Feeling invisible as you age? This may be a thing of the past!

Sponsored by

Hello! This is the time of year when everyone is beginning to have spring fever, me included! We are working out, thinking about switching out winter clothes for warmer weather clothes, and bringing in spring colors to finish out the winter and bring us hope and joy.

This month, I am very excited to share with you an article a friend wrote for this newsletter, and for you. Her name is Christine Morrison, and she is among a group of women who share my belief that aging is a gift, and yes, many times it is a challenge I won’t lie, but we believe that your age is your SUPERPOWER.

Seen.

While I am aligned with Brene Brown who said, “Never underestimate the power of being seen,” studies reveal 70% of women experience a sense of becoming invisible as they age.

Invisible Woman Syndrome is a genuine phenomenon; women as young as 52 begin to feel overlooked in social situations, the workplace and in media. Some feel this is a side effect of menopause, others simply of aging. It can be disparaging. And lonely.

But, to quote Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, times are a-changin’.

The decade-old pro-aging movement has gained real momentum — slowly eradicating “anti-aging” in its wake — and while we still have far to go, multitudes of aging women are stepping out of the shadows and living a renaissance in the second half of life. This week alone, Harper’s Bazaar featured 90-year-old Carol Burnett in a fashion spread with an accompanying interview touting her creative genius, a menopause ad ran on the Superbowl and a fashion designer, the lovely Batsheva Hay, cast her NYFW runway solely with women over 40; Molly Ringwald, at 55, led the charge. One model, Racquel Chevremont, 52, told The New York Times, “I’ve had so many friends who are like, ‘I’m in my invisible stage now.” By owning the actual stage, this giddy group did more than showcase a fashion line, they showed friends — and the world — that aging women are no shrinking violets. “It’s about a sense of self,” another model declared.

Fashion Forward

Visibility absolutely surpasses fashion, but what you wear does play a role. As 102-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel has said, “You have to dress for yourself before you dress for your age.” Shape shifting bodies be damned; wear what makes you feel good about who you are — and where you are in life. Right now. When we allow fashion to be fun, rather than act as camouflage, we have greater confidence. We can always find flaws — regardless of age — but as the birthday candles increase, we know better than to cower.

I subscribe to Diane Von Furstenberg’s approach: “When I look at myself in the mirror, I find my strength there,” she says. The acclaimed designer has also declared, “Every woman should have a black turtleneck,” and “…as long as you’re true to yourself, you’re free.” 

As I am pitching a fashion essay collection — tales of love, loss, working in fashion and ultimately finding my authentic self, all told through what I wore — I find reflecting back on the fashion that shaped who I am today is a parallel process to rediscovering style in mid-life. As we evolve and allow ourselves to lean into our “proof of living” (what DVF lovingly calls aging) we can dress for the world in a way that says we are not to be missed.

Preserving Power 

While much has been made about the collective spending power of women over 50 — exceeding $15 trillion annually and earning us the moniker “super consumers” — our influence, and ability to shine into our golden years, is much greater. But it starts at the grassroots level. It begins with us.

The more we show up for ourselves, the more we can be seen.

A recent Goop podcast with heavy hitters Allyson Felix, Amy Griffin, and Cameron Diaz was a brilliant reminder that our power comes from within. It comes from experience and how you weather the storms; our resilience strengthens over time. No one can take that away.

Coming Clean

Despite striving to be seen, I have recently stepped back from writing that has brought me great visibility — beauty editorial. With category chaos that has accompanied the influx of influencers, subsequent miscommunication and myths surrounding beauty and incessant launches, and disingenuous press demands, I bowed out. I value authenticity over visibility; trust trumps noise.

The beauty of aging is that we are nothing if not true to ourselves.  It took us so long to find out who we are; there is no turning back to be anything less than purely authentic now.

Rather than slinking away, I remain engaged in my love for the business of beauty and have since steered my writing there — exploring and exposing the grey areas that muddy women’s decisions. I have also joined THE BOARD, a community of highly vetted fractional consultants transforming brands and the category. I find myself among legends in business, mentors who shine brighter with each passing decade, and while our culture will always admire youth, by staying true to our values and leveraging experience, we will not be dismissed.

