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[Vsauce] Did People Used To Look Older?

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Me, watching this video.
Santa Claus What GIF by Freeform
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Well, the lighting, the poses, the attire in old photos are deceiving. In the early 1900s you’d swear it was illegal for men to shave their mustache, as 95% of men in the late school/university pics from that period had a ‘stache and looked practically as old as their teachers.
Country people tended to look older because of exposure to sunlight, squinting faces, much less food that is the norm today, and faces that reflect poor education (many people from the early days of photography were clearly wondering what the hell this “taking a picture” thing was all about). Fewer people used to smile in pictures, too.
Meanwhile, many rich people used to wear glasses that made them look much older, had austere, stony expressions and many were balding early. B&W also gives pics a much different quality altogether.

Today most public pics are to be considered doctored until proven otherwise. Quality, lighting and color is completely different, people smile more, glasses and other accessories are much sleeker and less conspicuous, hairstyles make people look younger, and makeup does actual miracles.
Some people always looked older than their age, but some of them only did in pictures. IRL they didn’t look as old.
 

Aesius

Member
It’s all about perspective. When I was a freshman in high school, the seniors looked like they were 35 with two kids and a mortgage. When I became a senior, we all looked normal and age appropriate. Then after being out of high school for several years, the seniors started looking like toddlers.
 

Kenpachii

Member
It’s all about perspective. When I was a freshman in high school, the seniors looked like they were 35 with two kids and a mortgage. When I became a senior, we all looked normal and age appropriate. Then after being out of high school for several years, the seniors started looking like toddlers.

This so much, when i was in high school everybody looked normal, and people outside of it looked like old people. Then when u got 35, those kids in high school look like baby's and everybody else outside of it look normal.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I think they did. But probably a reason. Look at athletes, especially baseball players and soldiers 70-100 years ago. They’re in their late 20s to mid 30s and they look like men that are in their late 40s early 50s of today.

The depression era was hard on them back then.
Ya, I was going to post the exact same message.

Athletes all had middle aged dad haircuts, but it went beyond that. Even if you gave them all modern day hair styles, they all still seemed old looking. Every baseball player looked 40 at minimum.
 

Liamario

Banned
As a non-american, I look at judge Judy on occasion. The amount of people on that show who look way older than they are is disturbing.
 
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