Smoking hot

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Last week you read here that the Pirelli Calendar 2016 is filled with influential (50 +) women. In addition to positive feedback, also came the criticism that the calendar would be thereby not sexy enough and that the bias is confirmed that successful and older women aren't sexy.

You probably understand that I do not share this view. I find the women on the calendar really beautiful, but I also listen to criticism. That's why I picked somebody today who is so 'smoking hot', so I expect that by her all the criticism will melt like snow in the sun.

Here's model Mayhem (55), better known as 'The Burning Lotus'. She photographs herself in all possible positions. In doing so, she has no shame. Her photos are artistic, erotic and sometimes even pornographic. Hereby she shows tattoos, piercings and intimate body parts from all angles. Here you can see some of her rare photos on which she's more or less dressed and where no private parts are visible. Her photos can be seen on her tumblr-page. I warn you, this page is definitely NSFW.

 

If you thought that such a thing as 'sexy after your fiftieth birthday' does not exist, then I think Mayhem has changed your mind. Though I believe that there are many ways to be 'sexy'. 'The Burning Lotus' is sexy and also the women on the Pirelli Calendar are that each in their own way. On this blog you can find also regularly sexy women who have crossed the age of fifty (ample). I love them all.

And you?

Calendar girls

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This is singer/poet Patti Smith as the 'november-girl' of the Pirelli-calendar 2016. And she is not the only 50+ model in this edition of the popular Pirelli calendar. The calendar acquired such popularity by the pictures of beautiful, sexy and especially young models in provocative poses who adorn the calendar since 1964. Photographer Annie Leibovitz chose a different approach and asked only influential, successful and strong women for the calendar for 2016.

Besides Patti Smith Leibovitz photographed also film producer Kathleen Kennedy (62) for February, art collector Agnes Gund (77) for March, writer Fran Lebowitz (65) for May, the Iranian artist Shirin Neshat (58) for September and artist Yoko Ono (82) for October. Below you can see them in the same order.

Photos: Annie Leibovitz/Pirelli

Yoko Ono thus acquires the title of 'oldest Pirelli-calendar-girl'. This title belonged since 2007 to Sophia Loren, who then - at the age of 71 -  appeared on the Pirelli calendar.

Photo:  Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin

If the calendar also this year will hang on the walls of garages and above the beds of adolescent boys will, remains to be seen. In any case, Annie Leibovitz made a beautiful statement. 

Guess what!

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Meet Mimi Kirk. I would like to challenge you to guess her age. If you guessed it at once, then I eat that hat on her head. 

In 2009 Mimi was voted by PETA to 'sexiest vegan above 50'. Then she was already 70. Meanwhile she is 76(!) and and as you can see she's still a 'hottie'. Do you also want to know what her secret is?

Mimi says her youthful looks, good health and overdose of energy are due to her lifestyle. She eats no animal products and that makes her a vegan. At the age of 69 she also stopped to heat her food. So she eats only raw and plant products. According to her that's the reason why she's so vital and without medication. A 76-year-old who never uses drugs ... that's really very special.

If you have the ambition to follow the example of Mimi then you can receive her nutritional advice through her website, Facebook or Twitter. She likes to share her knowledge about nutrition with the world.

See also the video below in which she explains how you can make the transition to a raw diet.

           

Would you be able to cope with this lifestyle? I have to think about that... 

Liebe dich

Nederlands  Portugês

Just as the British department store John Lewis, used the German supermarket chain EDEKA his Christmas commercial to send a message to the world. 'Make time in your busy life for the people who are important to you and whom you love. Especially now'.

This message is catching on. Through social media is the commercial very often shared. By now this ad has almost two million views on YouTube.  

Let's not only share the message, but also put our money where our mouth is. 

50+ = Suitable For Work (SFW)

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The oldest employee at Google, yet one of the largest companies in the world, is over the age of eighty. Age is irrelevant to Google. According to Google, an applicant will be assessed solely on his knowledge and experience. At IDEO, another high-tech company in Silicon Valley, the oldest employee is a woman of 91 years. She provides the company a lot of knowledge and insights that can not be supplied by younger colleagues.

