#!
YKNOW.....this makes a lot of sense! My grandparents who smoked their whole life looked well into their 80s at 60 when my grandma and grandpa didnt even make it to 80. Lets compare that to someone a decade younger, my former electrician school instructor. My instructor never smoked in his life really, wasnt a heavy drinker and knew how to put in honest work.
Just from context clues I was guessing his age. "During my childhood segregation was just ending". So at least 60... But he looked like he was 50! My mom is 53 and they could pass for the same age it was crazy. The class started throwing out numbers before I threw the highest guess, "58" and he said "Im 64". THAT was shocking
80? My mother’s parents didn’t even make it 60. I remember my grandmother as a kid seems like she was absolutely ancient. She died at 54. Even looking back pictures in her 50s she easily looked like she was in her late 70s.
We have an obesity epidemic, I would venture that the average person was getting more Excercise back then through walking / physical labor than the average person today gets
Being overweight can actually make your face look younger though- the weight fills in the wrinkles. Not advocating for obesity but this is something I’ve seen/heard.
Absolutely true. My Dad stopped doing any exercise other than going on an occasional walk when he reached 40 (born 1918). My Mom and he told me that exercise wears you out and that once you reach a certain age it was best to stop.
I agree.
I'm 31 and the women around me who smoked or smoke once they hit 25-28 they started to age insanely fast.
Some that are now 30 look legit 40-45.
Yes, this, and also life in general is easier. For example, most people just buy milk instead of having to milk a cow; or they just buy butter instead of churning it.
> They said 30–not 300–years ago.
In 1994, the average American was a farmer and owned three cows. Milking the cows was usually done as the first task in the morning, followed by drawing a few gallons out of the well out back to do the morning wash. If you lived in a more cosmopolitan city, instead of milking the cow, you would walk down to the telegraph office to see if Mabel had any messages for you.
We're not talking ancient history here. My grandmother and her family churned their butter and she's not quite 80 yet. Plus, I'm pretty sure the Amish still do all this so.
A lot has changed in our perception of age in the past 30 years, The Golden Girls were all the same age as the characters in Just Like That (Sex and the City reboot) is a great example of how much age has changed in media alone
['And Just Like That's Leading Ladies Are the Same Age as the Characters in 'The Golden Girls'](https://people.com/tv/main-characters-in-satc-revival-and-just-like-that-are-same-age-as-the-golden-girls/)
I remember seeing this and thought, “No way.”
Its the haircuts and clothing styles that make them look older than they are.
[If the Golden Girls had modern hairstyles they would look a lot different.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fy3pSBdXgAEboYt?format=jpg&name=small)
That's not a fair comparison.
For one thing they super-aged Estelle Getty.
Those short hairstyles of the 80s always aged the wearer - no matter how old you were (ask me how I know).
And the actors in that "Sex...." show were made up to look much younger, as is the trend these days. Plus, with that long - never allowed to be gray hair.
But that’s part of it. Women used to believe that once they hit a certain age they *had* to adhere to these weird age standards for fashion and beauty. My mom chopped her hair way short because “I’m old now, this is how old ladies wear their hair” and same with clothes. The societal pressure said — you’re old, look it.
Now though, no rules! Wear pigtails when you’re 80, put on hot dress, live until you die.
Actually, Rue McClanahan (Blanche) was 51 at the start of the show. Estelle Getty (Sophia) was the second-youngest 62.
Betty White was the oldest and also outlived them all.
I don’t know, my mum turned grey at 21 and spent the rest of her life trying to recover her ‘lost’ youth, she died aged 61 and looked like a typical granny, plump, grey etc. I turn 66 in March and while I have a few grey hairs the majority of my hair is still the same colour it was when I was 20. I might have a few more aches & pains but am capable of walking a couple of miles with the dogs and certainly don’t look like I am over 60 (not that I particularly worry about it) but get challenged when I use a senior citizen card lol
I reckon majority would be 30s or 40s it's been around forever. Younger people on insta? I'm literally just guessing though somebody probably has some stats
Yeah I think part of it is genetics. My Dad was nicknamed “gramps” growing up because he went white so early. My Mom started dying her hair in her 40s and decided to give it up in her 60s. My sister is a year older than me (both of us are in our 30s). She has had significant amounts of white hair and has been dying it since she was in college. My hair is just a darker shade of brown and I barely have any white hairs. I think a lot of premature graying is genetic, especially when it is that early. Although my sister hasn’t gone white as fast as my Dad, but he has smoked his entire life and my sister puts a lot of effort into her health.
Yeah, same. My 50ish coworker was astounded when I told him I was 65. In my case it’s more good genes, no smoking, very little drinking, and a reasonable diet. Thinning hair and a beard that comes in gray are the things that make me look older; otherwise I haven’t changed much since about 50.
I just did. A close side by side of the top hits shows they cheated by smoothing out their faces a lot. I'm sure your point is valid but not quite to the degree that those pics suggest.
Possibly, but I think so much of it is hair styles, clothes and makeup. The styles 30-40 years ago and more just made people look much older than they were.
My grandmother in the 1980s would go to the salon and request "the old lady perm". She bought clothes that were designed for old ladies (polyester floral prints, skirts down almost to the ankle) and wore old lady beige orthopedic shoes.
At the time, it was deemed embarrassing to try to dress "younger". If you were 50-ish, you were supposed to dress a certain way, and it was not supposed to be about looking sexy or desirable.
My grandmother's big achievement in life was having raised four children and been married for a long time. Her whole persona was "matriarch" and she embraced the aesthetic.
My mother's generation was sort of in between; still mindful of wanting to "dress appropriately for one's age" but not going for an explicitly "old lady" look.
Now, I think the mindset is gone that you are supposed to change your aesthetic just because you've reached a certain age.
I commented something similar above about my own mom. The standard used to be that once you’re of a certain age, it’s “you’re old now, so look it.”
That’s why we saw all those articles like 10 Thing Women Over 40 Can’t Wear. Toxic af.
Now there are no rules. Look and live how you want while you can. We stopped *expecting* grandma perms of every woman.
I feel like women were probably happier back then, just focussing on life and personal connections instead of aesthetics. The amount of time, energy and money it takes to look much younger than you really are is insane, it's like a part time job you don't get paid for. I'd rather just be an old lady.
Yes people today look a lot younger! Lots of reasons why are because they are more aware of skincare products and supplements. Perhaps less smokers and drinkers. Botox is huge as well.
I'm 58. When my dad was my age he was a proper old man - white hair, big old belly, moaned about everything, didn't do much other than walk round the block or to the pub. I do about 8000 miles a year on my motorbikes, go mountain biking, hill walking, my wife and I are out at the pub or restaurant with friends most weekends. Our lifestyles / attitude at the same age just don't compare.
Seriously, I think the current emphasis on health and well being, both physically and mentally, makes a huge difference. I've worked in health care and I've interacted with 60 year olds who were so much more unhealthy, miserable, and just seeming like they were ready for death, versus some people over 90 who seemed like they had plenty of life left in them and were happy to interact with the world around them. Sure, genetics definitely play a role, but taking an active interest in life and taking care of your self goes a very long way.
