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I recently read an article on ABC.com called “Aging Chicks: Still Rockin’ or Embarrassing?” about the success many aging “rocker chicks” have enjoyed as of late. From the likes of Cher, Deborah Harry, Madonna, and Tina Turner…these ladies are proving that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean becoming obsolete. According to the article, they’re still “recording, touring, and commanding astronomical ticket prices at the biggest venues with fan bases that cross all age barriers.”
But the same article also quoted Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick (pictured below in the ’60’s and today), arguably one of the original rocker chicks, as saying that “all rock ‘n’ rollers over the age of 50 look stupid and should retire.”
Now 68, Slick told ABCNEWS.com, “It’s sad somehow when you watch people who are doing things that my daughter calls ‘age inappropriate.’”
And Andrea Cagan, who co-wrote Slick’s 1999 memoir, told ABCNEWS.com, “Grace knows these stars make hundreds of millions of dollars, but it’s incredibly embarrassing to see older people flapping their cellulite around stage.”
What are these two women smoking?
Enough of these ageist comments already! Is it unseemly to see a 60-year-old woman in an outfit not flattering for her body type? Absolutely! Is it inappropriate for a 60-year old musical artist to continue to write, record, and perform music? No way! There are two distinctly different issues being addressed here: 1) age, and 2) body type.
Age is just a number. It’s a label. It would be arbitrary and tragic (and downright wrong) if society decided that women over a certain age were ineffective, or irrelevant.
Madonna is 50, folks!
50!
God bless her for proving that women can still be productive, sexy, and cool…and that they don’t have to be 25 to do it.
Having said that, it does need to be noted that Madonna works out more than she sleeps, so she doesn’t have the body of a typical 50-year old. As a result, she can get away with wearing clothes than not a lot of 50-years olds can. This is a body type issue.
The size and shape of your body is real. It’s physical and it’s individual (no two bodies are alike). So the bigger issue with ageing is figuring out how to dress to flatter your body because, unfortunately, age DOES herald the introduction of some not-so-welcome body changes. A good sense of awareness and a little style will keep us from waltzing out of the house as a big fat (so to speak) fashion don’t.
But honestly, I’ve seen 40-year olds with better bodies than some 16-year olds…so this ain’t an age issue.
In addition to being wrong, Slick’s blanket statement about when female performers should retire is also horribly unsupportive of her fellow sisters.
Maybe it’s jealousy (she DOES refer to herself “fat” and “white-haired”) or maybe it’s closed-mindedness (which, coming from a woman who’s only regret is that she “didn’t nail Jimmy Hendrix or Peter O’Toole, Richard Harris or Richard Burton” would be a bit surprising).
Whatever it is, celebrating the strengths and value of women of all ages is so very Cool Broad, getting snarky about another woman’s body is so…not.
What do you think? Are there some things that are just totally off limits for women of a certain age? Or is your philosophy, if you’ve got it…rock it?
~tcb
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6 responses so far ↓
1 Emily // Oct 6, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I dunno… I struggle with this one. I saw an older (late 50’s early 60’s) woman today in cropped trousers and 4.5 inch bright red, patent stilettos and I thought she looked ridiculous. But my mum is in her late 50’s and sometimes she dresses like she’s 1000 and thats bad too. Now both these women have slim bodies but their choice of clothes make them look silly.
I think a lot of the photos I’ve seen of Madonna out and about she looks good (although a bit too thin - older women start to look gaunt with too much working out) but that video makes me cringe - its like she’s trying to prove something. Just because you can wear something doesn’t mean you should!
Great post!
2 thatcoolbroad // Oct 6, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I agree…I think Madonna has gotten a bit too boney and you can really tell it in her hands. I read an interview with Courtney Cox once and she basically said that when you get to a certain age (and I’m paraphrasing), you have to choose between your butt and your face. Because just when you get your butt looking the way you want, your face looks too gaunt.
I think I’d choose my face…because unless you enter a room backwards, that’s what people see first!
3 Monkeytoemomma // Oct 7, 2008 at 10:27 am
I think Madonna looks FAB!!! She, and all the rest mentioned above, should rock out as much as they want. More power to them. I hate that Hollywood type-cast women over 50 as old wives, widow, or frumpy moms who don’t wear makeup. All while the 68 year old man still gets the girl - the 20 yr old girl. It’s crap. It’s awesome that these ladies are showing everyone that you can be sexy at any age.
Having said that, I’ve seen some older ladies who should not be in a mini. But then, I’ve seen some younger ladies who should have chosen a pair of pants four sizes bigger. Muffin’ top much? Like you said, it’s so very important to know what looks best on you. What’s flattering. I’m guessing these fashion faux pas probably think they look good.
Monkeytoemommas last blog post..Two Little Brownies
4 Stacy // Oct 7, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Yes, there is such a thing as age inappropriate. Is it what those articles were talking about? NO.
Stacys last blog post..A fairly accurate picture of my usual life
5 socalgirl // Oct 7, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I think that if these women want to rock until their very last breath, they should. Who cares if someone calls it age inappropriate? Cool Broads don’t care wait other people say about them. IMO:)
6 elle // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Age appropriate? What is that, and who decides when we’re talking about clothing. And what’s so embarrassing about an old rocker rocking out until they die? Who cares. NOBODY is saying this stuff about the Stones or Aerosmith or those old rocker dudes. Madonna does look pretty amazing to me. Her flopping around does not make me feel embarrassed or embarrassed for her.
I think the problem is people are uncomfortable with the sexuality of “older” people, and women in particular. I also think it reminds us that our time is limited and that can be a scary proposition. So we engage in what’s called “social distanancing” or putting older people at arms length, out of sight, not thinking about them being sexual or human. They are them old folk over there and I’m young and I’ll never die and I’ll be beautiful always.
But time marches on. And one day you wake up at 45 and realize, hey, I don’t feel quite as old as I thought this age would make me feel and by the way, I don’t want to throw on a gunny sack and wait until I die. I still want to live and have fun and look good doing it. So if I have the body, I’m going to dress it up how I want. I’m a cool broad, and I don’t give a rats patoot what anyone thinks about my choices.
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