The glamour of ageless women
Glamour can be elusive, something that can be difficult to describe exactly, but you definitely know when a woman exudes it and though it can appear effortless, it arises from a life dedicated to the cultivation of a certain level of refinement.
Glamour actually comes from the word grammar which until the 19th century meant mostly Latin and referred to learning, a distinguishing mark of the educated who were considered superior because literacy was a rarity, only accessible to those who had grammar. Since literacy was rare, it was mysterious, suggesting power—power so great that in time grammar became associated with magic.
Evolving into glamer in Scotland where it first had the sense of magic charm, one could “cast the glamer upon someone.” Isn’t that exactly the spell that a glamorous woman can cast when she enters a room?
More often than not, she is also a woman with the maturity and confidence which, like grammar, takes a lot of practice and experience—living life and knowing the world and oneself—to reach utmost refinement in the art of living.
Life experience adds nuance to expressions, humor, conversation, and body language. There’s an emotional intelligence that’s magnetic, layered, and sophisticated.
There is also an eternal sense of wonder that makes her ageless, untouched by time in spirit, style, and presence. This quality amplifies her glamour even more because it’s such an unusual duality of youthfulness and maturity, reflected in everything, from her style and how she presents herself, to how she deals with people, her manners, how she entertains, how she creates, and how she makes herself of service to the world.
An ageless woman often avoids trends that scream a specific era and only adopt what suits her, leaning into classic aesthetics—clean tailoring, elegant silhouettes, and polished grooming, achieving timeless looks that transcend fashion cycles.
Her boundless energy is generated through curiosity, playfulness, openness, and emotional lightness characterized by laughing easily, gratitude, and keeping an optimistic attitude.
True glamour may have a certain degree of control but it’s never strained. She moves deliberately, speaks calmly, dresses intentionally, and since she knows who she is, she doesn’t need to chase validation.
This self-containment is what gives her power, giving her cachet in the cultural firmament. We often project ideals onto ageless figures since they are perceived as having mastered time with resilience and discipline while maintaining an aura of mystery. For them, it’s less about fighting time and more about not being defined by it.
Alice Reyes
Alice Reyes adds glamour to any event she attends because she holds the highest honor as National Artist for Dance and she carries herself with the grace of an accomplished artist who continues to refine her craft with the dance company that carries her name, mentoring young dancers and budding choreographers. Although she could very well retire, she has chosen to be active in imparting her knowledge by exercising artistic leadership and staging performances with the energy and vitality of an ageless spirit that transcends her years.
Gemma Cruz Araneta
Gemma Cruz Araneta may have become an instant glamour icon when she was crowned Miss International for her classic beauty and regal bearing, but she has gone beyond that through her sophistication as a writer, culture, and heritage advocate and public servant as former National Tourism director and Secretary of Tourism. This intellectual glamour keeps her ageless, inspiring women of all generations.
Josie Natori
An international luminary in the fashion industry, she built a lifestyle luxury brand that reflects her personality of elegance and sensuality, a 24/7 glamour that blends her Filipino roots in an East-West aesthetic. Natori is synonymous with luxurious lingerie, sleepwear, and ready-to-wear that makes women feel beautiful and confident through a timeless look unfettered by trends while adapting to changing times.
Anna Bayle
Anna Bayle is a trailblazing legend as the first Filipino and Asian supermodel who conquered all the major capitals of the world but has kept a glamorous image by leaving the runway at the right time and transitioning to mother, entrepreneur, beauty editor, and top luxury real estate agent while maintaining the same polished sophistication that defined her modeling career. This gives her an enduring appeal that has kept her relevant to the younger generation.
Wynn Wynn Ong
Growing up in two continents, Wynn Wynn Ong’s curiosity for the world and hunger for knowledge has never ebbed. From exploring literature and sharing her insights to her students, she segued to the joys of the artisanal, creating singular pieces of jewelry and objets d’art that captivated connoisseurs and design aficionados, and made it to international publications. She may have left the jewelry business but she continues to inspire through retrospective exhibits that budding designers can learn from, and continues to create, channeling her artistry to a seaside home where carpenters and masons have replaced the goldsmiths of yore.
Lulu Tan Gan
Lulu Tan Gan has maintained a poised, youthful presence over decades in the fashion industry. Her personal looks are always of the moment without being in-your-face trendy, following the arc of her fashion career that started with easy, stylish knits favored by her jet-setting clientele then evolving to a fusion with piña which she has modernized in design and application. This constant innovation coupled with her mentoring of young designers has kept her ageless and relevant.
