Getting older is inevitable, but looking old is optional. You need to choose if you will age gracefully and look amazing for your age. Some style mistakes will make you look older, which I want to address today.
I’m not talking about looking mature or ‘sexy’ older. I’m talking about ugly, worn-out, saggy balls old. Three categories will be focused on: style, grooming, and lifestyle. The good news is that you’ve got 100% control over all three things.
If you want to age gracefully, do not do or have these:
- Smoke cigarettes. Smoking will prematurely age your skin and make your teeth yellow.
- Yellow teeth. White teeth look young and fresh.
- Dying hair too dark or unnatural. Gray hair is an indicator of aging. How will you handle it? You could let it go, or you could color it. Coloring your hair, whether on your head or face, too dark or unnatural ages you. Both make you look like you’re trying too hard. Instead, keep a bit of salt and pepper. Some products on the market will allow you to tone down the gray without going too dark.
- Running shoes. You’re aging yourself if you were running shoes with anything other than workout pants or shorts. Do not wear them with regular shorts or khakis. They’re horrible with jeans as well.
- Dad jeans. The baggie trendy jeans will work for young guys. But old guys who adopt this trend look like they’re just rocking big, baggy pants. Your pants should not be skin-tight, either.
- Boat shoes. You look like Uncle Barry.
- Uncle Barry glasses. These will make you look old, boring, and basic. Go with something more structured and stylized with attitude and edge.
- Pleated khaki pants. Khaki pants are the devil. These aren’t cool if they’re big and baggy with pleats.
- Old man polo shirts. They’re basically like performance polos that suck (don’t wear a little boy polo either with the big patterns and stripes).
- Oversized sports coats or suits. Nothing makes you look more frumpy and dumpy like wearing oversized clothing, specifically suits. Ensure your suit is tailored and the fit is tapered without being too tight.
- Wrinkles and bad skin. You need to wear your sunscreen daily. You want to avoid age spots as well.
- Not working out. If you want to look amazing for your age, work out. Go to the gym routinely so you don’t have a soft, doughy dad bod.
- Low testosterone level. If your testosterone level gets low, you can develop man boobs and lose muscle mass. You may also have a difficult time packing on solid gains. Your sex drive declines, and your wiener won’t work.
- Big Al doesn’t work. A Big Al that works when you want and need it to is youthful.
- Dating too young. This makes you look old and pathetic. The formula for dating age is your age divided by 2, then add seven.
- Neglecting your grooming. Don’t look like a savage. If your facial hairs are crazy, you look old. Whether it’s your nose hair or your hair, if it’s wild and crazy, you need to groom. Get rid of long and nasty hair that grows in weird places. Also, you need to maintain your hairstyle.
- Losing hair. Premature hair loss does make you look older. If you’re not interested in caring for it, shave your head.
- Tired eyes. If you have a lot of dark circles or your eye skin looks like old ball skin, you need to use eye cream and get enough sleep.
- Alcohol consumption. Too much alcohol ages you badly.
- Dehydration. If you’re not drinking enough water, this will make you look old. Your skin will get ashy and dehydrated. Make sure you’re hydrated for supple and elastic skin.
- Eating a crappy diet. Your body and skin can look horrible from a poor diet.
- Where you shop. If you’re shopping at Brooks Brothers, you’re likely more mature with old money. This equates to looking old. Young dudes wearing older clothes look young and cool. Older men wearing older clothes makes them look older. But on the flip side, don’t wear clothing that’s too young, making you look awkward or trying too hard. Avoid clothing that is too tight, youthful, or trendy. If you’re in a store and everybody’s young enough to be your kid, you’re in the wrong store.
