I keep being mistaken for other people

[Billy_J]

Originally Posted by Perfect Stranger

...Why does this happen all the time? Maybe my face is very non-descript and makes people think they've seen it before?...

That has happened to me in the past because I actually looked like someone else. Once I moved to a new small town and was walking down the sidewalk on the main street... Several people driving by honked and waved at me. I waved back and thought "What a friendly town!"

Then I went to a fast food restaurant and the lady said "Was there something else you needed?" I said "Huh??" She said "Weren't you just in here?" I said "No". She said someone was just in there who looked exactly like me! (So that explained why people were waving at me...)

Then I was on the other side of this once. I knew two guys who looked quite alike. One of them stopped by my house and I introduced him to my friends as the other person. He was not pleased and chastised me with a quickness!

And then women are always changing their "looks". Many times a woman I have not seen for years will come up to me and say "Hi!" But I have no idea who she is until she starts talking! (One had different color hair, more fluffy hair, fancy clothes, and sunglasses. She should have worked for the CIA going in disguise and so forth!)

[ciceropolo]

Originally Posted by Perfect Stranger

It's good to know I'm not alone. I think what the girl says about micro-expressions sounds interesting. perhaps our faces are more expressive than usual. Actually in that picture, something about her expresson reminded me of Lisa Edelstein of House MD fame even though they don't actually look at all like each other.

A couple of things I've just remembered:

1) When visiting my Mom recently she told me I look different every time she sees me, even though there are not significant changes in haircut, weight or facial hair.

2) When I'm abroad (in a white majority country) locals take me for another local and they ask me for directions. Of course this could be because of my attitude, even when I'm travelling for pleasure I don't dress or act like a tourist, but I've been actually told several times by natives "You look [insert local nationality here]"

You are not alone. One thing I have always done (when appropriate) is to ask them the name of my doppelganger. I like to try and find out who my look a likes are. Or when the person says some celebrity type name I make a note of it.

It's funny cause some I can see similarity and others it must be a few simple features and are not looking holistically or perhaps it's the micro expression that cause them to make a connection.

Over the years I've been told I look like:
David Sanborn (Sax player) in my 20s youth w hair
Julian Sands (youth w hair)
Jason Patric (Arnold Schwarzenegger's nemesis in T2; no resemblance)
John Getz
Jude Law
John Hart (former GM of Cle and Texas MLB teams)
Hugh Laurie (it was winter and I had 3 day facial hair)
Ed Harris (more recent woman insisted it was the eyes)
Ty Burrell (co worker part time job more behavioral)
Geoffrey Baer (Chicago TV)
James Taylor (most recently - So I guess I just look like someone's friend?)

I tend to be the person people will ask for directions no matter where I am. I think this is related to how one walks and navigates ones surroundings. If you appear like you know where you are going people naturally ask you. I too have had this happen when traveling in Europe.

Consider it a badge of honor

[winkosmosis]

Threads like this are useless without pictures

[Lost Roses]

It's been theorized that everyone has a doppelgänger. Some of you appear to be living in the same towns! I once read that it's a good idea to know who that person is in case you are accused of a crime you did not commit. Maybe the doppelgänger did it!

My sister and I look a lot alike. When strangers approach me as if they know me, I can pretty much count on it that they think I am my sib. In my town there is a doppelgänger for my now-deceased father. When I infrequently see this man it gives me quite a start. I'm amazed at the resemblance, not just facial features, but hair, eyes, and body type. The world is a funny place!

[Perfect Stranger]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Threads like this are useless without pictures

Sorry, I know it would help but I'm not going to post my mug for the world to analyze.

[flyinglibra51]

Perfect stranger comment: I use to fly into Nashville regularly and every time I was there someone would confuse me with someone else. After a year of this I tried to find the person I was being mistaken for but to no avail. It was always I can't remember his name or he comes in here all the time. At this person's favorite place for lunch, the same, I ask the bartender if he knew me an he replied sure but I don't know your name! I gave him a business card and informed him a $500 reward awaited him should he persuade the look like version of me to call me. Never got that call, I guess he thought he was being put on. A year or so later I went into Tootsies on Broadway and a new artist was singing. I got up later an went to the restroom. When I returned my co-pilot said that nearly everyone in there watched me which I was unaware of. He wanted to leave so we did. I learned later my look a like supposedly worked on Music Row. What is most strange for me is my unique voice and accent was identified as exactly the voice this man and that our glasses even seemed the same. My Father was a over the road trucker and couldn't resist the Ladies. I can't help but wonder if this man is a half brother since he evidently was raised in southern WV and my families males all bear uncanny resemblance. I guess I'll never meet him now that I am retired.

[Jhurst]

Hi, I'm mistaken for someone else often too. It happened again at Ross this past weekend. I totally understand how that must feel to you as it happens to me a lot. I'm tall with brown hair and brown wavy hair and this has been happening to me for a long time as I'm a middle aged family man.