Did You Know there is a New Network Celebrating Women of a Certain Age? WHOA!!

 There is a New Network.....WHOA!  (WOMEN HONORING OUR AGE)

This new network is based on the simple concept: Women should be seen and heard at every age and valued more as they get older, not less. Great minds think alike; the Mission of my blog since I started it last April has been to help women shine until they take their last breath. Not exactly the same, but similar enough.

Founders Lynn Forbes and Darryle Pollack. WHOA is pioneering the next level of connection online via new technologies like Google Hangout Shows.  Tapping into the trailblazing spirit of the women who changed the world way-back-when, they’ve quickly amassed a community of energetic, active midlife-and-beyond women who refuse to remain invisible.    According to Forbes and Pollack, we are at a new frontier, a true tipping point.  We are creating a powerful shift in how women are perceived as we get older. What I say is:"Ditto" and" thank goodness!"

Just click and take a look.     http://whoanetwork.com/



                                                                                                                                                                          

Jacqueline Bisset Defies the Odds and Remains Timeless and in Demand!

A career with top filmmakers shows no signs of slowing down, with upcoming roles in a new movie and a BBC series on Starz.

Early in her career, Jacqueline Bisset discovered that she didn't need to be in every shot of a movie.

Bisset came to that realization while making Jerry Paris' underrated 1970 drama "The Grasshopper," which cast her  as a wide-eyed teenager from British Columbia who winds up a prostitute in Las Vegas.

It was the first time the British actress, who had become an international sensation in such films as the seminal 1968 thriller "Bullitt" and the 1970 granddaddy of disaster flicks, "Airport," carried a movie.

The whippet-slender Bisset, who is an ageless 69, has had a blessed career working with some of cinema's top filmmakers, including François Truffaut in his Oscar-winning 1973 French classic "Day for Night"; Sidney Lumet in 1974's "Murder on the Orient Express"; Peter Yates on "Bullitt" and 1977's "The Deep"; George Cukor in 1981's "Rich and Famous"; John Huston in 1984's "Under the Volcano," and Claude Chabrol in 1995's  "La Ceremonie."

The actress has also has defied the odds. Despite the fact that there are few meaty roles for women over the age of 50, Bisset is still in demand, playing complex parts such as ruthless businesswoman and extortionist on the fourth season of FX's "Nip/Tuck" and a mentally troubled concentration camp survivor with two grown sons in 2009's "Death in Love."

Her latest project is the six-part BBC miniseries "Dancing on the Edge," which premiered October 26 on Starz. Written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, the miniseries revolves around a group of black jazz musicians who, despite racism, steadily rise to fame in early 1930s London. But their success crumbles after band members become involved in a murder conspiracy.

The series stars Chiwetel Ejiofor of "12 Years a Slave"; Matthew Goode and John Goodman.  Bisset plays Lady Cremone, a reclusive British widowed aristocrat known for discovering unknown talent. Bisset's first episode aired on Oct. 26.

For more details check out susan.king@latimes.com.


















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Helen Mirren Makes Looking Sexy Seem so Darn Easy!!!

Helen Mirren Receiving her Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

THIS IS WHAT MAKES A WOMAN SEXY

What makes an older woman sexy? I fell asleep the other night wondering this, having contemplated the subtle erosion of the various bodily bits which supposedly evoke sexual urges.

But before I launch into my exegesis, I must make a minor (and defensive) detour and query the same about older men. What do we find sexy about Jeremy Irons or Clint Eastwood? Isn't is their self-assurance? Their ease? Why is it considered that they look great when their hair turns silver and lines define their face, yet this doesn't apply to women? I know, this is a huge topic and a bit of an old saw, and frankly I'm really bored by it, as any self respecting woman of our generation should be, and yet the imbalance does persist. (Oh yes, I forgot -- and how could I, given contemporary media -- we are sex objects.) I know... Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem did the mindful on our behalf, yet that did little for the Australopithecus brain of our male counterparts. Hello Ladies, we need to, as they say,represent.

Of course traditionally women of a certain age went and did strange things to their hair: dyed it too dark, or tinged it violet, or permed it, or waved it, or essentially made it look seriously goofy. I mean really, do the same to a man and he'll look ridiculous too. Then of course, older dames insisted on wearing too much jewelry and makeup and floral print silks or absurd matching outfits a la Queen Mum. So really, we've been doing it to ourselves for years. 

