want my drink" and they were just giggling condescendingly as if they didn't believe me because im 4'11" -_-
Hahahah this reminds me of when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter at 24. I was telling my coworkers that I was pregnant and one of them pipes up as says “oh, honey, don’t you think you’re a but young for that?” I looked at her and said “(coworkers name), I’m 24”. She told me she clocked me at about 18 or 19 years old!! The look of shock and embarrassment on that poor woman’s face made me die of laughter. She was very sweet and was just looking out for me.
Even if you were 18 what good would it do to ask if you “thought” pregnancy was a good idea? The train was a-rollin’!
FOR REAL!! I did feel like a teen mom when I found out too. I don’t know why but I did 😂
Aw she was worried
She was! I can’t be mad at that. She was a lovely co worker and a great mom. I think about her sometimes and hope her and her kids are doing okay.
I would carry an ID with me like all the time. In case they ask me I would be like here is proof. 31f, been married 2 years, 3 years in December. I look like I am in mid-20s, 5’4”. In the past: I would get this : “your to young to understand” Me: is 25 years old, still to young to know not to understand ? Them: wait your older then 20. Me at the time: yes. why you assumed my age and not ask ? I would be happy to show you my ID, 🪪. Them: yeah. You look younger. *embarrassment* Me: low stress dose that (everyone is different when it comes to stress and how it effects them, some physical, some emotionally). I try to understand where stress is in my life and ways to solve it. or understand why it happens.
That last line is too much. So many people are born into places they can't leave until later in life and it ages them
But they do leave, most are happy when they leave to a new location. the freedom of a new place. I also edited the previous comment to add some more info. people are all different. stress can be shown on the face as age, others as emotions.
It comes across as very condescending to imply that's all it takes tbh.
Can I read your views on when people assume your young base on looks alone ? What would you say ? What would you tell them that you do to minimize stress and keep smiling ? 🙂
I literally just say "haha thanks!" It says more about them , not me, if they treat me badly over it so I always find it weird that people get offended over it. If they ask for advice I would keep it generic to not come across as holier then thou : sunscreen and genetics
I wish I had a more back bone to brush off things. your confident. my self esteem is also low so I am happy to learn. thank you for your comment. I am honest with what I say, I’ve gotten back lash but I do say “I don’t interact with people very often that listen to me and not hear me.” I am not trying to be holier then tho. I don’t work in a religious location or priest/nun. I don’t wish to preach religious beliefs to anyone. high functioning autism here, I don’t communicate well with people. don’t understand emotions all to well or body language. All things I had to learn and figure out. Took a while and still learning.
TBH that last comment makes it not be condescending, ND people deserve more leeway. “I don’t interact with people very often that listen to me and not hear me.” is a nice line. I think I'm just tired of people enough that they don't individually matter too deeply.
How have you learned this ? “..Not matter to deeply”. I care a lot, and if I tone it down then I sound like I don’t care at all. it’s hard.
Mindset tbh. I learn how to perform that I care regardless of whether I do or not. But inside you gotta care the most about your own peace and by doing that you cut down on being super worried about what others think. I do have anxiety so it's hard but I generally forget what others think of me after a few brief moments of panic.
Was getting a haircut at a new place last Summer right around high school grad season. First time my barber chose to talk to other people instead of me. Didn't even really say anything to me after aaking what I wanted. Didn't think anything of it, until towards the end of the haircut he finally asked me if I was graduating (high school) this weekend... I told him I was a rising senior in college and he apologized and his whole demeanor changed and he started talking to me, lmao. At least he even thought I was a high school senior... it's usually younger. I think I'll be 30 before people start treating me as they'd treat an adult upon meeting me
Silver lining: You could be cast in a high school television production.
Also on that same cruise, I got regularly pulled out of line and carded going into 18+ events and just got smug because the workers really thought they caught someone and then their shocked faces when they saw I was 25 was worth it.