Executive Contributor | Jane Vandermeer | Self-Care | Lifestyle
There is an old-fashioned idea that once a woman reaches a certain age, that she should quietly and gracefully step away from the spotlight, hang up her personal power and become comfortable with inevitably being invisible.
This idea is further amplified by the fashion industry’s obsession with societal youthfulness and the lack of representation of midlife women in promotional materials, blithely masked with language used such as ‘anti-ageing’ or ‘ageless women’ (as if we had a choice!).
It is no wonder then that the immortal muse of youthfulness is shamelessly equated with beauty and that women believe they become less attractive with age, pressuring themselves to stay youthful for longer.
Aside from feeling neglected by the media and society, women are also unaware that the belief in ageism does in fact become internalised, with the majority of women over 50 feeling unseen, overlooked, and patronised as they get older. And as they say, whatever you think and feel about yourself, is true! Well this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Enter the Creatrix! A term coined by Stephanie Raffelock as a new archetype of midlife women being birthed within the 21st Century. Creatrix women are stepping out from behind the invisible cloak of ageism and have gone from having a quiet strength to a resounding voice, breaking down barriers and stereotypes of what ageing really is. Think the return of Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and The City (with the character now in her 50s), Michelle Yeoh, an actress from the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, who at 61, become the first Asian to receive an Academy Award for best actress in a lead role, and Melbourne style bloggers Ginger and Carmen, who are gaining traction for their chic take on Melbourne’s fashion scene. Let’s also not forget about the current widespread obsession over Emily in Paris’ Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, the 58-year-old actress who dominated Paris Fashion and who clearly is the perfect example of an unapologetic and empowered Creatrix woman!
Sitting alongside these fabulous famous faces are also real life stars who have achieved incredible feats, including Melbourne woman, Jane Kanizay who reached the top of Mount Everest with her daughter at the stunning age of 62. Now there’s a woman who knows how to audaciously embrace life and live it visibly!
Clearly this massive wave of educated and independent professional Creatrix women are here to slay the last bastion of ageism and are on the cusp, not of retiring, but rather of being unleashed into the world. I for one am cheering them on, because they are exploring the glorious, transformational feelings that midlife brings, which leads to liberating success!
So how did these women go from invisible to becoming the main event of their lives?
As someone who is now embracing midlife, I feel passionate about playing a role in inspiring others to do the same. I wanted to challenge stereotypes about midlife women, and instead of being a part of the problem, I chose to become a part of the solution by developing a personal styling business that would empower midlife women to become highly visible. Through my services I have supported countless women, almost all of whom have felt invisible at some point in time, up until now! Even my most influential clients have told me that they too have hidden themselves away from the world as they entered midlife, and after completing my 5 month self-image immersion program, have gone on to doing some of their best work in their 60s!
More content from Jane here : https://foxdailypost.com/executive-contributor/style-coach-jane-vandermeer/