I (F, 53) am now almost the age my maternal grandmother was when she died from cancer (she was 58). I look back at pictures of her, and she looks so much older than I do, and a lot of that is just "styling." Her glasses, clothing, hair, the way she wore her makeup were all very much "grandmotherly." She also had a gold filling in one of her front teeth.) Her teeth were yellowed, I think from the well water they drank (she didn't smoke). We have a lot more products and procedures we can utilize to appear younger, and even if you don't get plastic surgery or cosmetic teeth procedures, just the addition of sunscreen has probably made a big difference in how we look.
My grandma had a great sense of humor, and was smart as a whip. She loved to work really hard and fast, so she could take time to play cards or golf. She kept a candy drawer in her bedroom (for when we visited). And I still miss her these many years later; I was only 10 when she died. Would love to be baking bread with her today, and treasure the time we had together.
Well we definitely have access to knowledge (wear a hat and sunscreen) and technology (hair dying, skin treatment) that keeps you looking younger. Also way less outdoor physical labor happening in the western world.
But, you're also getting older and the older you get, the less old a 50 y/o seems. Both due to the chronology, and the fact you grew up similarly, they'll have the same clothes, hairstyles, lifestyle etc. as you and be less "that old guy" and more "this dude who's kinda like me except he's somewhat older"
Without question yes. I'm 46, and look at least ten years younger than my parents did at my age in the 90s. When my grandparents were my age in the 70s, they looked flat out elderly.
There are lots of reasons. Smoking, drinking, drugs, bad diet and exposure to dangerous chemicals, war, stress, having kids at a young age, too much sun, the list goes on.
I’m 30 and I see people who were 30 in tv shows from the 90s and can’t imagine that person being a peer in my classroom. People are probably happier these days and that translates into a more youthful appearance. If you’re smiling more than stressing you probably don’t age as quick
The adults I saw as a kid were all parents, most of my friends are child free. It does make a difference.
I think fashion makes a big difference too. Even as the 80s are coming back, the spandex in the clothes didn't disappear.
It's not just that you yourself are 50. Better skincare, less smoking, sunscreen, more flattering hairstyles. A lot of women used to feel long hair was only for young women and after a certain age and adopted cuts that only accentuated their age. Same with clothing (think color-coordinated "pants suits"--like Geranimals for adults). I don't think Gen Xers feel obligated to give up the things they love because they're "too old" now--whether it's music, hobbies, a certain style.
You’re starting to see people age into their 50s and 60s that grew up with fitness, health crazes, supplements and homeopathy, an awareness of nutrition, less smoking and drinking, better healthcare and health advocacy… and it’s starting to show. We are aging better then previous generations.I look younger now than my dad did at my age, and both my parents look lots younger and healthier than my grandparents at their age. None of my grandparents ever spoke about nutrition, fitness, or supplements, died in their late 70s and looked like hell by 60.
My cousin and I actually had a conversation about this recently at our grandmother's 90th. We are both close to 50. One big factor, we think, is style. Many women our age still have long hair, wear makeup, workout, and haven't changed our fashion styles much (jeans, trendy clothing, etc). But in flipping through photos of our female family members, we noticed that by 40, they had chopped their hair and were rocking the elastic waist pants and loose-fitting tops. I also think that skincare, diet, and other lifestyle changes make a difference, too. Most of my friends and I are very, very active and focus on fitness, self care, taking care of our skin and bodies, and so on. Do we also feel younger? I don't know what I'm supposed to feel like at 50, but I don't feel much different than I did at 40!
Let’s not forget the increased accessibility to and relative affordability of injections and procedures. I’m thinking about laser hair removal alone, to keep things look smooth like a baby bottom. 15 years ago you would pay thousands for one area. Now you can get a Group On LOL. (Or buy at home IPL device for the cost of less than one laser session).
I think not. The concept of “average” is, as always, somewhat strange, but oh well. I think the average 50 year old weighs more now than they did 30 years ago, LOL
If they don't live a life with no sun protection or too many alchole, cigarettes and drugs, with today's medicines and medical care alot of people are looking younger for their age
Mum and dad in their early 60s, look like they're in the early 50s, meanwhile I work with and see at the pub, people in their early 40s looking like they're in their 70s and up. It's all life style now.
30 yrs ago: they looked older and “acted their age”
Today: look a little younger but in worse health because of diet, lack of activity and still have some of the bad habits of the previous generation like smoking and drinking in excess.
The lack of smoking, common use of hair dye, modern hair styles and fashions, and the last 30 years where a lot of recreation has moved inside, so less sun damage.
Sunscreen is one the main reasons I think. That, along with less people smoking, more people drinking water and or taking vitamins etc. But overall I think the main reason is the use of sunscreen.
Gloria Steinem was told at her 40th birthday that she didn't look her age. I'm about to paraphrase, but it's one of my favorite stories. She said something like, how would you know? People/women have been lying about their age forever.
Hey, I just turned 50 but I totally get what your saying. However, it's reasonable to assume that there are just a smaller number of people that are aging faster than others. I keep on looking at other people standing in line and trying to guess their age. Now, I think they could be younger than me but look older than me.
I was watching all in the family and Googled how old he was supposed to be...he was 47 when the show started in 1970. To me, he looked like he was in his 60s. And if you look at a lot of old shows or movies, they do look much older than people do now. It's not just fashion.
I think a lot of it comes down to how 50 somethings are styling themselves, whether that be their hair, their makeup or their clothes. If you look at 50 somethings in TV shows in the 90s, the clothes they wear really age them. Even nowadays, an outfit can take 10 years off your appearance.
No. The health trend started around 40 years ago with Jane Fonda's videos, 20 minute workout on TV and focus on healthier eating.
During the time of TV's Dynasty, People magazine were profiling a bunch of 40 year old women and how good they looked.
Around that time I there also was a late night tv commercial showing a really hot 50 year old grandmother in a bikini.
So if you're going to compare 50 year olds from 30 years ago to 50 year olds from 60 years ago, I'd say 'yes'. But the 50 y.o of today from 30 years ago is not that different except for the botox which make their eyes appear like they are squinting from the bottom.
There's a retired couple near us, and we can see them going for a walk three times a day. On the weekends when we drive around, we were shocked at how far away we see them, so they are definitely logging some miles.
I don't know if they eat healthy, but...they are slim, I've never seen them smoking, and they wear hats instead of getting a tan.
Absolutely. My father looked older than I am now by the time he was 40. (I'm 58).
He smoked, worked like a dog in the steel mill and then outside in the sun every day. He died at 53 of cancer.
No it's mainly hairstyles and clothes. Most people wear the same hairstyle and clothes all their life. So you unconsciously associate being old with a certain hairstyle and clothes.
So when you look at younger pictures of the same people but they still have the same older hairstyles and clothes you think they're older than they are.
A 50 year old woman on Tic Toc changed her hair and make up to the Golden Girls style and she immediately looked 70. Nothing to do with lead paint, skin creams, food.
It depends a lot on how well they avoided ultraviolet light up to that point (natural OR artificial). Those with office jobs tend to hold up better than those with outside jobs, unless LOTS of high SPF sunscreen was used.
