The mirror image which reflects badly on women of a certain age

According to new research, women in their 40s, 50s and older, are the most disenchanted with how they look, four times more so than teenage girls, who are traditionally thought to be the group with the most negative self-image.

The Invisible Women Study, by online retailer isme.com, reveals that changes wrought by time and gravity, combined with a youth-obsessed fashion industry, lead to a dramatic drop in body confidence for women as they age.

A staggering 94 per cent of women in their 40s, and a massive 92 per cent of those in their 50s, admit to not liking how they outwardly look, and are said to be suffering from “Midlife Mirror Angst Syndrome”, according to adult behaviour psychologist Susan Quilliam.

“All the studies show that most women reach the peak of their mental, emotional and relationship effectiveness as they reach midlife; having brought up a family, become confident in their jobs, reached a state of wise comfort with their lives, they feel good about the future,” she said.

“Sadly, the same can’t be said for their feelings about their bodies. We live in an age where female beauty is defined as young – a definition that has become an obsession in society, and particularly in the media.

“There’s no psychological underpinning for this, but the fact remains that at midlife, women can feel invisible – or, at worst, unattractive.”

Loose Women presenter and isme.com brand ambassador Lynda Bellingham, 62, agrees: “Women in their 50s feel fed up with their bodies, essentially because what you see looking back at you in the mirror is very different to what you saw 20 years ago.

“Add to this the fact that there is a severe lack of clothes for the more mature woman, and it’s no wonder many are so unhappy with their figures.

“I see this among female celebrities in their 40s and 50s, which is why many turn to cosmetic surgery in order to maintain their youthful looks and body confidence.”