Author of makeover book for older women talks about underrepresentation of mature women in the media

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — When 37-year-old actress Maggie Gyllenhaal recently revealed that she was passed over to play the love interest of a 55-year-old male lead because she was considered to be too old, there was indignation across social media, but there was little surprise. So what happens when you’re an actress who’s 57? Or 67?

Anne Reizer knows a thing or two about the underrepresentation of mature women in popular culture. Reizer is the author of Beautiful Encore: Makeovers for Mature Women, a new book that offers stories and photographs of inspirational older women as well as health and beauty advice from experts.

Reizer said that even when older women are celebrated in the media, the portrayal is often unrealistic. “I think that when we use pop culture as a measuring stick, we do ourselves a disservice. Magazines and websites like to trot out the same tired list of ‘Celebrity Women Over 60 Who are Still Hot,’ but in a way, those lists are insulting. You don’t have to go to the lengths of a Hollywood star to look and feel good about yourself.”

Instead, Reizer said, she wants to show women how they can be the celebrities in their own everyday lives. “Women of what we consider retirement age are exciting, vibrant people with a lot to offer,” said Reizer. “Whether it’s in the workplace, with their families, or in other aspects of society, I want women to know they can maintain their own sense of style and radiance as part of their senior status in life, not in spite of it.”

Reizer said the idea for the book came to her when she realized how few resources were available for older women looking for age-appropriate yet stylish clothing and makeup ideas. “Often, older women are forced to adapt the makeovers and style tips they find in magazines that are geared toward much younger women. One size does not fit all,” she said. Reizer said the nutrition, exercise and health advice in her book is designed especially for the mature women. The easy-to-replicate makeovers include advice on hair, makeup, clothing and accessories. Reizer interviewed dozens of women for the book and came away inspired by what they had to say. “My favorite thing about Beautiful Encore is the focus on real, older women. It was encouraging to me to learn what motivates them every day and how they stay healthy, active and fabulous-looking. There’s a thirst out there for this kind of personal insight.”

And what does Reizer have to say to those who believe that pursuing beauty, especially at an older age, is a shallow endeavor? While Beautiful Encore features dozens of women in makeover pictorials, Reizer emphasized that it is certainly not a collection of supermarket tabloid-style glamour-shots. She stresses that taking steps to look good is not an exercise in vanity; rather, these steps are merely tools that assist the mature woman in becoming more visible in society. From this visibility comes confidence, and out of that confidence grow resilience and positive attitude.

“Looking good is not an accident. It’s not superficial to improve your appearance,” said Reizer. Through Beautiful Encore, she hopes to show older women that they don’t have to throw in the towel and resign themselves to looking dowdy or settling for a lesser role in society. “We can meet these challenges on our own terms, focusing on our best features and attributes, the things that are unique and worthwhile about who we are,” said Reizer. “Beauty begets confidence. There is power in taking care of yourself, inside and out.”

Reizer said that now more than ever, women of all walks of life have access to the tools of beauty. “It’s a richer, freer journey for mature women today than it was for our mothers and grandmothers. We have so many more options.” She said she hopes that senior women will find something that speaks to them in the pages of Beautiful Encore and that it will be used as a springboard for conversation among women of all ages. “After all, soon or later, all of us are going to be older women,” said Reizer.

For more information about Anne Reizer and her book, Beautiful Encore: Makeovers for Mature Women, visit www.beautifulencore.com. Copies are available for purchase at Amazon.com.