Not when I am an old woman I shall wear purple but when I grow old I would like to be like Lady Slane.
'She was a beautiful old woman. Tall slender, and pale, she had never lost her grace or her carriage. Clothes upon her ceased to be clothes and became draperies; she had the secret of line. A fluid loveliness ran over all her limbs. Her eyes were grey and deeply set; her nose was short and straight; her tranquil hands the hands of a Van-dyck; ...Looking at her, one could believe that it was easy for a woman to be beautiful and gracious, as all works of genius persuade us that they were effortless achievement.' Vita Sackville-West All Passion Spent
'She was a beautiful old woman. Tall slender, and pale, she had never lost her grace or her carriage. Clothes upon her ceased to be clothes and became draperies; she had the secret of line. A fluid loveliness ran over all her limbs. Her eyes were grey and deeply set; her nose was short and straight; her tranquil hands the hands of a Van-dyck; ...Looking at her, one could believe that it was easy for a woman to be beautiful and gracious, as all works of genius persuade us that they were effortless achievement.' Vita Sackville-West All Passion Spent
How are you hoping to be in your older age?
Hmm, as I've never had grace or tranquility, I think I'll have to stick to my original plan of growing old disgracefully, drinking whiskey from tea cups.
ReplyDeleteI think about this a lot actually. I'm always noticing fabulous older women and thinking "that is what I want to be like someday". The thing they all have in common is that they see themselves as a woman, not an old woman, if you know what I mean. They stay themselves, they don't give up on any aspect of their lives, and don't accept the notion that they should disappear because they have aged. They have a young mind and spirit in an older body, and they just keep improving with the years.
ReplyDeleteThey lady in that photo is fantastic! Her style is fabulous, but it is that look in her eyes and that smile that really makes her a gorgeous woman.
Tonia - I'll drink gin out of my teacup.
ReplyDeletehiphip - Very well put - especially about still seeing oneself as a woman, not necessarily old woman. Eyes and smiles make anyone gorgeous.