Aging and attractiveness: marriage makes a difference

In order to explore women's agreement with the double standard of aging, thirty-two women ranging in age from twenty-eight to sixty-three were asked to share their definitions of attractiveness, femininity, and sexual appeal. They were then asked if they had changed these definitions over time and if they perceived themselves as growing more or less attractive, feminine, and sexually appealing as they grew older. The findings showed that attractiveness was defined primarily by appearance, femininity by behavior and inferred traits, and sexual appeal by both. More single than married women had changed definitions of these terms, and more single women perceived themselves as having grown more attractive, feminine, and sexually appealing as they grew older. Age differences in these evaluations were found among the group of married women, but few age differences were found among single women. The findings suggest there may be qualitatively differing experiences between single and married women that are reflected in their evaluations of attractiveness and sexual appeal.