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The usual old lady - where did she go?
Has anybody seen her lately?
When I was a kid and even in my youth, the usual old lady were everywhere! Any women over 35 years old was an Aunt! And that wasn't just because they were over 35 but because they looked like old ladies. And it was also perfectly all right to call them Aunt this and that. They took no offense at all, on the contrary, it was rather polite to call them Aunt. That isn't the case today.
Today, no women wants to be called Aunt or be regarded as an old lady!
So, what characterizes an old lady and how do we define an old lady?
The word "old lady" refers to mature women in her middle life, or older. In these days it is often perceived as slightly pejorative or ironic.
For me, a typical old lady is a women dressed in elastic skirt, knitted sweater, a coat with length just below the knee, flat shoes, glasses and a hat on top of curly permed hair. Some of these old ladies also moves in a special way, and they look at the surrounding in a suspicious way and some of them are judgmental and sees others faults first.
But there was also another kind of old lady or Aunt when I was a kid. It was those women who were satisfied with life, they radiated security and simplicity, they baked buns and took care of the household with great esteem and confidence. That type of old lady is hard to find these days. Nowadays you can only get a glimpse of her in women over 80 or 90 years or older!
No, the old lady has gone, or is seen very rarely. Instead there are women who definitely not are old ladies, and they don't want to be called Aunt! They are women! And the women have become younger in some way, although they grow older in age! Now, even the word old lady is used as a warning sign that you aren't updated on the latest fashion trend: no, that type of handbag doesn't look good, it is "Auntie warning" on it, don't buy that! As if it would be the worst thing that could happen, to look like an old lady or an Aunt!
Nowadays it is only the body that is aging. Women who have reached adulthood today are active and are individuals and they certainly don't look alike. They will not sit at home with baked cookies and wait for grandchildren. The modern women will not become a old lady and its a life style issue. They are a generation that sets there one terms. Women around 60 years are the first generation of working women and many of them live single life's and are used to take care of themselves. They are also brought up in an era that worships youth and endeavor to look younger. And they probably feel younger too.
Now mature women are curious, they want to influence and participate. They are not old ladies who anxiously hold the purse close to their body and sits innocent on endless tea parties and at most, maybe discuss the worlds injustice.
The old lady of today?
If the usual old lady is gone, how is the mature women of today? Here are a few characters!
Fitness lady
This is the women who exercise regularly and tries to keep her body in shape. And she is far from simple gymnastic! She uses a lot of tools and make training to a science. She use pulse watch and have weights on her arms when running. She runs in races and goes to gym and is familiar with all gym equipment. She has a well trimmed body an dresses in tight clothes.
Stylish lady
She is well dressed, unconventional and isn't afraid to dress in black. She loves fashion and she dares to challenge the fashion business by work for changes of the ideal model which she thinks is to skinny. She likes to take care of her complexion and goes on facial treatments regularly.
Powerful lady
A lady with actual power, often CEO of a company or member on several boards. This is a lady that is interested and knowledgeable in her field. She enjoys debates and discussions and she can make her way in the man´s world. Well dressed of course, and she can afford expensive clothes. She wears dresses or jackets over a nice pair of trousers.
Culture lady
The culture lady does not dress, she drapes herself, preferably in black or purple in black dresses, tunics and trousers and large ceramic jewelry. She is seen on every premiere where she know all the important people. She cooks and eat food from Toscana and spend much time of water colour painting while she is drinking a glass of red wine for inspiration.We can all learn from culture lady, not least those who are stuck in the living room in front of TV.
Hot lady
This is a lady who likes the good things in life. She takes good care of her self and looks great too. She likes younger men, sex, chocolate and fine wine. She prefers to dress in tight fitting clothes that highlights her figure and wheres exclusive underwear.
Gossip lady
This is a relic of the old lady who had full control of her surroundings. And she is still on top of things, but now she is on the Internet instead of spy and peek behind the curtain. She is very active on Face book and other community sites. And she is powerful because she can influence many people and have opinions about a variety of topics. She keeps up with fashion and chooses the clothes she likes from current fashion.
Heroic lady
She fights for the poor and sick people and the children. She is absolutely tireless, collects money, clothes and other necessities. She likes plain and comfortable clothes and wear no make up, have an easy hairstyle that don't interfere with her hectic life that includes travelling. She can also be the inventor of useful techniques which she gives to people who needs it and thereby saving life's.
All of this characters are needed and makes difference i our time. The old lady of today have Power!
But sometimes I can miss that natural, old-fashioned, self-confident old lady and I can feel a little bit jealous of her elastic skirt!
And which of the characters am I? Non of course! Because I am still to young.
Related
Comments
- Author
Hi babygirl33! I am so glad you liked this and I wrote it because I like old ladies or aunties! I think you are right about the upbringing and how we interpret the word auntie and it really shouldn't be a negative word. An aunt is after all an awesome person in my opinion and I wish that I had an aunt in my family.
