Your thoughts on ageing... and who does it well

[RebeccaDanvers]

I saw Gillian Anderson on Graham Norton before Christmas and she looked absolutely stunning - she's in her 40s now and looks better than she did in her 20s. Kind of makes me less afraid of the ageing process myself...!

Who do think has aged well - celebs or anyone you know? Personally I think women get a hard time when it comes to ageing, as if men improve and women don't, so it's nice to have a bit of inspiration.

And I bet she could master italics.

Agree Helen Mirren has aged so gracefully and beautifully and looks amazing. Helena Christenson who must be 40s now always looks fantastic and stylish.
Lulu looks dreadful IMO [very sorry Lulu if you are reading this] - too worked on.

Glenn Close, Annette Bening.

Orla brady is stunning a really great example of how good you can still look without being OTT. Helena Christensen looks great so does Kirsten scott thomas and yes to Helen Mirren as well. My mum looks very like lulu but she is mid 60s and has had nothing done and i think she rarely even uses more than supermarket type moisturiser. No regimes for her and she looks amazing just luck and she doesn't smoke or drink.

nodders I woudl LOVE to see your Mum

Julie Delpy, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jane Birkin and Charlotte Rampling - looked great but exactly her age in The Swimming Pool. And Kirsty Young.

cyb she does look good not a fool for potions like me. She just washes her face with soap Never wears foundation a bit of mascara and lipstick. She doesn't dye her hair it is silvery and brown choppy like lulu and very similar features. Keep an eye out in JL I think she keeps them in business!

I agree with Orla Brady.

She's 50! Unbelievable.

47 and stunning Diane lane.

I am happier in my 40s then ever.occasionally i think blimey what happened ?!
my rules for ageing old gracefully:

1.Know your good and bad points and work with them.for me big arse small top so vskinny jeans appear to be a no no but with tunic top are ok. Interpret current fashion to suit your figure.
2.get a decent hair cut.

1. Always wear make up.......discretely.Watch the foundation.
2. Grooming grooming grooming.

5.watch your weight.being fat ages people (but is better for wrinkles)

1. Laugh a lot

7.dont go on about how old you are.

1. Buy best quality you an afford.

9.let your hair down and be fun.i would rather spend night out with Denise welsh than with Anna wintorwouldn't you? 10.tailoring and well fitting clothes.

I think Kirsten Scott Thomas looks great but needs to loosen up.madonna on g norton was dressed beautifully (but face looked wierd).v Beckham is doing ok.agree about Juliane Moore.

God no I would never want to be in teh same room as Denise Welsh she is not fun! she is tragic and screams past it and desperate

Lulu is a botox addict.

It is addictive tbh

You really can't go by celebs- they have all, I assume, had some work done.

I have had some very very light cheek filling, but even before that I was told I looked much younger than I am.

I get a bit at the ageist "worries" on MN TBH- many of my friends are 50s and they all look great- in fact you'd be oushed to know if they were 45 or 55, so with care, especially sun screen all year, you can look good over 50!

I agree amelia I am 47 and all my friends look fab. Some have had tiny bits done very subtle but mostly they just look after themselves but not neurotic. I am vain but slovenly which is hard bloody work

Diane Keaton.

I agree noddy. In fact I am going to get up everyone's noses here when i say that the average British woman does not look good most of the time because she just doesn't bother.

You don't have to be beautiful to look good over 45 say. You DO need to be careful with your lifestyle and diet, and skincare- and that again does not mean using expensive stuff, just keeping the sun off your face all year- I've used factor 25+ sunblock daily for over 15 years and really reccomend that if youwant to keep wrinkle free you have to slap on the sun block, use some subtle make up, and take care of your skin , your figure and your hair.

For me sleep and not getting too fat does the most tbh. I have had botox half a vial at a time and I have to say it looked great but am thinking of giving it a miss this time as several months has passed it has worn off but I think I look ok I don't think I frown as much as I did

Sorry don't mean to be ageist at all after all we are all getting older so all in the same boat so to speak.
Somebody mentioned good bone structure as a key to looking good when older but I would have thought Brigette Bardo would have not changed so much if that was the case. She is a beautiful person and I admire her work for animals but no one can argue her face has changed over the years. Am wondering if she did opt for surgery ?
My nan aged 90 was still looking good she had good bone structure, smooth skin (think she used ponds or nivea cold creme at night)
She always took an interest in her appearance though and wore make up ect.

I think hair is crucial, too - not just a good cut, but good-quality conditioner to avoid crinkly texture and never going near home-dye jobs, especially in any shade of red/auburn - ever.

Grey and in good condition, on the other hand, is absolutely lovely.

Not Madonna. I don't think that the cryogenically frozen look is attractive. Aging is a natural process FGS. I really do not understand how that whole swollen lips, gerbil cheeks and frozen forehead thing is desirable. I guess that it is something to do with the fact that it costs a lot of money so everyone covets it.

Drywhiteplease has hit it on the head for me. I am really struggling to think of people in the public eye who don't look a little bit "enhanced." Mariella Frostrup?

battheratBut that's taking an extreme view isn't it?
it's possible to have very subtle "help"- just like people have their hair dyed, and nail extensions etc etc- without looking frozen, or with trout lips.

Lots of people have had very light help and you wouldn't know- like me! Not even my close family could tell- but I could

I must say i envy many of you saying you feel and look much better in your 40's. I hate hate hate where i am now. I look terrible. I litteraly cannot stand to look at myself in the mirror. I wear make up everyday as i dont want to frighten small children. I definately looked a million dollars in my thirtys compared to now. My hair is thinning and everyhting has headed south. I long for small things like the days when i could go without a bra. The only thing that has remained good (people have commented on it) is my skin. I think ageing well is also a state of mind and lots of you seem to have it.

There was a picture of Cindy Crawford in the Daily Mail a newspaper the other day and I almost didn't recognize her...she'd clearly been goofing around with the needles and looked quite frightening. Why????? It didn't make her look younger, or better, it just made her look artificial.

I think Lulu has destroyed her face. ..andvpretends her youthful look is down to her own brand of cosmetics.pleeease!