Uitikon
Style and elegance instead of crop tops and hot pants: Why this 56-year-old is inspiring the Instagram world
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Yvonne Aeberhard Stutz, who grew up in New Zealand, shares tips and outfit inspiration with the Internet community under the name “funkyforty”. She wants to encourage older women.
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Doesn’t have to hide in fashion: Yvonne Aeberhard is out and about on social media under the name “funkyforty”.
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Fluttering clothes, seductive cosmetic products that are stretched into the camera and picturesque beaches: At first glance, Yvonne Aeberhard Stutz’s Instagram channel just looks colorful and cheerful. But one thing definitely sets it apart from the uniformity of the social media app: the age of the protagonist. Aeberhard Stutz is 56 years old. Nevertheless, it still presents itself on the Internet under the name «funkyforty». With this she wanted to humorously break the cliché of “forty forever”. “My life insurance is to be 40+ forever,” says Aeberhard Stutz.
Above all, she wanted to spread a good mood on her account. «No matter how old you are: You can always stay cool, modern and fit. I want to show everyone this, ”says Aeberhard Stutz. Around 30,000 followers have been convinced of this since then – including many young people.
Aeberhard Stutz, who lives in Uitikon, grew up as the child of two Swiss people in New Zealand. She has lived in Switzerland for over 30 years; there are definitely fashionable differences. Whenever she wears fancy clothes, her husband calls it “New Zealand fashion”.
She has always loved the fashion world. So she used to like to style friends and give them tips. She lives for traveling, photography and cooking. Today she can do whatever she likes. “I can live out all my passions at once,” says Aeberhard Stutz. Because: Instagram alone is not enough. There is also an online magazine with over a thousand articles. At the same time, Aeberhard Stutz is out and about as a fashion photographer for magazines at Fashion Week in Milan or Paris, and she also shoots wedding photos from time to time. So she is not just an influencer: “It’s not always about me.”
There are already enough offers for young people
Aeberhard Stutz once worked in finance, including as a director at a major bank. This is a totally different world. But: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the experiences I made there.” Her job today also includes marketing and negotiating with product providers.
–“Funkyforty” wants to spread a good mood and encourage women on its channels.
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When she first got the idea to devote herself completely to her passion, she was “in an intermediate phase” in life. At an aperitif in a fashion store, she met a young American blogger. This impressed her. Because: “I always wanted to do something like this – only for women over 40.” When the blogger talked her well back then, thought Aeberhard Stutz, “maybe she just wanted to be nice”. Nevertheless, the encounter gave her courage. There are many platforms for young people, but not for those over 40.
«Now you don’t have to tell me anything anymore. I’m just me And done”
As far as needs are concerned, the two target groups are hardly different. Aeberhard Stutz is not interested in showing differences. Perhaps one thing, however, is that “women over 40” place more value on style and good quality, “after all, they can also afford something”. Even if she would no longer run around without a belly, one should not stop dressing fashionably when she is old.
To be honest, she doesn’t have to fight prejudice, says Aeberhard Stutz. Only once was she asked what her daughter thought of all this. But she is proud of her mother. The “funkyforty” online magazine also contains instructions for shopping with teenagers. Somewhere in the middle of the colorful labyrinth you will find things like a recipe for a ginger cake, relaxation tips or street style inspiration.
Aeberhard Stutz has been in her nine job for seven years now. She probably never wants to stop doing that completely. She has built everything up for too long, she has enough plans. With every new year of life, self-confidence and satisfaction grow. It takes a long time in life to know each other inside and out. Many of the things that are said to her today would have hurt her as a young person. «Now you don’t have to tell me anything anymore. I’m just me And done », says Aeberhard Stutz. She is not afraid of getting older. If you age consciously, that’s nice: “It gives you a certain freedom.”
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