THE ROLE OF APPEARANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTRACTIVENESS FOR ELDERLY WOMEN

Abstract

Contemporary culture continues to strongly promote the cult of youth and attractiveness of the body which allows to achieve success in this world – professional, social, personal. This is particularly important in the case of women, because they are traditionally associated more with their appearance and identify with it more strongly throughout their lives than men. The aim of the article is to look at the importance older women attach to appearance – how they define attractiveness, how they judge themselves in this respect, whether they recognize situations in their lives in which appearance has played an important role. The text is based on the results of research conducted within the project “Cultural concepts of gender and age, and attitudes of women and men towards
their health and appearance” financed by the National Science Centre. The research was carried out using a qualitative strategy, a technique of free interviews (15) and focused group interviews (2) with women over 63 years of age. The analysis of data is based on the gender aged perspective. Research has
shown that older women internalize the negative image of old age as unattractive and unprofitable. However, one can more often notice the acceptance of changes occurring in the body as something that concerns everyone and is an inevitable process. They also still perceive an attractive, well-kept look as a kind of capital, thanks to which a woman, regardless of her age, can achieve various goals in many areas of life.