Lovelyish

I definitely have these issues.  At nearly 5’1″, I’m kind of an easy target when I get mad.  That doesn’t really bother me too much, since it actually helps me to learn to laugh at myself.  The problem I have with looking and sounding young is that I really don’t think I’m attractive (I mean, I’m sure I’m cute, but in a little girl kind of way).  I’m 21, and I can’t wait until looking young starts paying off!

it’s not because you are small and babyfaced, it is because you have a small emotional presence. work on that. i know girls who are five feet tall and babyfaced and believe me, we all take them seriously when they are mad. 

I’M EXACTLY LIKE THAT!!!!!!!

I’m not short.. but pretty much everyone who meets me thinks I’m 18. I’m 23. It’s so frustrating… I guess I’ll like it when I’m 35.

Yea Im 19 but people mistaken me for a 15 year old. Try finding a boyfriend whose not a pedophile or into has a creepy thing for little girls.

Dear Lord, yes. And it pisses me off. Granted, I am actually young – I’m thirteen – but I’m more mature and, as I’ve been told, more intelligent than those that are my age. But when it comes to debates with people older than me – and I CAN hold my own in them, if it’s about a topic that I know anything about – I am told to stop trying to give my two-cents. I think it’s unfair, but apparently, being young automatically makes you ignorant. So, yes, I do have these problems. No one really takes me seriously until I get angry, and even then they still don’t take me seriously.

I’m 5′ and have a baby face (something I’ll appreciate in my 40′s I hope) and people think I’m 14 ALL THE TIME.. and I’m in my twenties. Here’s what I’ve done to make people take me seriously:

- Try to speak in a deeper voice. Lower, but powerful as to not appear shy. Careful not to sound like Darth Vader though. Think low, sensual, strong.
- Gain weight or gain muscle. Being seriously skinny will only make you appear younger. I got strong so now my arms look like I can beat anyone up.
- Don’t wear hair accesories. Bows on your head are cute but they make you look younger. In fact, don’t ever do any gaudy looks.
- Certain hairstyles, like high ponytails or pigtails, will also make you look younger.
- Deeper colors in clothes.
- Be serious. Don’t act like you’re giggly all the time, it’ll make the problem worse.
- High heels, but not too high, if not it’s just too obvious.
- Wearing glasses (although I do actually need them) has helped.
- This one is a bit hard, but be a bitch sometimes. Learning to say “fuck you” when needed has earned me a lot of respect.

Totally agree. Happened to me yesterday…
It’s also easy for people to put the blame on us, rather than people who are more intimidating because of our size. When we confront them for blaming us, they don’t take it seriously either.

I have this problem ALL the time.  I’m 19, and whenever I ask for job applications, I always get “you know you’ve gotta be at least sixteen to work here, right?”  It’s so annoying.  I’m not even short, and my voice isn’t anything near high-pitched.  I don’t know what it is…

im 4ft 10 inches.. and 22 and yes i have this problem sooo much it’s not even funny. you’re not alone. 

The only thing that’s helped me as of late was i saw a girl on some show my age my height..looked about 36 that’s when I thanked God for looking 16. People say I look immature and it angers me.. but i just keep trying to rub it off and try my hardest to act and dress and look my age.. i know someeeeday i’ll be happy to look younger. Something I think has helped me is really try to act my age..not laugh when unnecessary anything people find immature..i try not to do.. things of that nature..maybe that’ll show people you want respect.  hope something helps if you find something else let me know! But hey you’re not alone! 

YES.

it took a while to accept the way i look though. i’m finally more at peace with my youthful appearance now, because i think i’m just too cheery and positive to be like normal people my age. it’s a good thing :]

i feel ya.  i look young for my age, and sometimes it sucks that no one gives me the time of day when i have a serious complaint.  i’ve gotten the response that i’m too young to be worried about my life, like i have it really easy; but living with a chronic illness is not something i think anyone would take very lightly.  i’ve learned to rely on only very close friends (sometimes even they don’t understand), family, and my journal for my problems.  you can’t change your looks, so it may just be how you carry yourself.  also, i notice you mentioned your voice, so i wonder if it’s high pitched.  if it becomes a serious issue (i’ve read about women having problems with their careers due to their high pitched voices) you can always take voice classes. 
anyway, good luck, and be happy you look young! it’s a blessing in disguise!

