As others see us?

Honestly, I deleted the first two photos (above) but here they still are! One is a screenshot of a shopping list!

Kate1949

I've a feeling it was David in Coronation Street Calendargirl.

👍🏻

I’m 78 ! Wear bright coloured clothes, accessorise with charity shop jewellery such as pendants and bracelets. Always wear makeup when out. Fighting against looking an old lady, which I am.

I am far too outspoken and talk about women’s rights at the drop of a hat. Would probably have been a suffragette if I had lived in those times.

I talk to strangers just like my mum did. I’ve made friends with a lovely young man who works in our local M and S Food store. I don’t know which country he comes from but whenever he sees me he puts his hand on his heart and bows. He gets my coffee bags off the top shelf for me. I’ve told him he is just like one of my grandsons who is kind and polite.

I want to be a teenager again 😳

My youngest granddaughter always asks how old I am, and I always say 25
Becoming a little more astute, she commented that it was odd that mummy was older than me, I agreed that it was very odd. She gave me a pitying look and said she expected mummy had overtaken me because she was better at being a grown up.

Not sure why so many of us want to look younger than we are. I think one of the few benefits of age is being confident to be who you are which may well be the person we have always been - though perhaps a bit wiser over some things. Auto correct wanted to put wider, which is sadly also true.

I would think for most of us it’s natural to want to hold back time for as long as possible
I would never go down the surgery route, but I think we should do the best we can with what we have
I dye my hair, I use lots of potions and lotions, I enjoy my clothes, but sadly accept that it’s all downhill now.

I am always referring to people when I am out and about with family and friends as "look at that lovely little old couple of there" and / or "ahhh wasn't she a sweet little old lady". They are all probably my age or thereabouts. I think (although my body tells me otherwise) that I am forever young in my mind and that is the most important thing
I live in a little village (won't give too much more away as it would be very outing) where everyone dresses very "countryfide" and I am forever swanning around in my dresses and skirts. You can't take the young fun loving girl out of all of us apparently

I am always referring to people when I am out and about with family and friends

I don't quite understand why you are doing this NanaJaaJaa.

Just saying.

.... I suppose, thinking about it, I might comment on anyone who was particularly striking though....

I did see someone in a glorious swing-coat last year. They looked totally amazing and I pointed them out to my daughter.

M0nica

I think the key denominator is health. If you are in good health then you exude an aliveness and buzz and people respond to this. It also, of course depends on your age. There is a very big gap, for instance between 60 and 90.

I hate it, hate it, hate it, when people think it is a compliment to tell me I do not look my age. I do look my age. It is just that the person talking to m has some fixed stereotype about what a woman my age (81) should look like - and I do not look like the stereotype.

But there is no stereotype of what someone looks like at any age. And older people are far more diverse than younger people.

I am whom I am and look like I do and other people can like it or lump it, I really do not care.

You are so right about health, I'm only early sixties but I can see the toll ill health has taken on my body and face.

M0nica

petra

AreWeThereYet

petra

M0nica

I have no sense of age, and never have had. I am just continuing to be myself, whatever that may mean.

Same here. Sometimes I forget how old I am. And no, I’m not loosing it 😂

Same here.

But thinking about how others see us... I was watching Friends yesterday with an old friend and I said 'I think I'm more of a Phoebe than a Rachel or Monica'. She said 'No, you're definitely still Monica'.

I know I’m Monica. 😂

But I am M0nica!

And I am Monica.... or should that be Spartacus....

lizzypopbottle Your youthful secret is out. The clue is healthy items on shopping list 😀

I had never heard of the phrase I am Sparticus, until I joined GN.😃
My education is sadly lacking.

Does it really matter what we look like, as long as we are happy in ourselves.

AreWeThereYet

M0nica

petra

AreWeThereYet

petra

M0nica

I have no sense of age, and never have had. I am just continuing to be myself, whatever that may mean.

Same here. Sometimes I forget how old I am. And no, I’m not loosing it 😂

Same here.

But thinking about how others see us... I was watching Friends yesterday with an old friend and I said 'I think I'm more of a Phoebe than a Rachel or Monica'. She said 'No, you're definitely still Monica'.

I know I’m Monica. 😂

But I am M0nica!

And I am Monica.... or should that be Spartacus....

No I am MOnica aka Spartacus ……..but I don’t want to be slaughtered alongside y’all.

Marydoll

I had never heard of the phrase I am Sparticus, until I joined GN.😃
My education is sadly lacking.

Does it really matter what we look like, as long as we are happy in ourselves.

I was going t say "I am Spartacus" as I'm not Monica

It's from the film, Spartacus, Marydoll, starring Kirk Dougas as the eponymous hero. 1960.

The slaves of the Roman Empire rebelled under their leader Spartacus, a gladiator, but the rebellion was quashed; when the Roman leader Crassus asked who was the leader, Kirk Douglas said "I am Spartacus" but all the other slaves then said "I am Spartacus" in support.

I think that part is probably Hollywood!

You're probably too young to remember 😀

The ‘I am Spartacus’ moment in the film is very moving.

Well, it is to me!

Would I have been brave enough to stand up and shout out?

Probably not, I would have been hiding behind someone else.

Yes, it is!
Well worth another watch.

I've never watched Friends so I don't know what Monica is like.

Allira, I have actually seen the film, it just never clicked! 😂

Marydoll

*Allira*, I have actually seen the film, it just never clicked! 😂

You must have been very young! 😁

I have a favourite cartoon: elderly lady, looking around her, says 'This is my house. These are my things. Here is my cat.' Then she looks in the mirror and says 'So who the hell is that?'

lizzypopbottle

Age is just a number but we can easily fall into the stereotype trap. How does society expect us to look and behave at a certain age? It's important to be as active as possible regardless of what you look like. Here I am doing karate. I'm 72 and I'm the oldest in our club but I'm more flexible than a lot of my fellow students. Karate demands good balance too. People are always asking me if I'm still doing karate, as if I really ought to have given up by now. I'll never give up.

I agree and you look fantastic Lizzy.