Beauty and Style: What’s Gotten Better With Age?

I’m inspired today by a post I read on NaturallyCurly.com about the physical aspects of aging. The question was posed: What do we like better about our physical selves as we age? Well, several posters piped right up with: nothing! And there are days when I definitely echo that sentiment. Some mornings, my face looks a bit saggy, eyes crinkled, silver showing at the roots of my hair.

By aging, I’m not talking about that lovely transition from college girl to working woman/mother: those physical changes in our 20’s and 30’s give our face its form, smooth out our awkwardness and calm down our skin. Those are the decades when we learn how to apply makeup artfully, tame and twist our hair, and build a flattering wardrobe.

The beauty and style changes that emerge after age 40 have not been given as much positive press. Let’s try to wring some out here! I’ll start, and I will try to maintain my sense of humor:

  • My posture is definitely better as a result of yoga and stretching.
  • I can afford a pedicure and sometimes my toes look great.
  • My silver hairs have a lot of body, so my ‘do looks more bountiful.
  • I know my best colors much better and am not too easily led astray.
  • I’ve developed a blissful relationship with my hair stylist, who understands curly hair!
  • I don’t choose to, but I could wear a Chanel suit and not look silly.
  • My eyelashes are ridiculously long, thanks to generic Latisse.
  • I never stay out all night anymore, so very few dark under-eye circles.
  • Deep rose lipstick looks good on a mature face!
A smile and confidence are always in style.
Photo courtesy of BlitheandBlonde
Please let me know what you think: what’s gotten better for you, style and beauty wise? Younger readers, what do you hope/expect to keep getting better?
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patti

11 Comments

  1. Forgot to mention, I LOVE MY LONG GRAY HAIR! Went gray Althea way at sixty-five,

  2. I'm 70 and I'm so glad I'm me, the me I was afraid to be when I was forty!

  3. Hi Serene, I am glad you like your grey hair. I would love it if we could feature grey hair; I am lucky. Mine was dark brown and has streaks of silver grey all over and white at the forehead and temples. I wish I had gone grey so much earlier. I was blonde for years!

  4. I agree with Angie! For me, the BEST things about aging are the confidence, calm perspective and overall appreciation for life resulting from decades of life experience. This may sound a bit crazy, but I love my aging body so much more than I did my young body. Sure, my 20 year old body was pretty nice, but at that age all I could seem to see were the (perceived) faults. At this point in time, when I consider my 53 year old body, I'm delighted that it functions well and I am no longer such a harsh critic about it's faults in appearance.

    And yes, I too have learned what colors and styles flatter me most. Which makes dressing myself so much less stressful than it used to be. I also like my salt & peppery hair a lot 😀

    Actually, there's little that I dislike about getting older apart from diminishing eyesight.

  5. Anne – yes, nc.com is a great resource for us curly-heads. Our hair isn't messy, it's . . . expressive. Like your eyes! Your makeup always looks just right.

    Angie – you are right, the serenity that comes with aging is the best part.

  6. The thing that got better with aging is my attitude towards life!This gives me a very relaxed vibe ,I have become so easy going.

  7. For me, the biggest after-40 positives are:

    1) Better haircuts and styling — thanks to NC.Com, by the way (even though curl-haters probably think my hair is messy and awful)

    2) Thanks to more skilled deployment of eye makeup, as well as natural aging, I think my eyes are more expressive and give my face more "gravitas."

  8. Paula – I hear you. It does take courage, right? : >

    CheryleB – The dropped waist! I wore them too, but it was not a flattering look for me. I love your point about sports and fun.

    Serene – you will look even more fabulous when your grays start coming in. It will be very dramatic!

  9. So far I'm kind of liking my gray hairs….I don't dye my hair and I would love for the grays to come in at the temples and have a couple of gray streaks on one or both sides of my head! I've found that aging is nothing to be afraid of but is actually kind of neat! ~Serene

  10. Just as you have learned what colors work for you, I have learned what shapes work for me. Never again will the dropped waist dress touch this skin as it did occasionally in my 20s.

    The child is an adult now and I have the time and money to travel and do nothing but relax for at least a few weeks every year.

    I discovered that I don't have to be good at sports if I have fun so I am far more likely to play. Golf anyone?

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