Why do curls make you feel younger? I don't think anything about them is related to age, to be honest.
Have you not seen our older members with curls? But since you also don't like buns for looking "nerdy" (oonf, okay), I'm thinking the main issue here might not be your hair but confidence or giving into prejudices you were raised with. Making curls wavier is easy – after you wear it in an updo or braid it, they stretch out. On your photos they look like low 2s, so combing stretches them too. You can put it in braid(s) for night, if you don't want to wear braids outside, and then you'll have braid waves. It might take some trial and error, you might have to try one braid, more braids, rope braids etc., to see what gives you the result you want. I'd still recommend trying to comb it less or just not to comb it, it won't be as poofy then, it'll cooperate a lot more so it'll be easier to wear it in half-ups or loose.
If you are looking for "edgy" updos with interesting hairtoys, look at Tatsu (first person that came to mind; it doesn't get edgier than a pirate-style scarf and a sword hairstick on beautiful black hair). Half-ups are a nice compromise. You could do just a simple topknot bun, that's a more masc-leaning style.
With tie-dye clothes, loose curly/wavy hair, big ponytail or a messy high bun sound fitting to me.
It's hard to get more specific with advice, so I'd recommend you to look up
visual inspiration, search through LHC picture threads or pinterest or something and figure out what
you like c: Since personal preferences are, well, personal, you'll have to make the final call here. It also depends on how much effort you want to put into it, if you are up for making hairstyles or if some added color is a better, more long-term solution.
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