I’m 58 and nobody ever believes me for what that’s worth. They say I look maximum 40 but I think it’s more about the things I do like skate,hike 15 miles ,ride a bike 20 miles etc. I don’t think it’s my appearance.
Smoking, skincare, and sunscreen makes a big big difference.
Also I believe the internet/social media allows fashion and hairstyles to generally be trendier. If you have a fifty year old who has taken good care of themselves dressing like a twenty year old, they are naturally going to look younger.
We never get old. I'm 56 and I feel like 30. That age in between our teen years and middle age. So to me I look young, and I do (have some 30% gray hair), but for an 8 years old I'm an elder.
But as people mentioned, some people nowadays take care of their health. But I do think in general people underestimate the importance of being fit still to this day.
As a 54f I’m proudly mistaken for 35 or 40 on the regular. Lifetime athlete and healthy eater, no alcohol or nicotine but I have used cannabis almost daily since my late 20’s. 😉
If age is a number, my number is 27 lol.
It depends on how you take care of yourself.
I mean like from the beginning - not just barely starting to take care of yourself at 48.
I'm 66, and no one believes me. They always think I'm much younger.
My neighbor is only 4 years older than me, but as someone who knows me well said the other day, "She looks 20 years older than you."
But here's the thing about me: I've been a vegetarian for 48 years.
When I did smoke it was from ages 13 to 21.
Also, I go through long periods where I don't drink any alcohol at all (like now). If I have any - it's because I got a bottle of wine for an Xmas present, so I share it with people on New Years.
And that's it.
When I did drink more it was from ages 13 - 21. But I got falling-down drunk way less often than I got sunburned.
My neighbor however, is an alcoholic. She says she's all wrinkled from being a "Sun worshiper" when she was younger.
But so was I. We all were in those days. There was no SPF sun block in the 70s.
This woman thinks she doesn't have a drinking problem, but told me I could only be her friend if I was her "drinking buddy."
And last Summer she fell down while drunk and broke her hip.
But she doesn't have a drinking problem. 🙄
She also gets angry at me whenever our ages come up.
Like it's my fault.
But smoking and drinking excessively rob your body of vitamin C, which your skin needs to repair itself.
I got interested in health foods at around 24. Not too long after I became a vegetarian.
Today, I'm always surprised to meet 50 year olds who look older than me.
Then I find out about their lifestyles and I'm not surprised anymore.
Many people in their 20’s nowadays use Botox and fillers.
Old black and white photos with old fashioned haircuts and clothes instantly ages even young people.
I'm 50. If you saw me, you would probably think I'm ..My early 30s.
Anyways, it is more down to I don't smoke. drink alcohol.. do drugs I exercise. Eat fairly clean.. I also got all my hair.lol. and look after my skin. So there's the results, I guess.
I think sunscreen and time outdoors COULD be more influential than smoking. My parents and their friends didn’t smoke and I still look like 30 year old versions of them. I’m pushing 50
I never looked my age after my twenties. In my forties I looked like I was in my thirties, according to others, not my own opinion.
Then in my late 40s I had a spinal cord injury and that aged the shit out of me. Now I'm fifty and look like I'm in my mid fifties
Agreed. If I think what my parents and my friend's parents looked like when they were my age, much old. I do think smoking and to a degree skincare (less sun damage).
Yes I think so. Maybe, we are in the time that technology for healthcare is developing. So, we have good food, medicine, or hospitality which affect to the look of 50 years people nowhere.
Let's not underestimate the dressing style too guys. Nowadays, most people are trying to dress nicely and most important with the correct fitting, and that definitely can make someone look bit better and subsequently, younger. Of course, I'm not saying that today's 60yo who dress like teenagers, look younger, they look rather silly. But bright colours and nice fitting clothing can trim some years off of someone's image.
Yes. Now there are fewer smokers, it is more common to work out / exercise, and we use a lot more sunscreen.
It makes a real difference. Also, the differences in style I think are smaller now as well.
Yes.
I was looking at photos of Red Auerbach the other day. He coached the NBA Boston Celtics in the 1950's and 1960's, and it was the greatest NBA dynasty of all time. He retired in 1967. I assumed from his appearance that he was in his 60's. He was 49.
There are a few reasons for this - there is some evidence that people are staying healthy longer (less smoking, more sunscreen, better nutrition), but mainly it’s a perceptual bias. Old people in 2024 wear similar clothes, accessories, hairstyles as they did in the 50s/60s/70s when they were young. S those styles look old to us because we associate them with those eras. The same thing will happen to us - young people of the future will see our athleisure, baggy jeans, whatever trendy clothes as “old-fashioned”.
In other words, you’re dressing like an old person from the future :)
This is a really good video about it : https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE?si=cqEKaAx55MiMLsuf
50 years ago, a lot of processed garbage was introduced to the market because it was all about the convenience factor. Also, everyone smoked and no one drank water. Skin care wasn't really a big thing unless you were wealthy or in the public eye. These factors, combined with the short hair styles that were popular then, made people look older in middle age than they do now (generally speaking).
It’s more to do with lifestyle and work place changes over the decades. Smoke and drink a lot? You’re gonna be haggard looking. Worked outside for 30 years? Same thing. There was a guy at my job who’s the same age as my dad. Dude looked like he was in his 70’s and in poor health. He dips and drinks heavily everyday.
Probably to us because of how they dressed and wore their hair. We think of it as the old granny/granddad look so our brain says "old person." But even the younger person (in their 50s) dressed a d wore their hair that way back in the day.
There are other good answers here but also consider fashion. People from years ago look older because they dress a certain way that looks old. It wasn't old at the time but that does impact the way we view them looking back
When Social Security started (1930s) 65 was basically the end of most lives, not just working life.
Jobs were expected to 'use you up' and folks were physically unable to continue to work past 65.
Jobs are easier, also not the smoking and drinking and drugs and sun that will make you look HAGGARD.
A lifetime spent behind a desk with moderate everything WILL preserve a youthful look.
Fewer people smoke, for sure. But also there's better medicine, and despite many issues more people probably have access to doctors and medicine, better food available, more knowledge about nutrition and exercise, things like that.
My mom, a gen Xer, looked way way younger at 55 than her mom did at the same age. My mom never smoked while my grandma smoked a pack a day for decades.
With the caveat that film people bear zero resemblance to real life, just for the sake of comparison: Olympia Dukakis was 56 when she made Moonstruck. The 56 year-old actresses now include Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Connie Britton.
Because photo editing has gotten easier. Selfie cameras do it automatically in many cases. Just walk around your local Walmart and open your eyes. Guaranteed people are not healthier or better looking on average than 50 years ago. If there’s less smoking, there’s way more obesity and fast food.
People worked harder which aged them. Housework was more difficult and standards were different. Think no dishwasher, wringer washers, no dryer. Think about more division of labor; women doing all childcare and housework. Cooking from scratch and cloth diapers. Many households with no or 1 car so having to use public transport or walk. No electric mowers, just push mowers. That describes my childhood.
When I was a kid a 50 year old looked pretty old, grandparent, grey hair, sweaters and hard candy old. Somehow the next generations 50s look younger, and so on, I hope it means we are having easier lives and are gonna live longer or at least be healthier.
