Vera Wang, 71, wants to reframe how we discuss women. Last year, Vera got bored and started posting these rather fabulous shots of her lounging around her Miami manse to Instagram. The photos were posted on Twitter where they quickly went viral. Vera was shocked that anyone cared about little ol’ her and her amazing legs. But she’s fine giving away her secrets to being a sexy septuagenarian on one condition: don’t bring age into the discussion. Vera talked to Access to promote her new vodka. Here’s part of what she said and you can see the video here.
On her photos going viral
I was working out and it never occurred to me that anyone would even notice. This whole thing was crazy, really crazy.On the public’s fixation with her age
I joke and say I’m really 101. I understand the focus, but I don’t think it should be about that focus. It should be about all women of any age. It’s really about you and having confidence.On her new vodka
We tested 14 vodkas. It was the first time that anyone in fashion had created a vodka with a fashion take. Not only the liquid, but also the bottle itself. Vodka is sexy to me, it’s cool.
I’ve always like Vera, primarily because I really like her as a designer. I appreciate it when she says that we shouldn’t focus on women’s ages but their confidence.I realize how easy that must be to say for someone as rich and privileged as Vera, who looks amazing and clearly has the time to devote to her physical and mental health. But ideally it should be about us and how bad@$$ we are at whatever age we are. Society still tells women we are no longer viable after a certain age unless we break the register by looking like Halle Berry or Shohreh Aghdashloo. I’ve never been pretty, but I’ve always made an impression. I don’t see any reason that needs to stop just because society slapped a sell-by date on me.
CB and I were giggling over Vera’s “vodka with a fashion take,” concept. That sounds like something Zoolander would promote. I picture a bottle of air and the whole ad campaign is paper-thin models refilling their martini glasses with vapors, claiming they can breathe in the essence of fashion. Maybe I just don’t get it because I don’t see vodka as that sexy. For me it’s more a filler booze, because you can mix it with so many different things. I don’t know what I’d call sexy, maybe sparkling wines? However, I will credit Vera with a creating a very sexy vodka bottle. I scoffed when I read it, but I’ll be damned if I wouldn’t display her bottle out in the open.
Photo credit: Instagram
I love her fashion design, and damn, she looks amazing.
100% agree with her!
This is a great message and I agree with all of this in principle. I’m afraid I do have a problem with the messenger though. If it’s really about ‘having confidence’, and ‘should be about all women of any age’, I don’t think an overly photoshopped fashion designer with an army of make-up artists, personal trainers, chefs and other staff at her disposal is the best spokesperson.
“Pretty” is great, but it doesn’t last. But anyone can be good-looking, and at any age. How you carry and adorn yourself, how you speak and act – people are a package and, even if we might say we focus on looks, we really do have trouble separating just the physicality from all these other things can make us attractive (or ugly, I can’t find shitty people good-looking)
Vera Wang spent her teens competing as an elite athlete, just missing the Olympic figure skating team. That dedication to fitness has probably stayed with her through life.
Listen, the comment that she had no idea anyone would care is just silly. A 70+ year-old who is looking sexy and dressed in chic fashion, come on. I love the idea of embracing our beauty and not being tossed out after 60. But at the same time, I’m also not keen on seeing photoshopped, plastic surgery enhanced, wig wearing, ultra-dieting older women posing to hide any imperfection, who are saying, “I just FEEL young and have confidence”. Like that’s how they just magically look like that. No. I mean, I work out with a group of super healthy, sporty women over 55. We look pretty darn awesome because we stick to a healthy diet, lift weights and do yoga regularly. But between the19 of us, we have varying bellies, chicken wing arms, thinning hair, saggy bums and everything else that happens as estrogen leaves us. It’s like being sexy when you are 70 means, how close can you get to looking 35. That’s not an enlightened step forward to me.
And if you think no one would care, then why post on Instagram? Rather disingenuous.
yes yes yes
100% this
Its interesting she says its “confidence” bc her face looks very different than it did in 2019, whether it’s surgery or photoshop. No shame in using those options but dont sell it to me as purely confidence.
What I think isn’t being acknowledged is that genetics plays a role in this. I know a lot of Asian people who look younger than their age. My uncle in Okinawa is a few years older than Vera Wang looks just as young as she does and doesn’t have a single grey hair! And he definitely hasn’t had any work done! His wife (my mom’s sister) is the same age, but has gone completely grey and only has a few more lines than he does. Their daughter, who is close to 50, looks like she’s in her early 30s (though she’s a little annoyed she’s got more greys than her dad!). Some people are just lucky and don’t have to do much to keep looking young.
I’m turning 30 in July and I’m reevaluating my life. There’s so much stuff I want to do and I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything
She’s pulled her face so tight she can’t even make a facial expression if she tried. If it’s all about confidence and not about age, how about aging gracefully and accepting the aging process?
I turned 60 on Valentine’s day. One day over 59, the end of a decade which didn’t bring up much conversation about my imminent demise.
In the past week I have had a half dozen friends call me to impart various iterations of , ‘a lot of people live to their 80’s. You don’t seem that old.’
It’s weird and a little sad. I am more fit, strong, and engaged in life than almost anyone I know. I am aware that I’m not going to get out of this alive, but I’m also aware that I am entering the realm of the invisible older lady friend.
So, my fellow ‘olds,’ let’s continue in the vein of the great broads who have gone before us and keep on kicking ass and not giving a single eff about taking names!!
Welcome to your sixties! I love my sixties (I’m 68). I call it my “no more f*cks to give” decade. I’m healthy, a breast cancer survivor (5 years in October!) and work out every day. I eat a healthy diet, enjoy my wine and have a great partner so I have no complaints about the increasing number of grey hairs on my head (I don’t dye), wrinkles or the force of gravity on certain body parts. I too will keep on kicking ass until I take my last breath then look forward to the next phase of my existence!
Hey Jaded, let’s DO THIS!! I dye almost half of my hair platinum, and the other half I dye my ‘natural’ brown. When people comment/compliment I point to the white and say, ‘this is the truth, and this (brown) is the lie.’
Yup, no effs to give, except for the people who I choose to care deeply about!
Age IS a focus. When you reach your “sell by” date you become invisible. At the deli counter when the clerk says “next” and she is talking over your shoulder to the guy behind you, or at the post office and the man who has just walked in goes right in front of you to the next open window and not a soul calls him on it. I keep myself in pretty decent shape, I believe. Yet this happens all the time, just not to Vera Wang, apparently.
@ Julia K, This makes me want to come to the post office and deli with you and swoop in, super hero style, knocking these assholes out of the way and waving you ahead like the queen you are –
Not that you need me to do that, just as a service to the next generation, showing them what they’re disregarding. Clueless losers
I think about that alot actually. I will be 52 in April and while I appreciate my good skin, I definitely feel invisible, especially since I stopped dyeing my hair and it is 75% grey now. I have had 2 dates in the past 4 years – and I find myself thinking about my past relationships, and that I AM single, taking care of elderly parents, and also unemployed. CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY!!!
Well, I’m 40 and I’ve had zero dates in the past three years.
It’s hard, even with the past year dealing with the virus. I feel like dating has become a real challenge. At this point, I just want to get the employment issue together. . . .
Then she should confidently stop posting grossly airbrushed photos. All celebrities should. Let’s just embrace the lumps,bumps, and wrinkles.
Exactly this. We understand photoshop Vera!