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Why do I look younger now (at 20) then I did at 16?!

I'm a 20 year old girl, and I feel like I used to look older a few years ago, than I do now. I matured very quickly (by 11/12 I was 5'6.5, the same height I am now) and everyone would always guess me to be much older and I looked the oldest in the class, and could easily get out of school for lunch by pretending I was in year 10 or something. By 14, I even managed to get into a few over 18 nightclubs without any ID. People would always be shocked when I told them my age, and most people guessed 18/19. When I was like 16, I smoked occasionally and could very easily get cigarettes (I was never asked for any ID) and alcohol too, I was never asked for id in newsagents/off licences, and people always assumed I was about 19.

Now though, I'm 20, and people my age, I feel look a lot older/more mature if that makes sense? Everyone assumes at uni that I'm 18 when they don't know me, the general reaction when I tell people my age is 'bloody hell! i thought you where 18!' and people tell me I look 'so cute' and that they feel they 'need to look out for me'. I always get ID'd now at nightclubs and some people have even guessed me to be 17! Meanwhile I feel like all my friends (some younger than me) all look a lot more mature/adult than I do and I feel like I now have a bit of a baby-face (which I don't feel I used too) and that I look like I just finished secondary school or something, I don't feel like a woman, I feel like a girl. I have a womanly/curvy body though I'm slim but I still think my face looks very young. Is this a good thing, and will I be grateful for it when I get older? Or is it not normal? Should I look older by this age? Do any of you feel like you look younger than you are?

Pics

Maybe you are like Benjamin Button?

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

Original post by Machop

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Reply 4

Musie Suzie

People using the anon function can't post pictures, i.e your photos aren't displaying.

To be honest I think a large part of it is the fact that your looks matured quickly, and that while you've had the same height and face (you know what I mean) since your early teens, you've seen those around you change and grow more slowly. So it's like they've aged recently but you haven't. See what I mean?

Also, the features you attained which made you look older than you were could have been the result of a growth spurt and you're now maturing at a more regular rate. So you kind of aged quickly during your spurt, but now your age has caught up with your appearance and you're aging at a normal rate. Which is slower than before.

I realise my theory doesn't account much for other people's perceptions of you, but I'd guess it's down to sample size and geography. The results of asking 1000 people how old you look will be very different and more representative than those of asking 10. So I wouldn't worry about some people thinking you look younger. I very rarely get IDed for alcohol but was IDed for a lottery ticket by a woman the other day. Different people have different perceptions.

As for geography; you're in a student city now and one of them, where clubs, pubs and supermarkets are going to be on high alert for people trying to get in/buy alcohol underage. Perhaps your hometown didn't have that mindset.

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Reply 5

beansontoast93

Original post by Machop

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It didn't work anon, for some reason. Here they are again:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 6

Bassetts

Original post by beansontoast93

It didn't work anon, for some reason. Here they are again:
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You look your age in both.

41949-Fishing-for-compliments--When-DfkH.jpeg155.7KB

Reply 7

username853479

Have you lost weight? That might be why.

Reply 8

Machop

Original post by beansontoast93

It didn't work anon, for some reason. Here they are again:
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I don't think you really have anything to be worried about at all tbh. A person's face can change in a variety of ways as they grow older. I certainly don't think you look immature or baby faced in that second picture, you pretty much look your age. :smile:

Reply 9

Tyrion_Lannister

Original post by beansontoast93

It didn't work anon, for some reason. Here they are again:
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You look older now. You're very pretty by the way :smile:

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post by chocolate buttons

Have you lost weight? That might be why.

yep, a little bit, that could be why I guess.

Reply 11

Anonymous #1

Original post by Tyrion_Lannister

You look older now. You're very pretty by the way :smile:

thanks

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

Original post by Machop

Thanks for the advice :smile:

Reply 13

ToLiveInADream

Wait, what's the point in going un-anon to post pictures and then going back on anon, lol? Anyway, I think you did look relatively old when you were 14 but now I'd say you look your age. There isn't much of a difference between 18-20 so I don't know why everyone you speak to makes such a fuss about it :P

Reply 14

Michaelj

Could be diet also. If you eat your fruit and vegs then it will have a good impact on your life. When I was younger, I looked 10 years older because I only ate unhealthy food and drank booze, I'm eating healthier now and apparently I look young for my age.

In your pics though, I'd say you looked your age and maybe you looked a bit older at 14 but you look your age now?