To Paraphrase Gordon Gekko, Age Is Good.

By Erica and Karen

Some people say people younger than us will never be interested in anything we want, or do, because if people as old as us like something it can’t be fun.

We beg to differ.

• Erica’s doormen like sports cars, but they like even better that she is driving one. She gets a double take, and sometimes even a V-sign, when she is behind the wheel.

• Men and women, folks of all ages, smile and ask where we got our glittery sneakers and barrel pants.

• Our younger colleagues want us to meet their moms.

What’s going on?

A couple of things. We have always known that our image, how we present ourselves, reflects not only how we feel about ourselves but also signals how others should see us. That was as true when we were working and building our careers as it is now. How we dress, what we do, and the attitude with which we do it are all part of the package. If we want to be visible and relevant, we need to do our part.

There’s something else going on. The fear of aging underpins our culture and corrodes its messages. As one marketer told us, pictures of younger folks are inspirational but pictures of older folks are uninspiring. They just remind people that they’re getting older. Well, of course we—like everyone else still alive—are getting older. That’s obviously better than the alternative. And what’s this notion of reminding? We live it, we know it. We not only accept it, we celebrate it. 

By the way, being older looks pretty good. By presenting a different vision of what getting older looks like, we are not just helping ourselves. You could say we are performing a public service! Age is nothing to fear. On the contrary. There is so much to look forward to. Older folks can be as vibrant and relevant as younger folks.

Women like us are role models taking the fear out of aging. It’s a big deal. And we have a huge part to play in making that happen, for men and women both. Thanks, Lustre Ladies!

And Gordon, it’s age, not greed, that signifies success.