How to look more mature

How to Look Older Than You Are

by Sven Raphael Schneider

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A lot of younger men ask us, how can we look older to be taken more seriously?

First of all, why do you want to look older than you are? We live in a world that seems to appreciate youth, at the same time, people judge you constantly. Youth, while mostly considerably advantageous in most cultures, can also have a connotation with impulsiveness or immaturity. Some people will also assume that you’re not as reliable and I mean all kinds of judgments, simply based on the age and the way you look. Maybe if a babyface, or just a young gent, wants to be taken more seriously and advance his career, it can also help you to get better service because you look older and chances are, you won’t be carded as easily and as often. Aside from the fact how old you actually are, the way you look, and the way you dress, are the first indicators people will see when they judge how old you are and how they will treat you.

What Can You Do To Look Older?

Avoid Trendy Styles And Looks That Exacerbate Your Young Age

That means, don’t wear t-shirts or sweatshirts as your main form of outerwear. Of course, if you wear an undershirt, that’s a different thing. Also, don’t wear trainers or gym clothes outside the gym, it just makes you look sloppy and younger than you actually are. The same goes for sweatpants and hoodies, those are typically things worn by younger men of the demographic or adolescence, so it will not help you to look older. In the same vein, wearing things with huge logos will quickly identify you as someone who is of the younger generation. Avoid wearing things with huge sports teams, maybe a collegiate sports team, your NFL team, or your favorite soccer jersey. It simply makes you look younger and immature. The same thing is true for backpacks; nothing makes you look like a schoolboy like wearing a backpack. Instead, upgrade to a briefcase, also avoid younger flashy accessories such as maybe an Apple watch or six wrist bracelets in all kinds of colorful things because that certainly makes you look young.

Get A Classic Haircut

What does that mean? Take a look at our guide on gentlemen’s haircuts and if you wear those, you will automatically look more mature. Stay clear of extreme cuts, extreme undercuts with lots of hair products that are just over the top, because that’s not something mature gentlemen would wear. Also, if you want to look older, a scruffy look, man buns, or long hair, are typically things not associated with older men and therefore, I’d stay away from that.

Opt For Glasses

No matter what you do, you actually need them. Having glasses will give you a more bookish, mature look that is really unparalleled. I suggest you stay away from bold colors and frames, rather go with classic styles in something like a tortoiseshell. Simply by adding glasses to your outfit, you’ll easily add a few years to your entire appearance. The same goes for sunglasses, stay away from cheap ones, or maybe trendy things like bamboo sunglasses and stick with classics such as an aviator, Wayfarer, or some persols.

Grow Facial Hair

Cover Your Tattoos & Take Out Your Piercing

Yes, in this day and age, most people in the younger generation have either piercings, or tattoos, and it’s something that’s very normal; but in our parents’ generation, or grandparents’ generation, it wasn’t normal so if you cover up your tattoos, you automatically look more mature and older.

Opt For A Classic Watch

Whether it’s a simple wristwatch with a round tile that is slim, in gold or silver, or maybe something a little more ornate. Make sure it’s not too big and oversized like a g-shock, or maybe some Invicta Watches because that just screams young and garish. If you want to add a few more years to your look, I really suggest you go with a pocket watch because it has a vintage feel to it, typically not something associated with young men.

Try To Work Out To Add Some Bulk To Your Body

If you’re young, chances are, you’re still quite slim and it can make you look like a boy. Adding some meat and getting that nice v-shape can help you to look older and more mature.

Put Your Phone Away

Even though there are lots of men of all generations really attached to their smartphone and constantly looking at it, typically, a more mature man knows how to go about life without being entertained at all times. Older men have lived without cell phones and they know what to do, maybe how to be charming, and pay attention to others. If you do that as a young man, you will automatically be perceived as being older and not someone from the younger generation who all the people sometimes can’t relate to or understand.

