Audrey Hepburn, a classic style icon, once said: "The beauty of a woman with passing years only grows." In these days when the image of nubile youth is put on a pedestal, it's an idea that's hard to believe. We'd all like to age gracefully but to do it stylishly is often the hardest part. We speak to three "mature" women who impart their secrets on how to stay stylish - and retain your sense of humour.
As an Air New Zealand hostess in the 1970s, Jan Hewitt got into a spot of bother with her employer after a visit to a London hairdresser left her with a "punk" cut. Hewitt was ahead of her time then and at 60, this retired real-estate agent still likes to keep in vogue. Yet she's wise enough to take her own path - as she did when she was flying the skies. She lives in an architecturally designed home in Freeman's Bay with her partner Stuart Bode and an ageing cat.
What was it like reaching the milestone of 60?
A non-event, but I don't want to get any older. My biggest fear is if I have a car accident, I'll be described as "an elderly woman". I'd like to age gracefully and I've developed the ability to look in the mirror and believe the grey hair and wrinkles aren't mine.
As a young woman, you were given grooming lessons on joining the crew of Air New Zealand. What did they teach you?
How to go shopping. We'd collect our expenses and off we'd go. Back then what you could buy in New Zealand was so limited. I've always loved fashion but I've become more practical. Now I look for things that have enduring qualities. I've been a shopper at Scotties Boutique forever. I buy all the designers - Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Marni - which makes me sound snobbish, but I like simplicity and never tire of black because it is so easy and goes with everything. I also love Wunderkammer for its fun jewellery.
Do you think women of a certain age become invisible to men and society as a whole?
I don't feel invisible. Men no longer look at me lustfully, of course, although I hope Stuart still does. In a way, you become sexually anonymous but not "invisible".
What are your views on femininity?
Being equal does not take away from being a woman. Femininity is not about physical form, it's behavioural. It's also not about batting your eyelids. It means acting with dignity. I don't like aggressiveness or women who are too strident, but you should still be true to your values. Acting with self-respect is feminine.
There is a global movement for older women to embrace natural grey hair. Your thoughts?
Even though I hate dyeing my hair as it's so boring, I'm probably not ready to let it go. Some people go grey and they look stunning. The key is having a good cut.
Do you have any style mentors?
There's no formula. It's about individuality. Marilyn Sainty is very stylish. There is no good style and bad style. The Kardashians simply have bad taste.
Any style rules you live by?
Never let your bra strap show. If you wear glasses, make them a look you own. If I could give my younger self advice, it would be: "look after your body". We used to slap on coconut oil and bake like rotisserie chickens. I didn't exercise or eat properly. You pay later.
Wendy Shacklock was only 10 when she began making her own clothes. She grew up in Christchurch and each weekend she'd join her mum on an adventure not to the beach, but to buy patterns and fabrics. "Sewing was what started my 3D thinking," she says. The young girl would wake in the middle of the night, brain buzzing with ideas on how to put an outfit together. Working in an industry dominated by men, Shacklock has not sacrificed her femininity. "Some other women architects felt you had to be earthy to gain respect, but I've never succumbed to that." At 1.58m and slender, this mother of three feels physically better than when she was younger. She believes her clients expect her to be stylish - from what she drives to what she wears. Shacklock likes to keep up to date with fashion and occasionally reads The Sartorialist blog, but she's realistic. "I like to be sorted and buy what I need for the season, but I can't be bothered being that studied." Shacklock designed the Remuera home she lives in with her husband, Matthew, and their dog, Max.
What is "style" to you?
It's about expressing an individual personality. I admire the simple approach that focuses on silhouette and proportion. I don't like having everything new; similar to furnishing a house, I think fashion sense is combining something of the moment with things you own. Similar to renovating, I usually tweak things I buy so they'll fit better. I like a relaxed but considered look. The last thing I want is to look like a clone. True style is the integrity of expression that carries through into home, work and all creative pursuits; it's not affectation, which I really don't like.
Any pet hates when it comes to style?
Full-length mirrors should be government-issue because so many people don't see the whole picture.
I hate sloppiness; perhaps the young can get away with it but it doesn't transpose in age. A lot of older women think tent-like styles are flattering. They aren't.
Did your parents influence your sense of style?
I remember being in a primary school race and slowing down as I ran past my mother to check what she was wearing. She had on a navy dress with white polka dots and a wide-brimmed raffia hat in navy. She was very stylish. My father was in advertising and he believed you should never buy clothing simply because it "went with" your other clothes. He said you should always wear that item the way it looks best. Once I have the right combination in an outfit, I wear it that way all the time. Why not look your best every day?
Have you ever felt like the "invisible" woman?
