To think Catherine Zeta-Jones is an inspiration!

[Parisa5]

I was in the hairdressers yesterday and so provided with the obligatory copy of “Hello” magazine. Anyway, in it was CZJ and I just thought she looks fantastic. I’m 45 now, so the 50s are looming and I love seeing a woman like that who is 50, but more stunning than ever. I also think the same about Amanda Holden who I’ve met a few times and she’s another one who has improved with age. I know AH is not popular on MN, but why not? AIBU to think these two defy the myth that women should just let it all go as they get older?

Amanda Holden is a prize bitch apparently, she had a workman do some work for her in her house for months yet didn't speak to or acknowledge him once. I refuse not watch anything she's in. She's also botoxed to the hilt and completely talentless and false, that bloody laugh. Inspiration my arse!
Catherine Zeta Jones has also had work done by the looks of it. I could ever be inspired by women who place their looks above anything else.

I admire Deborah Meadon simply because she has clearly had nothing done despite being worth millions. She's an inspiration as she doesn't give a shine shit.

Oh my god. For the final time, I don’t mean “inspirational” in the same way as someone who is up for the Nobel Peace Prize fgs! Nor is she inspirational in the same way as a real person or someone who has actually impacted your life. I didn’t think I actually had to state the obvious about this. Surely people can make the distinction?

I meant “inspirational” in the specific sense that when you’re in the hairdressers, feeling knackered and realising you were actually only there six weeks ago having your greys touched up, but then you see a woman looking fabulous and energised like CZJ, you might think, “Look at her at 51 - maybe it's not all downhill from here after all.”

Yes people, it’s called context!!!!

And for what it’s worth, I don’t think she’s had that much “work” done. I don’t care anyway. It’s her choice and whatever she has or hadn’t done, she looks fabulous. Also, just the fact of having money doesn’t make you immune from stress or mental health problems.

"but then you see a woman looking fabulous and energised like CZJ, you might think, “Look at her at 51 - maybe it's not all downhill from here after all.”

Not helping yourself here OP.

I would never look at that Holden woman or czj and think, phew " maybe its not all downhill from here after all" I'm 47 and I look pretty good -so far and have no desire to have anything done as yet.

My sister is 52 and wow! She looks bloody amazing but she doesn't inspire me, well only to be more lovely

And also why would I look at two women who have lots of money and have had loads of work done and think, it all ain't bad?

Well I’m being honest, Autumn. I fairly sure I’m not the only woman who has ever worried onsome level about getting older and their looks changing? Am l? I could pretend I don’t care and yadda yadda, but I’d be lying frankly. And I’m someone who feels pretty good at 45 all things considered. I’m not saying my looks are my biggest worry because this is not truest all. But we all have those moments where we wonder where the time has gone. I think it’s a bit disingenuous to pretend that women shouldn’t care about their looks and shun anything that could be perceived as an attempt to make them look “younger” or “fresher”. This isn’t realistic. We all care to some extent whether we admit it or not. Otherwise Boots would have gone out of business long ago.

Of course many women care. We are programmed to thanks to marketing and constant images of other women in the media. Ever wonder why men aren't worrying about stray hairs, greys, pores, wearing makeup to look like a professional etc? It costs a lot for women to go to work.

You've picked the most un natural looking women as your "inspiration" . I think that if you'd mentioned someone who's had less invasive work done and added the word looks before inspiration then you wouldn't have got so much stick.

Well OP you're the first person I know who would look at these women in mags, whilst in the hairdressers having your grey touched up and the pictures of them (which will be touched up) actually make you feel better! It's false! It's all an illusion, they spend huge amounts of money on procedures that the ordinary person can't do.

I admire Deborah Meadon simply because she has clearly had nothing done despite being worth millions. She's an inspiration as she doesn't give a shine shit

Now you're talking! I love love love her. She liked one of my comments on Twitter. faint I love her beliefs and views, her no nonsense approach, and her honesty. Now... she is inspirational....

How does seeing these images change things for you? Is it just general positivity ie 51 won’t be bad for me either or do you get something done

Yes just general positivity.

I actually have never bought a celeb magazine in my life. Ever. I’m not interested. I’m not on Facebook or Twitter. I’m certainly aware that most pictures have been touched up etc. Nevertheless, I will admit - and I know it’s shallow but there you go - that when I see someone on TV or wherever who is older than or a similar age to me and I think she looks great, I’m quite pleased. I’m not talking about super-fake looking people because anyway, these are quite rare and appear at all ages. I don’t really notice or relate to them - eg mega nails and overdone eyebrows etc. just mean someone who catches your interest in that moment.

This goes without saying.

It really really doesn’t though.

