We Boomer grandmas have made it. The hottest red carpet styles this year are those women age 60+ and 70+. Of course, we do not look like any of the women of the previous generation who were those ages. We, as we Boomers always do, redefine life passage events.
Google the following or get the February 2015 Awards Season Special People Magazine:
Christie Brinkley, age 61, wears Victoria Beckham better than the twenty somethings.
Christine Baranski, age 61, wears Zac Posen better than the twenty somethings.
Helen Mirrren, age 69, wears Dolce and Gabbana better than the twenty somethings, and looks better near naked than many of them.
Diana Ross, age 70, wore vintage black. We Boomer grandmas are stopped by the twenty somethings when we pull out our vintage. We are the style masters.
Catherine Deneuve, age 71, in Louis Vuitton, looks better than the twenty somethings.
Barbara Streisand, age 72 in custom Donna Karan, looks better and happier than most twenty somethings.
And then there are the two idols of mine:
Jane Fonda, age 77, in Versace, looks better now than she ever did in her youth and is concentrating her third third of life on life lessons for Boomer grandmas..
Sophia Loren, age 80, in Armani Prive, is redefining “old old” for us to emulate.
These two screen sirens are still considered “hot” and sexual beings. Their quotes and messages are relevant to our lives.
Here is Sophia Loren on aging:
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
“I always wake up early and jump out of bed – sometimes not wanting to, because one can always find an alibi not to exercise – and then I take a walk for an hour.”
“And as I walk round the park I always think, ‘Maybe round the corner I am going to find something beautiful.’ I always think positively. It is very rare that you find me in a mood that is sad or melancholic.”
Jane Fonda talks about the “longevity revolution” and with thirty years added to our Boomer third stage of life, and how to live it at the fullest, with “wisdom, wholeness, and spirituality.”
Jane Fonda has a blog if you are interested.
In an essay on her blog, entitled “Crying,”Jane Fonda reflects on aging and how it’s affected her.
“I find my emotions are way more accessible than they were when I was younger and I’ve come to feel it has to do with age. I have become so wonderfully, terribly aware of time, of how little of it I have left; how much of it is behind me, and everything becomes so precious,” Fonda wrote. “With age, I am able to appreciate the beauty in small things more than when I was younger perhaps because I pay attention more. I feel myself becoming part of everything, as if I bleed into other people’s joy and pain.”
Jane Fonda gave ForbesWomen Magazine writer, Jenna Goudreau, her top ten tips on aging.
“Think of Aging like Climbing a Staircase”
“We need to revise how we think of aging,” says Fonda. “The old paradigm was: You’re born, you peak at midlife, and then you decline into decrepitude. Looking at aging as ascending a staircase, you gain well-being, spirit, soul, wisdom, the ability to be truly intimate and a life with intention.” This optimistic perspective honors the aging process. Fonda notes that a positive attitude-including humor, gratitude, playfulness and adaptability-is one of the best predictors of longevity.”
“Reflect on Where You Come From”
“It’s hard to know how to go forward, if you don’t know where you’ve been,” Fonda says. She spent a great deal of time reflecting on her childhood, rollercoaster relationships and feelings about her young life in order to better understand who she is today. She suggests others do a similar “life review” by excavating their memories, confronting former demons, and then moving on.”
“Let Go of Perfectionism”
“Fonda, like many women, spent much of her youth reaching for the elusive “perfection.” From an early age, she says her father made her feel physically imperfect, which sparked a tumultuous battle with bulimia beginning in puberty. “We’re supposed to be complete and whole, and you can’t be whole if you’re trying to be perfect,” she says. “It took me a long time to learn that.”
“Own Your Power”
“I always thought if I wasn’t with a man I would cease to exist,” says Fonda. But at age 62, after a divorce from Ted Turner and seven years of celibacy, she finally realized her independence and strength. Now, Fonda advises those in their 20s and 30s: “Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t give yourself away.”
“Embrace Love at Every Age”
“Intimacy involves self-revelation,” Fonda says, insisting that love may be even better in the third act of life. “When I fell in love again, I didn’t need a man. When we can walk into a relationship as a whole person, that’s where intimacy comes.” In fact, studies show that feeling connected to romantic partners and friends and family throughout your life boosts health and happiness.”
“Keep up Appearances”
“Continuing to invest in your appearance helps you look and feel beautiful. Fonda, at age 72, had cosmetic surgery on her jawline and under her eyes so that her face would look less “droopy.” She doesn’t regret it. “I felt pretty terrific, but I always looked tired,” she says. “I got tired of not looking like how I felt.” Going the plastic surgery route isn’t for everyone, but spending time on your appearance at every age will project inner beauty.”
“Get Moving”
“Fonda calls physical exercise “mandatory” when you’re older, noting that it keeps bones strong, helps deepen sleep and minimizes the shrinkage in the brain caused by inactivity. Even regular walking, stretching and light weight lifting-which she demonstrates in her new Prime Time work-out DVDs-makes an incredible difference. “I’m in my 70s; I have a fake hip, a fake knee, and can’t do what I used to do. When I saw the importance of older people staying active, I thought who better than me [to demonstrate]?”
“Cut The Bad Behaviors”
“In her book Prime Time, Fonda writes that not abusing alcohol is considered by gerontologists “the single highest predictor of successful aging.” Similarly, cutting out smoking and reducing consumption of sugar, processed foods and saturated fats can add years to your life. “Now more than ever, you are what you eat,” says Fonda, advising an increased intake of water, fresh fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.”
“Sleep More, Not Less, With Age”
“Even today, Fonda sleeps eight to nine hours every night, which is critical for tissue restoration and hormonal releases. “Deep sleep is important throughout the life span, but it is essential when we are older,” she says. Because aging tends to lighten sleep patterns, she suggests exercising during the day, not drinking caffeinated beverages after lunch and eating foods with natural tryptophan, like milk and turkey.”
“Stay Interested”
“When asked to consider all that she’s learned in her high-octane career and rich life, Fonda offers some crucial advice to the next generation: “Learn who you really are to become a whole person. It takes a lot of courage because all of the culture is telling us we’re supposed to be this way or that way. Try to be authentic; try to discover it. And stay interested. That’s much more important than being interesting.”
This Grandma keeps hearing the messages to keep your mind and body moving, think positively and act positively. This Grandma adds to the message: grandchildren help do all that for us too. Grandchildren are our reward. Now, let’s be the new example of a life well lived and live the third stage of our life well.
It does not hurt to look the part too! Just ask Jane Fonda.
Joy,
Mema
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