Interesting that only one in your family call you aunt, maybe it is a word that is more or less forgotten since we use the name instead! Thanks for the comment, I appreciate your visit here!
Tina
Hi thoughtforce!
Just came across your hub and had a good time reading.
You're right about us old ladies,we are too busy to get old.
I don't mind the "auntie and gramma" thing though.It's a matter of upbringing I guess.My 60 year old nephew calls me aunt before my name.His is the only family though.
Pretty strange eh?
- Author
Hi Lyn Stewart! Yes, the old skirts! They didn't do much to improve their appearance did they? Maybe that is one the fashion from the past that will not come back! At least we can hope it will not come back. But it must have been so comfortable to wear them:)) Thanks for your view on this, I appreciate it!
Tina
- Author
Hi Pamela Kinnaird W! How interesting, and to me Auntie is a word filled with respect too. It is a great word and if it is used the way you describe I wouldnt have anything aginst being called that either. It sounds so friendly and as being part of a lovely community. Here is the word Auntie more or less gone, and I hardly never hear it anymore. Thank you for telling me about the way Auntie is used on Hawaii, it feels great to know that Auntie can be used in such a positive way! I appreciate the votes too!
Tina
- Author
Hi Sonya L Morley! I would really like to be like that too and it is a picture that I have in my mind! I have met so many fantastic old ladies and I admire them for their security. Maybe we will all become a mix of all the ladies, since the old auntie from the past seem to be gone forever! It sounds great to me! Thanks for the lovely comment, I appreciate it!
Tina
- Author
Hi Cyndi! Lol, What a great way to put it! A conglomerate of all the old ladies! That must be a real winner and a women that has it all!
I sneak into the teen department too now and then, and it goes so well:) Thank you for the fantastic comment, it made my day!
Tina
- Author
Hi Stephanie, some women will never become "old" and that is the point with this hub really! If we don't feel old, I believe that we will not be considered as old either. At least not in the sense that I interpret an old lady. I must say that I miss the old aunties but I don't want to become one myself:) It has been a dramatic change since I was a child and we change with it! Thanks for the votes and I am glad you liked this one.
Best wishes to you and I hope you have a great day!
Tina
- Author
Hi Vinaya! Some women are just fantastic women and a little of all of the ladies described above!
Thank you for reading, I appreciate your visit in my corner!
Tina
- Author
Hi SanneL! Yes they really looked so old back then! I could see old ladies everywhere when I was young and for some reason I can not see them these days! Thanks for that uplifting comment, I really need it! I felt so old the other day on my 50s birthday but this sounds encouraging and now I can look forward to be "hot" at least until I am 65! Wonderful! Here we come...Thanks SanneL. Hugs to you my beautiful Swedish friend!
Tina
- Author
Hi fpherj48! Thank you so much for celebrating my "big" day with me, my dear hubber friend! And you picked the right hub to do it....
Thanks for the votes and the wishes. I really was a great day!
Tina
- Author
Hi Jeannie! I have thought about that too! It is a bit hard to imagine how it will be on the nursing home when I am old, but I think they will have to replace the accordion music with rock music:) And we will demand having laptops and smartphones! It will be so weird....
Thanks for that lovely picture, I can almost see it! I appreciate your comment!
Tina
- Author
Hi Sunshine! Grumpy old ladies is just as bad as grumpy old men and I try to stay away from both:) I hope I will be a happy old lady since they have so much more fun than the others! Thanks Linda! Hugs
Tina
wonderful hub and so thought provoking. I think that Auntie disappeared because no one wanted to wear those skirts. voted up awesome etc.
I enjoyed your thoughts and musings on the old lady of times past compared to the 'old ladies' of today's era. Very nice hub.
As for being called 'Aunt' I think it depends on one's region and culture. On the islands of Hawaii, the children and teenagers call a woman "Auntie" and add the person's name to it. For instance, I am "Auntie Pamela". This is the culture and it a very special feeling to be "Auntie" to someone you've only met a few times yet they decide to let you into their circle. It opens the door to friendship and good times. The term "Auntie" is used with respect and out of deference.
Voting up and beautiful.
I truly enjoyed reading this, especially the line "those women who were satisfied with life, they radiated security and simplicity", as that is something I hope I'll achieve at some point! Just as much as I hope I'll be a bit of all those women you described. Wonderful hub!
Hey great article! That little old lady has been replaced by a conglomeration of your wonderful depictions, I think. I'm like smallperson and sometimes go to the teen department for clothes, but that's ok. The kids don't seem to mind :-) I really enjoyed reading this great take on today's "old lady."
