Untidy facial hair
We all like a nice beard, but there’s a certain way of going about it. Having a beard that’s unkempt, untidy, and graying will certainly make you seem older in the eyes of a lady. Instead, ensure that your beard is regularly trimmed and cropped, making it a part of your overall look.
A strict routine
There’s nothing wrong with having a routine. After all, many successes are built from discipline and focus. However, if you’re too rigid with it, then it soon becomes a problem. It’ll have the women in your life raising an eyebrow if you constantly refuse to change your habits, showing a potentially selfish mindset.
Covering those grays
Contrary to popular belief, attempting to mask your gray hairs can actually make you look older. Sheaths of jet-black hair dye are an obvious attempt at covering up those white strands, trying to hide your age. Instead, you should age gracefully, accepting your role as a silver fox!
Living in the past
You know the type. The kind of guy who doesn’t stop going on about how good things were “back in the day”, who’s driven the same Trans-Am for the past two decades, and insists that The Smiths were the best thing that ever happened to music. Times change, and so should you. It’s not so bad here in the modern world!
Using a handkerchief
Let’s face it – handkerchiefs are pretty gross. They’re acceptable to use as a decoration on a suit, but not practically. Who wants to be with someone who carries around a snotty old rag all day? Stop using a handkerchief – it borders on grandpa territory.
Following modern fashion trends
Just because something looks good on a 20-year-old, it doesn’t mean that it’ll look good on you. Following trends and wearing skinny jeans or chinos can make you look desperate, ironically aging you up. Wear what’s comfortable and stylish instead of trying desperately to cling onto your youth.
Ignoring body hair
You can bet that a woman will immediately notice any hairs poking out of your nose or ears. Don’t be lazy when it comes to styling yourself, ensure that you look as good as you possibly can. Invest in a nose or ear hair trimmer – it may just change your life.
Ignoring your skincare
There’s a reason that many women devote hundreds of hours to taking care of their skin – it gives them a youthful glow. Failing to take care of your body’s biggest organ will leave you looking wrinkled and haggard. Try moisturizing – it’s never too start showing your skin a bit of loving!
Not accepting baldness
Losing your hair can be a difficult experience to navigate. Don’t try to hide your hair loss with a wispy little combover. Instead, consider going for the dreaded buzzcut. It can be a big step, but it’ll likely lift a weight off your shoulders, with you no longer being concerned about if your bald spots are on show.
Wearing comfy shoes
As we age, comfort becomes more and more important to us. However, don’t pair a fitted suit with a pair of comfy sneakers. Every woman within a mile radius will notice the fashion faux pas, simultaneously clocking your poor fashion sense and aging style choices. Wear smart shoes, even if they aren’t the most comfortable item you own.
Not updating your wardrobe
Maybe you don’t care about style, and you just cling onto the same outfits you’ve worn for years. That’s all well and good, but your body fluctuates in size. The clothes that once looked good on you may longer fit, leaving you looking pretty out of place and awkward. Go through your closet, and chuck out anything that no longer fits.
Scruffiness
Scruffiness can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Whether it’s an unkempt, messy hairstyle, holes in your t-shirts, or wearing a fraying sweater, it’s a dead giveaway of age. Most women will notice these imperfections immediately, painting you as a man who puts little care into his appearance.
Having loud opinions
If there’s one thing women hate, it’s a bigot. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, of course, but if you go on loud, long politically-infused rants on your first date, it’s unlikely that you’re going to get a call back. Voice your opinion by all means, but be tactful about it.
Giving up
You reach a point in your life where you just don’t care anymore. This can be a liberating experience, leaving all the anxieties of your youth behind. However, it can also be a turn-off to any potential romantic prospects. If you don’t put any effort into your lifestyle, who will?
Going too flashy
While you don’t want to be drab and dreary, you also don’t want to be too loud. Bold, bright prints and chunky necklaces are signs of someone who’s desperately trying to recapture their younger years. Opt for colors that suit your skin tone and bring out your eyes, instead.
Buying a sports car
It’s a rite of passage for many men. They hit a certain age, and suddenly they go to a garage and buy a brand new sports car (even if they can’t afford it). Skip out on the flashy affair – many mature women won’t be impressed by your teenage fantasy. Instead, opt for a more practical vehicle.
Having boring hobbies
What’s it to be: golf or watching football games? Apparently, those are the only two hobbies that men aged 40 plus tend to partake in. While you’re allowed to do what you enjoy, consider stepping outside of your comfort zone. Take a dance class! Learn how to sail! Learn karate! Your life isn’t over just because you’re all grown up.
Being bad with technology
Struggling with your phone’s interface (despite having had the device for three plus years) is a sign of someone who’s on the older side. Worse still is if you ask your romantic interest for help. Spend some time trying to get acquainted with your tech – you’ll suddenly be more with the times and look super clever fixing easy faults for people.
Being boring
Take a look around any restaurant. You’ll usually see the wife chatting away, with the husband staring off in the distance, counting down the minutes until he can return home. Don’t fall into this stereotype. Have something to say, and bring some personality to the table! At the very least, be interested in her.
Having a beer belly
This is in no way body shaming, but it still needs to be said – a beer belly is usually a sign of a man who’s past his prime. If you can’t stand your beer belly, change your diet and hit up the gym, giving you a spring in your step. If you’re fond of your extra few pounds, rock them with confidence.