But let's get down to the nitty gritty. What is it that makes an older woman sexy? First of all, it's how a woman inhabits her body. No matter the size or shape -- is it her temple? Does she treasure it? Is she proud of it? Does she own it? A woman who owns her body, is just damn sexy. Every shape has its attendant curves and delights; a woman who knows how to display them just plain rocks. And let's not forget the structural elements, the bones, many of which, as the flesh shifts, gain more presence, more sculptural gravitas. Consider shoulders, consider hips, consider the back...

According to New Study Men Give Up on Their Appearance at 46 While Women Continue to at Least 59!!

Survey reveals changing attitudes to health and appearance as we get older

A research study by Benenden Health in England and published in September 2013, has shown that: women put forth the effort on their appearance thirteen years longer,focusing on their appearance and general fitness at least until age 59, before they start to relax their standards.( I believe that it is because society stops valuing them and they seem to disappear from the face of the planet, except for constipation or bladder problems.) On the other hand, men stop trying well before they reach the BIG "5-O", and are happier to cut out trips to the gym.

The research commissioned by the Health and Wellbeing Benenden Health in England, found women were nearly twice as likely to lack confidence in their image with more than one third unable to claim they were at least content with their appearance. 2,000 men and women were studied and one third blamed lack of happiness in contributing to their low confidence levels in the way they look.  

The study concluded that maintaining our physical well-being into our later years becomes less of a priority, which is influenced in part by wanting to relax in comfort and not wanting to keep up with the trends (How sad is this?). Finally, men appear to "give up" far sooner than women. 

Your comments on this study would be greatly appreciated.  I wonder if this is totally accurate, or if the sample size of the study group was too small or somehow slanted.   Thanks 

Suzanne Somers is in the Cosmetics Business with "Suzanne Organics"

"Each Ingredient of Suzanne Organics has to be grown organic, extracted organically and nothing upwind or downwind of the product can be toxic to contaminate it."

 Suzanne Somers' bout with breast cancer  propelled her into dedicating her life to health and wellness. After her unconventional, but successful battle with the breast cancer, Suzanne has been committed to to researching and promoting healthy, organic, and toxic free living.

According to Suzanne:" One day it dawned on me...I go out of my way to eat organic, grow my own organic food, clean my house with organic products,.. and I am undoing all that good by putting toxic chemicals on my skin like cheap self-tanner. The skin is the largest organ in the body and under a microscope, our pores look like billions of little "holes". Into these pores go all the toxins from the environment and the products we put onto our skin. Eventually these toxins end up in our system."

Ms. Somers  teamed up with Clark's Nutrition in Southern California to make a skin care and cosmetics that are not just organic, but, toxic-free! She asserts that: "the line is for all people who have awareness that the environment is wreaking havoc with our health and that all adds up. Maybe starting with skin care and organic products is the gateway to changing your health and lifestyle.

Despite how wonderful Ms Somers makes this product out to be I would be a bit cautious about going out and buying a lot of it because there is no medical backing on the products. Searching the internet, I haven't seen any testimonials on how the product works, although it is sold on QVC and there are plenty of reviews by the customers who have purchased her products. Are the customers of QVC and their reviews a good substitute for Empirical studies?  I don't know.  If you try it, let me know.

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Britain Has Started the Revolution This Time!!! The Negative Societal Image of Ageing is Finally Addressed!!

The Director, Sue Bourne and the four Fabulous Fashionistas

Speaking at the Conference "Mirror Mirror"

In the last week of October a Revolutionary conference was held a the the London College of Fashion. The subject: Nowhere is there found a positive representation of ageing, especially noticeable in the media. "There are no representations of age and ageing as a good thing-it's all negative and grumbly, comedic, or over-sentimental". The sentiment at the Conference was one of rebellion. Older women are apparently only complemented when they strive to look younger than expected. A recent study conducted by Dr. Carolyn Mair confirmed that older women would simply like to be told that they look good, and that the numerical age was irrelevant .The Conference was about celebrating age and how can we change these societal images.

Appearing at the Conference was Ari Seth Cohen. I did an article about him and his photographs of flamboyantly dressed ageing women and his wonderful blog. Fashion Blogger for the Over Sixty, Alyson Walsh (That's Not My Age.com) joined Ari.  Following the event, Alyson blogged that she and Ari discussed "the visibility of women beyond a certain age, inspiring role models, the media/fashion industry's obsession with youth and so on." Based upon all the buzz in England, she is hoping that the fashion world is beginning to consider this large and powerful demographic.

Alyson also noted that the English magazine, the Guardian published an interesting article asking"has fashion really changed for women over 60".  I will have to get a copy of that and I will analyze it here on the blog. In the end, Alyson and Ari agreed that they preferred to view" this phenomenon not as a trend, but more as a long-term cultural shift."  Let's hope so!!!

