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Age

(63 Posts)
Emsgran Sun 09-Jul-17 00:27:57

is everyone always upfront about their age or do you knock a few years off?

I've met a few blokes on holidays who have backed off when I've been honest about my age. What's the best way to go?

Aslemma Wed 12-Jul-17 00:25:12

Until a few years ago many people thought I was younger than I was, not that I tried to hide it but if they guessed wrong I didn't always correct them. For the last couple of years my age seems to have caught up with me, probably due to a triple heart by-pass, osteoporosis and a few other problems, but I can still scrub up fairly well. However, as I always say, what is someone 'of my age' supposed to look like? I have seen quite a few who look similar, others even older who look better and some quite a bit younger to whom age has not been kimd.

Cosafina Tue 11-Jul-17 04:14:53

When I hit 48 (DD turned 30 the same year) I told everyone I was 30 - in hexadecimal, which is base 16. That was fine for the next 9 years, but when I turned 58 that's 3A in hex so I can't play the game any more. I'm now 3D (61 decimal) but in 3 years time I'll be able to say I'm 40 entirely legitimately! grin

123kitty Mon 10-Jul-17 16:52:59

If anyone asks I always give them a lovely smile and say- that's a rather cheeky question

MissAdventure Mon 10-Jul-17 16:16:19

No, I think I look my age, and I certainly wouldn't be interested in the sort of man who wanted someone years younger than himself. (Unless he had money, or was good at diy, of course!)

lizzypopbottle Mon 10-Jul-17 16:14:16

Yes, age is just a number but if it's a big number people make judgements about you! I agree with Jalima about people who volunteer the information, "I'm xx (years)!" with an eager look and then stand back hoping to be patronised! I don't lie about my age (I'm currently 65) but there's one area of my life where I refuse to discuss it and that's karate. I don't want to be patronised, "Gosh! You do well.....for your age!" Nor do I wish to be dismissed and ignored in favour of someone younger. (Of course, that's inevitable in any sport where competition is important but in normal, everyday training sessions, I pay the same training fee as anyone else.) This is another version of other people's, "I am what I am." If you must judge me, make it for what I can do (in karate) not what you expect I wouldn't/shouldn't/can't possibly be expected to be able to do (at my age!)

As for older men looking for younger women, that's happened since time immemorial! Many of them seem to see something in the mirror that's very different from what others see! One of our karate instructors was overheard saying he'd left his wife because he didn't want to live with an old woman. They were the same age as each other and he's no Adonis! He does have a new, very much younger wife, though. Women often see past the appearance of age in a man and are attracted by money and status. Traditionally, single, older women have had little money and no particular status. Hopefully, that's beginning to change.

Legs55 Sun 09-Jul-17 22:54:06

I'm 61 (at least for another 9 days), I never lie about my age, what's the point? My DM is 88 & proud of itgrin

My DGS1 who's 7 decided I'm old but Granny is really, really oldgrin

Age is just a number

W11girl Sun 09-Jul-17 22:41:56

Never felt the need to lie about my age. End of. If someone decides I'm "too old" for them, that says a lot about them, not me!

bee63 Sun 09-Jul-17 21:45:26

Yes I lie. I'm 54 and say I'm 51.
Don't know why because 3 years isn't much grin

Cherrytree59 Sun 09-Jul-17 19:15:15

The only time I think about changing my date of birth is when I have been on an Internet shopping site and then it is more to do with personal data storage.
Hardly to relevant to buying purchasing a pair of trousers.

Theoddbird Sun 09-Jul-17 19:06:05

Any lie is always found out. If you meet someone and you hit it off, eventually you would have to be honest about your age. That would then have them wondering if you had lied about anything else. Always be honest...the only way to be smile

sluttygran Sun 09-Jul-17 18:58:03

A few years back I tried internet dating and it's true that men of my age were almost all looking for a much younger woman.
Strangely enough, despite being in my sixties, I had lots of offers from men in their forties, and though I didn't really feel confident enough to have a 'toy boy', I made several good and lasting friendships with these younger men.
Looking back, the men in my age group were quite a decrepit bunch - Lord only knows if they ended up with the 25 year old model girls that they seemed to be looking for!