It was a very bad day indeed when it was decided that a woman’s influence on the world should be judged by how they look.
There’s going to be/already is generation upon generation of fucked up females because of this views like this.
It never going to happen but it will be a momentous day when women can be judged, first and foremost, how they influence the world by what the do and say.

op can I strongly suggest you find some other way to value yourself than your looks? Whether or not CZJ still looks awesome has nothing at all to do with whether YOU will look awesome as you age....

I similar get confused when elite athletes make a come back after childbirth and this is held up as inspirational...

I mean all that tells me is that that specific sportsperson had a childbirth experience they could recover to elite level from. It isn't going to change the fact that I didn't (they are still trying to put me back together 8 years later). I can't aspire to be a different person than I am - and it wouldn't be health to do so!

I think men are affected by this kind of thing too though. They may express it differently - ie via mid/life crisis car or bike purchases (if they’re anything like DH anyway), but it comes down to the same insecurity. If people say, George Clooney looks good for his age, nobody clamours to point out it’s becausr he’s had x,y,z done, nor does it need to negate anything or anyone else. I see loads of men who suddenly get super- fit in their 40s. DH is almost 50 and he’s fitter now than in his 30s probably, but why is this?

CZJ was stunning in her youth, naturally beautiful. Nowadays, she's ruined her looks. Her face is frozen and looks so done.Worse again though is AH. She was very, very average when married to LD but at least looked normal. She now looks frozen with one eye half closed due to Botox and face and boobs done. 9 a actually cannot bear here because she loves herself and acts like she's about 20. Grow up love. No, neither women are inspirational in any way whatsoever. God, no.

Thing is, OP, 45 is nothing. I didn’t look much different at 45 than I did at 35. During my 50s I noticed a lot of lines and sagging in the lower part of my face, it was during that decade that things really changed. I’m very lucky - I have no lines on my forehead at all, I put it down to rarely frowning and always wearing sunglasses at the merest hint of sun.

op you really are both shallow and self-absorbed if you believe every midlife crisis is down to people unable to cope emotionally with the loss of their youthful looks.

I don't think having enough money to basically rebuild yourself is 'inspirational'! Although CZJ is a good actress, A-Ho is just a cackling hanger on to Simon Cowell.

And CZJ did have beauty to start with...A-Ho was very average and now looks like a plastic doll.

Oh and now the menz no it isn’t the same for men. Not even a tiny bit. The problem was created by men in fact.

Society has conditioned you a good’un OP.

I’ve no idea why people can’t just say yes, she looks great. Over 200 posts of, “She looks fake,” “She’s not real though like me,” “Oh you’re so shallow if that’s ALL you care about,” “She’s got loads of money so that’s it,” “I prefer REAL women like ..,, we .,... Helen Mirren” ???

Who gets to decide who is more real and more worthy? Why all the vitriol? If a woman decides to go blonde is she any less real or worthy than when she had brown hair? What about something like microdermabrasion instead of Botox - is this allowed or does it also make you fake and unworthy. I’m sorry but I don’t buy the logic that someone’s skin or hair exercise regime has anything to do with how “real” they are. And if you admire someone in a picture, it hardly renders you morally bankrupt. What a nonsense.

This is such a strange thread because I honestly think there's hardly anyone apart fro OP who finds someone her age inspiring because that person looks good because they've had work done.

These slebs rely on their looks. They spend boatloads of money having procedures, personal fitness trainers, face lifts etc. A lot of the time they look awful. Amanda Holden is a case in point.

There are so many inspiring women out there who don't rely on their looks. I would so much rather hear something inspiring from a woman and agree with that. CZJ just floats and hanging on to the arm of an actor who comes from hollywood royalty. That's why you're seeing her in a magazine, no other reason.

I’m not keen on Amanda golden butbshe does look amazing for her age, Catherine zeta jones I’ve not seen a picture of for a while but having seen the ones you’ve posted I’m shocked at how much work she’s had done, I think she looks awful

Helen mirren looks good but she’s had a face lift from what I hear.

I’m not against work being done and would probably have it done when I need it (34 and still going strong ) but once you can tell it means you’ve had too much.

I’ve no idea why people can’t just say yes, she looks great.
Because that's your opinion, we're entitled to ours too. Your whole thread seems a bit of a jumble, with us having the know that you didn't mean this, that and the other in this, that and the other context. What a bizarre thread.

God, CZJ looks like she's taking her elderly, confused uncle out after his bedtime in those photos.

The most I could say is... I love some of the dresses CZJ wears. I think she is stylish and elegant. That's it. She's had work done which means her eyes are much smaller. She was a naturally beautiful woman... here she is when she was early 20s, she looks very different now