Hone Your Speech & Conversation Skills

Unnecessary “uhms”, “likes”, “ughh”, can really help you to appear more mature. The same is true about the speed you’re talking. If you’re just speaking too quickly and not clearly and it’s not thought through, people may think of you as more of a younger generation rather than if you have a deeper voice which is not something you can really affect, but the speed and the way you present things, clearly have an impact on how you’re perceived.

Learn How To Write Properly

Writing and the way you express yourself in writing may not be something that’s immediately visible, but if you are in a correspondence whether it be by email, if you have to write a card, it becomes obvious of what generation you are. No matter what you write, use full sentences, use proper grammar, and try to stay away from Smileys. If you go for handwritten notes, having a cursive handwriting immediately makes you look older because younger generations are not learning that anymore in school.

Dress Up In A Classic Way

It’s one of the easiest ways to appear older and there are lots of things to consider. First of all, slight overdressing will always be better than slight under dressing because it makes you look more mature. At the same time, when in doubt, always upgrade from casual to something more classic and maybe formal. In my opinion, the best way to appear older is to wear a suit. Young men typically don’t wear suits today so if you do, it automatically puts you into an older category. If young men wear suits today, oftentimes they have slim fit suits with very skinny lapels and you should stay away from that and go with a more classic lapel width and shape.

The other way to look older in a suit is to one, go with a three-piece suit with a matching vest; or two, to opt for a double-breasted suit with peak lapels because it gives you that nice V shape and just makes it look more formal and mature. If a suit is too much for you or if it’s inappropriate, think about wearing a jacket. Rather than a Harrington jacket, or maybe a field jacket that’s rather casual, go with a blazer or a sport coat. I find that tweed sport coats with elbow patches definitely make you look older than you are. On top of that, you can add a vest especially during the fall-winter season, it will keep you warm because of an additional layer, but it’s also a way to add some color and to add some maturity to your outfit.

Wear A Hat

Whether it’s a Panama hat in the summer, a fedora hat in the winter, or maybe just a flat cap, it will all make you look more mature.

Go With A Proper Overcoat

During the cold months of the year, rather than wearing a performance jacket that you may be where skiing, go with a proper overcoat. It will immediately make you look older and more mature. Also, instead of going with polo shirts or t-shirts, upgrade to dress shirts. Ideally, you want to keep them in subtle patterns and subtle colors such as pastels. Stay away from bold stripes and loud colors because older men typically don’t wear that.

Invest In Quality Products

Most young men today don’t have the funds to buy quality goods and so they go with cheap stuff from the likes of H&M. If you, on the other hand, invest in more quality products, it will show and make you look more mature. I hear you, good stuff has its price and it’s expensive, and you may not be able to afford that and that’s okay, however, you can go to a vintage store, find secondhand items that are of superb quality at a price that is lower than which would pay for cheap stuff at the retail.

Overall, younger men wear fewer ties than older men, so an easy way to look older is to go with ties. The problem I often see with ties and young men is they don’t know how to tie them properly so they get loose tie knots that hang down and it just makes you look younger or like an amateur who doesn’t know what he does.

An easy way to make your outfit look more mature is to add cufflinks to your outfit. Most young guys wear barrel cuffs with buttons so a dress shirt with French cuffs and a pair of cufflinks will just make you look more mature, and more well dressed.

CONCLUSION

No matter what you decide to wear it’s important to always wear them with confidence and always to be comfortable in what you wear. Maybe you can find an older man that you look up to that you still consider to be stylish but more mature and try to analyze his outfits, what colors he is choosing, what items, what patterns, and then try to model your outfits after that. In general, I found older men prefer colors that are not as bold so that’s something to always keep in mind.

9 Simple Style Tweaks Babyfaced Men Can Use to Look Older (And Get Taken Seriously)

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“I recently got hired for a more manager position. My problem: I’m 36 and got a babyface. Even when I wear the occasional fitted suit, I look like a young investment banker intern. My goal is to look older/more masculine to reflect my new position. Any advice?”

