STYLE NEWS / TREND: FABULOUS AT 50

Featured in   Date 20th August 2008

Last week Madonna turned 50 – a landmark birthday for any woman, but the Material Girl remains as much a pop icon as she did in the 1980s.

From her early days with Borderline and Like a Virgin to her recent successes with Hard Candy, Madonna has constantly re-invented herself to be the very best in the businesses. So much so that she is now recognised as the most successful female recording artist of all time, selling nearly 120 million albums and 40 million singles worldwide.

Not bad for a girl from Detroit who dreamed of becoming a dancer.

But it is not just her music that has evolved over the near-30 year pop career. Looks wise, she has gone from the pretty Monroe wannabe in fishnets to a finely honed dance diva who has graced the cover of countless international magazines.

Of the many trends set by Her Madgesty, perhaps the most important is showing an age-obsessed media that women can be beautiful and sexy, whatever their age. As Madonna herself says: "There are moments when I can't believe I'm as old as I am, but I feel better physically than I did ten years ago. I don't think, 'Oh God, I'm missing something'."

Whether it's thanks to her diet and fitness obsessed lifestyle, there's one thing for sure – she certainly looks fabulous at 50.

Here at Style Birmingham we too appreciate the more mature woman and celebrate our favourite ageless celebrities.

1: Joanna Lumley: At 62 the ex-Bond girl looks absolutely fabulous and says her strict veggie diet keeps her feeling and looking young ... time to throw out the bacon sarnies.

2: Joan Collins: Surely the grandest dame of them all, Miss Collins is incredible for her 75 years. She puts her appearance down to having a husband 30 years her junior.

3: Kim Cattrall: She may be 52, but they don't come much sexier that the hot Sex and the City star. Undoubtedly a role model for any sexual liberated woman.

4: Michelle Pfeiffer: The ever-young Hollywood star still makes it on to the sexiest celebrity lists, despite also turning 50 this year.

5: Iman: Incredibly, one of the original supermodels is now 52. Married to David Bowie, the Somalian-born beauty and charity spokeswoman was described by Yves Saint Laurent as his "dream woman."