How to look older / more sophisticated?

[lumy_]

Hi,

we might have had a similiar topic before, but I couldn't find it.

I'm working at a university in Canada, I'm 35, but dress & look much younger - sneakers, jeans, sweatshirts - so everyone assumes I'm a student. On the one hand fine with me (basically, this is one of the resons I'm working in academia - that there is no strict dress code) - on the other hand I sometimes think, I would be taken more seriously, if I were not consistently mistaken as a student.

Do you have any ideas, how to avoid this dilemma?

Thanks!

sisqa

if you look at urd's post in the "outfits that are inspired by.."-thread, I think that the picture of nicole richie and urd herself in black pants/or jeans with a waistcoat and heels looks young and cool, but still more professional than most students. I love that style, I wear that myself to work and thinks it keeps me looking like "me "but still more professional than in sneakers, jeans and sweatshirts.. maybe that could be something for you??

 

[softgrey]

just put on a skirt and a pair of heels...

tie your hair back...

you don't need to wear 'full' make up....
just some lipstick blush and mascara...
done!...

easy as that...

 

[Sunkist]

If you can afford it, look for a classic suit, with a cut and style that's classic (instead of trendy) in a color like gray, navy or black. You can wear the suit to interviews, as well as wear the jacket and pants or skirt separately with other pieces.

 

[avec_amour]

I work in a law firm- where I manage it, so I have to dress professional (and I didn't always when working here and in a different position).
I always still sometimes feel like a kid (seeing as I'm 22) and that I'm not taken seriously but I really agree that attitude totally changes everything.
When I started dressing professional: think lots of black slacks, form fitting tops, heels, stockings- (I wear fishnets , a nice scarf, long black wood winter coat and/or trench, etc. etc. It totally changed my view and how I was treated and everything. Especially outside of the office. It's like you're treated with a certain type of respect because you aren't a punk, but a professional.

Oh and to save $ I usually shop at Banana Republic and very little at J.Crew for my "Professional" clothes.

 

[shimmer]

I have to dress professional for some events pertaining to school, and usually it requires dressy shoes, blazer, and trousers or skirt.. but it all makes me feel so.. frumpy.

I'm thinking of wearing bright colour heels to make everything pop, but I feel that might be over the top or inappropriate?
and instead of a white shirt I'll wear a ruffled blouse underneath?

anyody have any suggestions! sometimes I feel trapped inside those outfits

 

[Vanilla_Lush]

How to dress grown-up?

I was wondering if you had any advice on how to dress more grown up.
The problem is I'm in my twenties but still look like I'm in late teens. Sometimes it gets really annoying. Any advice please?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Couture_Tribe]

I think there is an existing thread already....

 

[tangerine]

merged

 

[Vanilla_Lush]

Thanks for merging and for letting me know.

Lots of good advice here.........Thanks

 

[wings]

okay so I am 19. But everyone guesses me of 16 or younger. sometimes I think it´s okay, I mean, when i´m 34 looking like 29 I will be happy. But now sometimes it´s just depressing.
Maybe it has somethign to do with my weight (45kg/99lbs) or my high (164cm/5'4"). But i do not grow anymore and I wont gain for just looking older.
I also don´t think it´s the make up that makes me looking younger, is it?


anyways, it drives me crazy. Has anyone any idea how to look as old as I am?

 

[Whitelinen]

How do you dress, and what kind of make up do you use?

 

[wings]

I dress uhm... normal I guess. Jeans, mostly black pullover, but also other colurs. trouser size is actually normal; not too tight, but also not big or something. my tops are most of the times a size bigger, but also sometimes my size/tight
my make up is eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss and stuff...

that is me
(the one with the black hair and written on my arm is the latest pic)

 

[wings]

but i also tried to look older by "dressing up" and wearing more make up

but I never look older

(sorry for the double post)

 

[Whitelinen]

Don't take anything I am saying as offensive, you asked, I'm answering with what I think you could do

I think a thing that contributes to this is that you are quite petite. It does make you look younger, but if it is only natural for you, it is ok.

But as for clothing etc...

First off, I see for example shirts which show your abdomen. That is usually something teenagers do. Writings in arms, cheap jewellery etc is usually associated with youth. I don't think you necessarily should change your style, just take an objective look at yourself and modify it to a more mature one.

I also think the thinness of your eyebrows makes you look younger. Maybe there is also something you should improve on your eye make up, not change, but improve.

Don't take this too harshly, as you are very beautiful. I'm not here to judge you, I am just giving my opinion because you asked.

 

[TheKiwi]

wings, first of all, you're beautiful! Secondly:

I've struggled with the same thing for years. I'm 21 now, but people have been telling me I look young since I was like 16. When I was 16 people would say I looked 14, then when I was 18 people said I looked 16, and when I was 20 I'd still get 16. It sucked, especially since I have a sister who is 3 years younger than me and everyone thinks she's like 25!

But after I turned 21, I began to appriciate the fact that people think I'm younger because it's not like my age is holding me back anymore (I've been turned away from an 18+ club when I was 19!!!). All I have to do now is whip out my ID, and I love hearing people go "WOW, you're 21? I thought you were a lot younger!". It's kind of a compliment for me, because I just thinking that down the road I'm going to be really happy that I look young. Just keep telling yourself "in the end this will be a blessing, not a curse like it is now".

 

[Whitelinen]

^ That's a good point too.

 

[wings]

whiteLinen
thanks. ´m not taking this harshly.
my eyebrows are natural this way lol. i don´t wanna paint on them because i´m bad in that. and i´m natural thin, so even when i eat a lot, i don´t gain. for my tshirts, hah that´s just the picture. normally all my tops go til my ***, because i hate when soemone sees me stomach. *put my bracelets off* thank you sooo much for the tips. if i know how to give karma, i would give you.
theKiwi
in germany you are an adult(sp?) when you are 18, so I feel good when all the kids have to leave the clubs by 12 and i can stay there. but whenever I meet someone they guess i´m like 14/15/16 and when i say i´m 19 they are like shocked, and i kinda hate it. i mean you are so right and everything, but kinda ... argh i donno ... I hate it

ah and thanks for saying í´m beautiful

 

[TheKiwi]

Yeah... It does suck right now. I felt just like you do for the longest time. Then finally I realized just how lucky I am that I have this little "problem". At least we don't look older! While that might be ok now, I'm sure we'd hate it when we were like 35 and looked 45.

 

[BaroqueRockstar]

i would say tone down the eye liner, use brown or grey shadow to highlight instead.
otherwise... you have really nice skin from what i could tell for your age. that isn't a bad thing

 

[wings]

^I will try that, thanks

Yeah... It does suck right now. I felt just like you do for the longest time. Then finally I realized just how lucky I am that I have this little "problem". At least we don't look older! While that might be ok now, I'm sure we'd hate it when we were like 35 and looked 45.

yeah true