We feel sexier in our 60s than we did in our 20s
As Jane Seymour poses for Playboy at 67, two women tell us why they feel more confident than ever before
JANE SEYMOUR is best known for her smouldering performance as Bond girl Solitaire in the 1973 blockbuster Live And Let Die. But recently she revealed that she feels sexier now in her 60s than she did at 20 when she was cast in the film.
Her comments came as it was announced she is appearing in Playboy magazine for the third time and at 67 she is the oldest woman to pose for the publication. “I feel much sexier now than I ever did when I was younger,” she said. “I’m comfortable in my own skin.”
And she’s not the only one. Boudoir photographer Alexandra Vince (fyeoportraits.co.uk) says more women in their 60s are booking a session with her than ever before. “In the past few years I’ve noticed a real rise in the number of women in their 50s and 60s coming to my studio for steamy photoshoots.
“My clients who are in their 60s look stunning and glow with confidence. They want professional portraits to celebrate how they feel.”
Here two women tell us why they feel sexier now they are in their 60s.
This has been my sexiest decade yet
JILL MACBETH, 66, a tree surgeon, lives in Towersey, Oxfordshire, with her husband Neil, 66, a retired tree surgeon WHEN I heard Jane Seymour felt sexier in her 60s than when she was younger, I wasn’t surprised. At 66 I feel far more attractive than I did in my 20s.
Back then I didn’t have the confidence to show off my figure. Throughout my life I’ve been a yo-yo dieter and my weight and size has fluctuated over the years.
But as I’ve grown older I’ve learnt to love my body and now feel much less self-conscious.
Recently I even started going to nudist beaches on holiday with my husband. It was nerve-racking taking off my clothes at first but I soon got used to it and realised everyone is in the same boat.
My husband, whom I’ve been married to for more than 40 years, says he’s proud to be seen with me and I look beautiful the way I am.
And taking my clothes off has given me the confidence to try other things I wouldn’t have dared to when I was younger, such as wearing racy underwear. Now I sometimes put on stockings and suspenders and when I look in the mirror, I feel fantastic. In fact, I have been feeling so confident that earlier this year I decided to do a sexy photoshoot.
Most of my friends thought I was very brave, although others said they wouldn’t dream of doing it. But I love my figure the way it is and I wanted to capture the way I look before I get older.
On the day of the photoshoot I had my hair and make-up done to make me feel more confident.
When I took off my dressing gown, I was surprised by how much fun I had trying different poses. It was a great afternoon and now I have some lovely photographs to treasure for ever.
One of the photos is in my dining room and I have one of the more racy ones above my bed. Every time I look at them I’m glad I dared to have them taken.
These days I think we’re very quick to be critical of the way other people look. But the older I get, the less patience I have with people who put others down. We all come in different shapes and sizes but everyone’s body is beautiful in its own way. I don’t think I should have to be shy or cover up just because I’m older.
In fact, the older I get the better I feel. This has been my sexiest decade ever.
I love the fact I’m now a silver siren
SUE CLARKE, 62, a model (bmamodels.com), lives in Slough, Buckinghamshire, with her husband Mike, 78, a retired marketeer FAR from fading into the background now I’m in my 60s, I feel more attractive than ever.
When I was younger, I had striking blue eyes and dark hair and looking back I can see I was very pretty.
However, I was also extremely shy and found it difficult to talk to people, especially in groups.
In my 20s and early 30s I was a microbiologist for a food company but working in that environment meant I was always hidden under a white lab coat and safety shoes. It made me feel very androgynous and not at all sexy.
In my mid-30s I was made redundant and started to look for a different career.
Although I was shy I’d always loved having my photo taken so sent some of my pictures to a modelling agency and was amazed when they signed me up.
Since then I’ve done hundreds of photoshoots for catalogues, adverts and even some TV work. And the older I’ve got the more comfortable I’ve become in my own skin.
These days celebrities often have plastic surgery or Botox to enhance their looks but I’m determined to grow old naturally.
I’ve never had any cosmetic treatments and when I was 60, I decided to stop dyeing my hair dark and go grey.
Now I’m a silver siren and going grey has helped me feel sexier than before.
There’s nothing more attractive than someone who feels comfortable in their own skin.
I feel lucky to be hitting my 60s now because I have a lot more freedom than my mum did when she was my age. I never saw her in trousers. She only ever wore skirts or twin sets, no matter what the occasion. I even remember her doing the gardening in a skirt.
But for me it’s different. I can wear what I like and I love outfits that show off my trim figure.
I wear jeans, which my mum wouldn’t have dreamt of doing. And when I go on holiday I love wearing a bikini. There’s no reason older ladies should hide away in huge swimsuits and kaftans.
I recently got back from Thailand with my girlfriends and I wore a two-piece on the beach.
I was happy to see Jane Seymour speaking about how sexy she feels. Like Jane my confidence has grown over the years and hopefully I’ll continue modelling for many years to come. So far, my 60s has been my best decade yet.