Reinvention at 40: Vera Wang, Social Media, and Ageing Gracefully

If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and suddenly felt like you were supposed to have the body of a 25-year-old, the wisdom of an 80-year-old, and the energy of a toddler on a sugar high—all at the same time—then congratulations! You’ve experienced the modern-day pressure cooker that is ageing in the digital era.

And while you might think that once you reach a certain level of success, you’re immune to these unrealistic standards, Vera Wang—fashion icon, business mogul, and all-around legend—would beg to differ.

The Social Media Ageing Effect

At 75, Wang is fully aware that conversations around her often come back to her age. But unlike many of us, she didn’t grow up with a camera in her face 24/7, documenting every fine line, outfit choice, and so-called “flaw.”

"We did not have social media, and everybody did not age right before your very eyes, and everybody was not critical," she tells the BBC in this interview about her four careers, "It was really more about finding your way."

In other words, she didn’t waste time wondering whether her face had enough collagen to survive a front-facing camera. She was too busy building an empire.

Now, though? The obsession with ageing has reached new heights. Every day, a new skincare trend promises to “reverse time,” every celebrity over 40 is scrutinised for looking “too young” or “too old” (as if there’s a perfect middle ground), and women are constantly fed the idea that looking their age is some kind of personal failure.

Why Isn’t Ageing in Style?

Despite some progress in representation, the idea of ageing well in popular culture still tends to mean one thing: looking as youthful as possible for as long as possible. You can be fabulous at 50—but only if you look 35. You can be stylish at 60—but only if you “dress appropriately.”

And yet, Wang—who rocks micro-minis, sky-high platforms, and body-hugging silhouettes—has never let her age dictate her wardrobe, let alone her career. "My age doesn't factor in how I get dressed – and it never has," she told the BBC.

Which raises the question: why should it?

Rewriting the Narrative

Wang’s career is proof that reinvention isn’t about fighting against age—it’s about embracing your own evolution. The problem isn’t that women age; it’s that we’re told to do it a certain way. So maybe, instead of fixating on looking younger, we should focus on looking like ourselves. Instead of worrying about whether we’re “too old” for a career change, a bold fashion choice, or a new passion, we should take Wang’s approach: Stop obsessing over the mirror. Start obsessing over what makes you feel alive And if anyone has a problem with that? Don't let them clip your wings.

 

 

 

Watch the original interview that we were inspired by here: