Looking Young For My Age - An Advantage?

I can confirm that I will never look the age I'm meant to be. Youthful looks have meant I still get ID'd for alcohol or even for scratch cards, being ID'd for scratch cards I do find insulting. I know I look young, but I know I DO NOT look under 16.

Then at 15 - Now at 25


Even though it's a pain to look younger for my age at times, is there a way I can use it to my advantage? I mean, people say that "you'll be thankful for your younger looks later" and that is true, it's kind of like we've been given a 'gift'. Let's look at the pro's of looking younger for my age:


1) YOU  HAVE  NO  SHAME  IN  BUYING  TEEN  CLOTHES
I walk around New Look and I pass through the Teen section, looking at some of it, guaranteed maybe about 40-50% have a good chance of fitting me. Ok, it may only just be the shoes, but it's saving me money sometimes!
 
 
2) PEOPLE  THINK  YOU'RE  HARMLESS  AND  INNOCENT
MWAHAHA! The power of underestimation. The look of shock when you do something completely out of character is a total Kodak moment. When you get into trouble, nobody can quite believe it's you, so there's a good chance you'll get away with it. Please, don't try doing anything illegal to prove that point.
 
 
3) YOU'LL  LOOK  LIKE  A  30  YEAR  OLD  WHEN  YOU  TURN  50
Ok, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there is a chance you'll be mistaken for being at a much younger age compared to your real age, use it to your advantage, I know I'm going to!


However, they are some cons unfortunately, some of these I have experienced first hand and believe me when I say, they are a real pain in the bum!
 
 
1) PEOPLE  DON'T  BELIEVE  YOU  WHEN  YOU  TELL  THEM  YOUR  AGE
"No way! You're not 25?!" - Yes I bloody well am, I know I don't look it! What annoys me the most is when people make a big deal out of you not looking your age. Sometimes I've shown them ID just to prove it! Something which isn't ideal to do when you're out in public, but I want to show that I'm 25, not 15.
 
 
2) PEOPLE  DON'T  TAKE  YOU  SERIOUSLY
I think this particularly applies to your job. I think when you've cropped up in a meeting with a meaningful suggestion or absolutely banging business idea, work colleagues look at you like you've come up with the most ridiculous and idiotic idea known to mankind/womankind/people-kind (what's the correct term these days?) - yes, I am more than capable of using my brain to come up with ideas!

3) DATING  BECOMES  A  NIGHTMARE
- purely because men think I'm younger than I look. Listen lad, you're not committing any crimes by dating me, I'm way beyond the legal age! I may consider getting "I'm over 16" tattooed on my forehead or even stick my birth certificate on my dress just for that final bit of proof.
4) YOU  GET  CALLED  'CUTE'  ALL  THE  TIME
I AM NOT A BABY OR A PUPPY! I can tolerate being called cute sometimes, but not all of the time, so beware!
Ok, so there is one more disadvantage to looking younger than in the advantages section, but I think I may live for the positives rather than the negatives.


For me personally, looking younger for my age stems from Cystic Fibrosis, it's a natural characteristic and appearance in people with CF, we've all dealt with some of these things, whether it's being ID'd for alcohol at the age of 32 (not my age, just an example) or being mistaken for a young teenager when you buy a ticket to enter your local zoo.
 
 
Let's just take advantage of it rather than see it as a bad thing shall we?
 
 
Lucy
17 comments
  1. I agree so much. I enjoy that I look young, but I hate it when any doctor says when I tell them my illness, they would say to me .you are too young. Ok, the illness doesn't see my I'd card .

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  2. I can relate to a lot of this! I'm 25, but I'm often told I look like I'm in my teens, and people don't believe I'm in my 20s. But honestly, I like to be thankful that anxiety/depression hasn't aged me too much, as I know stress can speed up the aging process. I personally enjoy being called cute though haha (most of the time anyway, it is annoying sometimes), but that may be because I was bullied when I was in school, so it's nice to hear someone say I'm "cute" instead of some of the things I was called in school. I also do tend to have younger interests so it fits. But it can be REALLY awkward when it comes to dating, and telling a guy that just because I look younger and I'm rather young at heart, it doesn't mean I'm too young. I am over 18 (which is the legal age in the US), I really am, haha.

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    1. That's a great point about being called cute Katherine, I was bullied in school so it is nice to be called that rather than some of the horrible things I got called!

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  3. I get so frustrated at times by looking youngish (and being asked for ID the whole time) but to be fair I don't really help matters by wearing my hair in pigtails all the time!

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  4. I get this all the time and it drives me mad! I'm 33 and still get asked for ID in supermarkets and constantly being told I'm lying about my age haha

    Claire || www.clairejoanne.com

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    1. That's a little rude being accused of lying about your age! Being ID'D is very frustrating sometimes!

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  5. I have this all the time! Just the other day I was buying some wine and the guy said can I see your ID which is fine of course, and he looked at it and was like 'oh wow you don't look your age' so I kind of just take it as a compliment now as I know like everyone says I'll be thankful when I'm older! Although I do worry that people don't take me seriously, but it hasnt happened at work yet which I'm grateful about!

    Chloe xx
    www.chloechats.com

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    1. I'm learning to take it as a compliment now as well Chloe, there's no point in getting angry over it really! xx

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  6. I can definitely relate to this! I'm nearly 34 and only stopped getting ID'd a couple of years ago (although I haven't been out drinking much the last couple of years either, so who knows, it may not have stopped). I actually got ID'd buying whiskey fudge when I was 30! I find it amusing tbh, so many people genuinely think I'm lying. My bf is a lot younger than me and when he first tried chatting me up I was like 'you realise I'm 31 right?' and he made me show him my ID because he thought I was lying to let him done gently 😂

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    1. Whiskey fudge?! That's a new thing to be ID'd for! That's a brilliant story about your bf!

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  7. "Listen lad, you're not committing any crimes by dating me" I can't stop laughing, hahah! I feel you though, I always get told I look younger than I actually am! Even got ID'd buying paracetamol the other week and I'm 24!!! x

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    1. Paracetamol?! I've never been ID'd for that yet! x

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  8. I am exactly the same at the age of 26 I still get asked for ID mainly in the supermarket however when I'm 50 and I look 40 I think I'll be pretty chuffed! Kate X

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    1. I'm going to take that attitude too Kate! x

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  9. I used to be ID'd all the time and it used to drive me mad - I was once ID'd to go into a 15 rated movie... I was 22 at the time and clutching my car keys 😂 although I'm now at the age where I see it as a compliment rather than an insult thankfully! I definitely agree it's something we should see as a positive! Xx

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