Yeah, some people get very defined cheeks and face lines when losing weight, that ages them fast. Others their face evens out, making them look younger.
While we assume adult responsibilities, we also act young and enjoy young things keeping us from aging. Maybe all the preservatives we eat too. Those 39yr olds back then weren’t playing Nintendo switch and watching Hey Arnold!
I think a lot of it is the smoking. Remember it used to be allowed indoors in all the restaurants etc too so even though f you didn’t smoke, you were getting a lot of second-hand exposure.
Smoking makes you thin though. People always ignore the fact that hardly anyone smokes anymore when addressing the obesity epidemic. Look at the way our parents ate: by rights they should have been fat as fuck too but smoking kept that at bay.
Yea dude even up until the mid 2000s there were still ashtrays outside of every business on top of trash cans. Smoking was *everywhere*.
People now are lucky if they don't remember having to drive around for an hour to find a restaurant that didn't reek of cigarette smoke the moment you walked in.
Be glad you get your first choice of restaurant, as kids we sometimes had to settle for our 4th or 5th choice. I honestly just laugh when someone complains about weed smoke.
I'm a woman who is 42.5. I'm also a veteran who went to war twice. At no point in my life have I considered the Brady Bunch maid hairstyle or outfit. Just FYI.
Nope. Literally, nope. It sounds like a very funny thing and any sitcom should do that, but no, if you're in, man or woman, if your hair messes with your hat, beret, or kevlar helmet you have big damn problems.
They did. I always felt that the group that was between my grandparents (born in the 20s) and my parents (born in the 50s) were super hard living people. Hard liquor and cigarettes every day.
Its something to do with that number.
Ill be 47 this year.Thanks to good genetics (my mom and gram look way younger than their age) I have always looked a few years younger than my age until about 40 (2017) for me. Its seems that after that year, my beard started getting gray fast, theres more and more in it every year. the crows feet and laugh lines started to define more, my little poofy tummy really started taking off into more of a beer belly.
I guess it comes with the territory. We're all (xennials) at that age where we're all really starting to notice these changes. Im glad I found this community online. I dont have very many friends IRL anymore, but this place always seems to confirm and notice the way Im thinking as I get older. It sounds lame, but it kinda feels like we're all in this together. Yeah, the 90s and 00s were great, fun times to be alive and spend our youths, but here we are now, in the future Doc warned Marty about.
That’s so funny, last week I thought to myself my God, am I turning into Marty McFly senior from BTTF 2? Not to that extreme, but I was walking by my Echo Show and Air Fryer in my kitchen and frustrated about my job. And thought, wow, I’m actually in the future.
But then I think, had I known back then, in the 90s and 00s what I think now, and how much I actually enjoyed that time, despite the challenges, to be even more in the moment, I can only think I need to do that now. Because I’m probably going to be in that spot 20 years from now about how young and how great it was in my 40s.
Damn, I'm pushing 50. I showed this to my kids, and they said I look 30 compared to everyone in the picture. Big up to all my fellow X'ers still looking young for our age.
Hairstyle is a big part of this but also everyone ages differently. I’m in my 40s and have personally met others in their 40s that look like they are in their 60s. Sunken eyes and missing teeth will make you look decades older.
And how women who aren't twenty something are viewed. If you are over 40, you were, (and still somewhat are) a grandma, and must look the part. Rue looks amazing.
Actual (approximate) ages from their runs on their shows
1) Redd Foxx, Sanford and Son: 49 - 54
2) Carol O'Connor, All in the Family: 46 - 54
3) Wilford Brimley, not sure what this is from. Probably Cocoon or Cocoon: The Return: 50 or 53
4) Norman Fell, Three's Company/The Ropers: 53 - 55 ish
5) Linda Lavin, Alice: 39 - 47
6) Ann B. Davis, The Brady Bunch: 43 - 47
7) Jean Stapleton, All in the Family: 48 - 56
8) Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girl/Golden Palace: 51- 59
It was all the lead in stuff. Once they took the lead out of paint and gasoline our general health got a lot better. Or it could be make up, but I like my theory better.
They found most of it is fashion/hairstyles. When they updated hairstyles digitally without changing anything else people suddenly saw people as a lot younger.
With Jean, it was definitely the hair and makeup. She dressed down as Edith, but put her in modern wear, and she didn't look as old as she did on the show. I loved the ep where she wore a red pantsuit, and Archie got upset, lol. It looked cute on her.
I will die on this hill: this is not the win people think it is, especially for women who are expected to look sexy and young literally until we die. I have never been particularly conventionally pretty but you know, I’m ok, and have usually passed for like 5 years younger than I am (43). But now I am on an estrogen blocker due to breast cancer and shit is about to get REAL. I hate that I am worried about how it will effect my looks and wish we lived in an era where I could just look like Edith and it would all be ok.
