When I do photo shoots with younger models, the first thing they say to me is, “I can’t believe you’re 69-years-old!” My face is wrinkle-free, I’ve got long, shiny brunette locks and I’m fit and toned. I’ve posed in everything from ballgowns to bustiers and I’ve even bared all for naturist magazines.
It really gives me a thrill to know I can hold my own at my age and I don’t feel embarrassed about taking my clothes off for a shoot, even in front of a stranger. Why would I? I find it liberating.
I sunbathe and garden in the nude so it feels quite normal to me to bare all. At 5ft 7in, I’ve always been a size 10 and have weighed around 9st all my adult life, so I’m happy to show my body off.
For one advertising shoot I did for a naturist club, I posed with a male model in his 20s, who I’d never met before. We did a variety of shots posing by the pool, next to a snooker table and in the Jacuzzi.
You might think that my husband John, 73, a retired central heating engineer, would be jealous of me posing with a hunk who’s a third of my age, but not a bit of it. He’s been my biggest supporter for almost 50 years and in normal times acts as my chauffeur. He’s always been the man for me and, although like any couple we’ve had our ups and downs, there’s still a spark between us. I don’t want anybody else.
I first caught the modelling bug when I was 10, after winning a catwalk competition for young people. I thought, “This is fun!” Then, in my 20s, I won beauty contests, such as Miss Cornwall Swimwear, and my career started to take off.
As I got older, I decided to make it my business too and launched an award-winning modelling agency. It was hard back then – when you wanted to book someone in for a last-minute job, you just had to hope they answered their landline! I had strict rules for my models – if they did nude or topless work, they were off the books as it was all commercial work.
I was asked to do Page 3, but turned it down – my parents would have been horrified. But perhaps I’d have made more money, like Linda Lusardi, if I had. Maybe now I’m rebelling against my strict upbringing by posing nude, but I’d never do any adult work.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/468379/5ee9b70a95ad4/1592374938332.jpg]
MATURE APPROACH
When I was 40, I was struck down with glandular fever. I was on steroids and was weak and out of it for about a year, so I gave up modelling. I lost my confidence and the years tumbled past. I adapted to a more normal routine, helping run John’s office for him.
But then fate – in the shape of Helen Mirren in a red bikini – played its part. When I was 57, I saw pictures of the actress posing in a two-piece, in her 60s. She looked fabulous and I thought to myself, “Well, if she can do it, why can’t I?” I sent some pictures to a paper, which ended up running shots of me.
That was the start of my mature modelling career. For the past 12 years, I’ve had the time of my life. I do everything from high fashion to niche publications, and so far 2020 has been a busy year for me with cover shoots on three titles, ProShoot, Plush Curves and SlayQueenz.
Last year, I even had an entire US magazine dedicated to me, including the cover. That was a mix of nude and lingerie and I worked with three or four different photographers. There were shots of me on the beach, in the shower and in a milk bath in an amazing mansion. For those shoots, it was often just me and a female photographer on set – it’s private and tastefully done. It’s artistic not sleazy.
I did one shoot for Good Housekeeping when I was 59 and that was a different experience altogether. There were stylists, hairdressers, make-up artists – there were assistants to assistants! Plus, there was a huge spread of delicious food. It was such a treat to experience the glossy magazine lifestyle for a day and see how the London scene had changed from when I’d modelled there when I was young.
I don’t travel that far afield, as we have a rescue dog called Venus – she’s our fur baby, as I wasn’t able to have children. But my favourite trip was to a shoot at a fishing village in France walking the dog. We’re early risers and are usually out at 7.30am and sometimes again in the evening.
I’ve never touched alcohol, as it just tast...
It really gives me a thrill to know I can hold my own at my age and I don’t feel embarrassed about taking my clothes off for a shoot, even in front of a stranger. Why would I? I find it liberating.
I sunbathe and garden in the nude so it feels quite normal to me to bare all. At 5ft 7in, I’ve always been a size 10 and have weighed around 9st all my adult life, so I’m happy to show my body off.
For one advertising shoot I did for a naturist club, I posed with a male model in his 20s, who I’d never met before. We did a variety of shots posing by the pool, next to a snooker table and in the Jacuzzi.
You might think that my husband John, 73, a retired central heating engineer, would be jealous of me posing with a hunk who’s a third of my age, but not a bit of it. He’s been my biggest supporter for almost 50 years and in normal times acts as my chauffeur. He’s always been the man for me and, although like any couple we’ve had our ups and downs, there’s still a spark between us. I don’t want anybody else.
I first caught the modelling bug when I was 10, after winning a catwalk competition for young people. I thought, “This is fun!” Then, in my 20s, I won beauty contests, such as Miss Cornwall Swimwear, and my career started to take off.
As I got older, I decided to make it my business too and launched an award-winning modelling agency. It was hard back then – when you wanted to book someone in for a last-minute job, you just had to hope they answered their landline! I had strict rules for my models – if they did nude or topless work, they were off the books as it was all commercial work.
I was asked to do Page 3, but turned it down – my parents would have been horrified. But perhaps I’d have made more money, like Linda Lusardi, if I had. Maybe now I’m rebelling against my strict upbringing by posing nude, but I’d never do any adult work.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/21047/468379/5ee9b70a95ad4/1592374938332.jpg]
MATURE APPROACH
When I was 40, I was struck down with glandular fever. I was on steroids and was weak and out of it for about a year, so I gave up modelling. I lost my confidence and the years tumbled past. I adapted to a more normal routine, helping run John’s office for him.
But then fate – in the shape of Helen Mirren in a red bikini – played its part. When I was 57, I saw pictures of the actress posing in a two-piece, in her 60s. She looked fabulous and I thought to myself, “Well, if she can do it, why can’t I?” I sent some pictures to a paper, which ended up running shots of me.
That was the start of my mature modelling career. For the past 12 years, I’ve had the time of my life. I do everything from high fashion to niche publications, and so far 2020 has been a busy year for me with cover shoots on three titles, ProShoot, Plush Curves and SlayQueenz.
Last year, I even had an entire US magazine dedicated to me, including the cover. That was a mix of nude and lingerie and I worked with three or four different photographers. There were shots of me on the beach, in the shower and in a milk bath in an amazing mansion. For those shoots, it was often just me and a female photographer on set – it’s private and tastefully done. It’s artistic not sleazy.
I did one shoot for Good Housekeeping when I was 59 and that was a different experience altogether. There were stylists, hairdressers, make-up artists – there were assistants to assistants! Plus, there was a huge spread of delicious food. It was such a treat to experience the glossy magazine lifestyle for a day and see how the London scene had changed from when I’d modelled there when I was young.
I don’t travel that far afield, as we have a rescue dog called Venus – she’s our fur baby, as I wasn’t able to have children. But my favourite trip was to a shoot at a fishing village in France walking the dog. We’re early risers and are usually out at 7.30am and sometimes again in the evening.
I’ve never touched alcohol, as it just tast...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 22, 2020