Turning 50 – when will women just be allowed to age naturally?

As Kate Moss, Mel C and Victoria Beckham turn 50, Claire Musters, who recently reached the same age, acknowledges the pressures she has felt about growing older.

I have never followed fashion very closely, but I have always felt the ‘inadequacies’ in my body keenly. As I’ve gotten older, I have noticed the media’s obsession with youth…but only in women. As men age, they are viewed as debonair, sexy even, whereas women are expected to keep looking as youthful as possible otherwise they are dismissed – or mocked. Actresses, models, singers all have an added pressure to always look as though they are about to step onto a red-carpet event or attend a party. I can only imagine that thousands of pounds can be spent each year trying to keep up these appearances.

Why are we so obsessed with youth? Can’t we just accept that we all grow older, and embrace the process rather than trying to postpone or hide it?