Benjamin, I feel your pain. I, too, am “cursed” with the Paul Rudd forever young gene.

And while having a babyface this might be great in most cases, I understand the desire to look older and present more authority, especially when it comes to your career.

I had a client a while back in the same predicament. J works in the entertainment industry and was looking to be taken more seriously. When I first met him, the problem was literally staring me in the face. I gave him the cold hard truth:

“If I walked into a room and saw you, I would make you for an intern!”

First impressions matter, for good and bad. They are fine when you like someone on first meeting; they are not so fine when the first meeting is negative. Positive first impressions lead to social cohesion; negative first impressions lead to biases and social prejudice.

Imagine going to a restaurant whose food you’ve heard amazing things about, and you’re greeted with dirty tables, broken chairs, and a rude waiter.

That food’s going to need to be damn near Michelin level for you to get over your bad initial impression.

And that’s what’s exactly happening to you when people interact with you.

Luckily, controlling that initial vibe we give off by harnessing our style is super easy. I mean, look at what it did for J.

So if you’re cursed with a babyface and want to look older, more mature, and get taken seriously, here are the steps you can take.

1. DIAL IN YOUR FIT

My number #1 style rule applies even more here.

Looking older and more mature is all about looking like a man that has his shit together. And nothing says, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” like a man that can’t buy the right sized clothes.

How to fix this: You don’t need to memorize your measurements or a hundred different fit rules. Download my fit cheat sheet to learn how clothes should fit you in 10-minutes.

2. REFINE YOUR GROOMING

When I work with a new styling client, the first thing we do is get his grooming in order. It’s a quick fix that can have a huge impact on your vibe. Like baggy clothes, unkempt hair makes you look sloppy. Tighten up your grooming game if you want to be taken seriously.

For starters, avoid haircuts popular with kids (like spiky cuts, bright colors, and patterns shaved into your scalp). Opt for clean, classic styles.

One of my styling clients, David, had a similar problem as Benjamin: his style, especially his haircut, said “college kid” more than successful small business owner.

My recommendation for him was grow out the top a bit more, switch up to a classic side part, and be consistent with using hair products. (The results above speak for themself!)

“I recommend guys grow out their hair more, especially on top. It just gives you [and me] more options.” says my personal barber Mr. Bee.

And do what I do and schedule your haircuts in advance, so you always look clean. My hair is relatively thick and grows fast, so I like to schedule a touch-up every 2 weeks at the same time. Just make a note of when you notice your hair looking a little sloppy after a cut and go from there.

If you want some solid hairstyle recommendations for all types and lengths of hair, check out the tips in my Spring / Summer Style Guide.

3. AVOID GRAPHICS, LOGOS, WILD PRINTS

When it comes to looking more mature, all you really have to do is avoid what the average college kid is doing. And when it comes to your clothes it means avoiding graphic tees, logos, wild prints and trends.

Solid colors and graphic/logo-less clothes make you look more refined and mature.

The great thing is that this change is simple to implement. This goes for your accessories like beanies, scarves, socks, and even underwear.

4. BUILD THE MAJORITY OF YOUR LOOKS AROUND MEN’S CORE COLORS

To piggyback off tip 3, avoid ultra colorful looks and focus on putting together looks using colors like navy, black, grey, white, olive, and camel. (What I like to call “Men’s Core Colors”)

Notice how refined and professional outfits using core colors look (left) versus the jarring, sometimes silly colorful outfits on the right.

The best part about core colors are is that because they don’t overpower one another, you can mix and match any of them with one another infinitely. They’re self-working!

5. BUILD YOUR WARDROBE AROUND TIMELESS CLASSICS, NOT TRENDS

Trends are a great way to add some excitement to your style, but you have to proceed with caution.

The mistake most men make is putting together a closet filling it with mostly with trendy pieces. I don’t blame them: most magazines and stores push trends because people like new and exciting things!

