Look at your favorite old people from movies or television shows. Check out what people are wearing in the brochures for senior citizen centers. If you want to do some field work, go to a local community bingo game and see what people are wearing.
Once you’ve done your research, you can decide what kind of old look you want to achieve. Do you want to look classy old, old old, or scary old? Decide how much time you have to achieve your look. Will you have time to shop, or only to look through your wardrobe?
It’s important to wash your face as thoroughly as possible. If your face is oily, the makeup won’t stick as well. Wash and dry your face completely.
Usually older people are a bit paler. Just go two or three shades paler than your normal base. You may also consider going one shade darker, if that’s what your character might look like.
Start in the middle and work outward. Just like the wrinkles on your head, your shadow line should be thicker in the center and fade out at the ends. Do the same thing below the dark line with a lighter brown color. When you’re done with your forehead, make crows feet at the outside corners of your eyes. Scrunch your mouth and nose, and highlight and shadow those wrinkles as well. Gently run your finger around the wrinkles to blend them in.
These should be as subtle as your wrinkles, and nicely blended out on the edges. You can add a highlight under your eyes, and in the corner of your eyes to help them stand out and Outline with darker color bags under the eyes.
Once the base is applied to the lips, take your shadow color and add several vertical lines on your upper and lower lips, to make them seem wrinkled. Purse your lips to get an idea of where to put them. These lines can extend past your lips if you want to look really old, but don’t make them go more than 1⁄4 inch (0. 6 cm) past. Be selective and don’t make an even pattern.
Remember that light usually comes from above, so highlight accordingly. Wrinkles are highlighted on the bottom because that’s where the light would hit them. At the same time, a wart would have highlight on the top. You might also want to use a darker or lighter color on a stipple sponge or brush to give parts of your skin a little more texture.
Do not rub your face dry. This will set your makeup and let it last a bit longer without coming off on your clothes or hands as much. It will still come off, so be careful. If you want to look like a woman, after you’re done, put on bright lipstick or purple or blue eye shadow, as well as some blush.
Try not to smile or laugh too much until you’re ready to bring your outfit into the world. When you put your clothes on, be careful not to smear your face. If you’re wearing something tight that won’t easily wear over your face, put it on before you do the makeup. For the most part, though, putting on your clothes afterwards works best because you won’t accidentally ruin the clothes with your makeup.
Remember to bring lots of layers, whether it’s a on old sweater for men, or a long cardigan for women. Old people are always cold and love their layers. All of your clothes should look like they’ve been through the wash about a hundred times. Achieve a convincing and faded look for your clothes. Either gender should wear a white wig or sprinkle baby powder in their hair to achieve a gray look. Men can consider getting a “wig” that makes them look bald. You can at least add highlights to the roots of your hair by rubbing white/gray eyeshadow. You should think thoughtfully about your outfit, but it should have the appearance of just being thrown on.
Ask your grandparents. The first and most obvious place to get the right clothes will be to raid your grandmother or grandfather’s wardrobe. A real old person will have real old person stuff. Only ask your grandmother or grandfather if he or she has a good sense of humor about you wanting to look old. And even if they only let you look and their clothes, the clothes you see can give you inspiration. Check out thrift stores or garage sales for “old people” stuff. You may be able to find a real treasure for almost nothing.
Put on a thin white t-shirt or a t-shirt that mentions their retirement community or bingo league. The right knitted vest will tie your old man outfit together. Wear tan, gray, or brown slacks that are way too short, and hike them up even further with a pair of suspenders. Wear a hat such as a fedora, worn baseball cap, or straw hat. Just a pair of loafers or orthopedic shoes will look great on your feet. Wear brown socks.
Wear pants, skirts, or dresses that are a size too big. Their tops should be a little loose and should not fit perfectly. Look through your old house dresses to see what fits. Wear pantyhose, and shouldn’t expose their legs, even if it’s ninety degrees outside. Put on orthopedic shoes or old sneakers. Or if you’re going to be a “spiffy” old lady, wear a pair of low high heels with a thick heel. Lots of velcro will do the trick. If you’re a woman, wear chunky jewelry and an old reasonably-sized purse. Put foods like muffins and bananas in your purse and periodically offer then to people.
Wear thick, clear glasses. Bring around a walker or a cane if it doesn’t annoy you. If you’re really ambitious, consider getting a hearing aid, or making an earplug look like a hearing aide. Carry around a bottle of vitamins and offer them to people. Old people love gardening. Carry around an empty watering pot.
