' THE DECEMBER ISSUE ' / The Forgotten Ones

photocourtesythesartorialist

Peeps,


It seems that the fashion world has forgotten the 'mature' woman, you know any of the female sex who has reached (or passed) the age of 40.  Most ads feature impossibly beautiful girls of 18 thru 26 with dewy young skin, taut muscles and body fat of less than 10%, and skin unmarked by age, experience, or the concerns of family, career, and the travails of everyday life.  I believe that most folks would agree that the scantily clad vixens prancing down the Victoria's Secret runway, or the willowy patrician beauties of Ralph Lauren or Michael Kors' fantasies are a lifetime removed from the average American woman who finds it increasingly difficult to drop four or five thousand dollars on a wool skirt cut for the glamazon whose height is 5'11 (without heels).  My sister complains that, with the exception of the sexless shapes promoted by Eileen Fisher, the conservative offerings of Ann Taylor, and the questionable selection at Chico's, the marketplace has forgotten the fuller body shape of the woman over forty who is a little soft in the tummy and bum-bum, a little loose in the upper arms and thighs, broader in the hips and less firm in the breasts.  Yes, my sister is well aware of the inevitable DVF wrap dress in all its colors, patterns and permutations, and Oscar de La Renta still remains solely the coveted stuff of dreams (or red-carpet events, or black-tie galas).  Slim offerings indeed for a demographic which does not necessarily want to remain as an after-thought, or limited to leisure suits/track-suits/work-suits.


The older woman may also find it difficult to see images in the magazines representing the age group to which she now belongs.  With few exceptions, the targeted audience (15-35 years of age) seems to relish the challenge of higher heels, shorter skirts, tighter tops, and more bling than a ' Bravo house-wife.'  Mindless chatter fill the pages of many publications which seem equally divided between woman as domestic goddess, with stories devoted to floral bouquets, cookie recipes, and cleaning products; or woman as sexual goddess, thus providing lists such as: 101 ways to make love to your husband/positions you never thought existed/look sexier in twenty minutes, and the like.  Thankfully, there is MORE magazine, which under the helm of editor Lesley Jane Seymour, produces numerous essays of depth on topics ranging from the environment, the role of women in the arts and sciences, tips and stories about entrepreneurial risk-takers and their respective journeys from dream to reality; as well as articles on style for the mature woman.  Kudos also to photographer Scott Schuman, whose blog entitled The Sartorialist provides images of human beauty in all its varied forms, including that of the sexy, style-conscious, mature woman.


Please enjoy today's visual treat courtesy of www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com.


Sincerely,
Shane