Trends should be used sparingly. Think of it like a sauce, you don’t want to drown an entire dish in sauce and overpower the meat and sides. You just want enough to give it the right flavor kick.

If you want a good primer on building a wardrobe around timeless classics, check out my post on putting together a minimalist wardrobe.

6. SWAP YOUR TEE FOR A COLLARED TOP

A simple fix you can do immediately is swap in your tee for a collared top, like a polo shirt or a button-up.

People equate collarless tops like tees and henleys with casual looks. Reaching for a collared top subtly tells people you’re trying a bit more to “dress up”.

If you work in a casual or business-casual environment where an oxford dress shirt might be too formal, a button-up work shirt in a casual fabric like chambray is a great alternative. It’s a masculine style that can easily pair with everything from wool dress pants, chinos, and denim.

7. SWAP YOUR SNEAKERS FOR DRESSIER LEATHER SHOES

While I believe minimal white sneakers can be a part of any modern man’s wardrobe, you can easily change the vibe of your look to something more mature with a pair of refined dress shoes.

It doesn’t have to be something formal like oxfords. A classic solid lace-up boot or desert boots can give you an instant grown man upgrade.

8. REFINE YOUR ACCESSORY GAME

Accessories can really help you mature your look. The first place I start with clients is upgrading their work bag.

A smart messenger/briefcase hybrid with leather details (top) is the perfect upgrade from your college backpack.

When you want to get more serious, look into investing in an all-leather briefcase. (For recommendations, check out my post on the most stylist work bags for men here.)

If you like wearing things on your wrist, leave the long leather bracelets to college kids who shop at H&M and go for a simple cord.

When it comes to watches, go for classic styles that aren’t flashy. If you’re new to watches, a great place to start is Todd Snyder’s Timex line.

Many of my clients love their Apple watch and wonder if they should exchange it for a “proper” watch. I actually don’t mind Apple watches. I recommend slapping on a classic leather or metal band and saving any colorful sport bands for the gym.

9. GROW OUT SOME FACIAL HAIR (IF POSSIBLE)

Avoid being cleanly shaven, as it just emphasizes babyfaces. If you can grow at least some facial hair, do it.

I use a beard trimmer (this is my favorite) and go for the 5’oclock shadow look. You’ll need to experiment with the settings to find the right number, but for me, it’s somewhere between a 1 and 2mm.

Shape your shadow to emphasize your jawline, shaving clean any facial hair on your neck (sorry, no neckbeards here!)

If you have a beard or plan to grow one out, the same rules for your hairstyle (Tip #2) apply here: keep your beard regularly groomed.

Trim, shape, and groom it to avoid looking like the crotch of a 70’s pornstar (trust me, this is what people think when beards go wild.)

I always recommend my clients with facial hair to use a combination of beard oil (to keep your beard and skin hydrated), beard balm (to tame strands and style your beard), and a beard wash and softener (which is essentially a leave-in conditioner which helps soften beards)

BONUS: 10. GET IN BETTER SHAPE: PUT ON SOME MUSCLE / DROP YOUR BODY FAT

You can honestly apply those first 9 tips in less than a month and completely transform your vibe from babyface to boss.

Now let’s talk something a bit more long game: fitness.

Two things you can do in terms of your physicality to make you look older, more masculine, and more mature: Drop body fat and gain some muscle mass.

While genetics plays a role in those babyface cheeks, dropping bodyfat will undoubtedly help improve your face shape by reducing your cheeks and chiseling out that much-coveted jawline.

Packing on more muscle will help you break out of that boyish, frail-looking frame.

Is this going to take some effort? Sure, but as someone who’s gained a substantial amount of muscle mass and dropped 50+ lbs before, you can see significant improvements in 3 months.

Here’s what’s worked for me:

• Hire a professional (at least to point you in the right direction): If I could give one piece of advice on embarking on a fitness transformation, it would be to hire a professional to create a gameplan for you.

