They all admit that their faces show signs of the ravages of time. But each of these 60-somethings has a rear view which they say has barely changed since their teenage years. So are they kidding themselves? Impossibly vain? Or do they show what the rest of us should be aiming for? And how much hard work does it take?


Here, each of them proudly explains how they  have maintained such a youthful rear view.

Julia Douglas, 61, believes in a healthy diet

I’VE BEEN MISTAKEN FOR MY DAUGHTER FROM BEHIND

Julia Douglas, 61, is a health adviser. She lives near Winchester with her husband Robert, 63, a retired farmer, and their daughter Amy, 17
People always say there comes a point when you have to pick between your face and your behind, and that trying to stay slim as you get older will leave you looking scrawny and haggard. Thankfully, I have never paid any attention to that.
As far as I’m concerned, staying attractive as I’ve got older has meant keeping an eye on my figure.
Yes I may look my age from the front, but I have refused to succumb to middle-aged spread and consequently have a lovely trim behind which would make any woman half my age glow with pride.
I also make sure I keep my look youthful by refusing to make frumpy wardrobe choices. I’m not about to follow the route of so many women my age and start lengthening my hemline, loosening my waistband or wearing chunky cardigans.
My legs and bottom have always been my best assets, so wearing something that shows them off makes me feel youthful and sexy.
I’ve also learnt a few anti-ageing tricks over the years, like smoothing on fake tan regularly after exfoliating in the shower. Body lotion can only do so much, but it’s amazing how a bit of colour can distract the eye from crepey skin.
Sadly, I have to do a little more than exercise to remain this pert and perky at this age. As well as going to Pilates classes several times a week to keep me toned, I stick to a diet of lean meat, fish and greens. I only allow myself bread, cakes, chocolate and wine in moderation. I last had a glass of red wine a month ago.

One of Julia's (pictured) tips is to smooth on fake tan after exfoliating in the shower

But the upsides of this regime far outweigh the down. After 20 years of marriage, my husband Robert still compliments me, albeit after a slight nudge. Friends tell me he still boasts about how good I look and that secretly makes me feel very chuffed.
I’ve even been mistaken for my 17-year-old daughter, Amy — from behind, I should stress. She seems to enjoy having a younger-looking mum whose wardrobe she can raid!
 

Erica Longdon, 62, considered plastic surgery at one point but decided against it

I’LL SHOW OFF MY LEGS WELL INTO MY 70s

Erica Longdon, 62, is a retired  TV voice-over artist. She lives  in Maidstone, Kent, is divorced  and has one daughter, Leoni, 25 
Last week, I was in my dentist’s waiting room when I caught a young man ‘checking out’ my bottom as I got up. My behind and long legs have always been my best features and I love the fact they’re still working the same magic they did in my teens — especially when the rest of me is seriously lagging behind.
It’s pretty exhausting keeping them in shape, though. Each morning for the past year, I’ve woken up and done a short exercise routine called the Tibetan Five Rites — five ancient yoga-based moves said to have been used by Tibetan monks for over 2,000 years for their energy-giving and anti-ageing benefits.
You’re meant to do each move, including back bends and leg lifts, 21 times — no mean feat — to elongate your silhouette. I’m convinced doing this every day has shaved a decade off my behind.
As time passes, I know looking good is not just about my figure — grooming is everything. If I have a bad hair day, I look my age from the back and front. So I take care to blow-dry my hair or put it up each day in a way that looks good from all angles, especially the back. 
The downside of looking good from behind is that I worry I do look much older from the front. I briefly considered plastic surgery during my 50s when I started to develop jowls. I’d scrutinise celebrities in the newspapers and magazines who’d had facelifts or nips and tucks and wondered if I should give it a go myself. Thankfully, the curiosity passed.

