Fashion

I just read an article in Vogue entitled "Forever Young".  Apparently the latest fashion for aging beauties (people over forty) is an exercise program that makes one age gracefully without looking "ropey" (like Madonna).  The recommendation is to exercise with light weights and engage in activities that do not create an overabundance of muscle.  This article depressed me for a number of reasons.

The piece was written about a select population in our culture.  Its focus was the one percent of the one percent of women who make their living acting or posing in front of the camera, which we know adds ten pounds to your appearance.  Unfortunately the other ninety nine percent of Vogue's readers are not stars but they are looking for guidance and approval for how they look and how they can make the best of what they have.  Of course you can respond to the whole notion of a fashion magazine as a vehicle that promotes sexism and sets women up for failure, so what should I expect from this health and beauty article?

 Most of Vogue's readers cannot afford the clothes they peruse in its pages or haven't been dealt the genetic royal straight flush required to fit into them, but it remains a standard because people want ideas about how they can be perceived as attractive; unfortunately, society's norms have changed little in this regard since the magazine was first printed in 1892.  Will Conde Nast ever launch a magazine that shows strong beautiful women who are jacked from lifting weights, climbing mountains, rowing rapids and eating lots of healthy food? Probably not, but it is fun to think about. I would love to see a woman with well muscled calves in Jimmy Choos or a competitive swimmer's back in a Versace strapless dress.  But I guess I would be swapping out one ideal for another and supporting another version of objectification.  Since we all objectify and we are a visual species the least we could do is promote a healthy body image based on activity, good food and intelligence (more compelling articles between the pictures).  

Not surprisingly the new physique for the midlife woman looks much like the old one for the below thirty model.  It is disturbing that being fashion fit continues to require women to look like emaciated prepubescent boys or heroine addicts.  And if you want to be attractive as an over forty woman you must look like people who are in their thirties.  This stereotype, which crosses the gender line drives me nuts.  People tell me (although not often enough) that I look great for being fifty.  I always pause before I respond because I don't know whether to thank them or say "fuck you."  Everyone should be encouraged to age healthily no matter what that looks like.

Men have their own issues with body image and are equally obsessed about their appearance but for some reason a guy with a prominent beer gut hanging over his stained cargo shorts is often accompanied by a woman who appears to be living a much healthier life style than he.  He probably has beautiful eyes, a good sense of humor or a fat wallet.  That last sentence was inappropriate on many levels but my point is that men can look (or act) any way they want but women can't.

So let's set the bar a little higher for ourselves.  Let's be confident about who we are, what we look like, what we think and how we choose to spend our money and maybe someday Madison Avenue will take notice - or not.