Elle Macpherson, Cindy Crawford: Rise of the middle-aged babe

It used to be that by the time most women were 50, they were no longer expected to care much about how attractive they were. But things are changing, thanks mainly to supermodels reaching middle age.

Welcome to the era of the 50-year-old f**kable woman.

It used to be that by the time most women clocked up half a century, they were no longer expected to care much about how attractive they were.

But now things are changing, thanks mainly to the original supermodels reaching middle age.

Have you seen the latest pictures of Aussie model Elle Macpherson in a bikini on a boat somewhere in the ocean? She is 51 and looks banging hot; just as good as she did at 20.

Wowsers. 51-year-old Elle Macpherson looks as good as she did at 20. (Pic: Instagram)

Most of the 1980s supermodels like Cindy Crawford are now reaching the big five-oh and look just as beautiful now as they ever have.

Of course, it’s easy to look good at any age when you are tall, naturally thin and gorgeous, but I think this attitude is filtering down to the rest of us mere mortals.

It has often got less to do with botox and fillers as attitude: you don’t have to be classically beautiful, but you do have to make the best of what you’ve got.

For me it’s not so much about hanging onto my youth as taking pride in myself. When I feel I look good, I feel good too. It can be as simple as that.

I was reminded of this the other night when I was out at dinner with a group of other school mums in their mid to late forties.

None of us are exactly supermodels, but we do like to make a bit of an effort, particularly to celebrate getting out of the house midweek.

Our 1980s supermodels have still got it. (AFP Photo/Indranil Mukherjee)

Most of us were wearing nice jeans and trendy jackets, and had spent some time on our hair and makeup.

It’s not as if the hot young waiter was asking for any phone numbers, but we all scrubbed up okay.

Sitting across the room were a similar chick clique, and the difference couldn’t have been more stark.

Frankly, they looked as if they had just given up caring about how they looked.

They had frumpy, shapeless clothes, daggy greying hair and little make-up.

When I was younger I thought it was a burden for older women to be expected to care about how they looked. Now I see it as a matter of pride.

Clearly, no one has told movie makers about the rise of the fifty-year-old hottie because we keep hearing tale after tale about actresses in their 30s being considered too old for men in their fifties.

The latest is Maggie Gyllenhaal, who at 37 was passed over for a role as the love interest of a 55-year-old man.

Maggie Gyllenhaal too old for a 55-year-old man.? Says who, exactly? (Pic: Nessa Stein)

Such attitudes inspired comedian Amy Schumer to make a clip which shows Tina Fey, Patricia Arquette and Julia Louis-Dreyfus celebrating Dreyfus’s “Last F*ckable Day”. As Dreyfus explains, “In every actress’ life the media decides when you finally reach the point when you are not believably f*ckable anymore”.

But as Schumer told Charlie Pickering on Wednesday night, it is the fact that, at 54, Louis-Dreyfus remains undeniably “f*ckable” that gave her the confidence to laugh at her own expense.

Even if things may be grim for some aged over 25 in Hollywood, in real life it’s not as bad.

These days, women don’t have to hang up the stilettos, chuck away the makeup and settle into middle age when we reach 50. It’s not even about satisfying men; it’s more about satisfying ourselves.

We’re a long time dead, so let’s celebrate every day. And if that means leather pants and bright red lips, then bring it on.