Every morning, Erica (pictured) wakes up and completes a short exercise routine called the Tibetan Five Rites, an ancient form of yoga

I decided instead to focus on my best assets by dressing well, and not being too afraid to wear miniskirts or jeans which add definition to my bum. Like all clothes, I don’t believe denim is purely for the young. It’s all down to the fit.
Although I don’t go on many dates since I divorced in my 50s, most of my male friends tell me I’m a knockout. I’d like to think they’ll be saying that for a few more years yet.
 

Susan Dukes, 63, walks several miles a day and is an avid gardener which helps her keep in shape

MEN STILL WHISTLE  WHEN I WALK PAST

Susan Dukes, 63, manages a chain of rental properties and lives in Hull. She was widowed in 2011 when her husband Russell died from cancer. She has a son Thomas, 26
I bumped into an old school friend recently at a party. When she introduced me to her husband, he looked at his wife and said: ‘If you’re the same age, why don’t you look like her?’
I blushed, partly in embarrassment — thankfully my friend has a good sense of humour — but also partly with pride.
I was wearing a figure-hugging Topshop dress, while she was in one of those shapeless smock dresses that so many women my age tend to hide in. And he was right — I did look decades younger. Even I could see it.
Walking several miles a day and doing lots of bending and stretching while gardening seems to have worked for me.
But I also know how to dress properly. Sheer tights with a subtle sheen help make my legs look flawless, while seamless underwear ensures  I never have unsightly underwear bulges. I’m obsessed with checking my rear view in the mirror before I leave the house and not just to make sure my body looks good — I pay a lot of attention to my hair too.
I do think dressing well is important in your 60s, and I’ve learned to adapt the styles I loved when I  was younger.

I wear leggings with knee-high boots and tunic tops, and short dresses — but always with tights. Bare legs can look tarty at any age but more so when you get older.

Susan (pictured) cut out negative people from her life and now feels better about herself and believes it shows

I also follow a meticulous skincare regime — I cleanse and moisturise twice a day — and eat everything in moderation, particularly chocolate and alcohol.
I’ve made other changes too. In the past I’ve had friends who were hard work and very draining.
Since my husband Russell died, I’ve edited my circle of friends and now choose to surround myself only with people who make me feel happy, ditching the ones who are too critical or negative. I feel better about myself and it shows.
Despite this, I know that I look much better from behind than the front, but I am content with that — at least my smile when I turn around is genuine.

Jackie Travers, 60, is a dance teacher which she believes has slowed down the ageing process at bay

I GET CHATTED UP BY MEN HALF MY AGE

Jackie Travers, 60, is a dance teacher and property developer. She has been divorced for 15  years, lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, and has a daughter Charlie, 27, and son Olly, 24
At a networking event in a smart hotel last week, a man in his 40s asked my daughter and I if we were sisters. I hate to sound smug, but that wasn’t a huge surprise to me.
I get complimented fairly regularly and it reminds me of the attention I received in my 20s when I was a dancer with the TV dance troupes Young Generation and New Edition. In those days, I’d often get stopped by men in the street.
I teach dance classes three times a week and do dozens of squats and lunges, which seem to have kept the ageing process at bay, certainly when it comes to the lower half of my body.
I’m always consciously clenching my bottom muscles — when driving the car or washing-up — to keep it as pert as possible and I also do hundreds of sit-ups and crunches every week to keep my tummy and waist taut.
As a dancer, I know that posture is crucial. If you walk tall, with your shoulders back, stomach pulled in and chin up, you will instantly look more shapely and confident.
In my case, the confidence isn’t faked. Men love it when a woman holds onto her vibrancy, it can be very sexy and I get chatted up by men half my age. Many women lose confidence after a divorce but I didn’t. I decided to embrace the fun of being back on the dating scene rather than fear it.

Confidence is sexy, says Jackie (pictured). She embraced her return to the dating scene.

I get my highlights refreshed every six weeks so there aren’t any ageing grey roots and I keep my hair  long as I think it’s more youthful that way.
But the best way to keep young — apart from exercise — is to smile. Granted, you might not see it from the back, but it changes the way you feel and hold yourself.’