Recently I watched a documentary on Channel 4 called ‘Fabulous Fashionistas‘. The documentary, directed by Sue Bourne, was about six women with an average of 80, and their attitude to aging, life and self image. It was one of the most inspiring programmes I have watched in a long time. Without being tacky, sentimental or sensationalist, it portrayed these women in a way that was upbeat, insightful and at times, terribly poignant. None of these women had resorted to plastic surgery or botox, but had embraced their age, without giving into it, or buying into society’s expectations of being ‘old’.  They all used style and fashion as a way to express themselves, keep fit and active, and enjoy their lives. Needless to say the documentary was a big hit. I don’t really want to chronicle the content of the programme here, because I think you should WATCH it for yourselves. The women featured are all  very different and bring their own unique perspective to the programme. The tall and impressive Jean Woods and Bridget Soujouner with their own eclectic  sense of style, the glamorous model Daphne Selfe, ex cookbook  queen and artist Sue Kreitzman, whose catch line surely now has to be “don’t wear beige,  it will kill you’, the amazingly limber choreographer Gillian Lynne (‘You mustn’t let the aging process in, the minute you give an inch, life or illness or something will take a mile’) and the marvelously and unashamedly irascible BaronessTrumpington.

Read More