In her book, Satran identifies 185 ways to seem younger. (We're wondering if "being afraid of the dentist" is on there.) But the obvious tip to stop acting old—which doesn't require an entire book—would be "stop caring about seeming young."

The study, conducted by the University of California at San Francisco, asked women aged 45-80 to report on their sex lives, their sexual enjoyment, and (if applicable), their reasons for abstaining. They found that out of the 60 percent who were currently considered sexually active, half reported "moderate to high" levels of satisfaction, and nearly a third of women 65 or older had engaged in sexual activity in the past three months. African-American women reported higher levels of desire, but lower levels of sexual activity than white women, and sexually active Latina women were more likely to report "at least moderate sexual satisfaction."

They also questioned them on their level of interest in sex, UPI reports:

The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, also found 43 percent of the women reported at least moderate sexual desire, challenging conventional wisdom that women lose interest in sex due to their own physical problems.

What is this "conventional wisdom"? While we live in a culture that seems to view sexually active women over 35 as absolutely hilarious, does anyone actually expect them to stop wanting sex entirely? As this study shows, many of them do continue wanting sex, having sex, and thinking about sex. The only shocker here should be that only half of the women surveyed reported "moderate to high" satisfaction with their recent sexual encounters. Maybe their next study should question their partners on their knowledge of the female anatomy.

60 Percent Of U.S. Women Aged 45-80 Having Sex [UPI]

When Lurie turns 60, she suddenly realizes that, after a lieftime of slavishly following fashion, designers are lo longer making clothes for her.

At first my feelings were hurt. Hadn't I loved fashion and been faithful to her all these years? Just as one avoids the songs that recall a lost lover, I stopped reading her magazines, even in a doctor's office. As a result, I felt first panic and then a rush of euphoria. I was abandoned and alone, yes, but I was also free: after more than 60 years, nobody was telling me what to wear.

Lurie embraces the new comfort by letting her hair go gray (yay!), abandoning heels and uncomfortable trends, and wear the outre clothes she loves. She and her friends find this process liberating, and if the options are either throwing in the towel or plying the toxins, this is certainly a more wholesome - and appealing alternative.

But why are these the only choices? It often seems that when "elder style" is regarded at all, it's with a sense of curiosity: I love the street fashion blog Advanced Style, but sometimes what we herald as avant-garde is really just a holdover from another era, and the taint of exoticism can rankle. Sure, plenty of people come into their own - aesthetically and otherwise -as they age - and every Iris Apfel and Nan Kempner are classic examples - but a part of me wishes we could applaud them merely as "fashion icons" rather than applying a special, "aren't they cute/inspiring/amazing" old person lens.

Which is why Fanny Karst is encouraging. With typical fashion immoderation, Karst designs exclusively for older women - her models range from 60 to 80, and the clothing is designed to flatter silver hair, older figures and the tastes of a generation "left behind" by fashion. It's lovely, and so are the clothes, but it still leaves older women isolated. And even in this collection, there's a smattering of self-conscious cuteness: Models sport tees that read, "Not at your age"; and "Let's begin at the end" which, while light-hearted enough, kind of undermines the dignity of the enterprise.

Then too, anyone who can afford Karst's pieces can probably afford those of more staid designers - think Donna Karan, Armani, Ralph Lauren - all of whom make pieces that can be worn, in their "classic" formulation, by women of any age.The larger issue would seem to be the trickle-down; where now high fashion is available to younger women at high street prices, this is still largely untrue for Karst's demographic. Or is aging gracefully, with all its earth-mother connotations, simply too terrifying for Fashion to contemplate? Ever the iconoclast, the peerless Abigail Lorick put Mimi Weddell in her latest catalogue (see picture) and it does indeed serve to show the versatility of her clothing. We're not expecting the industry to crank out an "all-olds" issue, nor is this what we want. It would just be nice if older women weren't regarded as an ignored minority by the fashion industry: it's a growing demographic, and, the way things are going, the only one which will still be able to afford fashion in six months.

The day I threw away fashion [Guardian]

Granny takes a trip [Guardian]
Advanced Style