Are you too {old} to model?



This is something many of us who are 35 and older wonder from time to time. Am I getting too old to put myself in front of a camera whether its for our blog or professionally?

I personally have never worried about getting older. Maybe it is because of my disability and the physcial struggles I have and still endure but getting older is fine with me. I enjoyed every age I was and I look forward to my 40s. But in our culture in particular the Western culture, women are told in every way possible that getting older is a horrible thing to happen and that younger is better.

Well, let's see. Being younger may afford you more energy and more of a carefree attitude about life. But I believe being older affords you more confidance, the sort of confidance that you built up yourself and based on your own efforts not based on a material thing, success, fame, a person, or anything else. It is purely you and gosh darnit, that is sexy, alluring, and fascinating.

Aren't they stunning? And why shouldn't they put themselves out there and show their wrinkles and white hair? Although many may not find older women modeling to be beautiful and dare I say some people find it disgusting-these women show the world that you are still beautiful and your beauty continues on for all of your life. Being young is wonderful but being older is wonderful too. There is not a lesser or greater value of either. 

I was inspired by this article HERE and I began to reflect on why more people don't see a woman who is over 35 as viable, attractive, and worthy to represent a product. Obviously some companies are recognizing that the entire world population isn't 22 years old and are giving older women a chance to display their beauty for everyone to see. I admire that and I admire them for letting everything go and putting themselves out there.

I think it is obvious that these women take great care of themselves but I believe we all should. We should all eat better and exercise and tend to our skin. All those things are good and important for our overall health and well being especially as we get older.

So, are you too old to model? Do you feel like you shouldn't be in front of a camera whether it is for family photos or for your own blog? I hope you don't and when you do get older for those of you who aren't I hope you don't hide yourselves and stay away from the camera, but rather embrace the changes that have happened to you.

I have modeled a few times and to be honest I have received the impression from most of the photographers I have worked with that I was too old, too big, and too much of a mom to be modeling. I did the modeling because I like to be creative and I really wanted to embrace myself as I was and be able to look at myself as I truly was through a lens of a camera. I believe a camera doesn't lie. Although it only captures a part of us it does capture us. One day I would love to work with a photographer who can see my beauty and my braces as an advantage and not as a disadvantage. Until then I will keep putting myself in front of the camera. 

And why? I say, why not?

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6 comments :

  1. This is a great post!!!! I'm turning 36 on March 26 and only recently started weRhvg vintage style full time and taking a lot
    of pictures albeit with a phone. I sometimes worry I will get too old for vintage style I used to worry a lot now I don't. I have the confidence to dress as I like. I limo be seeing other vintage bloggers like yourself who are my age or older. You a every lovely and your braces in no way detract from it. The uniqueness. Of each of us makes us special
    Retro rover

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  2. I feel sometime that I'm a bit too old to continue blogging... but when I look at my pictures in my 20's I would not want to share them, I look better now than 15 years ago... but it's not easy to get old for a woman...

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  3. These models are gorgeous! And it's really silly. Women don't just disappear when they reach a certain age. You keep doing what you do.

    Love,
    A 26-year-old.

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  4. Carmen is truly beautiful. I follow her Facebook page. A wonderful post.

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  5. I'm so happy to hear from my readers! Thank you for your comments! Growing older can be a beautiful thing and if its not for some then we need to make it so :) xox

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  6. Now granted, I'm only 29 on the cusp of 30, but I feel like I'm too old to model and doubt I ever will. You touched on one of the reasons why that is the case when you mentioned your medical issues. I feel like every photo shoot I do is proof that my health doesn't always completely control everything that I do and I strongly hope that it never does - as I really, really don't want to give up standing in front of the lens and then sharing those snaps with my wonderful online friends and blog readers. That would be such a personal tragedy for me.

    ♥ Jessica

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