It's regrettable that not all companies recognize this value of older people. Last month I saw a Dutch TV program about unemployment among over 50s, which made me sad. I often think about it. What's the case?

25% of the unemployed in the EU is over 50, but in the Netherlands it's even 40%. The program shows that this high percentage is due to the negative image of older people. Many employers think that older workers are slower, less productive and more often sick than their younger colleagues. The title of the TV program was therefore '10 youngsters instead of you', because - based on those prejudices - employers prefer to hire young people. 

The prejudices of employers are firmly debunked by the TV program. Statistics show that older workers are certainly not more often sick than their younger colleagues. Research also shows that older workers become even more productive. The persistent misperception, however, ensures that the prejudices persist.  It's an image that.s originated in times gone by. But society has changed significantly and the people over 50 has changed with it. That realization didn't yet reach all employers and human resource managers.

That's such a shame. Companies can and should - like Google en IDEO - make a better use of the knowledge, experience and insights of older workers. The average age is rising and we retire later. Yet companies do not adapt to these developments because they are stuck in their own prejudices. This makes that  fun, energetic and capable people over 50 do not find a job.

It should work the other way around. I recently heard the following quote from writer/actress Annabelle Gurwitch (54), who chose for a different approach. She mentions her age clearly visible on her business card for the following reason:

'When I see a restaurant that's in business for more than half a century, I think: Wow, that restaurant must be good! Why should this be different for employees?' 

She nailed it!

The over 50s has changed... now it's time for employers to do the same!

Photo: Annabelle Gurwitch by Jason Frank Rothenberg 

A hell of a job

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A picture is worth a thousand words. Of course, men are aging  as well. And the president of the United States seems to go even more quickly through this process. Here you see POTUS at the beginning of his first term and now (almost) at the end of his second term. The responsibility of the presidency is obviously taking its toll.

Below you can also see his predecessors before and after their stay in the White House.

Fortunately, the First Lady continues to look radiant.

Photos: Getty Images

Move your body

Nederlands   Portugês

Women with strong legs are less affected by the aging processes in the brains than women with lesser strong legs.

This interesting conclusion comes from the King's College team after a study of ten years. During that time this team tracked the health of 150 female twins in the age of 43 to 73 years. That's how they discovered that generally the aging process had less impact on the brain of the twin sister with the strongest legs, whereby her memory and other mental processes functioned better.

The researchers found a logical explanation for this phenomenon. You will develop strong muscles by sufficient physical activity. The sister with the strongest legs, is more physically active than her twin. Sufficient exercise is an important condition to keep your brains healthy. An active lifestyle doesn't only keep your body in shape, but also your brains.

The researchers indicate that more study is needed, but again it's proven that adequate exercise helps against the (further) development of dementia.

Hip Hurray for Hutton!

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Lauren Hutton by Nico - Harper’s Bazaar Spain - May 2013

We have to be able to grow up. 

Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. 

They are what we have been through and who we want to be. 

I don't think I will ever cut my face, because once I cut it, I'll never know where I've been.

- Lauren Hutton - 

Today Lauren Hutton is celebrating her 72nd birthday. So that's a good opportunity to put her here in the limelight. Lauren already acquired fame in the 60's as a model. She quickly became a sought-after model and Lauren is now even the model that has most often graced the cover of Vogue. Besides her successful modeling career Hutton also succeeded to build a career as a film actress. One of her best known roles is her role in An American Gigolo (1980) with Richard Gere. 

As a young model Lauren was a dazzling beauty, and now on her 72nd birthday she still is. Her charm is that she exactly knows what suits her, that she does what she likes and above all it seems that she is not desperately trying to maintain her earlier appearance. That makes her a timeless beauty.

Lauren Hutton 1975 - 1985 - 1995 - 2005  (Foto's: Getty Images)

Happy Birthday, dear Lauren!

Love is the message

Nederlands  Portugês

In these violent days filled with terror, love is the best response. That's why I chose a topic today with which we can spread the love.

