Midlife has definitely changed over the years.
I caught an episode of “Are You Being Served” on telly recently, where the staff at Grace Bros were celebrating Mrs Slocombe’s 50th birthday.
Now, Mrs Slocombe was an “old” lady when I watched it as a youngster (most of the innuendo went right over my head) – but the thing is, she still looks “old” to me, when I watch the show today! There was nothing that as a fellow 50 year old, I could relate to – except for how much she loved her pussy cat 😉 .
Or take these pics of my own grandmother, taken nearly fifty years ago, when I was only two. My grandma would have been in her early fifties when they were taken, and much as I loved my grandma, she sure doesn’t look like the middle aged women I see these days.
Life as a Middle Aged Woman 50 Years Ago
They say 50 is the new 40, and I think they could be right … so many things have changed for middle aged women over the past five decades. For example:
- The number of women in the workforce – particularly married women – was a lot less back then.
- Gender roles were a lot more rigid, and feminism was in its infancy.
- Household chores were more demanding and time consuming –Â if you were lucky you had a twin tub washing machine, but many still had the old copper. Electrical appliances were only just starting to become “necessary” in homes, but there weren’t any microwaves, dryers, or colour TVs.
- Dressing has become so much more casual over the years. Back then, most women wouldn’t have even thought of going into the city or to church unless they were wearing hat, stockings and gloves.
- Many didn’t drive, and few completed tertiary studies (unless it was to become a teacher).
- As survivors of the Great Depression, middle aged women were likely hoarders and experts in making things over – compare that to our own disposable society, and the trend for minimalism.
- And because women tended to marry and have children a lot earlier in life, it also meant they became grandmothers a lot earlier than most of us do today.
Not to mention the fact that we are living longer, so that means we don’t reach middle age until a decade or than women did back then!
Can you think of any other examples of how life for middle aged women has changed over the past couple of generations?!
Look at your expression! Women aren’t expected to immediately get a grey perm when they turn 40 thank goodness.
Or cut their hair short!
I have a few friends my age who are grandparents and I find that really weird – given that I was still trying to get pregnant just a decade ago (and less!). Having said that most don’t seem ‘grandmotherly’ if that makes sense.
I think it’s rare people get to retired in their 50s nowadays so everything has slipped back a decade or so age-wise.
I know! My best friend from high school has 3 grandchildren already. Aye karumba!!!