Calling everyone a snowflake
It’s a word that boomers love to throw around. Offering an opinion on something? You’re a snowflake. Same goes for woke or PC (political correctness), actually. Ironically, it’s this generation that seems to be the most offended by societal changes. Don’t fall into age-related stereotypes – omit the word “snowflake” from your vocabulary as soon as possible.
Having no social life
It’s gender stereotypes at their best – older women go out with their gal pals to luncheons and the like, while men live a lone wolf type of lifestyle. If you want to come across as younger, you need to get out of the house once in a while! Make some friends or take some classes, reinvigorating your lifestyle.
Being obsessed with work
There’s nothing wrong with building (or relishing in) a career. However, what does become an issue is when you put it above anything else in your life. Taking work calls on dates, replying to emails while spending time with your lady friend, and discussing work sales with your boo will immediately age you up. Leave work at the office.
Neglecting your health
Eating junk food and living an inactive lifestyle will physically age you up. Not getting enough vitamins in your system will give you a tired glaze behind your eyes, alongside bringing on extra wrinkles and creases. Stay in shape and you’ll shave years off of your appearance.
Not getting enough sleep
Sleep is vitally important. If you don’t get enough, not only will you feel tired – you’ll look it, too. Constantly yawning and yearning for your bed’s embrace will make you seem much older than you actually are. Aim for around eight hours a night to give yourself more energy throughout the day.
Wearing square toed shoes
If you have any of these monstrosities, please throw them away immediately. They’re clunky, outdated, and an offence to all things fashion. They’re exactly the type of shoes that your father used to wear, making you quite literally follow in his aged footsteps. Opt for derby or dress shoes, instead.
Not drinking enough water
Not drinking enough h20 can make your skin look older. When you get dehydrated, your body pulls moisture from your tissues, leaving your skin looking thin and wispy. Swap out a couple of cups of coffee for a glass of water. Your body – and your skin – will instantly thank you for it.
Wearing grandpa sweaters
These sweaters are a relic from 90s Christmas movies. It’s three decades later, so it’s time to move on and update your style. They may be comfortable, but, if you’ve had them for some time, they’re usually warped out of shape. It’s time to update your wardrobe – out with the old, and in with the new.
Ignoring your mental health
One aspect that the younger generation seems to have a grasp on is mental health issues. The older generation, on the other hand, tend to ignore matters of the mind. Don’t let your stress build up – consider meditation, mindfulness, or even therapy to lead a more peaceful, harmonious lifestyle.
Smoking
Puffing on a few cigarettes isn’t only smelly and bad for your health, it can also make you look significantly older. Smoking breaks down the collagen in the skin, reducing the organ’s elasticity. This can make you look more aged, saggy, and wrinkled. The best time to quit smoking was yesterday. The second best time is right now.
Wearing dad jeans
They’re called dad jeans for a reason. These style of pants usually have a tapered leg, a high waistband, or an outdated brand name. Women are repelled by these faded garments, able to sniff out a man who doesn’t know his way around fashion in an instant.
Using a fanny pack
While they can be handy, they can also age you up. They make you look as though you’re on a family vacation back in the 90s and you never left. Ditch the fanny pack – everything you could possibly need should fit comfortably in your pant’s pockets.
Wearing old college merch
You don’t need to keep reminding everyone that you went to a certain university 20 years ago. These garments are usually faded and warped out of shape. Furthermore, if you’ve got the date you attended plastered across the back, it’s easy to place your age.
Tucking in your t-shirts
Many middle-aged and beyond men have the strange habit of tucking in their tees. Not only does this show off any areas of belly fat, but it’s a generally outdated look. Unless it’s being worn as an undershirt, your t-shirts should remain untucked, giving you a more youthful appearance.
Too much alcohol
Alcohol ages the body. It depletes the amount of vitamins in your system, stripping you of energy the next day. It also can cause your skin to become wrinkled, immediately aging you up. Besides, it’s a well-known stereotype that an older man is reliant on his evening whiskey (neat, on the rocks).
Skipping sunscreen
Not wearing sunscreen can do untold damage to your skin. Not only will a woman roll her eyes at your unnecessary defiance, but the sun itself will age you up, causing wrinkles and age spots aplenty. If you wish to stay young, protect yourself from the sun.
Wearing t-shirts with puns
Nobody finds your dollar tee funny, especially not the woman you’re trying to woo. Get rid of your cringe-inducing garments and instead opt for more stylish, sleeker options. Wear them as a night shirt if you must, but never don them in public places.
Bad posture
The more hunched over or slouched you are, the older you look. Sit up straight, broadening your shoulders. Not only will women find this position appealing, it’ll also be good for your back in the long run. Stand (or sit) tall, being unafraid to take up space in the world.
Using modern slang
Trying to text like a youngster won’t impress any woman – it’ll merely make them cringe. Avoid using words like “lit” and “fam” – it just comes across as a desperate attempt to seem hip and cool. Choose more refined, mature words, accepting that you’re slipping into older territory.
Wearing a baseball cap
It may have looked good on you in your 20s, but it doesn’t anymore. In fact, it’s obvious to everyone around you that you’re trying to cover up your bald patch – especially to women. Get rid of the cap and rock your hair with unabashed confidence, you’ll be much more attractive.