I got quite excited about a feature in today's Sunday Times Style magazine celebrating wrinkles and 'the rise of the over-60s beauties'. Helen Mirren, Charlotte Rampling and Jessica Lange are all mentioned; as well as Joan Didion for Céline and the Dolce & Gabanna's nonnas. But 'Read Between The Lines' made for disappointing reading. It's great that the fashion and beauty industries are finally realising the power of the Silver Spend; the use of older models and muses in advertising campaigns is a wonderful thing. But I'm disappointed because this is still seen as news. We shouldn't be surprised to see mature models but, as I mentioned in the Guardian, there's a fevered reaction every time a campaign is announced. And I'm disappointed because the beauty industry celebrates older women, just as long as they don't look their age. Helen Mirren may have refused airbrushing for the L'Oréal campaign but we all know that she's had work done. In the Nars advert, Charlotte Rampling looks 30-years-younger than she does in the current series of Broadchurch. And god only knows what Jessica Lange has done to her face, but it ain't pretty. Writer Edwina Ings-Chambers nails it with her final sentence, 'You see: stirring stuff. But then Cara Delevingne shaved off some of her hair and the beauty buzz moved on.'
The best thing about this feature is the quote from Sue Kreitzman, 'Older faces show more character and life. It is so much more profound than dewy, callow youth. Why spend money and stress trying to erase your real self? To me, it makes no sense. Live your life, enjoy every moment. There is an old-lady revolution happening right now and I'm enjoying every glorious moment of it, silver hair, wrinkles and all.'
I spoke to Sue about The Old Lady Revolution for my book Style Forever, coming soon.
I strongly disagree that my wrinkles are my real self! By that logic any unfortunate congenital abnormality would constitute the person's 'real self'. That is mad! I am not my wrinkles, I am a person with a mind who happens to have wrinkles. I have them because we don't yet know how to stop ageing. But one day we will. One day each individual will be able to choose how they look. At that time, if a person has wrinkles it will be reasonable to describe that as being the person's real self; it is not now. Now, we have no choice.
ReplyDeleteBut wrinkles are what happens to us all - if you're lucky to live long enough to get them - they are not a 'congenital abnormality'. Being able to 'stop ageing' is prfoundly disturbing to me - we have a life, and then it is over. The young become the old - that's normal.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Lyn...
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the original article here, particularly "And I'm disappointed because the beauty industry celebrates older women, just as long as they don't look their age" Those that do look their age are seen as some kind of novelty, useful to market towards 'The Silver Spend".
ReplyDeleteI agree too with, Lyn above - the idea of stopping ageing is definitely disturbing and a ludicrous notion. Are we all supposed to live forever?
I would suggest that the fear of ageing - and looking at our own ageing faces - is more about the anxiety of death. If we see old faces, then we are reminded of our mortality, so lets airbrush and surgically remove any of those markers of age and we can all live in happy denial that we will die. Its like being in la-la land with our fingers in our ears singing loudly so as to stop the sound of reality.
Finally, there is no such thing as a real self. We can make choices as to how we live our lives. Our self evolves with the choices we make.
I am more than the sum of my parts.
ReplyDeleteSo true, loobiloo
ReplyDeleteSo glad you agree :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely celebrate the beauty and wisdom of the faces of aging women, wrinkles and all. I think that it is the inner person that starts to shine through more authentically, that has shaped the face through smiling (or frowning!) for years and years.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I find that when I look at my own face in the mirror, sometimes I am surprised to see what the course of 57 years has brought! Who is that looking back at me, I wonder. I admit that I have mixed feelings about the changes in that face--not so much the few wrinkles--I don't have many relatively speaking--but the bits that have started to sag. Gravity happens. Yet despite how I sometimes don't like it, I would never try to change what time is doing to me. I am grateful to be alive and want to be authentically myself. No surgical alterations for me!
One more comment: I was remembering as I read all the above that there is an evolutionary component to all this. Youth--and particularly certain kinds of physical features--are attractive unconsciously because they indicate a healthy female who will successfully breed. Once on a time, those who managed to survive to old age were honored for their experience and wisdom. I wonder why our culture still is caught up by the first bit of biologically-related conditioning, but not the latter?
Women should be able to do as they please when it comes to aging. Wrinkles and sagging skin are a result of sun exposure and loss of collagen. They can be your badge of courage, you can embrace the crone or you can choose to do otherwise. I agree that it is frustrating when these actresses who have had work done but generally deny it are celebrated for looking 'great for their age' by the media. That said, I don't fault them for choosing to address aging with a little architectural preservation. I don't get why women seem compelled to pass judgment on each other so endlessly even as they age. We need to give each other a little breathing room. After all, we are not our skin or our hair or our shoes and it ain't nobody's business what we do.