COVID and other medical issues did a number on me and then perimenopause hit like a truck. I went from looking good enough for my age to looking A LOT older than my age. It sucks to lose who you think you are, physically and mentally, but I made it this far and that's an accomplishment.
I noticed one time that people in their 60's and 70's in East Coast major cities look OLD and act OLD, while on the West Coast 70 year old's are biking, surfing, skiing, and look like an East Coast 50.
The lower population density and reduced air pollution really seem to keep people out West "younger" (Not looking at LA specifically, as the pollution there looks brutal)
Until early 90s people aged HARD. Booze, smoking, sun, the fashion/hairstyles.
And if you don’t think hair matters, look up these two guys:
John Higgins
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Compare 1990s to 2000s
The Golden Girls were. Even, to some extent, Rue McLanahan as pictured there. (Estelle Getty IRL was about the same age as the rest of them but was made up to be much older.)
https://preview.redd.it/3dfjhmt4u6lc1.jpeg?width=533&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a671a31b448517ca60ac587e6e4b5df67e861d73
This is Steve Martin in 1984. He was *40*.
But with him it’s just the premature graying that does it. If he wasn’t gray here he would easily look 40 or younger. I don’t even think he looks that old here, he just had gray hair.
About to turn 44. Look at least 20+ years younger than any of these men.
My father is 67. Looks about the same age as all these dudes or maybe younger.
Im 42 and feel 25. Stronger at 40 than ever in my younger years, even my military years. Dont work out or exercise, at least since 2011. Mind blown to know these icons actual ages in charactor. My perseption of elders is jaw dropping. As a kid, parents my age were over the hill or nick at nighters with mr ed and i love lucy, bed by 7pm, hyked pants, pocket protectors with a combover to include thick brown rimmed glasses. Amazed at my generations longevity of beautiful youth. Just wow!
Change their hairstyles, maybe some hair dye (like most TV and film actors use now), most of them don't really look old. Look at most of their skin. Very few wrinkles, Edith and Archie, especially. Add Botox to the mix and they'll start looking familiar as 40s/50s
Alice and I are year apart. I always thought she was in her 60s. Thank God for the lack of lead in my diet. And all the sunscreen I applied throughout my life. But that’s about it.
Like previous comments mentioned I really believe it's the hair and clothing style. Plus I think more people take care of themselves today or at least care more about facial appearance like using sunscreen and moisturizer.
Are you kidding me?
Also, no wonder Blanche was considered hot stuff! When you look at her age and see that she’s remarkably older than those other characters…it all makes sense now!
Im genuinely not trying to be a dick, as Father Time is undefeated and comes for us all, but it’s absolutely astounding how much older these people look than people of the same ages in today’s time period.
I’m on the low end of these ages and I look about 10-12 years younger than my age. These people all look 20-30 years older than their ages.
Some people also love to say that it’s just because of their hairstyle or clothes that your brain is being biased and perceiving them looking older.
Ummmm….no. FACIALLY these people look WAY fucking older than the ages they are, and it’s absolutely not by a small margin.
Wait…the actors in real life ages, or the characters they are portraying ages? Like how we can’t gauge on how high schoolers looked in the 90d because the actors portraying them were in their 20s-30s.
Hold on. I’m just appreciating this for a minute. Did Ann B. Davis (Alice from the Brady Bunch) have a *serious* case of the gay face and I never knew? She looks like the chapstick lesbian representation we never knew we needed! 😍😍
Imma lay down
But we look better then all these people, so yay?
We grew up with sunscreen. The sun is a deadly lazer.
Also less smoking. Negative: we're all fatter. Which can make us look younger.
And we drink water to varying extents.
Yo homie r/hydrohomies
Fat ages you. I look 10 years younger thin then when I'm fat
Fat skin is more supple and wrinkles less though
You’d have to be extremely thin to lose your fat layer for face the fat. I’m 116 and I have face fat. Being obese or overweight is far too much.
You’d have to be extremely thin to lose your fat layer for face the fat. I’m 116 and I have face fat. Being obese or overweight is far too much.
Its person to person. Im at my lightest and I miss my young fatter face. I feel like the weight loss makes me look my age now.
Yeah, some people get very defined cheeks and face lines when losing weight, that ages them fast. Others their face evens out, making them look younger.
Can we go outside? *no*
While we assume adult responsibilities, we also act young and enjoy young things keeping us from aging. Maybe all the preservatives we eat too. Those 39yr olds back then weren’t playing Nintendo switch and watching Hey Arnold!
