Part of the group of older models, the
stunning Monica Bellucci, 43,
advertises for Dior.
Let's face it, you have to be part of the rich class if you can buy brand name clothes at a young age, and obviously a lot of us can't. However, when you're more stable, have a good job or even about to retire, there's more leeway to spending big amounts of money on clothes or other luxuries. And many of these successful thirty, forty, fifty year old women don't want to buy clothes or beauty products from a young girl that has a skinny figure or absolutely no flaws in her skin to begin with. It's just not relatable and many buyers might start to think, "These products aren't made for me, they're for young people."
Many advertisers have noticed this amongst older customers and are now using older models in their thirties even forties to try help the customer relate to the the model and the brand. Flipping through fashion magazines, I see legendary models like Claudia Schiffer - 37, Naomi Campbell - 38, Linda Evangelista - 43, and Monica Bellucci - 43 gracing some of the top brands in the industry.
These women not only know how to model, but although they are growing older, they are still very beautiful. Everyone wants to be beautiful and classy when they grow old, I know I do! And I think this a really good influence to the industry and the customers. Campaigns with older models seem to be more calm, sophisticated, yet still sexy than the regular campaigns, which I think is a great way to market high fashion.
Models like these also teach a great lesson: there's nothing wrong with growing older. I am even scared of losing my youth sometimes, but when I see these models there's a sigh of relief. And I think to myself, "Growing old doesn't seem too bad after all."
69 comments:
I agree! And Monica looks really beautiful :)
Xoxo
Hidzume.blogspot.com
I'm in my late 30s and I feel more self confident about style and fashion than I did in my 20s!!
I think it is a worry that the industry uses children – 13, 14 year old girls – to market to women. There are plenty of beautiful women, some even over the age of 25 – gasp! – out there, as you mention! :)
Hi!
Thanks for commenting on my blog - I've added a link to your blog in my blog list!
About your post - I think it's about time that the fashion industry use women rather than girls to promote their lines as their main consumer market is in their 30s-40s!
true beauty comes with age..
true, they shud market in this age group since they're the ones who can really afford those labels :)
Monica isn't like that in the reality...!
Great post. It makes a lot of sense to feature older models occasionally, since most of the women who purchase things aren't the age of those young faces!
enjoyed your post. i think its a shame that models seem to have such a short shelflife,and its great when they use older models because they till look beautifullxx
Great post! I completely co-sign with your sentiment here. It's so crazy because I was thinking of making a post similar to this :) There are so many 40+ women who maintain their grace and fashion sense while managing to stay relevant (intentionally or not).
P.S I love your blog! Consider yourself linked ;)
hey :) I would love to exchange links , your blog is great!! I will link you now!
xxx
Great post!
She is stunning I have always thought that. I am in my early
20's and I am jealous of just how beautiful she looks in this picture.
I am deffinitly of the opinion that beauty transcends age.
Yes, I completely and totally agree. It makes no sense at all that children are modeling clothing for WOMEN. So its nice to see older models grace some top brands these days. I would love to exchange links, thanks for the offer!
A move in this direction makes perfect sense for businesses as you alluded.
such a good point you make about relating to the women in the ads, i've never thought about it like that but i completely agree with you. Even now in my mid twenties, I look at the teen models and see them as 'awe sweet little thing' rather than 'that's how I want to look'
Yes lets link up! Thanks for asking xx
enjoy your youth, but growing old has some kick ass advantages! Trust me, this I know.
It's true, older women tend to be the ones in the comfortable position of being able to purchase these clothes, so it makes sense. Plus the models look far more elegant and womanly!
ah i love this post! it's definitely showing that the industry is getting more into the real fashion and consumers than the way they actually advertise... and i'd love to link!
thanks for your comment - i'd love to exhange links, i've already linked to your from mine!
wow monica belluci looks stunning and young for a woman in her 40s and i'd love to do a link exchange =]
Monica Bellucci is flawless in that Dior ad and Naomi does no wrong not even when she is hurling a phone. Linda looks great in the new Prada campaign. Great post. Check out my blog
http://whathewears.blogspot.com/
Ryan Mac
Very wise... and absolutely true!
