“I’ve decided to age.”
10 years ago by
Tom Ford has “decided to age.”
I was pretty struck by what Tom Ford said in a recent issue of Women’s Wear Daily.
I found it funny that a man who admits to being in constant control of his image would get to the limit of his obsession: By saying he decided to “let himself age” (and stop any botox, fillers and who know what he does), he’s basically declaring that he’s the one who gets to choose (and not life) when to let himself age.
It’s interesting, because the more we are able to control the process of aging with cosmetics and surgery (the fact that the results of trying to control it are usually a catastrophe is another subject) the more common it is to make the choice one day to say to the world: “Ok, that’s it, I got old.”
It’s kind of like a woman deciding not to color her white hair anymore one day.
It’s probably pretty liberating, actually…
Photo: SGP Italia srl/WireImage
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I think you’re right Garance, like seeking liberation through letting go. Facing up to simply being human…
haha! so he DECIDED to age? good one! :)
http://littleaesthete.com
Ooh, I like this! It’s almost a Karl Lagerfeld type quote!! He might turn out just as charmingly nutty.
I realized one day, during the couple of years that I dyed my hair, that the embarrassment I felt when my gray roots showed wasn’t worth it. I didn’t want to feel vaguely ashamed of this dirty little secret of mine–that I was . . . what, exactly? Old enough to have gray hair? So? And it made me feel badly groomed not to keep on top of the relentless maintenance involved. It was much easier to reconcile myself to aging and simply go gray.
I have really nice gray hair. Does it make me look older? I guess so. Women often tell me that if their hair were as nice as mine, they’d go gray. But I doubt my hair is anything special. Women shouldn’t feel defensive about dying their hair. It’s fine. But it’s not for all of us.
You’re me! I spent many years coloring my hair. A lot of money, time and anxiety went into my hair facade. At some point, about 3 years ago, I decided enough was enough. I cut off the color and went gray. I work it very close cropped for a while and decided to grow it out last year. I get compliments on my hair daily. I think it shocks people a bit, as my hair is white and I have very dark skin, but it’s well received (not by my mother though, lol). It was very liberating to finally let my hair be what it wanted to be. I feel the same way about aging. I would rather spend my time living, than stress about something that in reality, I cannot change. You can pull and tug at your face all you want, it will not turn back the clock. Consider yourself lucky if you get to live to be a ripe old age. Let it be.
C’est suite au commentaire de ma dermato que je me suis dite que nous n’étions pas tous égaux devant le vieillissement… “Il faut lutter pour rester en forme plus on va d l’avant n’est-ce pas?” Moi “heu je ne sais pas…” Non je ne fais pas du sport à l’agonie mais j’aime bouger. Non pas de botox ni de chirurgie mais une bonne crème hydratante un bon coiffeur manger pas trop mal avoir des copines avec qui on peut se marrer des ados tops qui vous tirent en avant un verre de vin de temps en temps un conjoint presque parfait et voilà que nos rides nous rendent belles!!!!
chez lui le “contrôle” est plutôt réussi non?
We are all aging whether we appear to be or not. Control of that with our outward appearance is an illusion.
Salut Garance et le Studio,
juste pour intervenir car le sujet m’intéresse, ma mère a arrêté de se colorer les cheveux et ça lui va super bien, voilà :)
bonne journée <3
I just read the article (thanks for the link). Tom Ford. He is an intriguing man — you have to give him that. Just a fascinating, talented, intriguing man. Even if a bit deluded about aging.
As for aging – the only way to manage it is to breathe deeply (calms the nerves), buy some good creams, practice good eating habits, exercise regularly, remain curious, forgive often and laugh a lot.
Gia, that’s lovely .. thanks for posting the thoughtful reminder :-)
What if a woman were to say this? Just asking.
lookforthewoman
Respect to him, though I think he’ll find that he’d probably have aged anyway. As for the results of anti-ageing procedures, I’d say we are more able to derail ageing than to control it (alas).
To me it’s about living a lifestyle that keeps me healthy, vibrant and fresh all the time. It isn’t to much about the wrinkles. I feel ageless!
People are great.
Our marriage didn’t fall apart, we “consciously uncoupled.”
I’m not going through the same biological process as all humans, “I’ve decided to age.”
HA! Too true.
Tom Ford also happens to be gorgeous!
I read this too, and I found it refreshing that he decided to lay off on the anti-aging products and procedures. The fact that he tied it to his becoming a new parent was also nice to hear, because it’s a great message to send his new child that aging isn’t something to be afraid of – it’s something to embrace when you feel you’re ready to embrace it. That, and I can only imagine years of dieting, exercise, creams, serums, botox, more dieting, fillers, and who knows what else can stress a person out. I hear new babies come with their own stress, and who wants to add to that?
More power to him for wanting to scale back and look his age before it’s too late!