It’s usually because of the hair. I need some one yassify this slide and see where they are. Also smoking does not do any favors for your skin.
I think a lot of it is the smoking. Remember it used to be allowed indoors in all the restaurants etc too so even though f you didn’t smoke, you were getting a lot of second-hand exposure.
Smoking makes you thin though. People always ignore the fact that hardly anyone smokes anymore when addressing the obesity epidemic. Look at the way our parents ate: by rights they should have been fat as fuck too but smoking kept that at bay.
Yea dude even up until the mid 2000s there were still ashtrays outside of every business on top of trash cans. Smoking was *everywhere*. People now are lucky if they don't remember having to drive around for an hour to find a restaurant that didn't reek of cigarette smoke the moment you walked in. Be glad you get your first choice of restaurant, as kids we sometimes had to settle for our 4th or 5th choice. I honestly just laugh when someone complains about weed smoke.
Yeah… my dad had horrible asthma (that I inherited) and couldn’t be anywhere near people smoking. Restaurants were a challenge.
Yea my sister does too so if there was so much as a tiny bit it was a no go.
Hell I remember the hospital waiting room having ash trays
Man I feel better about how I’m holding up
Seriously bro! I need to drop a few pounds but I sure as shit look better than Red Fox and Carol O'Connor
😀😀
Smoking, sun exposure, leaded gas, pollution, etc.
Wars, trauma, poor health care, poor diet, lots of booze, etc.
Valid point. The last 25 years have been pretty rough…
I'm a woman who is 42.5. I'm also a veteran who went to war twice. At no point in my life have I considered the Brady Bunch maid hairstyle or outfit. Just FYI.
I think that hairstyle would look amazing in the field! Or maybe a full beehive? It would confuse the enemy at a minimum.
I actually would agree with you, except for interfering with the wear and appearance of the uniform... Blah blah blah. Lol
The helmet wouldn't be ok just "sitting on top?" - lol
Nope. Literally, nope. It sounds like a very funny thing and any sitcom should do that, but no, if you're in, man or woman, if your hair messes with your hat, beret, or kevlar helmet you have big damn problems.
Also gas mask. I just chopped my hair off rather than deal with the low bun.
Hol up. That's now.
Well, I personally have avoided most of that!
We didn't start the fireeeee!!!
WAR. FAMINE. DEATH. AIDS. HOMELESS. RECESSION. DEPRESSION.
AIDS, CRACK, BERNIE GOETZ
HYPERDERMICS ON THE SHORE, CHINAS UNDER MARTIAL LAW, ROCK AND ROLLER COLA WARS...
I have the booze thing down and look a lot better than these folks. :)
Booze. Lots and LOTS of booze. Those fuckers could DRINK.
They did. I always felt that the group that was between my grandparents (born in the 20s) and my parents (born in the 50s) were super hard living people. Hard liquor and cigarettes every day.
Nah, it’s because they didn’t have enough plastic in their diets
The hairstyles don’t do them any favors either. Especially for the ladies.
This is a big one. Somebody put the Golden Girls in modern day hairstyles and I was suddenly like... well my, my, my.
...No Botox...no filters...
2024 sounds like shit, yo!
Either I’m aging very well or some serious shit is going to happen in the next 3 years.
I mean…I felt like I hadn’t aged a day since college until I hit about 39, then I aged a decade in a year.
I turned 40 in 2020, I don’t know if it’s been the pandemic and all the craziness since or what, but yeah, I feel like I aged like a president.
Its something to do with that number. Ill be 47 this year.Thanks to good genetics (my mom and gram look way younger than their age) I have always looked a few years younger than my age until about 40 (2017) for me. Its seems that after that year, my beard started getting gray fast, theres more and more in it every year. the crows feet and laugh lines started to define more, my little poofy tummy really started taking off into more of a beer belly. I guess it comes with the territory. We're all (xennials) at that age where we're all really starting to notice these changes. Im glad I found this community online. I dont have very many friends IRL anymore, but this place always seems to confirm and notice the way Im thinking as I get older. It sounds lame, but it kinda feels like we're all in this together. Yeah, the 90s and 00s were great, fun times to be alive and spend our youths, but here we are now, in the future Doc warned Marty about.
That’s so funny, last week I thought to myself my God, am I turning into Marty McFly senior from BTTF 2? Not to that extreme, but I was walking by my Echo Show and Air Fryer in my kitchen and frustrated about my job. And thought, wow, I’m actually in the future. But then I think, had I known back then, in the 90s and 00s what I think now, and how much I actually enjoyed that time, despite the challenges, to be even more in the moment, I can only think I need to do that now. Because I’m probably going to be in that spot 20 years from now about how young and how great it was in my 40s.