The British department store John Lewis makes every year beautiful Christmas commercials. The one cuter than the other. Like the Brits, I look every year forward to it. The newest John Lewis commercial is released only a week ago and now been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube. This year they chose a different approach. No cute little animals, but an old lonely man on the moon and a young girl are playing the lead roles. The message is: 'Show someone they're loved this Christmas.'

A well-chosen theme which is also in the Netherlands, unfortunately, very actual.

Six more weeks until Christmas. So six weeks to think about who do you want to show

that you love him. 

Especially these days ...

L.O.V.E.

#SayCheese!

Nederlands Portugês

(#LongLiveOld)

On this blog I wrote before that marketers seem to forget consumers who are over fifty as an important target group or that they depict this group as pathetic geriatric patients. The energetic senior, whom I see everywhere, is seriously under-represented in the media and advertising. At Sarah's secrets unveiled you saw some foreign campaigns in which the elderly were respectfully displayed, but never a Dutch one.

So it's good to see that occasionally there's a typical Dutch brand that pops up which wants to do it in a different way. Beemster, known for its typical Dutch cheeses, is such a brand. With the slogan '#LongLiveOld' they chose for a different approach. 

Beemster claims that their cheese is 'natural ripened'. Therefore contains their cheese   much more flavor and character and and thus the link is made to the aging human being. In addition Beemster shows us 'ripe' people bursting with energy. How refreshing. 

That the slogan #LongLiveOld includes a hashtag, is probably not accidental. The average senior really knows - in contrast to what's generally believed - how to deal with computers, phones and social media. So even with hashtags.

This makes me hungry for more... and I must say, not only for the cheese.

I keep hoping that other brands are able to find the way to the older target group quickly. For (old) cheese is this link perhaps very obvious. But also for other products there's here a great challenge and a great market. A large attractive target group, which has money to spend A large attractive target group, which has money to spend and which is certainly not pitiful. Isn't it stupid to ignore that?

But right now I'm just happy with Beemster. #SayCheese!

Translation from the Dutch text in the ad

It's so good to be young,

but may we not be old?

Old has had time to 

become wiser, richer, more beautiful and courageous.

With golden years, 

silver hair, 

and yes, even wrinkles.

True taste is well worth the wait.

Beemster, 

#LongLiveOld.

Campaign by: This, That + The Other

Style Icon...

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EMMANUELLE ALT


Foto: Instagram

There are only a few people who have such a consistent and timeless style like Emmanuelle Alt (48). The editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris has a "signature style" that suits her perfectly. 

Here's an overview to inspire you.

TimeLapse

Nederlands  Portugês

The aging process is fascinating and inspiring.

The Dutch artist Frans Hofmeester saw that the face of his daughter Lotte was rapidly changing when she was just a baby. He decided to capture the changes on film. Lotte's evolution from baby to a 16-year-old adolescent can you find below. This time lapse of several minutes has already millions of views on YouTube.

The time-lapse video of Lotte was even used for the development of age progession software. This software that can simulate the aging process, is used in the detection of long-term missing persons.

Below you see an example of a time lapse that's created with this software:

The artist Bart Hess made another special timelapse. In two minutes he shows his artistic interpretation of the aging process of the human body between the eighteenth and the eightieth birthday.

Hand-some

Nederlands  Portugês

That you must protect yourself well against the sun during the summer has become common knowledge. The sun is the main cause of the signs of aging of the skin and skin cancer.

Now that the days are shorter and the sun is less strong than in the summer, you easily forget that the sun still has a harmful effect on your skin. The use of sunscreen is still very important. Even in the winter.

These are all facts that I actually know. But today I had a wake up call by an article of the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) in New York. They point out that there's a part of your body that is repeatedly exposed to the sun, as much like the face, but where we often forget to apply sunscreen... the hands. 

Oops! 

That's true. My face I will never forget. On sunny days, I will never skip my shoulders, arms and legs. But my hands? I never thought about them. It seemed sufficient to me to take care of my hands by moisturizing them regularly with a hand cream. Nevertheless the dermatologists of the SCF gave the advise to protect your hands several times a day with a good, moisturizing sunscreen. Preferably as a replacement for your ordinary hand cream. This will prevent wrinkly hands and brown spots more effective and you are better protected against skin cancer.

