Article by Fabafterfifty
It was great to see two models over 50 look radiant in the sunshine for the All Walks, All Walks Beyond the Catwalk photo shoot as part of London Fashion Week. Daphne Selfe, the UK’s oldest model at 80, was there on equal footing with her younger counterparts- just as she should be!
Women are all shapes, sizes and ages
It is clearly an initiative Caryn Franklin feels passionate about. For the past 18 months she has been working with Erin O’Connor and Debra Bourne to highlight that women come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and that its time the fashion industry recognised this. Everyone involved in the fashion shoot gave their time for free including make-up artists, photographers and TV stylist Jane Galpin , so strongly do they believe that all women of all ages are, and have the right to be beautiful in their own way.
Although the team were successful in getting a 42 year old model onto the catwalk at London Fashion week last year, many people commented that she only looked late 20s (lucky her!!)
This year Caryn and her team put together a photo shoot with renowned photographer Rankin, with models of all ages, sizes and shapes. Two of the models were significantly over 50 – deliberately so to emphasise that women of all ages are beautiful and deserve to be seen. The dresses they wore were stunning AND sexy, fitting close to the body and certainly not designed to keep every inch covered. There is no need for women ‘of a certain age’ not to look current!
Daphne Selfe , 80, looked radiant
Daphne, 80, and Valerie Pain , 67, looked stunning and radiant .
Caryn was the first to say that more mature and curvier models needed a little more support. Caryn stressed that lingerie and Shapewear are so important for anyone who is not young and stick thin as we do need a little more help to create a smooth silhouette to show off the clothes to their best advantage. We can all create the right canvass – on this shoot the models were wearing corsets or a shapewear slip from Marks and Spencer in order to create a column and eliminate lumps and bumps.
Women over 50 fighting back and refusing to be invisible!
There was a ‘buzz’ around the morning’s shoot- and even though all the models were wrapped in aluminium blankets to stave off the effects of the morning chill , nobody stopped smiling.
I felt privileged to be invited and delighted that All Walks Beyond the Catwalk is one more step in the journey of women over 50 fighting back and refusing to be invisible. So pleased to see so many busy professionals to give up their time for something they all believe in so strongly. And even more delighted that it was the models over 50 who seemed to steal the show!
Ceri Wheeldon
Ceri is Founder and Editor of Fabafterfifty.co.uk She is a frequent speaker at events and in the media on topics related to women over 50 , including style and living agelessly. With 20+ years experience as a headhunter Ceri also now helps support those looking to extend their working lives.
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Adrienne
Great article I’m 63 don’t look it don’t feel it but it is nice to know that real women are being catered for. One can despair sometimes either clothes are cheap and nasty or expensive and boring. I’m currenly writing a book about being fabulous when you’re older and this is
more grist to my mill
I want to change the world make all women realise they don’t have to be labelled by the number on their birth certificate
here’s to us the fab over 50s
let’s show ’em we’ve still got it (and you don’t have to be 20 skinny or a celeb either)
Ceri Wheeldon
Hi Adrienne, sounds as though we’re on the same mission! I’m a firm believer that age is just a number- and not a barrier to living life to the full!
Caroline Carr
FABULOUS! Really and truly Fab after Fifty. What an inspiration! I guess good cheek bones help though…