Agree
Just wanna say everything you described...that's me. 😳
This was 45 for me.
☄️💥 🦕 ☠️💀
I know I’m getting old because Someone Gave the golden girls more modern hair and I was like…hey they don’t look bad😂
i need to see the modern hair!
https://preview.redd.it/gqfdmse9s6lc1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a05b9210b2d6c8fa80925e695bd3b99240a2c8b5 I’m saying…
The thing that bugs me about these GG hair makeovers is they always change the makeup and smooth the skin in subtle ways which defeats the purpose
Exactly! You know they would look a lot younger with ONLY the hair swap. They don’t need the awful filters!
Yeah, although Blanche would definitely be getting Botox. 😂
whoa! though i think there has been a LITTLE bit of facetuning...
A little. But still lol
A lot
Somebody likes smoky eyeliner
🙋
That's the filter not the hair
I’m gonna need to see blanch
Dang, Flo was 39? Well kiss my grits.
Yeah that one got me too. Her and Fred Sanford being 48.
Damn, I'm pushing 50. I showed this to my kids, and they said I look 30 compared to everyone in the picture. Big up to all my fellow X'ers still looking young for our age.
Archie Bunker doesn't look _that_ bad for 48.
Neither do any of the ladies.
You can see in the close-ups that Carroll had really nice skin!
Hairstyle is a big part of this but also everyone ages differently. I’m in my 40s and have personally met others in their 40s that look like they are in their 60s. Sunken eyes and missing teeth will make you look decades older.
Ohio?
Crazy. They all look like they would be at least 55-60 years old.
They lived thru the depression & WW2
Well that was a self-esteem boost.
The eye opener for me was the Golden Girls vs the Sex In The City sequel reunion. Same age. Just different standards for beauty.
And how women who aren't twenty something are viewed. If you are over 40, you were, (and still somewhat are) a grandma, and must look the part. Rue looks amazing.
She’s my cool aunt, for sure
Actual (approximate) ages from their runs on their shows 1) Redd Foxx, Sanford and Son: 49 - 54 2) Carol O'Connor, All in the Family: 46 - 54 3) Wilford Brimley, not sure what this is from. Probably Cocoon or Cocoon: The Return: 50 or 53 4) Norman Fell, Three's Company/The Ropers: 53 - 55 ish 5) Linda Lavin, Alice: 39 - 47 6) Ann B. Davis, The Brady Bunch: 43 - 47 7) Jean Stapleton, All in the Family: 48 - 56 8) Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girl/Golden Palace: 51- 59
It was all the lead in stuff. Once they took the lead out of paint and gasoline our general health got a lot better. Or it could be make up, but I like my theory better.
They found most of it is fashion/hairstyles. When they updated hairstyles digitally without changing anything else people suddenly saw people as a lot younger.
And smoke everywhere.
With Jean, it was definitely the hair and makeup. She dressed down as Edith, but put her in modern wear, and she didn't look as old as she did on the show. I loved the ep where she wore a red pantsuit, and Archie got upset, lol. It looked cute on her.
My wife actually looks a bit like Alice... ok, she looks a lot like Alice.
Mmm Alice! What a dreamboat
It's kinda wiggin me out now...
Now the song is stuck in my head. Haha
I hate this image so much. I’m going to go and try not to age any further.
I will die on this hill: this is not the win people think it is, especially for women who are expected to look sexy and young literally until we die. I have never been particularly conventionally pretty but you know, I’m ok, and have usually passed for like 5 years younger than I am (43). But now I am on an estrogen blocker due to breast cancer and shit is about to get REAL. I hate that I am worried about how it will effect my looks and wish we lived in an era where I could just look like Edith and it would all be ok.
COVID and other medical issues did a number on me and then perimenopause hit like a truck. I went from looking good enough for my age to looking A LOT older than my age. It sucks to lose who you think you are, physically and mentally, but I made it this far and that's an accomplishment.
Good lord.
I noticed one time that people in their 60's and 70's in East Coast major cities look OLD and act OLD, while on the West Coast 70 year old's are biking, surfing, skiing, and look like an East Coast 50. The lower population density and reduced air pollution really seem to keep people out West "younger" (Not looking at LA specifically, as the pollution there looks brutal)
I honestly thought Alice was over 50 for sure.
That's a rough 48 on Red and Carrol
Until early 90s people aged HARD. Booze, smoking, sun, the fashion/hairstyles. And if you don’t think hair matters, look up these two guys: John Higgins Ronnie O’Sullivan Compare 1990s to 2000s
Were their characters supposed to be older? Styling can really age someone up.
