Name: Changing the Goalposts for Older Women
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Changing the Goalposts for Older Women

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Skip to contentIt was my first time. No one had ever said it to me before, and I’d been blithely unaware that I was at this point in my life. I’m talking about the day a shop assistant called me ‘Love.’ Now, you might not see this as a big deal. My friend T says she’s very happy with Love – it’s just a friendly form of address where she comes from, and she’s used it all her life. But in my experience Love is said either to particularly polite teenagers by little old ladies, or to little old ladies struggling with their shopping trolleys. It’s not a huge deal. Heaven knows I’d prefer Love to Babe, or God forbid, Hunni. And if it were just a slightly patronising form of address, I could probably get over myself and let it go. But there’s more. I work from home, and earn a living from this blog, and from various other associated writing and speaking commissions. However, I occasionally come across employers of industry (a place where I previously held down a 6-figure salary career) who give me that look. The one that says ‘woman, past-it, next please…’Changing the Goalposts for Older Women&nbsp;I typed in&nbsp;older woman&nbsp;as I did my keyword research for this post. The entire first page of Google’s search results told me that people searching for the term are almost universally interested in sex, or dating. Younger blokes want to know what it’s like to be with an older woman. How depressing. Hopefully some of them will end up here, where they will learn that we are more than a different kind of vagina (those of us who’ve had children) with a more generous wallet!&nbsp;A while back I covered a careers bootcamp, aimed at women wanting to return to employment after having time out with young children. I was interested to understand the challenges mothers faced, particularly off the back of Anna Whitehouse’s brilliant #FlexAppeal campaign. The speaker talked convincingly about tactics women can use to get past the barriers they may face after a career break. She answered questions with practical tips on pretty much every issue, from the perceived loss of up to date experience due to time out, to asking for flexible work hours. I put my hand up: “What if as well as being a mum who’s taken some time out, you’re also over the age of 50?” I asked. At this point, all her knowledge and advice deserted her. She glazed over, told the room that ageism is even more of a problem than sexism, and moved quickly on to the next question.Think you’re having a mid-life crisis? Read this post.That’s not okay with me. In a society where retirement age is forcibly going upwards, and pensions not meeting need, older people will quite simply have to work, whether employer’s stereotypes like it or not. But more to the point, what exactly is it about a woman’s visibly older skin that automatically tosses her onto the reject pile? Yes, my joints ache, my capacity for work after drinking alcohol is diminished, and I’m damned if I can find a heel that will let me run around London as comfortably as I once did. But it’s nothing that flat heels, Becks Blue and ibuprofen gel can’t solve, and there is nothing about my age that limits my tenacity, my project management skills, or my energy for a job worth doing.There is a woman I pass every morning on my run, as she heads out to work. Silver-grey elfin cut, snappy suit, mid-height – but so very expensive-looking – heels, and an impeccable red lip. I have no doubt that she is nailing her job, killing deadlines, and inspiring a lot of her younger colleagues to improve against their targets. Which brings me to my next point…What do you think happens to all that experience as a woman gets older? Does it become obsolete the minute the menopause kicks in? Well, kind of, if you’re talking to a woman who hasn’t kept up with the latest trends and technology. But as an employer, I can promise you that for every woman who’s not really nailing it any more, there are at least as many men who are past it. It’s quite simply not a matter of age; it’s about each individual’s motivation and talents.&nbsp; And the women who are out there reading and engaging, watching and inputting? They’re killing it. In fact, an older woman will probably have something up her sleeve of experience that the rest of the team couldn’t pull out of the bag if their salary depended on it.And another thing…Who made it law that once you’re past 50 you have to shop in that frumpy section of the department store that your mum seemed to like? Is it the same algorithm that dictates the arrival of hideous orthotic shoe catalogues on your doormat as soon as the pop of champagne corks is heard? When did fashion marketers stop bothering to appeal to older women? In much the same way that mum Zoë de Pass has turned the ‘dress like a mum’ stereotype on its head, I feel like I want to grab hold of the fashion industry and force designers to create shoes and clothing that work for women who