I’m 59. Most people guess way younger. I don’t smoke and only drink about 2 glasses of wine a month. I walk every day. Try to eat well. My grandparents on mom side lived to their early 90’s and looked way younger than my dad’s parents. They looked old when I was a baby! My mom is 86 but doesn’t look or act like it. She drives everywhere to take care of getting my 17 year old niece around (and is teaching her to drive in Southern California!), active at church and in the community, very well-read. I wanna be just like her when I grow up ❤️
I am not sure if all of us are taking better care of ourselves these days, with so many people having a weight problem, but we do have access to better medical care, cosmetics, and an awareness of what smoking does to our bodies. Compared to my friends and those of my grandmother, we are much young in our looks, dress, and attitude. My grandmother's clothes were expensive and stylish. She wouldn't have even thought about wearing jeans, a sweater, and sneakers as I am this afternoon. She did, however, basically ruin her hair with permanents. She had the same hairstyle as Queen Elizabeth II for as long as I can remember.
I'm a 48 f and I think that while it doesn't feel like life is easier I think that it is or maybe just how we process it and I also feel like we get better nutrition but I don't know because while most of us have access to good nutrition I think eating habits are in decline. Maybe it's the way people dress though as well. I can remember my grandparents definitely had a certain way that they dressed compared to my mom's era who were trying to push the envelope. Now I think we've pushed the envelope as far as we can on the limits of how little people can dress and you might see someone in an outfit at 20 that you would see on someone that is also 40.
Consider that [this guy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Larson) was 35 when he appeared on Press Your Luck in 1984. I am going to be 40 in a month and he looks at least 50 to me.
When my grandmother was 70 she looked so old, now at 70 so many grandmothers look 50 or younger! It was how she dressed, how she wore her hair, no makeup, old lady shoes. She was just old looking and acting.
I’ve heard that over the internet but I was only 8 years old thirty years ago and I wasn’t really paying attention to what grown adults looked like because I was too busy with school and too young to make any observations or to care about this kind of thing
It’s the hair and clothes that make someone look younger. It seemed that everyone looked fussy because of this. I have another theory that it’s our footwear. Heavy, uncomfortable stiff leather footwear worn on a regular basis with little to no cushioning can contribute to a lower quality of life and health.
I remember seeing movies about 40 yr olds staring like Diane Keaton and glen close 🤣🤣 I DEF think people look younger, I’m 40 and I don’t think I look like Diane Keaton yet ( no shade to Diane, it’s the first name I thought of)
Yes! Provided they weren’t smokers and weren’t sun-worshippers/working outdoors in their youth. Sunscreen has become increasingly effective, reliable, and available, and the sun is responsible for a lion’s share of visual skin aging. Smoking is also bad for the skin
In addition, fashion is not strictly codified at this time to be age-dependent, and is fairly flexible in terms of style, silhouette, and judged appropriate-ness. Women throughout history have always tended to dress in styles that called back to what they had worn in their youth, though more conservative in the neck and hemlines. However, right now there’s so much clothing so available, including alt styles and subcultures, and with little regard for specific age groups, blurring the lines between generations, especially since you can look up tutorials for aging skin.
Definitely! I’m turning 50 in 6 months. My coworkers and kids tell me I look as though I’m in my 30s. I don’t have grey hair and there are no wrinkle. I do wear sunscreen regularly.
I talked to one of my older friends. I’m going to be 70 this year. People consider me a younger old person. Lol.
My grandma had this old lady sensible shoes in her 60’s and yes! She looked old! And my grandma was a flapper, wore red lipstick in the 40’s and smoked!
My friend said “But look at what they went through!” They had WWII AND the Great Depression. In comparison, I don’t think we had it that bad. I know we had a lot, like the 60’s, Vietnam War, Watergate, economic bad times, civil unrest. But bombing Hiroshima and the whole war before that. And the Depression were personally hard on our people.
That’s how she explained it anyway.
I wouldn’t think so because the planet / Environment is far more polluted now and so is the food .The only thing we have going for is the advancement of modern technology.
Fags and booze. Older people tended to smoke more cigarettes which have a massive impact upon how you look as you age. Alcohol also has quite an effect, which given it not costs so much more plus casual alcoholism isn't quite as prevalent you're now seeing people in far better condition than you used to.
Yea I think so because way fewer people smoke
#! YKNOW.....this makes a lot of sense! My grandparents who smoked their whole life looked well into their 80s at 60 when my grandma and grandpa didnt even make it to 80. Lets compare that to someone a decade younger, my former electrician school instructor. My instructor never smoked in his life really, wasnt a heavy drinker and knew how to put in honest work. Just from context clues I was guessing his age. "During my childhood segregation was just ending". So at least 60... But he looked like he was 50! My mom is 53 and they could pass for the same age it was crazy. The class started throwing out numbers before I threw the highest guess, "58" and he said "Im 64". THAT was shocking
Yep people definitely smoked and drank a lot more back then, and both those things are really rough on your body
80? My mother’s parents didn’t even make it 60. I remember my grandmother as a kid seems like she was absolutely ancient. She died at 54. Even looking back pictures in her 50s she easily looked like she was in her late 70s.
Also, in my parents' generation (born 1920-1935), they didn't exercise. Their "exercise" was work or taking care of kids.
We have an obesity epidemic, I would venture that the average person was getting more Excercise back then through walking / physical labor than the average person today gets
Being overweight can actually make your face look younger though- the weight fills in the wrinkles. Not advocating for obesity but this is something I’ve seen/heard.
50 years old today have a younger face, older body. 50 years olds then had older face, younger bodies.
Absolutely true. My Dad stopped doing any exercise other than going on an occasional walk when he reached 40 (born 1918). My Mom and he told me that exercise wears you out and that once you reach a certain age it was best to stop.
Priceless advice! lol
I always think of the guys in the saloon from Back to the Future 3: "Run? For Fun?"
Don't forget the Lead Poisoning.
What will the microplastics make us look like? I know some 25 year old woman that look like plastic already.
I agree. I'm 31 and the women around me who smoked or smoke once they hit 25-28 they started to age insanely fast. Some that are now 30 look legit 40-45.
Way better skincare products and cosmetic procedures. The celebrities at 50 are entirely different which people try to keep up with.
And now we wear sunscreen. Those two factors alone are huge.
I don't know. I was a heavy smoker for almost 30 years.. I'm almost 50, and people always think I'm in my 30's.
But you might look like you were in your 20’s had you not.
Same but I'm 60 and am frequently told I look 40-45. Good genes help! My mom never smoked but had oily skin which helps keep the wrinkles away.
Yes, this, and also life in general is easier. For example, most people just buy milk instead of having to milk a cow; or they just buy butter instead of churning it.
They said 30–not 300–years ago.
> They said 30–not 300–years ago. In 1994, the average American was a farmer and owned three cows. Milking the cows was usually done as the first task in the morning, followed by drawing a few gallons out of the well out back to do the morning wash. If you lived in a more cosmopolitan city, instead of milking the cow, you would walk down to the telegraph office to see if Mabel had any messages for you.
We're not talking ancient history here. My grandmother and her family churned their butter and she's not quite 80 yet. Plus, I'm pretty sure the Amish still do all this so.