"Growing old doesn't seem too bad after all."
No, no it doesn't!!! Trust me ;)
Enjoy your youth, but don't fear to get old, you can have a great body and be more mature and confidente.
Great post, very insightful and true. Loved it.
xoxo
I'm liking you :)
of course I'm liking you, but now what I wanted to write was I'm linking you, sorry.
xx
Such a great post! So interesting. Love Monica. She is so chic!
xx
I am thrilled that "older" women are starting to get equal face time...but I am shuddering at the thought that 43 is considered "old" ;-)
what a wonderfully insightful post. even though i'm in my 20's, i much prefer seeing beautiful older women since it's much more inspiring than yet another girl who's barely an adult.
great post..i don't think growning old is bad,i love to see these models,and everyday when i see my mom i think she gets prettier than the day before but it's all about taking a good care of yourself :)
plus i would love to exchange links with ,i like your blog and thanx alot ;)
Completely true, especially since the older models are more recognizable than all the cookie-cutter emaciated European teens on the runways.
I'd love to link up by the way! I'm linking you now.
Monica is absolutely gorgeous. Great post, older women do seem so much more comfortable with themselves and they know what they want.
Hmmm, Monica Belluci does look ridiculously photoshopped in that pic - I like to see women of all ages looking real(ish). Interesting post!
PS. Sure, I'll do a link exchange with you, thanks for asking.
I would love to link to your blog! And your post today was very appropriate!
Leah
i hate getting older... i always feel like age would trap me n keep me from doing wtever i want, but aftering reading ur post i think you have made a good point!
i'd love to link u btw ;)
Great post! I agree with the majority of the comments above in that it is a great thing to see the fasion industry embracing 'older' women. I do like to think though that there are certain brands that liken themselves to the younger models...Regardless, I think that growing old is a exciting thing and that there a millions of women in the late thirties and forties that are really rocking it...Fingers crossed that when I hit those numbers I'm one of them!!
And yes! I'd love to link! Thank you for asking! I'm adding you right now!!
thanks for comment! I've actually been on your blog many times, but never commented since i didnt have my own blog.. but now that i do, lets link up for sure! great post btw, Monica Belluci is freaking gorgeous......... and your last post was definetly cool. I quit smoking about 9 months ago! yay!
you are only as old as you feel..:)
Definitely a healthy change in fashion. :)
I am 42 and spent most of my twenties and thirties pregnant or with toddlers in tow (I have four children).
Before that I was a student and had no money to spend on clothes.
Only now am I rediscovering a passion for clothes and experimenting.
I appreciate your blog today. So much in fact I have added you to my blo list.
whoops that should be BLOG LIST!
EXCELLENT post I couldn't agree more and think you put it very well. How lovely does she look in that photo you posted, classy and beautiful :)
I agree! Although I'm 20 I know that when I get into my 30's and 40's and above I don't want to be staring at advertisments marketed entirely to the younger generation. There should be something for everyone.
wow.
i cant believe shes 43.
she looks so good.
great blog.
yeh i would love to trade links with you.
x.
Great post! I didn't realize Monica was 43, and I love her Dior campaigns. You are always making such good points, love your blog.
hey, sure y not trade links =) I love Monica Bellucci.. She'll age really gracefully for some time to come yet. Staying luscious and hot all the way, of course
Monica Belluci is beautiful! She has really something special about her..
If you would like to exchange links with my fashion blog, let me know!
Julie
VIPGirlStyle
Well said, and very true.
Well said. This is a great post. Its very easy to be blinded by the fashion industry, so I'm always happy to read some people are demanding more responsible, realistic models.
I fully agree, yet... I would like to see models in their thirties or forties who really look like women of that age. I mean... sometimes their photos are so airbrushed, they look like their are on their twenties!
Just like it is probably unhealthy for young women to watch too-thin models, there is something wrong as well in women who look impossibly young for their age.