It makes me wonder what kind of old lady I am! Although I hate to think of myself as an "old lady", I guess I am. :) Your hub is great because it points out the differences in not only the way we perceive age, but the way we perceive ourselves as we age. Today's old lady will take much longer to reach that typical "aunty" stage than women in our grandmother's day and age! Great hub, funny and interesting as always. Voted up!
My mother will be 51 in few days, I'm trying to figure out what kind of lady is my mother.
Tina, what a delightful hub! You gave me the chuckles, because I felt the same way as you did. When we were younger, every lady over 35 looked like an old lady. Furthermore, looking at old pictures of my mum and her friends, at that age, they really do look very old. Today I'm 50, and my friends that are 50-65+ are the hottest most outgoing and active friends I have ever had. Lol! They definitely do not look like "old" ladies.
"Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday Tina!!" I send you wishes of love and peace and success always!!!
GREAT hub! Up++.......have a wonderful day!
This is such a great hub! I was thinking about this the other day, too. When I am "old" I will be in the nursing home surrounded by women named Heather and Ashley, and we will rock out to Prince and Madonna. It is going to be so strange. Fun hub and voted up and shared!
I adore old ladies, when they aren't grouchy! Luckily most of the ones that I meet are sweet and a pleasure to chat with:)
- Author
Hi Curiad, thanks for reading and for your comment! I hope you see some old ladies where you live!
Tina
This was an interesting read, thank you for this view of the issue:)
- Author
Hi KDee411, Oh, I am glad there are some old ladies out there! You and Ginn are both hot!
Most of my hubs takes some time to write too, and I think it is better that way! I look forward to reading your hub about diet,
Thanks for reading and for the comment!
Tina
Hi again Tina, I am the old lady, I hang out with Ginn. Not too bad for 70+ but I'm still hot, right Ginn? I just put my 2nd hub in,it only took me a week.but my next one is a gonna be DIET.
So Wife, you got a stop thinking of Oakmeal cookies. We can let Size be the judge. Ha ha. I was born a size 4. if I can. Make this old brain work, I'll have the amazon three day diet in force soon. But go ahead and check me out first. ok.
Kay
Kay
- Author
At last I have found a lady! Good to hear that you are the hot lady, that lifestyle seems pleasant and I will try to stick with it too!
Thanks for a great comment!
Tina
Alright you found me! (I'm the Hot Lady) thats my story and I'm sticking to it.
- Author
Hi Sweetsusieg! Yes, it is strange, where did they go? When I was young they were everywhere, and most women over 40 looked like old ladies! Now days nobody does! It is quite a change! On the other hand, I like the women of today more I think. And thats the nice part, it is ok to be the hot granny, or whatever we want to be. Most of us is probably a mix:))Older women today can take up space and be notised, that is something to look forward to!! I do appreciate that you came by, and thank you for your intresting thoughts!
I'm trying to figure out where I fit in... hmmm, not sure yet. I'm sort of the gossip lady, quiet adept on the internet and love my facebook friends but the gossip part, well I don't do much of that.... Cookies? Nah, I'd just eat 'em... Yep, I figured it out... I'm the Hot granny!! LOL just kidding!!
Nice Hub, Get's you thinking!! Where did all the old lady's go?
- Author
Hi, smallperson, nice to meet you! I can imagine how you feel in the teen department! I sometimes follow my teenager to these stores, and I feel very akward when I find something that I like! But I havent yet tried anything on in there! I cant stand the music for so long! So I just bye it, and hope for the best! I am glad that you liket it and commented!
Thank you, for the perfect article for my mood today. This is one of my "Old Days", tomorrow I will be my normal 71. One of the things that bother me is how media relates to the older women, they use the same terms as dealing with children. How often we are called, sweet, childlike, cute,how about competent? Is this what we call the complete life cycle? My biggest gripe is trying to buy smart looking clothes. I wear a size 4 and it is the teen department for me or (heaven forbid, make it myself) Do you know how embarrassing it is to share a dressing room with a bunch giggling teens? I loved your thoughts.
- Author
Hi, LBLudmer, what a beautiful way to put it! And I realize that I do to! Thank you, for stopping by!
I look in the mirror now and see my mother, my daughter, myself and celebrate all the stages of life. Long live the "usual old lady."
- Author
Sometimes, when I reflect back on my own childhood and my life I suddenly realize that some things have changed or disappeared. I have many nice memories of wonderful kind-hearted ladies I have met, both privately and in my work in health care. And I wanted to put focus on this change that actually has gone very quickly. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I really enjoyed reading this hub thougtforce. It is quite unique and funny. I have only just found you on here and I'll be back in a bit to read more of your work. Take care.
- Author
Wife Who Saves, such memories are special and valuable. I also have similar memories, where I can remember the scent from special situations. Thanks for reading!
Reading about old ladies has me thinking about oatmeal cookies warm from the oven and my grandmother's delicious rice pudding. I enjoyed your hub.
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