Why do people look so much younger now?

[Anonymous]

In 1999 Baz Luhrmann told us to wear sunscreen and we listened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not just looks. It is what people are doing. Today someone who is 60 is doinbg things and has a lifestyle that someone 45 had in the 1950s. And it continues. People who are 70 for the most part do and act like people who were in their 50s acted a half century plus ago.

This is a big factor. People act younger for much longer and that leads to different choices with regards to how they dress and style themselves as well as lifestyle choices like fitness and diet.

I remember my mom kept waiting for me to start "acting" middle aged by which she meant being more sedentary (I've super active and love working out) and dressing and styling myself in a more traditional (read: aging) way. Also being less oscial and mostly focusing on my kids and my house. She was waiting for the version of me in my mid-40s with 40 extra lbs wearing khakis and twin sets and sporting a bob and staying in every night to put the kids to bed at 7pm and work on a cross stich.

Instead I'm late 40s and I work and workout every day. The kids have afternoon and evening activities or we're socializing with other families. I dress a little more conservatively than I did pre-kids but I don't dress "old" -- I wear current styles and shop at a lot of the same stores as I did in my 20s and 30s with just slightly more conservative cuts. Though today I'm working from home and about to go pick my kid up from camp in a workout skort that my mom would deem scandalous and a tank which would shock my mother because she doesn't think women over the age of 35 should wear tanks anywhere but the beach or their own backyard. I also have good skincare including wearing hats and sunscreen so even though I think my face looks like I'm in my 40s I don't think I look old and I do tint my hair -- I still have grays but it's a bit muted and I wear my hair a little longer and wavy.

I think it has been shocking for my parents to realize that maybe they started acting old before they needed to and they might have missed out on some good stuff. I'm really glad that as a culture we've shifted our perspective on this because I think it's healthier and also way more fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No smoking, less sun, less booze, less kids.

They are by far and away fatter though. Gen Z will be the fattest generation in history.

Yes. I work in a Title 1 school and I'd say more than half of my students are overweight by middle school (even ones who weren't overweight as 5-6 yr olds).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s so weird when you look at a HS yearbook from the 50s and the teens lol like old people.

They don’t. It just seems that way to you because they wear clothing and hairstyles that you associate with old people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No smoking, less sun, less booze, less kids.

They are by far and away fatter though. Gen Z will be the fattest generation in history.

Well, fatter looks younger so that could be part of it

[Anonymous]

This is also why we can’t elect a president that isn’t in his late 70s or 80s. Our 40-50 year olds are still stuck in the I’m a kid phase

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Take Rue McLanahan and give her a modern haircut and clothes usually seen on an average professional woman (not a celeb) in her early 50s today. She wouldn’t look old at all. We just associate that big hair, frosted lipstick, big earrings, pastels/prints etc. with Greatest Generationers in the 80s.

Rue was Silent Generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so weird when you look at a HS yearbook from the 50s and the teens lol like old people.

They don’t. It just seems that way to you because they wear clothing and hairstyles that you associate with old people.

+1. Especially the hair and makeup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so weird when you look at a HS yearbook from the 50s and the teens lol like old people.

They don’t. It just seems that way to you because they wear clothing and hairstyles that you associate with old people.

+1. Especially the hair and makeup.

It will be a funny day when our kids and grandkids associates the long layers and highlights with grandmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Keep in mind, J Lo is not what a typical fifty-five yr. old looks like today.
For some odd reason, she seemingly is aging backwards and seems to look more beautiful the older she gets!
She is that rare gem, 💎 in the rough!

I think the main reason we all look younger today is because the focus has been on sunscreen (starting on babies!!) as well as staying away + off cigarettes.
Both the sun as well as cigarettes can cause serious cancer and more of us have had to deal w/someone who has had cancer so we do not want to ever suffer like them.

Plus skincare/cosmetics are much better than in past yrs and healthy lifestyles are very commonplace such as working out, yoga, drinking more water, etc.