Just thought I'd share a brief story about how much your look appears to effect how even your friends think about you.
I'd always been clean shaven up until about a year ago, and looked really young. I'm 25, but would be carded at every single bar I'd ever been to, and even for cigarettes. One time on a golf course (with my boss on a company outing), the course marshall asked to see my driver's license when he saw me driving the golf cart. My most recent ex was five years younger than me and I was used to talking with younger women.
Yesterday I was out to dinner with a buddy, and I flirted a little with the cashier at the place we were at. I guessed 17 because she was talking about going to prom, which prompted my buddy and I to have a talk about age requirements. I said 18 was fine, and he said she has to be 80% of your age, which would be 20.
Then he said it'd be creepy if I asked her for her number. I was like, what? I always talk to younger women and he's never said anything. I have since grown a beard, though, and haven't been carded at a bar in awhile, and people mistake me for over 30 years old, which he said is the main factor. Since I look older it'd be like the creepy 30 year old talking to an 18 year old, as opposed to a guy who looks like he's 18 himself. I found it most interesting that it was coming from one of my best friends who I've known for awhile, that my appearance even effects him.
As clean shaven, I went through about 20 interviews before landing a job, which ended up being well below market average pay for my education. When I was interviewing with my beard, I had 3 interviews and 3 job offers, all well above market average rate.
Anyone else have any similar stories?
I'd always been clean shaven up until about a year ago, and looked really young. I'm 25, but would be carded at every single bar I'd ever been to, and even for cigarettes. One time on a golf course (with my boss on a company outing), the course marshall asked to see my driver's license when he saw me driving the golf cart. My most recent ex was five years younger than me and I was used to talking with younger women.
Yesterday I was out to dinner with a buddy, and I flirted a little with the cashier at the place we were at. I guessed 17 because she was talking about going to prom, which prompted my buddy and I to have a talk about age requirements. I said 18 was fine, and he said she has to be 80% of your age, which would be 20.
Then he said it'd be creepy if I asked her for her number. I was like, what? I always talk to younger women and he's never said anything. I have since grown a beard, though, and haven't been carded at a bar in awhile, and people mistake me for over 30 years old, which he said is the main factor. Since I look older it'd be like the creepy 30 year old talking to an 18 year old, as opposed to a guy who looks like he's 18 himself. I found it most interesting that it was coming from one of my best friends who I've known for awhile, that my appearance even effects him.
As clean shaven, I went through about 20 interviews before landing a job, which ended up being well below market average pay for my education. When I was interviewing with my beard, I had 3 interviews and 3 job offers, all well above market average rate.
Anyone else have any similar stories?