Old is Not Beautiful and Other Lies

The year was 2011. I had just gotten my braces off. I gathered on the couch in one of my friends' houses to watch the event of the season, the pinnacle of the fashion world: the Victoria Secret fashion show. We wolfed down popcorn as we watched the 6 feet toned Amazonian beauties strut down the runway. “God, I wish I looked like that,” we all said again and again. There was nothing attainable about their beauty. These creatures seemed from another world, and we didn’t question it. We didn’t question why we didn’t see ourselves in the body type, in the faces up on the screen.

Luckily, the next few years, we began to. There seemed to be a shift going on in the fashion world. There was more of a push for representation in beauty. Now, Victoria Secret is bankrupt, replaced by the far more inclusive Savage x Fenty. Brands are continuously attempting to be held more inclusive, and being held accountable if not. While the shift is slow churning, not yet fully embraced by high fashion, it does represent a shift.

However, throughout the increasing push for diversification in modeling, there has been no discussion of the ageism present in the industry, especially for female models.  Scrolling through Instagram, online shopping, any of it; it is rare to see a model that looks above the age of 25. Aging is a natural process. Every single one of us will age. But for some reason, there seems to be a decisive stigma around aging in the fashion and beauty industries. While in recent years there has been a push for more inclusivity in modeling in terms of body types, races, and genders, there has not been an equivalent for ages. It still seems perfectly socially acceptable to tell a whole cohort of people that they are not beautiful or worthy enough to be in the main eye of social media. Why is this? Why are we so reluctant to extend inclusion to our future selves? 

A survey from 2011 found that over 50% of models began working between the ages of 13 to 16. Less than 6% began working after 21. Dior came under fire in 2015 for opening their Winter show with then 14 year old Sofia Mechetner, but the reality is she was not much younger than many of the models used today. It is entirely normal for a model to retire in their 20’s, or if they are one of the lucky ones, transition into anti-aging products or mother roles. Not only does it promote the sexualization of young girls and promote an unrealistic body type, but it also sends a clear message to us as we age. Old is not beautiful. 

Aging is a natural process that every single one of us will go through. Rather than idealize youth, should we not celebrate life in each stage? We do not need to erase older women, but rather we should celebrate them. Look up to them. Become excited at the prospect of becoming them. Promoting aging models will additionally convince us to end the fetishization of young girls. Not only is it unhealthy to promote the body of a 16 year old as the ideal, but younger normally means more vulnerable, more naïve. By promoting women of all ages, we make it known that we are taking autonomy over ourselves at every stage.

Strike Out,

Writer: Ellie Eperson

Editor: Talia Chairman

Graphics: Lilia Jimenez

St. Louis