Things You'll Understand If You Look Younger Than You Are

If you're anything like me, you will have noticed that you may look younger than your age. Or in my own words, I look 12 when I'm nearly 20. We face many difficulties on a day-to-day basis because of our face, and there is literally nothing we can do to change it apart from to carry on growing and maturing! I've created a list of 10 things that I know you'll understand if you look younger than you really are.


1. You always have to carry I.D
You don't even have to be going on a night out but you still need to bring your I.D. You'll be at the cinemas to see a 15 rated movie and you're asked to prove you're old enough to watch the film, to which you reply "I'm actually nearly 20" and they do a double-take at your date of birth, then check with the manager that the I.D isn't fake.
My friend once explained that she went to the cinemas with her 15 year old brother and she was asked for I.D, but he wasn't. She's 5 years older than him.

2. In photos you stand out compared to all your friends...because you look significantly younger than them
I'm actually the oldest out of all my friends, but I can't be in a group photo and not notice how much younger I look. In the photo you look like the little sister that your parents forced you to take with you when you just wanted to spend quality time with your friends. Personally, I have even considered using my makeup skills to age my face, "let's just add on a few years. That's not going to work? Maybe a couple of months then...". Whether the photo has been taken on a night out in a dark club, or it's just a casual selfie out and about - nothing will change the fact that you look younger.

3. No one ever believes you first time when you tell them your age
When you meet someone new I bet one of the first questions they ask is "how old are you?". This has happened to me on a number of occasions and you can tell that they're surprised at your reply by their expression. You then get into a conversation about how you left school years ago and you just naturally look younger than they expect you to, you aren't lying to them. Many times I have experienced the other person still being convinced that I am the age that they think I am.

4. Noticing kids that are still in school look older than you
There's nothing worse than walking down the street when school has just finished and seeing all the children in their uniforms...and noticing that they look older and taller than you. I hate walking past or through groups of young school children, only because they easily look years older than me. Why have young teens hit puberty before my physical appearance has even reached my age group?!

5. Feeling out of place in nightclubs
I was on a work night out with my Fiancé, when a security guard came over to us and asked to see our I.D's even though we'd already been checked at the door. They thought we'd sneaked in without being checked and still decided to keep watching us until we left. Before you even get to this point, you feel nervous showing the bouncer your I.D when you have no reason to be nervous in the first place. Then, when you're in the club and it's time to order drinks you ask someone else to get them for you to avoid having to go through the age conversation. It's an ongoing cycle.

6. Being asked "are your parents are in?" when you answer the door
I'm sure most of you get annoyed when you hear a knock and realise it's a door-to-door salesman. But do you know what's even worse? When you answer the door and they ask if your parents are in because they think you're too young to listen to what they're selling. After this happens, you feel like you just took part in the childnapper scene from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

7. Being nervous about getting "the look" when the other person can't figure out if you're older than 16
Well, do I even really need to go into this? The reason you are reading this article is probably because you are in the same position as me - and this point is certainly no stranger to you!

8. Comparing yourself to others your age
"What can I do to make myself look older?"
This is similar to point 2, taking photos with your friends except, a) you aren't in the photos and b) you may not even know the person. I know women who will scroll through Instagram photos and think "she is so much prettier than me" but this is different. I mean scrolling through social media and pointing out aspects of other women that make them look either their age or older, then using these findings to figure out what it is that makes you look so young (or if you're really advanced - how to age yourself). For example, after going through this social media investigation myself, I found that simply wearing eyeliner helps me to look older than I would with natural makeup. Also, a big factor is the clothes you wear - leading me to point 9...

9. Not being able to wear specific types of clothing because it'll make you look even younger
Dungaree's and converse? I can't wear that!
This basically means you may find it difficult to wear many high-trend clothes at the moment. Let me bring you to dungarees, pinafores, frilly socks and even tops with collars. All of these fashion items are very on trend right now but for me, it reminds me of my pre-teen years when I would wear all of these things to Nursery. Add these memories to the young face that I have, creates a perfect example of not a trendy 19 year old, but rather simply... a very very very young person. Then to top off this dilemma you end up wearing all black most of the time to avoid bright colours that could make you look even younger.

10. Waiting for the future. Or, as I call it: looking 30 when you're 50 
To end on a positive note, I have found something good about looking younger than you are and that's the future. Yes, you may look like you aren't even old enough to have a job yet, but when you hit the big 50 you won't look a day over 30! You may have a few decades to wait until you get to experience point 10 but believe me when I say this, you will be counting your lucky stars that you look younger than you are.