The hardest part about transforming your body is knowing what diet and program you should follow. There seems to be a billion random people on the internet with a billion opinions. Shortcut the line and get yourself some expert help.

If you have the budget to hire someone for a few months to adjust your program and work out with you, do it.

But even if you can’t hire someone full time, spending a few hundred dollars for a professional to create a diet and training program for you saves you MONTHS of frustration and hundreds of dollars doing a bad routine you chopped together. I recommend John Romaniello and his trainers, they helped me get in shape for my wedding.

• Track your macros: Tracking macros (carbs, protein, fat) is a gamechanger if you’re looking to change your body composition.

It’s slightly more complicated than tracking pure calories (which helps you drop bodyweight but won’t necessarily help you look ripped.), at first, which is why I recommend hiring a professional to set your numbers for you. The benefit is you can work in foods you love and you can really fine tune your program to hit fitness goals.

When it comes to tools, I use this scale to weigh out my food and MyMacros+ to track my meals.

• Meal prep for the week: Tracking macros (weighing foods and entering nutrition info) can take up a lot of time. For someone busy like me, it’s much more efficient to plan my meals for the week and cook in bulk.

Every Saturday, I go grocery shopping for the week, and every Sunday I meal prep. I do about 6lbs of chicken in a crockpot, and stock my fridge and pantries with things like bread, eggs, greek yogurt, prepackaged veggies, berries, and protein powder, so it takes me less than a minute to make my meals every day.

• Eat foods that you already like: As of today, I’ve cut 13lbs of bodyfat eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches, chicken thigh tacos, and Ranch Doritos.

Eating foods you enjoy almost guarantees you’ll stick to your new diet. If you hate fish, don’t try to add tilapia to your diet cause some fitness guru eats it. The great thing about tracking macros is that you can create and fit foods you enjoy into your diet and hit your fitness goals.

• Lift heavy weights at least 4x a week: You can’t build muscle if you’re not lifting. Muscle helps you shed body fat faster, and will make your body look more aesthetically pleasing as you drop fat. So make sure your fitness program includes lifting.

• Get some cool workout gear: For a lot of my clients and me, we’ve found that getting cool new workout gear gives us a mental boost and motivation to hit the gym. When I put on my all black gym gear and strap on my neon Nikes, I feel badass, and it helps fight that lazy side of me that doesn’t want to lift heavy things. For some stylish gym, gear recs, check out my post here.

• Weigh yourself every day and go by average weekly changes: Everyone has different opinions on this, but I like to weigh myself every day and go by the averages.

There are a ton of factors that can affect a weigh-in (how dehydrated you are, how much sleep you got, how much salt you ate.) As long as the trajectory is going in the right direction (down), that’s all that matters. The scale I use to track weight and body fat is by Escali. Two great apps I use to keep track of my trajectory are Apple’s stock Health app and Happy Scale.

• Take a shirtless photo of yourself every week: Scales don’t tell the full story, especially when it comes to body composition. Track your visual changes by taking a shirtless pic at the same time on the same day every week.

• Focus on consistency using tiny habits: Sticking to a diet and training program is HARD, mainly because we’ve been approaching building habits all wrong.

My goal is to just go to the gym every day.

Not “doing 30 mins on the treadmill” or “Increasing the weight by 10% on Workout A.” My goal is to simply get dressed and show up.

This is an example of a Tiny Habit, a technique developed by BJ Fogg. BJ heads the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. His book Tiny Habits is the result of over 10 years of research and 40,000 participants on how people can successfully build habits. If you’ve always struggled with sticking to a fitness routine, I highly recommend you check out Tiny Habits.

IF YOU WANT MORE STYLE TIPS TO LOOK OLDER, MORE MATURE, AND PROFESSIONAL

Check out my ultimate guide to business casual style, where I share a ton of recommendations and outfit ideas for the professional man.