ReplyDeleteVery true article. Neither of my parents had wrinkles but I think it was due to the Italian genes and their diet. I have the same skin, thank goodness, but I think the ladies in this article are wonderful. Such an inspiration to everyone that aging can be beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYes, it will be great when mature models are as not-newsworthy as the young ones. I don't object to gilding the lily but trying to re-do one's face seems so sad and desperate. We still are whatever age we are.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that everyone gets to make their own choices! Hurray for freedom.
ReplyDeleteI do find it a little sad though when someone goes overboard with surgery and it comes out wrong. Sad that it turned out that way--but people make choices that have risks.
Ultimately, I think the individuality that is a human being is not synonymous with the body. The physical is the clothing for the soul.
How awesome they did this feature!! I am really impressed to see it run...I hope we will see more.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, people age differently. I have a friend who looks 20 years older than other people her age, because she spent much of her life outdoors. She didn't opt for a facelift, but I wouldn't regard her as "desperate" if she did.
ReplyDeleteI'm OK with wrinkles, and I love when anyone anywhere suggests we don't have to fake our way through old age. Thanks, as always, for the great work you are doing to showcase stylish older women. You're still my favorite blogger -- and I will be buying your book.
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ReplyDeleteCosmetic surgery is not an exact science, and it's an elective procedure involving a small risk of poor outcome , as well as a very small risk to life .
That will always deter me from even considering it , and as for injectables ...yuk .
There again I'm happy with the way I look , I'm going with the flow not against it . I think being well groomed, remaining slim and having good posture are far more important than aspiring to have a young face.
I consider it a privilege to have become old[ish] and have the confis
Well I think we are making tiny steps of progress towards understanding beauty in all its stages. Just as it is a bit disturbing to see toddlers in full make-up and high heels, it is disturbing to see older adults trying to recreate their younger selves. There is a soulful beauty to those that have managed to inhabit their age no matter what it is, teenagers, 40 year olds, 80 year olds, whatever the age. It's about acceptance. It's not easy. I know. I'm turning 61 in a few weeks. But there is a certain peace in accepting yourself and being your best self. I can't wait to read your book!
ReplyDeleteApropos of "Style Forever": I'm so happy it can be pre-ordered from Amazon here in the States for its March publication. Done.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI would point out the double standard. Men are revered for their aging. They look "distinguished" as they age. Women are just seen as old.
PS I don't think Jessica Lange's face looks bad. I think she looks fabulous.
bisous
Suzanne
Suzanne Carillo is so right on. Nobody tells older gentlemen that they "look good for their age."
ReplyDeleteI don't think men have a blog called "That's Not My Age" or similar. There is a certain irony to the title. Some women are glamorous when they age, and those who aren't, but wannabe shouldn't be condemned for taking advantage of opportunities to look as they want to feel. BTW, plastic surgery can eliminate loose skin, but wrinkles persist even with Botox and fillers.
DeleteMaybe the answer to Linda's question is that older women just don't have the power in society anymore. At one time they had the power to arrange marriages and alliances and were generally respected for their experiences, a sort of "google gran" if you like. Now, older women are competing with much younger ones for similar positions.
ReplyDeleteSuzanne/Connie - there is a double standard. We hardly have any older female news reporters at the BBC & those that do exist are discriminated against
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11349310/BBC-had-an-informal-policy-to-discriminate-against-older-women-say-peers.html
Monix - I think you're right & I like the idea of Google Gran
Margot/Bettina/Kat - I agree, it's a personal choice and I do believe in doing whatever makes you happy. Personally, I wouldn't choose to go down that route and agree with Sue Kreitzman about fighting ageing.
Michelle - Thank you! The book's not out in the USA till November...
I rather naïvely thought Helen Mirren was au naturel, I feel a bit cheated now. I also saw Jessica Lange in a film trailer the other day and was shocked by how odd her face looked which is a great shame.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see so many older women featuring in ads, etc. I just hope it's not the latest fad and they don't get relegated again once it's past.
I believe it was Dame Helen who quipped that she would like to have her loose skin pulled to the top of her head, tied in a knot and snipped off. And, she did.
DeleteLoved your post and the comments in response to your brilliance. You are a star in support of aging women!
ReplyDeleteAs Ms Deneuve, I believe said, you can have your face ( relatively wrinkle free) or your figure ( relatively rounded) but you can't have both.
ReplyDeleteMy additions in brackets!
Some women age well; some don't. Guess who they choose for advertising campaigns?
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