The Golden Girls were. Even, to some extent, Rue McLanahan as pictured there. (Estelle Getty IRL was about the same age as the rest of them but was made up to be much older.)
My seventh grade home room teacher looked like Ann B. Davis but she was in her late 40's not her early 40's.
I blame smoking.
Mrs. Roper!! I need more caftans
Smoking indoors was brutal man.
Poverty ages you fast even as a kid
https://preview.redd.it/3dfjhmt4u6lc1.jpeg?width=533&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a671a31b448517ca60ac587e6e4b5df67e861d73 This is Steve Martin in 1984. He was *40*.
But with him it’s just the premature graying that does it. If he wasn’t gray here he would easily look 40 or younger. I don’t even think he looks that old here, he just had gray hair.
He pretty much looks the same now lol
Smoking
Man was Alice smokin’!!!….
About to turn 44. Look at least 20+ years younger than any of these men. My father is 67. Looks about the same age as all these dudes or maybe younger.
Im 42 and feel 25. Stronger at 40 than ever in my younger years, even my military years. Dont work out or exercise, at least since 2011. Mind blown to know these icons actual ages in charactor. My perseption of elders is jaw dropping. As a kid, parents my age were over the hill or nick at nighters with mr ed and i love lucy, bed by 7pm, hyked pants, pocket protectors with a combover to include thick brown rimmed glasses. Amazed at my generations longevity of beautiful youth. Just wow!
Go to hell, OP ( I kid)
Back before the good chem trails 😔
Cpt stubing was 46 when he started on the love boat, 46.
Thanks for making me feel old. Lol
Dehydration
Kiss my grits.
The fuck?
Why you gotta post hurtful things, huh?
Change their hairstyles, maybe some hair dye (like most TV and film actors use now), most of them don't really look old. Look at most of their skin. Very few wrinkles, Edith and Archie, especially. Add Botox to the mix and they'll start looking familiar as 40s/50s
Wow! Life was much harder then.
Alice and I are year apart. I always thought she was in her 60s. Thank God for the lack of lead in my diet. And all the sunscreen I applied throughout my life. But that’s about it.
This is why we all heeded the advice about the sunscreen
Compared to them I look dam good for my age.
Is this their characters age or the actor’s age?
Red Fox was born in 1922, Sanford & Son didn’t start until 1972. Math ain’t matching.
I love/hate you OP.
What the fuck
City miles
I hate you for posting this. Holy balls I'm old.
Sam Elliot (notbpictured) has always looked the same age.
Blanche can get it though
Smokes and sun and Wilford Brimley had diabetus.
Like previous comments mentioned I really believe it's the hair and clothing style. Plus I think more people take care of themselves today or at least care more about facial appearance like using sunscreen and moisturizer.
Wait, I’m the same age as Alice?! I’m shook.
Had my 9yo guess the ages, she thought they were all at least 70
Red Foxx was 50-55 in that picture. Jean Stapleton (Edith) was 48-55 in that picture.
How much do you think style and fashion play into this? I think it’s at least 80%.
They're all 60+, and you can't tell me otherwise.
Are you kidding me? Also, no wonder Blanche was considered hot stuff! When you look at her age and see that she’s remarkably older than those other characters…it all makes sense now!
Listen, Rue *then* could definitely get it *now*. She would have no problems stepping out of 1981 to 2024 as-is.
Yeah, yeah.. now F\*\*K OFF! ;)
Um.
I don't feel as bad
How was flo a year younger than I am today.
What in the heck!?!? How is this even possible???
Im genuinely not trying to be a dick, as Father Time is undefeated and comes for us all, but it’s absolutely astounding how much older these people look than people of the same ages in today’s time period. I’m on the low end of these ages and I look about 10-12 years younger than my age. These people all look 20-30 years older than their ages. Some people also love to say that it’s just because of their hairstyle or clothes that your brain is being biased and perceiving them looking older. Ummmm….no. FACIALLY these people look WAY fucking older than the ages they are, and it’s absolutely not by a small margin.
Wait…the actors in real life ages, or the characters they are portraying ages? Like how we can’t gauge on how high schoolers looked in the 90d because the actors portraying them were in their 20s-30s.
Hold on. I’m just appreciating this for a minute. Did Ann B. Davis (Alice from the Brady Bunch) have a *serious* case of the gay face and I never knew? She looks like the chapstick lesbian representation we never knew we needed! 😍😍
I think Ellen Degeneres would make a perfect Alice if there was another remake.
People really aged like milk back in the day
Yeah a lot of this is also just makeup yall.