How to Look Older (for Pre Teens)

This article was co-authored by Kathi Burns, CPO® and by wikiHow staff writer, Amber Crain. Kathi Burns is a board certified Professional Organizer (CPO) and Founder of Organized and Energized!, her consulting business with a mission to empower people to master their environment and personal image by assisting them in taking control, making change and organizing their lives. Kathi has over 17 years of organizing experience and her work has been featured on Better Homes and Gardens, NBC News, Good Morning America, and Entrepreneur. She has a BS in Communication from Ohio University.

There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 108,853 times.

Being a preteen is awesome! If you want to look a bit older, though, we totally get that. We have some great tips to share with you, starting with easy ways to update your clothes, hair, and makeup. Then, we’ll touch on a few ways to carry yourself more like a teen or young adult.

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How to Look Older

My advice to young women who want to be taken seriously

I recently got an email from Jennifer, a 20-year-old complaining that she’s often mistaken for a 12-year-old. As a dance instructor, she wants to be taken more seriously and asked me what she might to do make her look older.

This is a common beauty dilemma. Just as women over 40 would love to be mistaken for being younger than they are, women in their teens and early 20s rarely want to look younger than they are. Funny how that works, eh? Someday when Jennifer is 50, she will probably remember with wistfulness how young she once appeared.

That is a long way’s off. Until then, here are 4 tips for looking older than you are.

Take Down That Ponytail

In her email to me, Jennifer wrote, «I always wear my hair in a ponytail.»

Cue the scratching record.

Ponytails are for little girls, women at the gym and busy moms. Ponytails are not for women who want to appear older. The first thing you can do if you want to appear your age or older is to lose the ponytail and adopt a more sophisticated-yet-trendy hairstyle.

For Jennifer, who is a dance instructor, I recommend a simple-but-chic bun worn at the nape of her neck. I wear one of these and have for the past 5 years. They are way more chic and mature than a ponytail.

If you don’t need longer hair, I suggest cutting hair shorter, which can add years to your look. A classic or even edgy pixie, a mussy long bob, a classic bob or a shag are all great options.

It’s trendy to adopt a shorter hairstyle. Get some inspiration from Hair Trends: 21 Celebs Who Went From Long to a Long Bob.

Wear Some Makeup

Jennifer also claimed in her email to me that she doesn’t wear makeup.

Again, cue the scratching record.

To appear older, I recommend wearing at least some makeup. Here are 3 options I recommend:

For more tips on makeup application, see How to Apply Makeup.

Consider How You Carry Yourself

One word: «poise.» As a dance instructor, poise may be innate for Jennifer, but for most of us, it comes with practice. No matter your age, if you want to be taken more serious in life, you should conduct yourself and carry yourself with poise. This means standing up straight, acting mature, thinking before speaking and being polite.

I once had a friend who practiced speaking in a lower voice because she felt she wasn’t being taken seriously as a woman in her workplace. I’m not recommending going that far, but I did notice that with her, practice made perfect. She stuck to her goal and became a more poised person in the workplace. She’s now a head trauma nurse in a large Chicago hospital.

Dress Like a Career Woman

Your wardrobe holds clues to your true age. If you want to appear your age or older, dress more maturely. This means lose the short-shorts and the flip flops and exchange them for expensive dark jeans, high heels, tight little jackets, blouses. Kind of like a career woman.

For fun, don’t miss my article on women whose bad hair and makeup aged them by years in Are Your Hairstyle and Makeup Aging You?

Ask CF: How Do I Dress My Age? | How to Look Older

Wondering how to look older? These tips will help. Here’s how to dress your age when you look younger than you are.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here.

Welcome to the latest edition of Ask CF! Every two weeks, we select a reader fashion question and answer it here on the site. Do you have a specific fashion question for us? Scroll to the bottom of this post to learn how to send it our way!

Table of Contents

Ask CF Question

Hi College Fashion,

I recently turned 21! However, people think I am younger and say I look 16. I researched how to look older and some sources suggested wearing more makeup and wearing high heels.

