Living Out Loud
STEPPING OUT FROM BEHIND THE INVISIBLE CLOAK OF AGEISM
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.
"those feelings of being invisible have absolutely nothing to do with your age and everything to do with your mindset and your style"
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!
IMAGE VIA @GINGERANDCARMAN/INSTAGRAM
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 a ‘reclaim your midlife’ power and self image coach with a 30-year career in the fashion industry, I am here to tell you that it has absolutely nothing to do with looking ‘younger’, rather that it is all about being highly visible and modelling this behaviour to following generations. It's time to talk about our true age and our true value.
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!
It’s about letting go of these internal faulty dialogues, beliefs, and fashion myths and putting your energy and mindfulness into becoming a visible woman by building inner confidence. In short, going beyond the thoughts that hold you back, turning your inner voice into an inner champion, and giving yourself the credit for everything you have achieved as a midlifer.
Through my integrated approach of combining mindset and style, I have helped cohorts of highly credentialed and experienced women gain confidence to show their value and pursue new dreams, including landing new roles or starting new businesses. Many of these women have referred to my Grace and Sophistication program as “life-changing”, “the best professional investment they have ever made in themselves” and “the mentor they wished they’d had earlier”.
As a highly visible woman, I have maintained an empowering lifestyle by participating in my personal development, becoming conscious of my inner dialogue, surrounding myself with people and situations that make me feel visible and showing up for myself in each and every way. That also means going into my closet and selecting clothes that make me feel powerful, present and simply sensational (yes that means that the sweatpants and leggings that have lost their gravitational pull are out, despite how comfy they may feel!). Because style is so much more than the clothes that you wear on your back. It’s an attitude about how you present yourself to the world. It is your identity and a choice to be either invisible or highly visible.
So if you are a woman who wants to experience your own agency, and become aware of the impacts that you can make, but are unsure of where to start, come and find your gateway to visibility through my Grace and Sophistication program. I will take you on a transformational journey by providing you with the mindset and styling tools needed to elevate your self-worth to become an unapologetic, live out-loud and highly visible Creatrix woman.
You can bet that Creatrix women will be the ones front and centre, leading the pack!
Jane
JANE VANDERMEER
INNOVATIVE PERSONAL STYLING EXPERT FINESSE YOUR STYLE STYLE@FINESSEYOURSTYLE.COM