♥ beautiful young people are accidents of nature..

...but beautiful old people are works of art*

eleanor roosevelt

while reading an interview last week in regard to the former model and muse

ines de la fressange's highly publicized trip down

jean paul gautier's spring/summer 2009 haute couture catwalk at the

gorgeous age of 51, i was struck by an observation that she made, and

the idea has stayed with me for days..

"there are never images of women with gray hair or older women in magazines...

even when companies use women of a certain age in their advertising, the photos are retouched. there is really nothing in magazines that i can identify with."

it really got me thinking.

although fashion magazines will often highlight the fact that one may celebrate

"fabulous style at every age," the older women that they feature are often these

walking anomolies that have somehow avoided aging altogether.

with their dyed hair, botox injected faces and digitally enhanced bodies,

they hardly represent the laugh lines, sun kissed skin, and the rounder middles

that make growing old so beautiful.

for this reason, i am absolutely inspired by 25 year old designer,

fanny karst's collection of made to order, printed, fitted and hand finished

clothing for women age 60+ that is oh.so.appropriately named:

old ladies' rebellion.

determined to make a fashionista out of her grandmother,

and also to prove that older women can still be stylish and sophisticaed,

ms. kurst has designed a line of sensible, simple shapes that are

both flattering and fun for women of a "certain" age to wear.

setting up shop in the basement of her uncle,

designer jean charles de castelbajac's savile row store,

young fanny designs dresses, skirts and tops with enough personality

and pluck to prove that age certainly is just an attitude.

and when i am older, i hope i have plenty of it.

{spotted on nosideup.}