A Look at Women Still Displaying Their Fashion Styles at Old Age

It is true that fashion is something that every women would want to always put an eye on, but even in old age it still goes on? Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman. Tammy Wynette sang it, and boy sometimes do I feel it. On the wrong side of 40 I am constantly reminded that I’m too wrinkly, saggy, frumpy…need I go on?

Life is a daily barrage of reminders that I’m, basically, not young. It’s a deliberate ploy by the beauty companies of course. The older I feel, hopefully the more lotions and potions I will splash out on in a bid to buy back my youth.But what I’ve never really understood is why advertising clothes on pre pubescent girls is going to make me rush out and buy them?

I might live my life in a comforting state of denial, but you’d have to be bat sh*t crazy to think that an item of clothing is going to transport you back to when you were 20. And I’m not deluded enough to think I will ever look like the young model does in the clothes either. So why do they do it?

Which, before I rant on forever, brings to me to my point. I think the fashion industry might finally be starting to get it. Why? Well for starters Italian fashion house Bottega Veneta have just signed up 73-year-old Lauren Hutton to model in their latest campaign. Genius.

Lauren also modelled in their SS17 catwalk show alongside 21-year-old Gigi Hadid in September. Hutton wore a modern update of the outfit she famously wore in the 1980 film American Gigolo. The audience stood up and clapped, and, I’ve heard, there were even tears amongst the usually straight faced fashion pack.

A clever move by the Italian fashion house because whilst Gigi Hadid talks to the Insta-Snapchat generation, Lauren appeals to the women that actually buy their clothes.

Obviously she’s no ordinary 73 year old – she’s LAUREN HUTTON for God’s sake – but she looks just as good as models a third of her age.

Instead of the usual clothes horse, Bottega Veneta have chosen to use a more mature, real(ish) woman showcasing their collection. This ad resonates with me. I respect Lauren as an actress and think she has incredible style.

I know I’m not in my 70s yet, but Bottega Veneta are identifying with and engaging their customers, the long forgotten women that actually have the (large) sums of cash to buy their clothes.

It’s a win win. Surely?

Similarly, 70-year-old Charlotte Rampling is the star of Loewe’s Spring 2017 look book. Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson was the mastermind behind the bold move and he told Vogue magazine: “Of all the people in the world, she makes me so, so happy.

“When I first joined the brand, she was the woman. I did a mood book for them, and she was the person who I thought was perfect for the brand. You look at her and you get that rawness. For me she represents a very powerful woman force — most men have only attempted that. That’s what’s so fascinating about her, that she holds her own court.”

I couldn’t agree more. The pictures are powerful and memorable.

If I’m being honest, I can’t actually recall any of Loewe’s previous ads, and I certainly didn’t connect with any of the models appearing in them.

Another piece of good news. Ashley Graham (follow her on Instagram @theashleygraham, she’s very brilliant) is on the cover of this month’s Vogue. It’s a commendable move by editor Alexandra Shulman. Where the fashion bible goes, others follow, so she could be the trail blazer here.

Size 16 Ashley is what’s commonly referred to in the fashion industry as ‘plus size’ which loosely translated means not pencil thin. She’s very inspiration, completely and utterly drop dead gorgeous and I’d trade a (distant) family member to have her curves.

Ashley works very hard to promote positive female body image, would never diet, and has produced her own lingerie collection that she showed, and modelled, during New York Fashion week last September.

Her Vogue cover is incredible and firmly pokes two fingers up to any one in the industry that still insists fashion can only be represented by unrepresentative women that are size 00.

Which brings me, finally, onto 56-year-old Nicola Griffin who featured in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit shoot last year, in a gold BIKINI!

If you don’t know who she is, then prepare to be amazed. Obviously she’s in supersonic shape. But doesn’t dye her hair and as far as I know, hasn’t had tonnes of surgery. She’s a real woman. Like you and me, but probably works out a teeny bit more. Hmmm!