Like Cary Grant and George Clooney, Tom Ford’s good looks will actually improve with age – he’ll be more handsome than ever!!!
I think he wants us to think he is choosing to let himself age. I would guess, the truth is he is at the point where controlling the aging is becoming too overwhelming and requires too many undesirable procedures. Just let it be! Let the inside shine.
très inspirante cette phrase! Nous devrions décider de nous accepter, tout simplement!
Que de temps,d’énergie et de créativité gagnés!
XO
Jeanne
http://fashionmusingsdiary.blogspot.fr
Ladies…ladies….ladies…unless we are something reeeeally special, women, get, old. But men? OoLALA…they become more distinguished. My husband is more handsome than when we married 30 years ago. And he is aging, without any help. I on the other hand over the years have made careful, very subtle changes to keep me looking healthy. Not young. Healthy. I did stop dying my hair, cut it ALL off, ala Jean Seaburg, and bleached the gray, snow white. Getting old is bitch. I can say one thing with certainty….STAY OUT OF THE SUN! Wear hats and sunglasses. and a pretty scarf around the neck, the most delicate and difficult area to fix. And keep your weight steady.
I think all this is ridiculous
You CAN NOT decide anything about getting old !!!!!
For those who don’t know, all human beings get old (and die, sorry but …)
We just have to accept this, this a part of life, no?
Bonne idée Tom keep it going !!!!
il n’y a rien de plus beau que quelqu’un dont on voit qu’il a cet éclat propre à ceux qui subliment leur corps tout en respectant sa nature.
A radical, and ultimately the most chic choice. To choose away botox when it has become available to everyone equals the ultimate style and luxury.
LOL… like he’s the one who’s deciding he will age as he grows older ?!
Tom Ford n’aura aucun mal a vieillir gracieusement !
Good for him – he looks amazing.
To prevent aging I just posted about the benefits of using RETINOL (if you’re interested):
http://intrigueimports.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/beauty-biz-retinol-really/
So interesting…he is a year older than me and I too, have started thinking about how I would like to age. I agree with so many of the comments of your dear readers. No Botox or plastic surgery, and yet what I like to call a “tending” to myself through skincare, diet, exercise (all within reason) and keeping my hair and clothes classic yet current, if that makes sense. The point of which is to make it fun and enjoyable and to make myself somewhat presentable :-).
Mais, Ford est un homme assez âgé! Il doit être embêté de toute cette connerie d’entretenir le look!
Savez-vous combien d’argent, de temps et de ridicule peut subir une personne de l’âge de FORD qui essaie d’avoir le look d’un homme de 40 ans! L’avez-vous vu dans ses derniers films? Il ne peut même pas fermer les yeux correctement! Ses paupières sont tellement étirées que je suis sûre qu’il doit avoir les yeux secs.
Il est très difficile d’intervenir dans la nature d’une personne sans que cela ne se voit pas. FORD a tiré l’éponge ! Il décide de vieillir, car il a décidé d’arrêter de s’opérer, de s’injecter et de se rajeunir inutilement!
Chapeau! J’aime bcp. tes histoires et tes sujets de conversation, il y a toujours chez toi quelque chose d’intéressant, quand je te lis, je pense à Isabel Allende! Un ton plein d’ironie et informatif!
Oh, finally! He was starting to look like overinflated balloon, with the fillers and Botox and who knows what else! I found him much better looking with crinkles in the corners of his eyes!
Tom Ford… That man is so fabulous!
This holitic healer I used to go to decided to see sell me and his patients water for $100 for about 10 bottles that had these properties that made you not age because the makers/scientists had proven age is a disease (I don’t go to him anymore after that). When I told this to my doctor he said that aging MUST happen because it’s evolution. We have to age and die to make room for the next improved generation and each generation improves upon the other. He is so right!
Ironically, I just saw his picture today on The NYT Collection at the CFDA’s and thought, “what the hell has he done to himself?” He was conspicuously manipulated (botox, brow lift or something like that).
My mother let go of her color and went white- it is so glam.
Well , I agree that we must let ourselves age (i am 39 now). But do it gracefully!
Because for men is easier to get old , grey hairs make them more charming , a little extra weight is funny and if they have wrinkles nobody cares…
For us women its not so easy. If you stop dying your hair you look like your grandmother , extra weight makes you look older , and wrinkles we just have to learn to live with them!
We can age but also take care of our bodies in an healthy way , so we can look aged but still feel beautifull in our shoes.
A kiss
Diana P
Oui ça doit être libérateur, mais en même temps, je trouve que c’est magnifique et rassurant de pouvoir contrôler quelques aspects (seulement ;)) de la nature: sport, régime, soins de la peau, protection contre le soleil, coloration de cheveux…cela me ferait peur de devoir d’un seul coup me laisser aller….