There’s no ticking of the biological clock
“Because having kids is usually a thing of the past when you’re in your 50s, dating in your 50s means you don’t have any pressures of getting married at a certain time because you hear the ticking of your biological clock. As a result, I find that singles in their 50s are much more into entering into a relationship for the ‘right’ reasons, and not just because they think they’re running out of fertile years. It removes a lot of pressure for both men and women.”
— Gail, 59, New Bedford, MA
The media thinks older men are sexy
“Back when I was younger, older men weren’t necessarily seen as sexy; the media certainly didn’t focus on graying older males as sex symbols the way it now embraces guys like Harrison Ford and Jack Nicholson. But I feel like being in your 50s nowadays is no longer considered old, and gray hair is even seen as sexy, thanks to George Clooney. In fact, I find that a lot of women in their 30s and sometimes even younger find me sexier now than they did back when I was their age. I love that!”
— Abe, 55, New Rochelle, NY
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“I love how self-assured women in their 50s are; they know what they want out of a relationship and what they’re looking for in a mate, and they aren’t afraid to ask for it. Life experience — and learning from past mistakes — brings that, I think. That sense of self-assuredness is so incredibly alluring to me; confidence is just so sexy. I’d take a mature fifty-something over an innocent twenty-something any day!”
— Dan, 58, Portland, ME
A bigger bank account makes budgeting for dates easy
“I have a lot more money now than I did when I was younger, so now I am better able to plan romantic dates at nice restaurants or even take a woman away for a fun weekend getaway because I know I have the financial freedom to do so. It’s certainly better than scraping enough money together to barely take your date out for a burger and a movie. I imagine my dates probably like the older version of me better for that reason, too!”
— Jack, 61, Carlsbad, CA
Daters care more about finding someone they click with than impressing anyone
“When I was younger, I was very concerned about making the right impression and being liked. I used to try to adapt to my dates’ personalities. Now, I can’t be bothered with that — I speak my mind, am not afraid to say something outrageous, and just put my cards on the table from date number one. I find that makes dating a much simpler proposition — we either click or we don’t — and guys who get what I’m about do so right off the bat.”
— Donna, 60, St. Paul, MN
Mature women seem to be more comfortable with their bodies
“I know a lot of women feel like their bodies aren’t as good as they were in their 20s and 30s (or before they had kids), but I think bodies with a little character are so much sexier. To make things even better, when I was first dating, the thong hadn’t been invented, and neither had the Wonderbra. Now, though, it seems like they’re everywhere. I’m glad I have the chance to experience dating sexy, mature women in the era of such great lingerie!”
— Craig, 61, Jonesboro, GA
There are plenty of singles in the same age range to date
I got married in my 30s, which was incredibly over-the-hill back then. By that time, I think a lot of the good single men my age were married already. The dating pool of single men seemed so small, and I just sort of married one out of sheer desperation because the pickings were so slim. Now, however, I feel like there are an abundant number of single men my age — probably because so many people in my generation got divorced, and many of them did so around the same time. It’s like an entirely different situation than I knew; there are so many more men out there to choose from!”
— Beverly, 61, Alpine, NJ
Your children become concerned about your dating life
“I have two daughters in their 30s who are married, and now that I am the single woman in the family, I love how the tables have turned. It’s hysterical to hear them give me dating advice or worry about me finding the right guy, just like I used to do with them! Now I think they understand how I felt about their situations back then, and why I used to ask so many questions. It has been a lot of fun sharing my experiences with them and getting their advice. I’ve gotten good dating advice, and it’s brought us closer.”
— Shari, 62, Potomac, MD
When DC-based journalist Chelsea Kaplan isn’t helping you solve your relationship problems, she’s making jewelry. Check it out at www.chelseabellejewelry.com.
Article courtesy of Match.com.