Daphne Self, in her 80's, conducted a quick blast of exercise. The day ended with the Fabulous Fashionistas who are pictured above. Daphne,Sue, Bridget and Jean who urged everyone to keep: learning about life,  to be curious,to be yourself; and to look after your physical self when you're young. Most of all they advised not to be afraid of ageing!!

The Fabulous Fashionistas were recently the subject of a movie directed by Sue Bourne, pictured above in the center, which touts the life enhancing effects of fashion.  This will be the topic of another Blog.

Ari Seth Cohen. A Young Man Who is Shifting the Paradigm on Ageing Women

ARI SETH COHEN: A VISIONARY OF VISIONS.  HIS WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS THAT CELEBRATE THE AGEING WOMAN AND NOT ONLY HER STYLE, BUT HER ZEST FOR LIFE!!!

Although his photos of elegant women over 50, 60, 70, 80, and even 90 and100, are a bit eccentric, he has done so much to shift the paradigm of aging in our society. Ari Seth Cohen is the creator of Advanced Style, a blog devoted “to capturing the sartorial savvy of the senior set.” He says, that he features "people who live full creative lives. They live life to the fullest, age gracefully and continue to grow and challenge themselves.” 

Ari's grandmother was full of energy and had an ebullient attitude toward life. It was his love of her that made him question why there were so few photos of  maturing women who continued to shine and who continued to live life to the fullest in advancing ages of life.   He is an old soul who in his young years has done so much to enhance and celebrate the image of the women over 50,60,70, 80, 90, and even 100  Because of the dearth of older people in fashion campaigns he began taking photos of these women who demonstrated that you "can be stylish, creative and vital at any age."

.At 30, Ari already has a decade's worth of professional accomplishments along with the development of his ever-so-popular blog "Advanced Style". His blog has been touted in the New York Times, the New Yorker, and Forbes. Last month, in London, the London College of Fashion held a pioneering conference, Mirror Mirror, on fashion, culture, age and ageing.  Along with leading academics in the field, the conference welcomed other popular cultural figures and commentators who have been at the forefront of exploring style and age.

Ari, who began photographing women on the streets of New York, joined a fellow blogger, Alyson Walsh, the writer of the blog "That's Not My Age.  The two had a conversation about age and style. All next week, I will be reporting and commenting on all of the wonderful things
that went on at the conference. 

If you check out my Pinterest Page at Fashion Over Fifty.com, many of his marvelous models are featured there. 

Mary Berry, 77, Britain's Bake-Off Queen, Beautifully Rewrites the Rules for Dressing

Britain is beginning to grab hold of the idea that women over 50 are still about shining.  In fact, I will be writing and blogging with photos of the various things they are doing. Women in their 70's and even 80's are showing up in commercials and other advertisements. Just two days ago, I posted about China Machado, 83, another British style icon  The trend is also becoming more popular in Europe as well, which I will be updating as it happens. This article is from a British on-line journal. Come on United States, what is holding you up? Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian?

Tsk, tsk, tsk.  When are we going to wake up?

The blue brought out the sapphire of her eyes. The high waist and chiffon bodice showed off a figure that is still enviably slight, despite a talent for baking the perfect Victoria sponge. The pearls gave her skin a certain sheen. No wonder then that at the National Television Awards in Britain , Mary Berry managed to outshine — in her own understated, subtle, polite way — every other female star on the red carpet.

She broke some rules, too: you know, the ones that say older women — and Mary is 77 — should never show their arms, wear colour or anything with a sheen.

Presumably, they should instead just stay at home, preferably knitting and wearing only embroidered, pastel twin sets from the Classic department of Marks & Spencer (Mary even uses fake tan, almost as improbable as being told she eats Tesco bargain basement burgers).

Last year, following her appearances on The Great British Bake Off, Mary became an unlikely fashion icon. She single- handedly caused a spike in sales of floral bomber jackets at Zara, likewise rose- covered blazers at Whistles.

The shock was not so much that a woman in her 70's was shopping for trends at such fashion-forward stores, but that she was blatantly unafraid to be noticed. That she looked pretty.

That she was vital, passionate and hard- working when we are always being told older women are invisible, or belong in a care home, or at the very least out of sight.

Here was Mary, not just flying the flag for colour and print, but for the superannuated everywhere.

And, unlike most women on the red carpet, who dress only to show off how many hours they have spent in Pilates classes, Mary’s reason for dressing so jauntily and jazzily is very different: ‘On the baking show, I wanted to look summery, positive and encouraging. The summer was so wet and cold, I wanted to be warm, too. Above all, I always like to look approachable.’

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