I’m 18 and 4 foot 8. I’m also slim and so I look around 12. This used to be a huge problem for me, but now I just laugh off the teasing. Plus I compensate for it by talking loads and at least acting confident.

Not the only one. I’m not even 5 foot and people say I look like I’m 14 and I have a baby face too. Oh well. No one takes me seriously though. There’s nothing one can really do. 

YES YES YES!!! People always mistake me for a high school student. I’m 20, and 5’4 -____-*

ughhh I get made fun of ALL THE TIME because of this. I will be 21 in two weeks, I am told by everyone I meet that I sound like a 12 little girl and I look 15. I work at a gas station and customers ask me how I can work there since I am in high school… I’m a junior in college. I hate it. I guess we will just have to learn to deal with it and appreciate it when we are old and look young, and they are old and look… well old!

I’m almost 23 and people think I’m 15. 

I was substitute teaching the other day, and the kids looked surprised when I walked into the classroom. They started laughing saying, “but you’re like 15.” Needles to say, I was not taken so seriously.

i’m 21, very flat-chested, skinny, and even though i’m 5ft6, i’m small-boned and curve-deprived (i have to shop in kid’s stores and my hips are the size of a 10-year-old’s). i also have a high voice and a baby face. nobody guesses me over 16 and boys just overlook me.

but that suits me just fine because my personality makes my image work. 

Yea. I have this issue all the time. I’m 20. Someone mistook me for a 13 year old. I was with my 23 year old boyfriend. I’m pretty sure they would have called the cops if I wasn’t also with my family. But I also told her that I was 20. You should have seen her face.

But yea. I get in arguments with people and they don’t really take me seriously because I look so young. It’s pretty much like they’re saying I’m too young to have an opinion. 

same. I can pass for a high school girl, and I’m definitely not taken seriously.. it sucks.

I don’t think my looks and height suck, just the fact that no one takes me seriously! haha

Yes i look very young for my age.  I’m a petite girl and I work as an engineer! It can be very frustrating so I understand!!! 

I have the same issue, I am short and sound like a 10 year old

I can totally relate to you! I’m 23 years old and a high school teacher, and I get mistaken for a high school student ALL THE TIME, especially on jean days! I have a split uvula (at the back of my throat), so my doctor told my parents I would talk “like a munchkin.” Luckily, I don’t, but I do have a very high-pitched voice. Add that to my baby-face and I have a hard time teaching high school students. I can’t tell you how to fix it (other than the obvious: always fix your hair and do your makeup, and wear “grown-up” clothes — it helps until someone looks at your face! lol. Oh, and my glasses make me look a bit older.), but I say I relate! Good luck…

i don’t mean to, you know, be the troll or anything, but your sooo lucky!  I have always been mistaken as older!  I remember when I was younger and like to play with dolls and normal toys girls my age would play with and I would always get the question of “Aren’t you a bit too old to be playing those?” It was very upsetting, and the one comment I always remember on my 12th birthday was when I was wearing a pin that said “birthday” on it and this lady at sam’s club giving out samples (lol yes it was at sam’s club ^.^”) asked “Oh how old are you? Sixteen?” and I go “no..” and she goes “Umm…seventeen?” and she was completely dead serious! “I’m twelve” I tell her and she just gave me a look that totally said ‘what?!- your totally lying to me!’ and she goes “oh..”. So yeah, I always kind of missed out on a lot of stuff because by the time I was into it I had already “out grown” it.  The last terrible part about being older than I look is when I was in middle school and jr high before the boys were tall, none of the other boys want anything to do with me cos’ I was like half a foot taller than them, I mean it’s pretty humiliating when you join the ballroom dancing club to meet boys and end up being to tall to dance with any of them so your partnered with a slightly shorter girl…

Well, now I’m in high School so it’s not so dramatic but i still get mistaken for 18+ and it’s really annoying, so in order for me to go out with my older relatives that are male and 20+ and not get mistaken for their girlfriend or something i have to dress super childish.  I’m the complet opposite of most teens which always say that they “want to grow up faster” I want to be a kid again even though I’m still classified as a kid right now!