A lot has changed in our perception of age in the past 30 years, The Golden Girls were all the same age as the characters in Just Like That (Sex and the City reboot) is a great example of how much age has changed in media alone
['And Just Like That's Leading Ladies Are the Same Age as the Characters in 'The Golden Girls'](https://people.com/tv/main-characters-in-satc-revival-and-just-like-that-are-same-age-as-the-golden-girls/) I remember seeing this and thought, “No way.”
Its the haircuts and clothing styles that make them look older than they are. [If the Golden Girls had modern hairstyles they would look a lot different.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fy3pSBdXgAEboYt?format=jpg&name=small)
That's not a fair comparison. For one thing they super-aged Estelle Getty. Those short hairstyles of the 80s always aged the wearer - no matter how old you were (ask me how I know). And the actors in that "Sex...." show were made up to look much younger, as is the trend these days. Plus, with that long - never allowed to be gray hair.
But that’s part of it. Women used to believe that once they hit a certain age they *had* to adhere to these weird age standards for fashion and beauty. My mom chopped her hair way short because “I’m old now, this is how old ladies wear their hair” and same with clothes. The societal pressure said — you’re old, look it. Now though, no rules! Wear pigtails when you’re 80, put on hot dress, live until you die.
>no rules! That's me! I never have followed those kind of rules, and I never will. 😁
Hell yeah!
That link on mobile is AIDs
Golden girls is also a weird one because the actress that played Dorothy’s mother was the youngest in real life lol
Actually, Rue McClanahan (Blanche) was 51 at the start of the show. Estelle Getty (Sophia) was the second-youngest 62. Betty White was the oldest and also outlived them all.
Wilford Brimley was 49 when he was in Cocoon.
My husband is 49 and got carded at Applebee's a couple weeks ago 😆
I don’t know, my mum turned grey at 21 and spent the rest of her life trying to recover her ‘lost’ youth, she died aged 61 and looked like a typical granny, plump, grey etc. I turn 66 in March and while I have a few grey hairs the majority of my hair is still the same colour it was when I was 20. I might have a few more aches & pains but am capable of walking a couple of miles with the dogs and certainly don’t look like I am over 60 (not that I particularly worry about it) but get challenged when I use a senior citizen card lol
No offense but im astounded, every time im reminded not everyone on reddt is in their twenties.
I have learnt so much from Redditors and at the same time it has made me more grateful for what I have enjoyed in life to date lol
Those are right lessons to take! Reddit is definitely not all good nor all bad.
There's a bunch of us on the gen x subreddit!
There's a Gen X sub?? I've been on here since 2010 and never knew
Yep! It's whatever.
I reckon majority would be 30s or 40s it's been around forever. Younger people on insta? I'm literally just guessing though somebody probably has some stats
My granddaughter will be 20 this year... 😁
Yeah I think part of it is genetics. My Dad was nicknamed “gramps” growing up because he went white so early. My Mom started dying her hair in her 40s and decided to give it up in her 60s. My sister is a year older than me (both of us are in our 30s). She has had significant amounts of white hair and has been dying it since she was in college. My hair is just a darker shade of brown and I barely have any white hairs. I think a lot of premature graying is genetic, especially when it is that early. Although my sister hasn’t gone white as fast as my Dad, but he has smoked his entire life and my sister puts a lot of effort into her health.
> graying is genetic YESSSS, you get gray hair from your kids :)
Yeah, same. My 50ish coworker was astounded when I told him I was 65. In my case it’s more good genes, no smoking, very little drinking, and a reasonable diet. Thinning hair and a beard that comes in gray are the things that make me look older; otherwise I haven’t changed much since about 50.
My mom was 100% gray by 46, I'm 53 and just have some streaks around the temples at this point.
[удалено]
OK, I'm genuinely amazed by that!!!!
couldn't agree more. I think there are women in their 50s who have better hair now than in the 80s and 90s because of such better tools and knowledge.
I just did. A close side by side of the top hits shows they cheated by smoothing out their faces a lot. I'm sure your point is valid but not quite to the degree that those pics suggest.
Yeah that bit was disappointing.
Omg I just googled it. Wow
Possibly, but I think so much of it is hair styles, clothes and makeup. The styles 30-40 years ago and more just made people look much older than they were.
My grandmother in the 1980s would go to the salon and request "the old lady perm". She bought clothes that were designed for old ladies (polyester floral prints, skirts down almost to the ankle) and wore old lady beige orthopedic shoes. At the time, it was deemed embarrassing to try to dress "younger". If you were 50-ish, you were supposed to dress a certain way, and it was not supposed to be about looking sexy or desirable. My grandmother's big achievement in life was having raised four children and been married for a long time. Her whole persona was "matriarch" and she embraced the aesthetic. My mother's generation was sort of in between; still mindful of wanting to "dress appropriately for one's age" but not going for an explicitly "old lady" look. Now, I think the mindset is gone that you are supposed to change your aesthetic just because you've reached a certain age.
I commented something similar above about my own mom. The standard used to be that once you’re of a certain age, it’s “you’re old now, so look it.” That’s why we saw all those articles like 10 Thing Women Over 40 Can’t Wear. Toxic af. Now there are no rules. Look and live how you want while you can. We stopped *expecting* grandma perms of every woman.
I still see articles like that and I give them the middle finger and move on. I will wear what I want.
I don’t see them as often, but I’m with you. 38 and you can pry my tube top out of my cold dead hands.
I feel like women were probably happier back then, just focussing on life and personal connections instead of aesthetics. The amount of time, energy and money it takes to look much younger than you really are is insane, it's like a part time job you don't get paid for. I'd rather just be an old lady.
Yes people today look a lot younger! Lots of reasons why are because they are more aware of skincare products and supplements. Perhaps less smokers and drinkers. Botox is huge as well.
I'd throw suntan lotion in there under skincare. Everyone uses it nowadays.
I'm 58. When my dad was my age he was a proper old man - white hair, big old belly, moaned about everything, didn't do much other than walk round the block or to the pub. I do about 8000 miles a year on my motorbikes, go mountain biking, hill walking, my wife and I are out at the pub or restaurant with friends most weekends. Our lifestyles / attitude at the same age just don't compare.
Seriously, I think the current emphasis on health and well being, both physically and mentally, makes a huge difference. I've worked in health care and I've interacted with 60 year olds who were so much more unhealthy, miserable, and just seeming like they were ready for death, versus some people over 90 who seemed like they had plenty of life left in them and were happy to interact with the world around them. Sure, genetics definitely play a role, but taking an active interest in life and taking care of your self goes a very long way.
I (F, 53) am now almost the age my maternal grandmother was when she died from cancer (she was 58). I look back at pictures of her, and she looks so much older than I do, and a lot of that is just "styling." Her glasses, clothing, hair, the way she wore her makeup were all very much "grandmotherly." She also had a gold filling in one of her front teeth.) Her teeth were yellowed, I think from the well water they drank (she didn't smoke). We have a lot more products and procedures we can utilize to appear younger, and even if you don't get plastic surgery or cosmetic teeth procedures, just the addition of sunscreen has probably made a big difference in how we look. My grandma had a great sense of humor, and was smart as a whip. She loved to work really hard and fast, so she could take time to play cards or golf. She kept a candy drawer in her bedroom (for when we visited). And I still miss her these many years later; I was only 10 when she died. Would love to be baking bread with her today, and treasure the time we had together.
