When I Grow Up I Want to be an Old Woman

When I Grow Up I Want to be an Old Woman

I have never been afraid of aging. I don't know if it's because the women in my family age so gracefully...or because I never bought into the youth obsessed culture we live in. Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with pills, creams, tighteners, brighteners, shapers, and surgeries that we are told we need to stay youthful. Most of the models used for advertisements are comfortably younger than 25 years old. Some were into Hana Montana the year prior, but that's another story all together.

Youth is wonderful, it really is. However, it's such a short period of our lives! I refuse to believe that we peak in highschool or college, and if you feel you did...well, I feel sorry for you. I created this post to celebrate the beauty of all ages. Since the beauty of youth is celebrated daily, I specifically sought out older women to highlight.


So in my search to find beautiful older women, I came across the Ms. Senior America Pageant.  I am so going to enter in 29 years! (yikes, I didn't realize how close it was!)

According to the website, the Ms. Senior America Pageant,

 "The Ms. Senior America Pageant is the world's first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the "Age of Elegance."  It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans. The Ms. Senior America philosophy is based upon the belief that seniors are the foundation of America, and our most valuable treasure.  It is upon their knowledge, experience and resources that the younger generation has the opportunity to build a better society."

Let me tell you this pageant is awesome!

The current pageant winner

Kudos to all of these beautiful women!  For more information click here

Without further adieu, beauties of all ages!

 Beauties in their 30's:

I wanted to find a picture where she wasn't all done up and this shot fit perfectly.  Minimal makeup except for the red lip which I adore.

I really wasn't offended by M.I.A giving people the finger during the Super Bowl.  I mean, get over yourselves.  As much as I like football, let's be honest here...What do most people do during the Super Bowl?  Drink, curse, eat and gamble.  If that isn't an environment conducive to giving someone the finger, I don't know what is.  However, I digress.  Believe it or not M.I.A is 37!  Yes darling, and she looks marvelous!

Beauties in their 40's

Salma Hayek, 'nuff said.

Halle Berry, Halle Berry...Yes, Miss Thing is in her 40's and let me tell you, I wish I looked half as good as she does now!

Beauties in their 50's

Yes, Madge has had some work...and I have seen her looking less than fabulous but for 54...she looks pretty damn good.

Yves St Laurent once said Iman was his dream woman, and at 56, we can all see why.

Beauties in their 60's:

Vera Wang is 63.  Yes 63.  She is super stylish and still beautiful.

Beauties in their 70's and beyond!

=

Carmen Dell'Orefice is hands down one of the most strikingly beautiful women I have ever seen.  I personally think she is more beautiful now than when she was younger...but that's just me.  By the way, she is 72.

**Correction**Carmen Dell'Orefice  is 81!!!! 

Our obsession with youth is detrimental to us all.  Besides the shallow aspects of beauty, we are largely ignoring seniors who can offer us wisdom, experience and tradition in our fast paced, overly stressed lives.  Furthermore, this is just an opinion, but our obsession with youth seemingly breeds pedophilia, one simply has to watch Dateline NBC's Chris Hanson, To Catch a Predator to come to that conclusion.

Besides the child predators, this obsession with its multi billion dollar marketing machine telling us we are not thin, youthful, or pretty enough is damaging to our self esteem.  I encountered a seven year old who told me she was counting calories!  A seven year old for god sakes! Things have gotten so out of hand, that vaginal rejuvenation (a.k.a designer vaginas) is quickly becoming one of the most sought after plastic surgeries.  God forbid our vijayjay doesn't look like whatever porn stars vagina!  Because really, we should all aspire to be like porn stars.  (Is there a surgery for saggy testicles? I'm just saying.)

I have no answers, I have no idea what will turn our society's attitude towards aging.  Yet, we all need to embrace our age, our looks, our lives and our bodies no matter what age!

So how do you feel about age and aging?  Which one of these beauties do you admire, and why?

 PSSST, by the way...I am apart of this awesome Monday Mom Mingle! Check it out