Although I key up my makeup on the weekends, I don’t usually go all out during the weekdays. Also, my high heel collection is growing slowly, I don’t wear them every day.

Do you have any weekday and weekend outfit suggestions to help me look older?

Our Response

Dear Mega Babe(y),

As someone who is 26 but could still pass for someone in their early 20s, I understand your struggle.

Luckily, there are lots of things you can do to make yourself look older –particularly when it comes to what you choose to wear!

But, before we get to our tips on how to look older, I would like to dispel a myth that you mention in your letter — i.e., that in order to look older, you need to wear high heels and a lot of makeup. This is not only false, but these tactics can actually do the opposite of what they’re intending and make you look even younger!

This is because, when you look young and start wearing high heels and putting on a lot of makeup in deliberate attempts to look older, it can appear to others that you’re a kid who’s trying to look older, rather than an adult who just so happens to like heels and makeup.

Of course, that’s not to say that you can’t wear heels or makeup at all! Rather, what I’m saying is that you should treat heels and makeup as accents to your look, rather than the main focus. By doing so, you will project an air of maturity and sophistication, rather than one of a young teen who is trying to look older.

Now that that’s out of the way, keep scrolling to see how to make yourself look older through fashion:

How to Look Older: Outfit #1

Products:

The best and easiest way to make yourself look older is to wear classic pieces in subdued colors and timeless silhouettes.

I absolutely love the shape of this blouse, as it not only looks put-together but also has several modern elements (e.g. the larger collar and buttons, the pleated sleeves) that make it look fresh and chic. В

For a mature-yet-youthful look, pair it with some high-rise, black jeans. Any fit will do (here, I chose a modern mom-jean style); just make sure that they fit well and are neither super tight nor super baggy. Add a croc-effect bag for some interesting texture.

Next, some low-heeled ballet pumps are not only more comfortable to walk in than true high heels, but will also make you look older without looking like you’re trying too hard.

As for jewelry, I picked out a pair of cute stud earrings and a classy chain-link bracelet to add some further visual interest to this otherwise neutral look. В I also added an investment watch: Nothing says “elegance” quite like a classic timepiece that you can wear now and in the years to come.

Lastly, makeup in more subdued colors that flatter your skin tone and eye color can be a great way to add some extra definition to your look without going all-out.

So, with that in mind, I picked out a luxe purple eyeshadow palette and a muted coral-pink matte lipstick. (I happen to own this one; it’s ultra-flattering on, and also non-drying!) Alternately, if you’re not a fan of coral-toned lipsticks, feel free to swipe on a “your-lips-but-better” shadeВ that goes well with your skin tone.

Outfit #2

Products:

Contrary to what some people believe, you definitely don’t need to show a ton of skin to look like an adult woman. Need proof? Check out this ensemble, which is both covered-up and mature-looking!

Sure, plenty of grown women choose to show a lot of skin and that’s totally fine; but if you’re going for a more classic aesthetic, which tends to look more mature, it’s a good idea to cover up a little more.

Having said that, I chose this midi dress for its trendy leopard print which can be either dressed up or down. Here, I paired it with a pink faux-leather jacket for some fun contrast.

As far as accessories go, I love this braided hairband, whose muted copper shade makes it look more mature, as well as this classic black cross-body bag which can be worn with so many different outfits! These black pointed-toe pumps both literally and figuratively elevate the look. In addition, the chunkiness of the heels themselves makes the pumps much more comfortable than stilettos, because hobbling around with sore feet is never fun! (See, I told you that you could still wear heels! Keep in mind, though, that black ballet flats, loafers, or ankle boots would work just as well with this look.)

Since there’s something very grown-up about having a signature scent, I decided to choose one of my favorites to wear on an everyday basis, Fresh Cream by Philosophy. This soft and warm scent is an upgrade from the saccharine perfumes that younger girls often wear, and it smells sweet and feminine. (If sweet scents aren’t your thing, go to your local Sephora or department store to find something that suits your senses.)