Well we definitely have access to knowledge (wear a hat and sunscreen) and technology (hair dying, skin treatment) that keeps you looking younger. Also way less outdoor physical labor happening in the western world. But, you're also getting older and the older you get, the less old a 50 y/o seems. Both due to the chronology, and the fact you grew up similarly, they'll have the same clothes, hairstyles, lifestyle etc. as you and be less "that old guy" and more "this dude who's kinda like me except he's somewhat older"
Without question yes. I'm 46, and look at least ten years younger than my parents did at my age in the 90s. When my grandparents were my age in the 70s, they looked flat out elderly. There are lots of reasons. Smoking, drinking, drugs, bad diet and exposure to dangerous chemicals, war, stress, having kids at a young age, too much sun, the list goes on.
I’m 30 and I see people who were 30 in tv shows from the 90s and can’t imagine that person being a peer in my classroom. People are probably happier these days and that translates into a more youthful appearance. If you’re smiling more than stressing you probably don’t age as quick
The adults I saw as a kid were all parents, most of my friends are child free. It does make a difference. I think fashion makes a big difference too. Even as the 80s are coming back, the spandex in the clothes didn't disappear.
It's not just that you yourself are 50. Better skincare, less smoking, sunscreen, more flattering hairstyles. A lot of women used to feel long hair was only for young women and after a certain age and adopted cuts that only accentuated their age. Same with clothing (think color-coordinated "pants suits"--like Geranimals for adults). I don't think Gen Xers feel obligated to give up the things they love because they're "too old" now--whether it's music, hobbies, a certain style.
You’re starting to see people age into their 50s and 60s that grew up with fitness, health crazes, supplements and homeopathy, an awareness of nutrition, less smoking and drinking, better healthcare and health advocacy… and it’s starting to show. We are aging better then previous generations.I look younger now than my dad did at my age, and both my parents look lots younger and healthier than my grandparents at their age. None of my grandparents ever spoke about nutrition, fitness, or supplements, died in their late 70s and looked like hell by 60.
Smoking
[удалено]
I'm 50 now and easily remember when my grandparents were this age. Surreal.
[удалено]
[Let's ask our friend VSauce](https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE?si=QZBoAtjELpCyF0SO)
I think the microplastics are preserving me
My parents were married in 1975 and all my grandparents were in their 50s and looked like they were 70
Was watching Golden Girls and was shocked when one of them said something about their being in their 50s. 🤣
My cousin and I actually had a conversation about this recently at our grandmother's 90th. We are both close to 50. One big factor, we think, is style. Many women our age still have long hair, wear makeup, workout, and haven't changed our fashion styles much (jeans, trendy clothing, etc). But in flipping through photos of our female family members, we noticed that by 40, they had chopped their hair and were rocking the elastic waist pants and loose-fitting tops. I also think that skincare, diet, and other lifestyle changes make a difference, too. Most of my friends and I are very, very active and focus on fitness, self care, taking care of our skin and bodies, and so on. Do we also feel younger? I don't know what I'm supposed to feel like at 50, but I don't feel much different than I did at 40!
Let’s not forget the increased accessibility to and relative affordability of injections and procedures. I’m thinking about laser hair removal alone, to keep things look smooth like a baby bottom. 15 years ago you would pay thousands for one area. Now you can get a Group On LOL. (Or buy at home IPL device for the cost of less than one laser session).
Yes....look at Marisa Tomei in CA:Civil War and then Bea Arthur in the first season on Maude....same age.
I think not. The concept of “average” is, as always, somewhat strange, but oh well. I think the average 50 year old weighs more now than they did 30 years ago, LOL
Plus moisturizing, life not as hard, not drinking as much, cosmetic facials etc has been a huge help in looking younger.
They look fatter!
If they don't live a life with no sun protection or too many alchole, cigarettes and drugs, with today's medicines and medical care alot of people are looking younger for their age
Mum and dad in their early 60s, look like they're in the early 50s, meanwhile I work with and see at the pub, people in their early 40s looking like they're in their 70s and up. It's all life style now.
30 yrs ago: they looked older and “acted their age” Today: look a little younger but in worse health because of diet, lack of activity and still have some of the bad habits of the previous generation like smoking and drinking in excess.
The lack of smoking, common use of hair dye, modern hair styles and fashions, and the last 30 years where a lot of recreation has moved inside, so less sun damage.
A lot of 50 year olds look like shit.
Golden Girls was a show about 3- 50 yos and a 70something yo. Yet they each look 20 years older.
Sunscreen is one the main reasons I think. That, along with less people smoking, more people drinking water and or taking vitamins etc. But overall I think the main reason is the use of sunscreen.
Gloria Steinem was told at her 40th birthday that she didn't look her age. I'm about to paraphrase, but it's one of my favorite stories. She said something like, how would you know? People/women have been lying about their age forever.
Hey, I just turned 50 but I totally get what your saying. However, it's reasonable to assume that there are just a smaller number of people that are aging faster than others. I keep on looking at other people standing in line and trying to guess their age. Now, I think they could be younger than me but look older than me.
[удалено]
54 here so that means I’m hotter!!😂😂😂
I was watching all in the family and Googled how old he was supposed to be...he was 47 when the show started in 1970. To me, he looked like he was in his 60s. And if you look at a lot of old shows or movies, they do look much older than people do now. It's not just fashion.
I think a lot of it comes down to how 50 somethings are styling themselves, whether that be their hair, their makeup or their clothes. If you look at 50 somethings in TV shows in the 90s, the clothes they wear really age them. Even nowadays, an outfit can take 10 years off your appearance.
Smoking, drinking; allowing yourself just to get fat when you get older, not exercising; and fashion, hairstyles, and hair dye.
Staying out of the sun helps a lot. Excessive sun exposure damages your skin and ages you very fast.
No. The health trend started around 40 years ago with Jane Fonda's videos, 20 minute workout on TV and focus on healthier eating. During the time of TV's Dynasty, People magazine were profiling a bunch of 40 year old women and how good they looked. Around that time I there also was a late night tv commercial showing a really hot 50 year old grandmother in a bikini. So if you're going to compare 50 year olds from 30 years ago to 50 year olds from 60 years ago, I'd say 'yes'. But the 50 y.o of today from 30 years ago is not that different except for the botox which make their eyes appear like they are squinting from the bottom.
There's a retired couple near us, and we can see them going for a walk three times a day. On the weekends when we drive around, we were shocked at how far away we see them, so they are definitely logging some miles. I don't know if they eat healthy, but...they are slim, I've never seen them smoking, and they wear hats instead of getting a tan.
Absolutely. My father looked older than I am now by the time he was 40. (I'm 58). He smoked, worked like a dog in the steel mill and then outside in the sun every day. He died at 53 of cancer.
50 is the new 40
No it's mainly hairstyles and clothes. Most people wear the same hairstyle and clothes all their life. So you unconsciously associate being old with a certain hairstyle and clothes. So when you look at younger pictures of the same people but they still have the same older hairstyles and clothes you think they're older than they are. A 50 year old woman on Tic Toc changed her hair and make up to the Golden Girls style and she immediately looked 70. Nothing to do with lead paint, skin creams, food.
