What A Woman Should Have by 40

Fabulous at forty should not be rocket science. Women our age should have things figured out, right? The struggling 20s are over, the existentialist 30s are behind us. In fact, we are done proving ourselves.

Isn’t it just liberating?

So, what should women have by 40?

Our trusted hairstylist. We must have gone through so many hair dramas in our lifetime that we already figured out what works and what doesn’t. It’s true for life as it is for hair. By now, we should have that one person who knows exactly how to cut our hair. One of life’s pleasures is sitting in a salon and trusting that all is right in the world. No more guessing because we are so over that!

Our own seamstress. Sure, we buy retail. Unlike those executives being styled for office wear, we go to Zara or Landmark, the two ends of the spectrum as far as corporate mortals go. But we know exactly how to look like a million bucks. We bring those mass-produced outfits to the neighborhood seamstress or “mananahi” or the alteration shop so they can be fitted and turned into couture. Nothing spells luxe than a pair of pants that looks like it was designed according to our shape.

A place we call our own. It could be a small unit in a condominium. Or an apartment we bought with our own money. Not only does it remind us of how far we’ve gone, it will be our sanctuary we can escape to when we need to be alone with our thoughts.

Our own nest egg. That’s money we can spend without asking permission from anyone. Life throws a curveball every now and then and this is a given. Perhaps, escaping to another country can offer quick relief. Or splurging on that love bracelet can make you feel whole again. Whatever soothes the soul, you owe it to yourself.

Forty means we know better. We may not have it all but we have what matters to us.