The right sunscreen for your hand conforms to the following requirements. It contains:

• at least SPF 15
• nourishing and moisturizing elements such as lanolin and glycerin
• UVA filters such as stabilized avobenzone, ecamsule (or MexorylTM), oxybenzone, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

It is even better if your cream contains the following ingredients:

• anti-aging ingredients: such as lactic acid (AHA or alpha hydroxy acid)
• antioxidants that can prevent damage of the cells, such as vitamin C or E

Do not forget your nails. For it is precisely under the nails where an aggressive form of skin cancer can develop well.

I know now what to do. And you?

Better safe than sorry.

.

Meryl

Nederlands  Portugês

- 'I no longer have patience for certain things. Not because I’ve become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me. I have no patience for cynicism, excessive criticism and demands of any nature. I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me.' - 

- Meryl Streep -

Click here for more Meryl. 

Senior Next Top Model

Nederlands  Portugês

The fall/winter 2015 collection of the young brand Charlotte Simone is in the commercial below shown by rebellious models. These particular models are slightly older than the usual target group of the brand. 

I like it.

Watch the video here:

Spectre: Bond, Bellucci & menopause

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Last monday was the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie, Spectre. From now on, this film is also shown in the Dutch cinemas. Monday was the world premiere of the latest James Bond movie, Spectre. From now on, this film is also shown in the Dutch cinemas. Of course I look forward to the adventures of the fine Daniel Craig, but my particular interest goes to the role of Monica Bellucci, the oldest Bond girl ever.

That Bond in Spectre falls for the charms of an older woman, is only logical for Craig. In The Red Bulletin, he says: 'I think you mean the charms of a woman his own age. We're talking about Monica Bellucci, for heaven's sake. When someone like that wants to be a Bond girl, you just count yourself lucky!'

In the same interview, he indicates that he finds James Bond very misogynistic and that the viewer can't learn anything from him.

Monica Bellucci made also some bold statements in the interviews she gave to promote the film. She says that it took only a little effort to get in shape for her role as Bond girl. A few days without her beloved pasta was sufficient. Her advice: 'Eat well, drink well, have good sex and laugh a lot. The rest comes all by itself.'

That Bellucci is getting older, it is no big deal for her. In the Daily Mail, she says she's looking forward to all the developments that are associated with aging. Wearing glasses is fun and also with the menopause, she foresees no problems. She expects that her body will be taken aback, but after a year it will be over.

I hope so much that she's right. Because I know because this list of all the problems that the  menopause can bring:

hot flashes - weight gain - irregular periods - lower libido - vaginal dryness - mood swings - tiredness - hair loss - insomnia - inability to concentrate - memory loss - dizziness - changing voice - incontinence - bloating - allergies - brittle nails - change in body odor - irregular heartbeat - depression - anxiety - irritability - panic disorder - chest pain - headache - painfull joints - burning tongue - shock - digestive complaints - complaints gums - muscle tension - dry skin - nausea - night sweats.

You probably understand now why I don't share her enthusiasm about the menopause and why I'm certainly not looking forward to it. Instead, I'm looking forward to Spectre. I have the feeling that this will bring me much more fun.

Photo: H&K/JME Photo

Brainpower

Nederlands  Portugês

Do you also love the Mediterranean cuisine? Then I have good news for you. A Mediterranean diet slows down the aging process of your brains.* This process in which you lose brain cells, your brains shrinks and the risk of Alzheimer's disease increases, can be delayed by five years. Just by following these nutritional guidelines:

Eat lots of:

• fruit
• vegetables.
• nuts and seeds
• monounsaturated fatty acids such as in olive oil 

Be moderate with:

• saturated fatty acids such as  in dairy products
• fish and poultry
• wine

Use very little:

• red meat
• eggs

Healthy and tasty food from the Spanish, Italian, Moroccan and Greek cuisine. Nice!

*) American Academy of Neurology: The survey was conducted among 647 healthy octogenarians. Their diet is.followed for several years.