What I see in the mirror

Matt Poyton, 29, film education officer

When I look in the mirror, I see my dad, because now I am no longer a primary school teacher, I can grow a beard. You can't get away with a scruffy beard when you are a teacher. It's a nice little reminder of my late dad - he always had one. When I shave I look less like a 30-year-old and more like a 13-year-old. I worry I will be asked for ID in shops, although I am at the age when I should feel flattered as opposed to annoyed.

It's hard to say what I like about my appearance without sounding ridiculous. I like my square, strong jaw and the dimple when I smile, but that's pretty much hidden under whiskers at the moment. My blue eyes are favourable, I guess. It's hard not to look in the mirror and see all negative things. If it's a full body mirror, then I notice that I haven't exercised for a long, long time.

I am 5ft 6in and I would like to be a little taller. I worry that if you make defensive jokes about being short, then people will think you've got a Napoleon complex. However, an extra couple of inches would take me from noticeably short to average and unnoticeable.

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