Influencer Over 50 Looks Young By Wearing What Makes Her ‘Happy’ & Disrupts Aging ‘Narrative’

Aug 27, 2023

From an early age, girls and women understand the pressure that comes with how they look. Whether they're told they are too tomboyish as children or too preoccupied with their appearance as adults, the fairer sex can barely catch a break when it comes to how they express themselves. 

For women past a certain age, the expectations and double standards that come with getting older can be incredibly problematic. Often, women are expected to dye their hair once they start getting grays, or they're encouraged to dress up but not be too sexy past a certain age. We truly can't win. 

But in recent years, celebrities and regular women alike have been rallying against these narrow-minded views and setting inspiring examples for women the world over. One such woman is a 52-year-old model and photographer named Luisa Dunn. Hailing from Australia, Dunn has made it her mission to be a positive aging advocate. In fact, even her career in fashion has eschewed the norm, as she didn't start working as a model until the age of 31 — much older than the age many get their start in the industry. Ten years later, at the age of 41, she decided to start a photography business, too, once again showing it's never too late to do what you love.

With a large following on social media — including 389,000 followers on TikTok and over 677,000 on Instagram — Dunn is using her platform to write her own story and set an example to women everywhere for generations to come. Two ways she has already done that was through embracing her gorgeous gray hair and experimenting with fashion, proving that a sense of style knows no age limit.

Dunn encouraged people to “forget your age” and “wear whatever makes you happy.” She showed how “fashion over 50” can mean “wearing what makes you feel good.” One proud user said, "I need to look like this in my 50s."

Graying hair is a natural part of aging, but it's only recently that some women have begun to embrace their gray hair. Dunn told Homebodii:

“My journey started not unlike many, by coming to the realization that coloring my hair/roots every 14 days was simply not a source of joy in my life anymore. In fact, it was quite the opposite.”

She added: 

“The most challenging part mentally was to actively seek a positive balance to counter the negative anti-ageing and ‘grey equals old’ messages that many of us are exposed to every single day, often without being aware of their long-term impact.”

Dunn went through a "long" transition process that required "a lot of patience.” However, she came out the other side ecstatic with her “silver” hair. The change even led her to experiment more with fashion, another passion of hers and left her with “an entirely new perspective.”

Dunn refuses to be held back by society's expectations of how women should dress past a certain age.

"I believe age diversity, visibility and inclusion are paramount to helping disrupt the negative ageing narrative we have in our society and to help shine a light on the importance of fighting against ageism,” she said.

As for her tips to anyone out there wishing to do the same? Dunn suggested following "talented stylists and creatives" to get inspiration, "rather than simply the individuals and celebrities they dress," as she believes it "gets you better bang for your buck in time spent."

What a gorgeous and inspiring activist! What do you think about Luisa Dunn's mission to destigmatize aging? Do you have any tips for other women who might wish to go gray or dress however they like? Let us know! Then pass this on to inspire your friends and family.