Monica Belluci looks amazing in real life (any candid photo will tell), but I can't help to feel this photo changes reality slightly.
I completely agree that fashion needs to include everyone. I like that they are bringing some of the big super models back, but does anyone else agree that Kate Moss is getting boring. I would like magazines to feature some different models for a change.
oh yeah us gals at wewearthings are closing in on 30.. and it's still tough to spend the money on high end brands.. but at least it's a bit easier now for us than 5 years ago... i love the fact that they are using older models!
I agree. We all eventually get older, it is a fact of life, so why don't we embrace it's beauty?
It's great that older "models" are being used-too bad they're being airbrushed to look in their 20's!
Yeah, it is probably smart that they use older women because a lot of them are the ones buying the clothes. Monica Belluci is so pretty! Cool blog :]
Indeed there's everything right with growing older when you wear yourself well.
Thanks for the invitation to exchange links; I've just added you!
Hey there...ov course! I just added you to my blog list...will you add me too?
THANX so much for posting this...how brilliant!
I was just wondering the other day if I was getting to OLD for this and then I thought, hey, you know, I like doing this and it keeps me inspired...so screw it if I am getting to old...ha!
Thanks again for this post, and for your sweet comments! Cheers!
LuVvy
oy hey...in addition...I have a house blog as well...check it out!
http://speck77.blogspot.com/
I've only just found your blog :)
Fantastic post. I love the glossies but flicking through them I can't help but think that sometimes the models look plain wrong in certain clothes...especially when they are visibly 14 years old or so!
fantastic post I agree completely
this is a great post! it has always bothered me how the fashion industry discriminates by age, and its great to see that this is not as huge a problem anymore. its also been great to notice how the industry is taking a new direction in both race, by have more diverse runways and photoshoots (for instance, vogue italia's all black issue), and also size, how models are speaking out about how unhealthy the industry is and designers using healthier models. great blog!
thanks so much for your lovely comment! yep I took the pictures.. im so relieved that you don't find them ugly hehhee! =)
thnx so much for adding me to your blogroll and i've added you to my blogroll!
Julie
ok, sure, but it has been a while since I saw a younger model photoshopped like THIS (poor Monica, it looks like she had a virtual facelift)
I think sometimes, because of our obsession with youth, magazines overcompensate on photoshop for "older" women (over 35, even 30)
re- Gwyneth, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman and more
I love seeing older models...they are so beautiful and feminine, in ways that no young girl can ever be - they just have that demure about them.
I like your blog, it's so articulate and on point. I would love to do a link exchange with you, I'm adding you to my list right now! <3
Brilliant post!!! I've always wondered what women over say 35 thought when they look at an ad and there's a 16 year old model looking back at them saying, 'buy Prada'. Now I know!
I agree on what you write but let me put the finger on this:
how come they only hire 30something or 40something is they still look like 20something?
Let's be honest: if we didn't know how old Monica is for real, would you think she's 43 judjing by this picture?
Of course not - she looks like 24.
So yes, it is good to have older spokepersons for the brands, it just makes sense... I just wish they'd let them LOOK older !
i totally agree, and yes, link exchanges--of course!
xo
K.
It's definitely a great step in the right direction -- love seeing Linda, Christy, and Claudia around again! And Monica looks stunning for Dior. Great post.
she is such a beauty!
xoxo
Bag is cute
That woman is magnificently beautiful. I guess it's great that she's not afraid to put her age out there, but let's be truthful, she doesn't look like a real person.
Her beauty is lofty and somehow unrealistic, particularly in this ad. I'm not knocking her at all, I'm sure she's stunning in and out of magazines. But when I see her in print media and movie rolls such as The Matrix Reloaded, she's completely unrelatable.
Still, as per usual, your writing is insightful and thought provoking.
Kudos to you.
Great post! As one who is fast approaching 40, it's great to hear someone younger acknowledging older beauty. I have never felt as confident and comfortable in my own skin as I do now. Hell... I really can't care too much what people think if I blog about my life! Love your site and fear I will have to add you to my growing list of "must check in regularly with's"!
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