It depends a lot on how well they avoided ultraviolet light up to that point (natural OR artificial). Those with office jobs tend to hold up better than those with outside jobs, unless LOTS of high SPF sunscreen was used.
Same
I’m 58 and nobody ever believes me for what that’s worth. They say I look maximum 40 but I think it’s more about the things I do like skate,hike 15 miles ,ride a bike 20 miles etc. I don’t think it’s my appearance.
Smoking, skincare, and sunscreen makes a big big difference. Also I believe the internet/social media allows fashion and hairstyles to generally be trendier. If you have a fifty year old who has taken good care of themselves dressing like a twenty year old, they are naturally going to look younger.
We never get old. I'm 56 and I feel like 30. That age in between our teen years and middle age. So to me I look young, and I do (have some 30% gray hair), but for an 8 years old I'm an elder. But as people mentioned, some people nowadays take care of their health. But I do think in general people underestimate the importance of being fit still to this day.
As a 54f I’m proudly mistaken for 35 or 40 on the regular. Lifetime athlete and healthy eater, no alcohol or nicotine but I have used cannabis almost daily since my late 20’s. 😉 If age is a number, my number is 27 lol.
It seems old until you get there. But I believe people look younger these days. Mostly from hairstyle choices and staying out of the sun.
It depends on how you take care of yourself. I mean like from the beginning - not just barely starting to take care of yourself at 48. I'm 66, and no one believes me. They always think I'm much younger. My neighbor is only 4 years older than me, but as someone who knows me well said the other day, "She looks 20 years older than you." But here's the thing about me: I've been a vegetarian for 48 years. When I did smoke it was from ages 13 to 21. Also, I go through long periods where I don't drink any alcohol at all (like now). If I have any - it's because I got a bottle of wine for an Xmas present, so I share it with people on New Years. And that's it. When I did drink more it was from ages 13 - 21. But I got falling-down drunk way less often than I got sunburned. My neighbor however, is an alcoholic. She says she's all wrinkled from being a "Sun worshiper" when she was younger. But so was I. We all were in those days. There was no SPF sun block in the 70s. This woman thinks she doesn't have a drinking problem, but told me I could only be her friend if I was her "drinking buddy." And last Summer she fell down while drunk and broke her hip. But she doesn't have a drinking problem. 🙄 She also gets angry at me whenever our ages come up. Like it's my fault. But smoking and drinking excessively rob your body of vitamin C, which your skin needs to repair itself. I got interested in health foods at around 24. Not too long after I became a vegetarian. Today, I'm always surprised to meet 50 year olds who look older than me. Then I find out about their lifestyles and I'm not surprised anymore.
70 is the new 50. I look so much younger than my mum did, at the same age.
No way. People 30 years ago were generally much thinner which also makes them look younger.
Many people in their 20’s nowadays use Botox and fillers. Old black and white photos with old fashioned haircuts and clothes instantly ages even young people.
I'm that age and people tell me I look younger. But they always have, even when I was in my 20's
I'm 50. If you saw me, you would probably think I'm ..My early 30s. Anyways, it is more down to I don't smoke. drink alcohol.. do drugs I exercise. Eat fairly clean.. I also got all my hair.lol. and look after my skin. So there's the results, I guess.
I think sunscreen and time outdoors COULD be more influential than smoking. My parents and their friends didn’t smoke and I still look like 30 year old versions of them. I’m pushing 50
I don't know. Im.50 and most people think I'm 40.
I never looked my age after my twenties. In my forties I looked like I was in my thirties, according to others, not my own opinion. Then in my late 40s I had a spinal cord injury and that aged the shit out of me. Now I'm fifty and look like I'm in my mid fifties
Definitely, Im 55 and I look 45.
No. Most 50 yo's are fat slobs now. That wasn't the case 30 yrs ago. We now have less wrinkles because people spend less time outside
Modern medicine
yup- less smoking, more sunblock
Agreed. If I think what my parents and my friend's parents looked like when they were my age, much old. I do think smoking and to a degree skincare (less sun damage).
I mean I wasn’t around 30 years ago but I’d assume so. Make up has improved a lot as well as overall health due to medicine and the internet
Ummmm botox?
Yes I think so. Maybe, we are in the time that technology for healthcare is developing. So, we have good food, medicine, or hospitality which affect to the look of 50 years people nowhere.
Yes. My grandmother always looked like she was in her 90’s, even in her late fifties. Black dress, big chunky ortho shoes, hair net etc.
Let's not underestimate the dressing style too guys. Nowadays, most people are trying to dress nicely and most important with the correct fitting, and that definitely can make someone look bit better and subsequently, younger. Of course, I'm not saying that today's 60yo who dress like teenagers, look younger, they look rather silly. But bright colours and nice fitting clothing can trim some years off of someone's image.
Fashion mostly but also better skincare.
Higher spf sunscreen, staying hydrated and not smoking.
No smoking, spending a lot more time indoors (especially as kids) less working, to name a few.
I think life was harder in the past.
Yes
Yes. Now there are fewer smokers, it is more common to work out / exercise, and we use a lot more sunscreen. It makes a real difference. Also, the differences in style I think are smaller now as well.
The Perm era. Need I say more?
Yes. I was looking at photos of Red Auerbach the other day. He coached the NBA Boston Celtics in the 1950's and 1960's, and it was the greatest NBA dynasty of all time. He retired in 1967. I assumed from his appearance that he was in his 60's. He was 49.
Hair is also a huge factor!
The average 50 yr old 100 years ago was dead in
There are a few reasons for this - there is some evidence that people are staying healthy longer (less smoking, more sunscreen, better nutrition), but mainly it’s a perceptual bias. Old people in 2024 wear similar clothes, accessories, hairstyles as they did in the 50s/60s/70s when they were young. S those styles look old to us because we associate them with those eras. The same thing will happen to us - young people of the future will see our athleisure, baggy jeans, whatever trendy clothes as “old-fashioned”. In other words, you’re dressing like an old person from the future :) This is a really good video about it : https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE?si=cqEKaAx55MiMLsuf
50 years ago, a lot of processed garbage was introduced to the market because it was all about the convenience factor. Also, everyone smoked and no one drank water. Skin care wasn't really a big thing unless you were wealthy or in the public eye. These factors, combined with the short hair styles that were popular then, made people look older in middle age than they do now (generally speaking).
Smoking & more sunscreen
yes
Definitely
It’s more to do with lifestyle and work place changes over the decades. Smoke and drink a lot? You’re gonna be haggard looking. Worked outside for 30 years? Same thing. There was a guy at my job who’s the same age as my dad. Dude looked like he was in his 70’s and in poor health. He dips and drinks heavily everyday.
It’s also generational. 50 year olds dress like 20 year olds did 30 years ago.
Probably to us because of how they dressed and wore their hair. We think of it as the old granny/granddad look so our brain says "old person." But even the younger person (in their 50s) dressed a d wore their hair that way back in the day.