I will forever strive to convey the truths about aging so that we can change the narrative. Coco Chanel agrees: “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

Use your voice.

We’re listening.

Christine Morrison is a freelance writer whose work centers around her achievements and passions, often seen through the lens of aging: fashion, beauty, wellness and fitness.

Her writing has appeared in print and online vehicles, as well as advertising campaigns. She is currently writing a fashion essay collection reflecting the meaning behind, and the humor in, what she wore while forming her identity, navigating her way to true love and discovering her authentic self.

I also believe in full transparency, is there really a cream that will remove all your wrinkles? Is there really a cream that will make your cellulite disappear? Of course not, so when I recommend a product or a treatment, I have tried it myself, and truly believe in its efficacy- that it does what it claims to do, at least for me. This month, I am talking about bras. I’m not sure I’ve ever written about bras in my life, but I feel like after 40, they are an important topic and a useful tool if they fit correctly for comfort, support and the way they make you look in your clothes.

I don’t know if it was Covid or what, but these days I cannot stand wearing an underwire bra. I wore them for years, they were my go-to, but no more. I’ve felt like I couldn’t breathe, I felt like the underwire was digging into my ribs, and I also felt like the lift wasn’t really working any more either. Gravity is a part of life for us, and there aren’t many ways to keep our breasts from sagging as we age, apart from surgery, but a recent experience gave me hope, and I wanted to share it with you. The bra brand Wacoal recently invited me to a bra fitting, and a discussion about my issues and what is available to help with them. We discussed the Wacoal offerings, and tried many possibilities. I chose three bras, and I’m really happy with all of them. I was shocked at the difference it makes in the clothes I wear, and the comfort I feel without the underwire is a real game changer. There is also more coverage under the arms, across the back and certainly in the lift; plus the look when wearing these bras is much less “matronly”. When you look at yourself in the mirror and you feel “old”, you might not even realize that the bra you’re wearing has something to do with that. This was definitely the case for me.

These are the three bras that work for me:

Old bra

New bra!

Bras that worked for me, might not be the same that would work for you. If you haven’t had a fitting in a while, Wacoal offers virtual fittings! 

These are my new reading glasses that I love, because they super chic but are not oversized. There is nothing wrong with oversized glasses, and it’s definitely a “look” these days, but for me, not being able to see over the glasses when I look up annoys me terribly! These are a great solution.

Our recent podcast episode with Hal Rubenstein will bring back so many memories. We discussed how the clothing worn on TV shows can actually affect fashion trends for years. Remember “Miami Vice”? Don Johnson’s T-shirts with the blazer and those aviator sunglasses, who could forget, right? Most people had never heard of Manolo Blahnik until Sarah Jessica Parker made them a household name in “Sex And The City”. What about Marlo Thomas in “That Girl” and Mary Tyler Moore? The list is really endless. Costume designers for TV and movies play a huge role in character development, and most of us don’t even realize it’s happening. As in real life, what you’re wearing, and your physical appearance, send messages telling others who you are. Hal Rubenstein reveals the surprising ways our favorite shows have significantly reflected and often shaped the way we dress.

If you’re curious about the different types of shapewear available in 2024, this is a recent article I was a part of in People Magazine discussing the topic, “The 16 Best Shapewear of 2024”

Two thoughts to leave you with-

"If you are always trying to be normal, you'll never know how amazing you can be." — Maya Angelou

All your life, you think 60 is ancient, and all of a sudden, you find you’re 60 and you don’t really feel that different. I feel stronger and more engaged. This is the best time of my life.”

Glenn Close

Until next month,

Xx,

Alison

Speak a New Language in 3 Weeks? It's True with Babbel's Expert-Crafted Approach

Forget clunky apps and robotic learning.  Babbel's lessons are crafted by language experts, not algorithms, ensuring you learn practical phrases and vocabulary used in everyday situations. Imagine confidently navigating local markets or ordering food like a pro within just 3 weeks.

Start your fluency journey today and save up to 55% on Babbel's expert-backed approach.