BBbevan Sun 09-Jul-17 18:28:29

I had my first child in 1965. I was just 20. The woman living next door to my Mum was just over 40 and pregnant. I thought she was very old to be having a baby, and so did a lot of other people living nearby. How things change !

NannyBadcrumble1 Sun 09-Jul-17 18:24:42

Me lie about my age? never! Everyone knows I'm 21! And have been for a few years lol...(my kids are 28 and 20!)
No, I don't lie about my age, I'm 51 and proud.

Elrel Sun 09-Jul-17 18:16:28

In my 20s I said to my granny, in her 80s, that I'd expected to feel 'grown up' at some point and was surprised that I didn't. She laughed and said she felt just the same as when she was a little girl. I do too. So do my 2 friends in their 90s.
I've mostly stopped pretending to be grown up too!

Ana Sun 09-Jul-17 17:55:37

Yes, I agree Pittcity!

Pittcity Sun 09-Jul-17 17:42:53

I don't lie about my age, but I do hate those drop down computer menus where you have to scroll back forever to your birth year.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Sun 09-Jul-17 16:36:13

I've never lied as it seems pointless. The truth will out, as my mum used to say. People like you due to your personality, not a number.

AdeleJay Sun 09-Jul-17 16:26:56

I just feel fortunate to be my age 68 and very fit & healthy. I have joined an older dating site for 3 months. I'm shocked at what much younger men look like. I wonder if any of them have lied about their age as it wasn't necessary to provide evidence. It has been a real confidence boost that so many men seem to want to meet me regardless of age. Of course some men in their 60s & 70s only want women who are much younger. I wonder what luck they have? I wouldn't touch those with a barge pole. I say be yourself and be proud of who you are & what age you are.

NfkDumpling Sun 09-Jul-17 14:18:28

When in my 50s, on the odd occasion the question of my age arose, the reaction was surprise as apparently I looked a lot younger. Now I'm approaching 70 and no one looks surprised. I've also turned grey, walk with a limp and am a stone heavier.

Perhaps I should join a gym (hate gyms) and dye my hair?

norose4 Sun 09-Jul-17 14:02:30

Perhaps it was the language barrier, or perhaps he was looking for a (sorrygirls) brainless Bimbo! & realised he was conversing with an intelligent woman . what ever it was I think it's his loss not yours give yourself a big hug & don't forget he did stop to talk so something about you attracted him, you may have been spared from being landed with a boring selfish man ?

VIOLETTE Sun 09-Jul-17 13:56:41

Sssh only once ...I wanted to buy something expensive on a three month payment plan ,,,,,only to discover the cut off age for the credit agreement was a lot younger than I was ...so I applied using a birthdate ten years less ......and if it had have been noticed I would have said Oh dear, finger slipped it wasn't and all paid for ok ! ..

Emsgran Sun 09-Jul-17 13:42:37

How do you avoid a direct question? As I said, we'd been talking for hours, discussing children, divorces etc. the question of age just seemed to come naturally. In the first case we were communicating in my childhood French, he didn't speak a word of English!
He obviously thought I was younger, which is very flattering, but I was sad when he seemed to lose interest

sarahellenwhitney Sun 09-Jul-17 12:45:59

Emsgran If a guy takes a shine to you he likes what he sees so why disclose your age. Of course if it is more than a casual holiday 'thing' then it pays to be honest.

grumppa Sun 09-Jul-17 12:40:37

"Men are mysterious creatures." Very true, FarNorth; so they're just like women, after all.

Jalima1108 Sun 09-Jul-17 12:36:15

I remember being '29 and holding' but it doesn't sound so good at '69 and holding'

grin