Penelope Whiteley 
I was looking in the mirror the other morning, the bathroom mirror -always a dangerous pastime when you reach a certain age-and noticed yet another line had appeared overnight. Not a dramatic one. Nothing requiring structural engineering. Just a small crease quietly settling in as though it had signed a long-term lease agreement. Now, there … Read more
There comes a moment, and maybe you’ve felt it too, when you realise you’ve been carrying far too much… for far too long. People. Possessions. Expectations. Roles you never applied for. Stories you outgrew decades ago. It’s like waking up and noticing you’ve been wearing a backpack full of bricks – and none of them … Read more
Why Growing Older Is the Ultimate Rebrand Somewhere between your last hot flush and your first senior discount, you realise something extraordinary: you’ve become a limited-edition masterpiece. Growing old means you’ve survived every trend, every diet, every relationship that should’ve come with a warning label — and you’re still standing (in fabulous shoes, naturally). Growing … Read more
I wonder why so many women seem to be so fond of the noun Hag? It has always been a name I associate with ghastly, very old and quite ugly women but it has come into vogue as an acceptable descriptive of “old woman”. It’s not. I know it’s fashionable in some circles to … Read more
Sitting still and contemplating my navel has never been high on my to-do list. Yes, I understand that meditation is meant to be life-changing. I’ve even dabbled in it, felt the benefits, and acknowledged the wisdom of clearing the mind. And yet, the idea of sitting cross-legged, focusing on my breath, and thinking of nothing … Read more
Have you shared your story yet? One thing I think we should all as mature women is to not fall into the trap of thinking nobody wants to hear, or will want to hear, family stories. They do and they will. Are you the family story-gatherer? Who is the keeper of the history in your … Read more
Makeup Mishaps After 60 – Uh-Oh! Makeup is a magical thing. It can lift, brighten, and transform—or it can turn us into something straight out of a wax museum. If we’re not careful, we risk stepping into La Poupée territory (that eerie doll-like look) or, worse, looking like we let a toddler do our face. … Read more
Let’s get one thing straight: style has no age limit. If you love it and it makes you feel fabulous, wear it. However, some things, no matter how fit and fabulous we are, can slide into the “Uh-Oh” category. Not because we’re “too old” but because… well, life changes things. You may believe the ads … Read more
At this time of year, it seems appropriate to acknowledge it’s time for us to stand tall and declare, once and for all, that we will not be invisible! We will not go quietly into the night. Society may have tried to tuck us away into some shadowy corner the moment we turned 55, but … Read more
Before I launch into this topic, I’m going to apologise for using the expression Women of a Certain Age. It always seems very patronising to me. We don’t affix a moniker to men of a certain age, even if they do have changeable body shapes, so why should women be singled out?!