didn’t unwrap an ‘off’ switch amongst their 50th birthday gifts on their desire to look awesome in their clothes.And I do mean awesome. Stylish is good, classy is good, but awesome is better. I feel like there are a ton of people who do comfy with no style; a few brands who aim for modern, but don’t quite go far enough; and some retailers who don’t actually mind if you shop with them, but much prefer it if you give your teenager your credit card. I may feel better in an orthotic sole, and I’ll certainly thank a brand for some give in a waistband; but that doesn’t mean I want to dress in cardigans and permanent-crease slacks when everyone else is in glitter mini skirts and skinny jeans. In fact, I’m on a mission today (on one of my other tabs as I type this) to find a leopard mini that will prove a woman over 50 can totally nail that style, should she so wish. If you know where I can find that skirt, please tell me!So who’s with me? I’m on a mission to take on industry, the media and fashion stereotypes. To change how older women are perceived and dictated to. And to empower every woman who wants to lead a business, innovate, wear hot thigh-high orthotics, or just rock a leopard mini skirt. If this sounds like you too, I’d love it if you’d join me on Instagram #50NotOut.PreviousNextFirst of all Helen, loving the new look on the blog.As I’m a few years away from being 50 (43), I can still vouch for the lack of fashionable clothing available for me.I still venture into New Look and Dorothy Perkins but more often than not, I buy all my clothes from second hand shops.There’s no ageism there.No teenage or twenty something looking me up and down when they ring up my purchases.I have found myself wearing skirts more as I’ve passed 40, something I would never considered when I was 20 and and a size 8.I really hope the fashion industry starts to take note and we’ll start seeing more fun and stylish wear for women past 40/50.omg I am totally with you, I am knocking on that door and have never felt more vibrant and confident 50 is the new 40 we have spending power confidence and are rocking it. I love this post Helen and am with you in the revolution xGreat article. I’m 38 and cannot find nice clothes for the life of me. I’d love to hear about a leopard skirt please when you find it! XGreat, inspiring read! Clothes are an external projection of the way we feel but the clothes that are marketed towards an older audience are not inspiring women to dress the way they really feel. This is of course partly to do with the models and mannequins that are used in store – would love to see more of a variety in age in the same way we now expect and hope for more variety in size. xGreat post! As a 50-seomthing myself I can relate: really well said 🙂I enjoyed reading this post Helen – your passion for #50notout really came through. Of course we can still enjoy fashion after a certain age – retailers should cater for us, even if we are not 20 anymore. We are golden customers – we have more money to spend! I’m glad you found your leopard skirt. I have a fave jumpsuit that I wear a lot from a company called Hot Squash – it has been my go to fave ever since I bought it. Not only is it super comfy yet smart looking it also has pockets!!Absolutely agree with you re fashion but particularly re employers attitudes. They are missing a trick! Women our age have heaps more to give in terms of experience, sageness (as it, “look, lets not get too hung up about this, we’ve seen this all before kind of attitude”) and most of all, time efficiency. We are so much more time efficient than when we were younger, pre kids, as we are so time stretched now and know the value of each hour. Ok, so many of us have put careers aside for putting kids first, but we DO have alot to give that others dont, and we need to be recognised. Oh and we have that crazy kick ass anger coming out of us that Cailtin Moran so hilariously describes in her latest book!This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.I’m a lifestyle blogger and a (sometimes terrified) mum of two teenagers who are leaving me in the dust faster than you can say empty nest. Some days I survive on really good coffee. I love bright colours, a good gossip, and clothes shopping with my girl – she’s my very own personal stylist! I’m #50NotOut, going up a gear in life now my kids are older – who’s with me?Find me here tooContent is protected !!

Skip to contentIt was my first time. No one had ever said it to me before, and I’d been blithely unaware that I was at this point in my life. I’m talking about the day a shop assistant called me ‘Love.’ Now, you might not see this as a big deal. My friend T says she’s very happy with Love – it’s just a friendly form of address where she comes from, and she’s used it all her life. But in my experience Love is said either to particularly polite teenagers by little old ladies, or to little old ladies struggling with their shopping trolleys. It’s not a huge deal. Heaven knows I’d prefer Love to...

Changing the Goalposts for Older Women

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