Brooke Shields has spent decades in the public eye, captivating audiences as a model, actress and entrepreneur. With a career that began in childhood and spanned blockbuster movies, iconic modeling campaigns and boundary-pushing roles, Shields has grown up under the world’s gaze. But now, as she embraces midlife, Shields is stepping into an entirely new role: redefining what it means to age in the spotlight.
In her new book, Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, Shields dives headfirst into the complexities of growing older in a culture that glorifies youth. She reflects on everything from challenging outdated beauty standards to celebrating the strength, wisdom and resilience that come with age. Through humor, honesty and vulnerability, Shields invites readers to rethink how society views aging, particularly for women, and to embrace every stage of life with confidence.
Her message is as empowering as it is refreshing: aging isn’t a loss—it’s an evolution.
Shields’ candid thoughts on aging show that beauty doesn’t fade with time; it transforms, deepening into something far more meaningful than mere appearance. She’s determined to show that there’s no “expiration date” on living a vibrant, fulfilling life.
Here are eight of her most inspiring quotes about aging, reminding us all that every chapter of life deserves to be celebrated.
1. On Beauty Standards Around Aging
“Beauty can come in different forms,” Shields told Real Simple in an interview on January 7. “It doesn’t have to be associated with youth. It’s a fine line because you want to look your best, and there are myriad ways to do that.”
Shields also expressed her desire to give people the forgiveness and freedom to reflect on their lives, saying, “… all the women I know over 40 are extraordinary, and they’ve had unbelievable experiences. Good, bad, all of it.”
2. On Turning 50
During an interview with InStyle in September 2024, Shields, who will turn 60 this May, said there was nothing she feared about turning 50.
“It was a period of freedom and a release from so many of the things that kept me bound and insecure in the decades leading up to this era,” Shields told the publication.
3. On Marketing to Women Over 40 in the Beauty Industry
In June 2024, Shields launched her haircare line, Commence, designed to empower women aged 40 and up, with a particular focus on addressing thinning hair and promoting hair growth. In an interview with Vogue, Shields discussed her marketing strategy, emphasizing her commitment to making women feel seen and uplifted.
“I didn’t understand why women over 40 weren’t being marketed to in the beauty space, but in the rare times we were being spoken to, the messaging was just terrible,” Shields told the publication. “It’s not ‘Oh, poor me, everybody’s forgetting about me.’ Instead, we’re focusing on the strength, everything you have come from and done. I’m so excited about this age and era of life because I’m less complicated, less insecure, less egomaniacal, and I’m focusing on that.”
4. On Identity Over 40
In her new book, Shields reveals that she wrote it to embrace an era often seen as an obstacle, when, in reality, it serves as a catalyst for growth.
“I woke up one morning and felt hit over the head with the notion that ‘Oh God, I have no context for this period of my life,'” Shields writes in the book. “If I no longer have working, producing ovaries, and if I’m not saying yes to society or someone else’s desires or needs, do I have value? If the same familiar rules don’t exist for this period of my life, do I exist?”
Shields goes on to remind herself—and hopes to inspire other women—that they already possess everything they need to thrive. The narrative they’ve been fed, she says, is simply false.
“For too long, women have talked about aging only in whispers and behind closed doors,” Shields says.
5. On Perimenopause
In the same 2024 Vogue interview, Shields expressed her excitement about the shifting stigma surrounding perimenopause and menopause, attributing the change to the increasing number of open conversations on the topic.
“I’m so glad this conversation is finally happening because you wouldn’t have heard that term a few years ago,” she says. “And it’s so refreshing for women to have a stigma around aging removed. But everybody’s glommed on to that term because it’s a big moneymaker. We don’t use anti-aging, dry or menopausal in our marketing because it all has this negativity surrounding it.”
6. On Society and Midlife
In an interview with CBS News on January 12, Shields went on to say she feels even more empowered at 59 than she did at 38.
“I definitely feel a youthfulness that I didn’t feel in my younger years,” she said.
However, when discussing how society typically views women in this demographic, Shields points out that there is always a negative connotation associated with it.
“By the time you get to 50, they’ve just completely written you off,” Shields said. “You are out to pasture. Society says, ‘Oh, if you’re not the hot 20-something at the bar, you’re an old lady.’ There’s this whole demo in the middle that gets just overlooked.”
7. On Prioritizing One’s Self
In her book, Shields says she’s learning to parent herself by regularly checking in and asking questions like, “What do I like about this? What do I not like? What do I want to do just for me?”
“It’s gratifying and empowering, but it’s also awkward sometimes,” Shields writes in her book. “The idea of putting my needs first and articulating them to others. It’s a skill I’m working on.”
Shields once believed that confidence stemmed from knowing you were great, but over time, she’s learned that true confidence comes from trusting your own opinions and talents, regardless of others’ input.
“If I had too much, I was arrogant; not enough, I was weak,” she writes. “What confidence really is, according to psychologists, is a belief in your abilities and in your capacity to overcome challenges.”
Shields admits that in the past she was hesitant to advocate for herself, but she has learned to improve and become more confident in doing so over time.
“Advocating for myself is something I’ve had to learn the hard way, a couple of times over,” she says.