I remember my mother-in-law coming into the house and saying, "I think I'm invisible". She wasn't invisible to me and I've always looked with such admiration at older women in our neighbourhood. Recently, I was on holiday in Melbourne with my 26-year-old daughter who does a lot of modelling; she got lots of attention and I did feel invisible. But that's great. I'm proud of her.
Does your daughter influence your sense of style?
She has style - I saw it in her as a very little girl - so I trust her judgment. Often if I am in a changing room, I'll send her a WhatsApp shot of what I've tried on. It's a lovely part of our friendship.
Architects are known for their love of black. Thoughts?
I seldom wear black and never on its own. In summer I abandon it altogether. The reason black appealed to architects is that by wearing it, the focus became all about the face. There were days when you felt "electric" if you put on any colour. We have moved on.
Do you work at maintaining a sense of style?
I am proactive when it comes to health and fitness. I wouldn't call it "disciplined" because, to me, feeling good is a reward in itself. So, I don't see eating well as a sacrifice because what I eat makes me feel good. I've always had firm ideas on what is stylish. My husband would never buy me anything because it would not stand up to what he called "Wendy Shacklock Impeccable Taste". Instead of clothes and jewellery, the first present he bought me was a goldfish. I'm the same when it comes to designing and furnishing houses. I have clear ideas. But my family is rebelling against white couches. They tell me they want to be able to sit down.
Any style mantras you adhere to?
In all design I like simplicity tempered by a little complexity - things mustn't be boring. I don't do Versace. I don't admire it. Good design is about integrity. When I design a client's house, it has to feel like an expression of them, as much as it is of me. It's just as important that someone is confident in their clothes and that they wear something that says "I'm happy to be me".
Working in sales in the media industry, Hope-Ross believes her clients expect her to look her best every day. "First impressions count. People make up their minds about you within 60 seconds of meeting." A one-time Air New Zealand hostess, Hope-Ross has always been an avid follower of fashion but says style is about a "sense of self". Sitting in the bath with a glass of wine and losing herself in the pages of a fashion magazine is her idea of heaven. She lives in Parnell with her west highland terrier, Dougal.
What is your idea of style?
It's about how you combine clothes. Some people can look at a rack in store and pull out items that will naturally look great together. My 21-year-old daughter Issabella has that ability. She gets stopped on the street by strangers who comment on her look. I wasn't that sophisticated at her age. The internet allows a much broader sense of style. She wouldn't think twice about buying online from Barneys in New York.
Do you stick to a certain look?
I like the structured suits and jackets of Adrienne Winkelmann, but when I go to Australia I always pop into Zara. I'm also a magpie; I believe everything that glitters is gold. One day I may be wearing a sparkly dress and the next tailored pants with a white shirt. I love shoes and Mi Piaci has lovely pieces. When I first worked in Wellington, I adored the Ashley Ardrey store. They stocked brands such as Pedro Garcia back in the day no one else was.
What are your thoughts on growing older?
When my mother was in her 50s, she was playing bowls. Nowadays we have different lives; I'm more likely to be found at the gym. We tend to fight looking older every step of the way. Just about everyone I know has had some sort of appearance-medicine procedure. I hear it's boom time right now at the clinics with people getting "body ready" for the summer.
Would you allow your hair to go grey naturally?
No. It makes you look older. And not only for women. Where I get my hair done, there are many guys in their 40s and 50s having their colour tweaked. There are times I'd like to escape to a desert island and become a Rastafarian, but working in the media, it's do and dye.
Whose style do you respect?
I have wonderful women friends who are in their 60s whom I find inspirational. One especially has a great zest for life. She's still surfing at the family bach and dancing in Soul bar. Internationally, I think Diane Keaton has wonderful style. Her memoir, Let's Just Say it Wasn't Pretty, has insightful thoughts on ageing.
Any style rules to live by?
Some women can pull off anything - even tartan Ugg boots at a cocktail party. Most can't. Get your roots retouched regularly. Keep your spirit youthful.
Helen Mirren is not the only gorgeous mature woman act in town. Here are five of our other favourites:
Julianne Moore
British-American Moore continues to wow in mainstream and art films, and is also an activist for women's rights and Save the Children, as much as for her stand against botox and plastic surgery. Real woman, real style.
Kristin Scott Thomas
Unforgettable in award-winning films in two languages - English and French - and a native of Paris, Scott Thomas was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'honneur in 2005.
Isabella Rossellini
More than just the pretty face of Lancome, Rossellini's recent success as a filmmaker, writer and philanthropist encompasses wildlife conservation, film and Unicef ambassadorship.
Miuccia Prada
With two labels - Miu Miu and Prada - to her name, Prada is a powerful business woman (75th in Forbes magazine's 2014 list) and a style-setter since she took over the family business in 1978.
Donna Karan
The doyenne of American fashion designers, Karan launched her label in 1985 and "got" how busy working women need to dress - not like teenagers. We love her Urban Zen projects involved in culture, children and healthcare.
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