Since this outfit is already on the busy side, you don’t really need any jewelry, but if you do want to wear it, I’d suggest a delicate pair of earrings, like these pretty studs. If you’re feeling bold, you can also add a statement bracelet or ring, like the brightly colored cocktail ring shown here. Note that, with this particular look, I wouldn’t recommend a statement necklace or statement earrings, since there’s already lots of action around the face.

Finally, here’s a fashion tip: When choosing a dress silhouette–especially one with a busy print–it’s a very good idea to stick with more covered-up silhouettes. This is because the combination of loud patterns plus lots of skin can be a little much to take in. Furthermore, showing a lot of skin might seem like a good way to look older, but in reality, it can make you look younger.

Outfit #3

Products:

If ever there were proof that you don’t need lots of makeup and sky-high heels to look grown-up and on-trend, this look would be it!

To that end, an easy way to look older is to incorporate business-casual pieces — such as these gorgeous trousers — into your everyday look. While this outfit would still look great with a pair of jeans, the trousers demonstrate a more mature sensibility.

I decided to style the trousers with a gray sweatshirt featuring a cute little embroidered heart. The sweatshirt’s casual aesthetic balances out the formalness of the pants, making them more wearable for everyday occasions.

If you want to step things up, it’s always a good idea to look for unique accessories that show off your individual sense of style, and that’s where this chic baker boy cap, with its glam rope detail, comes in.

An elegant, wear-with-everything coat is a must-have in any grown woman’s wardrobe, which is why I chose this beautiful camel-colored belted style; simply toss it on over any outfit for some instant polish.

Furthermore, these pearl chain stud earrings put an interesting spin on a classic must-have, which is why I thought they’d go well with this timeless-with-a-twist outfit.

To finish off the look, put on a sophisticated pair of patent ankle boots and grab a holds-everything canvas tote. If you choose to wear makeup, keep it classy with a swipe of medium-red lipstick. (Just be sure to keep the rest of your beauty routine very clean and simple for a look that’s minimal and grown-up looking rather than over-the-top and juvenile.)

Outfit #4

Products:

When people think of sparkly and/or sequined clothes, they may think of things a young girl would wear. Well, I’m here to challenge that notion by proving that you don’t have to be a kid to wear “fun” clothes. This is because it is how a piece is styled, rather than what it looks like on the hanger, that determines how the piece will look once you actually put it on.

Moreover, while this outfit packs a big punch, it’s actually really easy to put together.

Start off by slipping on this beautiful sequined skirt. I love this piece because it makes a bold statement, yet is classic enough to be worn over and over again with different tops and accessories!

Next, add an oversized sweater; I like this one for its of-the-moment pistachio hue.

This feathered evening bag might seem like a little much. However, because of its subtle gray color, you won’t have to worry about it looking costume-y or over-the-top.

Add some elegant skinny dark green drop earrings, as well as a twisted silver cuff bracelet for an extra dash of sophistication.

Since there’s a lot going on with this look already, keep your shoes simple by opting for a pair of feminine white slingback kitten heels.

Finally, as far as makeup goes, focusing on one area of the face at a time is a great way to add some extra glamor without taking away from the outfit itself.

Here, I picked out a cool-toned eye palette that features lots of icy blues and greens that’ll make your eyes the focal point of your face without clashing with the clothes themselves. As well, a sheer lip gloss in a subtle shade of pink adds a touch more shine, once more without overwhelming the rest of the look.

I hope that these tips and outfits will inspire you to find a sophisticated and grown-up style that’ll help you look your age. Thanks for your question!

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What do you think of our tips on how to look older?

Have you ever been mistaken for being younger than you really are? Does your age, as perceived by others, influence the way that you dress? Do you have any tips for dressing more maturely when you look young?

Let me know in the comments!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2017; it was completely updated and revamped in 2022 with new photos and information.

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