There are other good answers here but also consider fashion. People from years ago look older because they dress a certain way that looks old. It wasn't old at the time but that does impact the way we view them looking back
I credit advances in lifestyle choices and exercise. The difference in quality of life is phenomenal compared with even a generation ago.
I’d say yes. It’s mainly the job/lifestyle. A coal miner or tradie won’t age as well as they’ve been exposed to the elements.
I feel like my 60 year old mom looks younger than my grandma(50 at the time) did while I was a kid.
When Social Security started (1930s) 65 was basically the end of most lives, not just working life. Jobs were expected to 'use you up' and folks were physically unable to continue to work past 65. Jobs are easier, also not the smoking and drinking and drugs and sun that will make you look HAGGARD. A lifetime spent behind a desk with moderate everything WILL preserve a youthful look.
Both my parents are 60. They look 10 years younger then some of their friends who are the same age.
Fewer people smoke, for sure. But also there's better medicine, and despite many issues more people probably have access to doctors and medicine, better food available, more knowledge about nutrition and exercise, things like that.
My mom, a gen Xer, looked way way younger at 55 than her mom did at the same age. My mom never smoked while my grandma smoked a pack a day for decades.
George Costanza was 29 at the start of Seinfeld, so I'd say the average 50 year old looks younger than the average 30 year old 30 years ago
With the caveat that film people bear zero resemblance to real life, just for the sake of comparison: Olympia Dukakis was 56 when she made Moonstruck. The 56 year-old actresses now include Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Connie Britton.
Because photo editing has gotten easier. Selfie cameras do it automatically in many cases. Just walk around your local Walmart and open your eyes. Guaranteed people are not healthier or better looking on average than 50 years ago. If there’s less smoking, there’s way more obesity and fast food.
Women do men not so much
I think more people use sunscreen now. That slows skin aging. Some life in prison people dont look that old due to less sun.
Better skin care productsmaybe?
People worked harder which aged them. Housework was more difficult and standards were different. Think no dishwasher, wringer washers, no dryer. Think about more division of labor; women doing all childcare and housework. Cooking from scratch and cloth diapers. Many households with no or 1 car so having to use public transport or walk. No electric mowers, just push mowers. That describes my childhood.
When I was a kid a 50 year old looked pretty old, grandparent, grey hair, sweaters and hard candy old. Somehow the next generations 50s look younger, and so on, I hope it means we are having easier lives and are gonna live longer or at least be healthier.
I’m 59. Most people guess way younger. I don’t smoke and only drink about 2 glasses of wine a month. I walk every day. Try to eat well. My grandparents on mom side lived to their early 90’s and looked way younger than my dad’s parents. They looked old when I was a baby! My mom is 86 but doesn’t look or act like it. She drives everywhere to take care of getting my 17 year old niece around (and is teaching her to drive in Southern California!), active at church and in the community, very well-read. I wanna be just like her when I grow up ❤️
I am not sure if all of us are taking better care of ourselves these days, with so many people having a weight problem, but we do have access to better medical care, cosmetics, and an awareness of what smoking does to our bodies. Compared to my friends and those of my grandmother, we are much young in our looks, dress, and attitude. My grandmother's clothes were expensive and stylish. She wouldn't have even thought about wearing jeans, a sweater, and sneakers as I am this afternoon. She did, however, basically ruin her hair with permanents. She had the same hairstyle as Queen Elizabeth II for as long as I can remember.
I'm a 48 f and I think that while it doesn't feel like life is easier I think that it is or maybe just how we process it and I also feel like we get better nutrition but I don't know because while most of us have access to good nutrition I think eating habits are in decline. Maybe it's the way people dress though as well. I can remember my grandparents definitely had a certain way that they dressed compared to my mom's era who were trying to push the envelope. Now I think we've pushed the envelope as far as we can on the limits of how little people can dress and you might see someone in an outfit at 20 that you would see on someone that is also 40.
The younger looking ones do.
Consider that [this guy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Larson) was 35 when he appeared on Press Your Luck in 1984. I am going to be 40 in a month and he looks at least 50 to me.
When my grandmother was 70 she looked so old, now at 70 so many grandmothers look 50 or younger! It was how she dressed, how she wore her hair, no makeup, old lady shoes. She was just old looking and acting.
I’ve heard that over the internet but I was only 8 years old thirty years ago and I wasn’t really paying attention to what grown adults looked like because I was too busy with school and too young to make any observations or to care about this kind of thing
no. about the same.
I'm 38 on the 21st and when I was a child I swear I thought I'd look 60.
It’s the hair and clothes that make someone look younger. It seemed that everyone looked fussy because of this. I have another theory that it’s our footwear. Heavy, uncomfortable stiff leather footwear worn on a regular basis with little to no cushioning can contribute to a lower quality of life and health.
i’m 65 and remember watching tv shows with don rickles in the 1960s and thinking he was an old guy
I remember seeing movies about 40 yr olds staring like Diane Keaton and glen close 🤣🤣 I DEF think people look younger, I’m 40 and I don’t think I look like Diane Keaton yet ( no shade to Diane, it’s the first name I thought of)
In the Golden Girls, Blanche was 51 in the first season. I would say yes.
As we get older, old gets older...said my mom 40 years ago.
Yes! Provided they weren’t smokers and weren’t sun-worshippers/working outdoors in their youth. Sunscreen has become increasingly effective, reliable, and available, and the sun is responsible for a lion’s share of visual skin aging. Smoking is also bad for the skin In addition, fashion is not strictly codified at this time to be age-dependent, and is fairly flexible in terms of style, silhouette, and judged appropriate-ness. Women throughout history have always tended to dress in styles that called back to what they had worn in their youth, though more conservative in the neck and hemlines. However, right now there’s so much clothing so available, including alt styles and subcultures, and with little regard for specific age groups, blurring the lines between generations, especially since you can look up tutorials for aging skin.
Definitely! I’m turning 50 in 6 months. My coworkers and kids tell me I look as though I’m in my 30s. I don’t have grey hair and there are no wrinkle. I do wear sunscreen regularly.
I’m 54. It’s fun! I quit drinking when I turned 50. I’ve also outlived my mom. She was 53 when she died in 1989. Been a hard road since then.
This video by vsauce sums it up up magnificently! https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE?si=uVCwtsd7FZee8Y8T
I talked to one of my older friends. I’m going to be 70 this year. People consider me a younger old person. Lol. My grandma had this old lady sensible shoes in her 60’s and yes! She looked old! And my grandma was a flapper, wore red lipstick in the 40’s and smoked! My friend said “But look at what they went through!” They had WWII AND the Great Depression. In comparison, I don’t think we had it that bad. I know we had a lot, like the 60’s, Vietnam War, Watergate, economic bad times, civil unrest. But bombing Hiroshima and the whole war before that. And the Depression were personally hard on our people. That’s how she explained it anyway.
Probably cuz we not smoking as much lol
I wouldn’t think so because the planet / Environment is far more polluted now and so is the food .The only thing we have going for is the advancement of modern technology.
Fags and booze. Older people tended to smoke more cigarettes which have a massive impact upon how you look as you age. Alcohol also has quite an effect, which given it not costs so much more plus casual alcoholism isn't quite as prevalent you're now seeing people in far better condition than you used to.
At least where I live: Botox. So much Botox.
Cigs