I ran this post in 2014 and it continues to be a favorite. Age and beauty is a conversation I want to engage in more on A Note on Style and re-posting Good Genes is a good place to start. Shop the beauty products that I’m currently using and love at the end of the post.
Model Wookie Mayer turns sixty this fall. Aside from her obvious good genes and bone structure, I think a lot of her beauty comes from her natural style – unfussy hair, toned body, and minimal makeup. I’m taking note of the less is more approach…let skin show through a lightly bronzed face, add color to lips, keep eyes bright and natural. A few wrinkles actually look appropriate and add to her appeal.
Source: photos: modell.photos
Gayle
Love the gray/silver scheme — and she looks great!
(thanks for not airbrushing!)
Karima @ A Note On Style
agree…the gray/silver is a beautiful, classic combo.
Allison
So chic. And I agree with Gayle. I love that these photos do not seem to be airbrushed.
Catbird Farm
She’s lovely and the styling for this professional shoot is beautiful. I agree with all your comments about the minimal look – I employ the same aesthetic for myself.
I do, however, find it frustrating when photos present an impossible standard by which we inevitably compare ourselves. I immediately suspected airbrushing, albeit with a subtle hand. While the refinishers wisely chose not to remove all the wrinkles, they did eliminate her naso-labial folds (which are inevitable with her slenderness and type of facial structure) and cheek creases and reduced the definition (blurred or softened) of the wrinkles around her eyes.
Because I had never heard of or seen her before, I googled her. Tons of pro photos come up and of course older photos where she was much younger. But the Wiki site (in German) features a candid (far less likely to be retouched) photo of her that is 8 years old – i.e., she was only 52. You can clearly see she has visible naso-labial folds and creasing in her cheeks.
I point this out NOT to tear down or diminish her beauty in any way – I think she’s stunning regardless – but to point out how insidious and pervasive photo retouching is and how it can affect our own self-esteem in comparison – because we are all going to compare ourselves to varying degrees. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wookie_Mayer
Honestly, in this day and age, it’s highly unlikely that a professional photo session will product totally unretouched photos – there is always going to be something the editorial team wants tweaked. I wish it weren’t so.
That said, at least they left in some wrinkles and skin discoloration! It’s a few baby steps towards more honesty and reality in editorial and advertising photography. And that’s a good thing, at least in my book.
Rhonda
I agree with you 100 percent. More honesty and reality goes a long way. Thank you.
Susan
Great points, airbrushing is fake news!
Karima @ A Note On Style
Thank you for your comment. Agree that it is most likely retouched as everything is. I wouldn’t have minded seeing a few more wrinkles and naso-labial folds. Even with wrinkles, sun spots, etc., her beauty comes from her expression and I don’t think all the editing was necessary.
Elbe
I have a series of books on fashion and style that look to be from the early 70s. The difference in the models is amazing. There is no photoshopping. They look good, but they don’t look perfect. Quite refreshing!
Kathy Raynor
60 and with maybe a little airbrushing — who cares she is quite stunning — wardrobe is wonderful — wrinkles give her character and a unique look— and what great legs.
Love it — she is lovely and aging gracefully.
Jakob Gerber
She’s drop dead gorgeous. Great gams,as well. I was not aware of her,saw her photos on Pinterest. She appears to be the rare beauty,that looks better,in age,than the earlier pix,I saw.
I’ve noticed on a lot of Euro models,and U.K.,that they seldom show profiles.
Sarah Harris being the exception.
Her nose gives her an individuality,and she is beautiful. Also has gray hair,at a young age.
The idea of pulchritude,differs between countries. No question about that .
Elisabeth
Raw, natural beauty here! Some women grey so beautifully!
Dana
Love! She’s stunning!
Camilla
Airbrushed or airbrushed, these pics serve as a reminder that we can embrace getting older rather than hiding from it.
Jayme
She is simply lovely and I want to know how she has no veins showing in her legs with high heels like that ?! The secret must be stay true and simple and love yourself !! I do but have wicked veins that embarrass my gorgeous shapely legs ?!!
Lisa Barrett
Jayme, I think the retouching/ recolouring is on everything. She is beautiful and even on the Wikipedia profile photo she is beautiful. But the photo is clearly rebrushed for artistic reasons & it’s such a shame that the photographer feels the need to do this to get paid as it adds something more for us beautiful older ladies to have to live up to X
Ton Thompson
She is stunning in every way and has clearly looked after herself. She’s elegant
and her small blemishes are hardly noticeable
lesley goodall
I’m 64 and loving life.