Dear Kylie, turning 40 isn't so bad...honestly

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Kylie: the pop princess at 40

Friday, May 09, 2008

This month Kylie Minogue hits a major milestone in her life — she turns 40. Showbiz Correspondent Maureen Coleman, who crossed that bridge earlier this year, has some advice for the pop princess

I have a lot in common with Kylie Minogue. Sadly, Olivier Martinez isn't one of them. At first glance the similarities may not be obvious — but believe me, they are there.

Like the pint-sized popstar, I'm single, have one brother and sister and while Kylie found fame in a soap, my life tends to be one.

In a recent interview with local magazine Fate, Kylie admitted she is a "natural flirt". There are some who might say the same about me.

And like the Aussie superstar, I reached a milestone this year — I hit the big 4-0. As Kylie approaches the dreaded date on May 28, I wonder, is she filled with trepidation or taking it in her stride?

I remember my 30th birthday well; I'd just come out of a long-term relationship and was looking to the future with optimism, excited at the prospect of being free.

I kicked up my stiletto heels that year and enjoyed every minute of it, but if I'd known how quickly the next decade would fly in, I would have kicked up those heels even more. It seemed like no time had passed before I was turning 35. But 40 still seemed such a long way off. Even when I hit 39, my age didn't bother me at all. I'm lucky enough to look younger than my years and being chatted up by men in their 20s is a burden I've learned to carry.

But as the big 4-0 loomed large I must admit I started to panic. One of my best friends, who slipped out of her 30s the previous year, told me to expect this — she had felt the same. There's something about being 40 that provokes anxiety. I never had a problem telling people my age — in fact I was wore it proudly — but that was in my 30s. Psychologically, 40 is a scary word.

Despite my self-confessed vanity, I've never really gone in for anti-ageing facials or face creams. But as the big day drew closer, I began imagining new wrinkles around my eyes. I splashed out on very expensive eye cream, only to discover I was allergic to it. And horror of horrors, I even googled Botox to see if I was a worthy contender for the treatment. I decided against it, but I might not rule it out in the future. Every day I examined myself just that little bit closer. Did I look different? Did I feel different? To be honest, I was dreading the inevitable but decided to see my birthday in with a bang. I wasn't going to let it beat me.

I threw a party — or two, or three. I drank champagne, bought new clothes, enjoyed a pampering session and danced the night away. My family spoiled me, my friends spoiled me, even my contacts surprised me with bottles of Bolly and floral bouquets. The day of my birthday came and went and I actually thoroughly enjoyed it. And funnily enough, when I woke up the following day, I didn't feel any different — except for a slightly sore head.

The pre-birthday blues disappeared and I began to look forward again. So what if I'm 40 — it's only a number. I don't feel it, I don't look it and I certainly don't act it — though I'm not really sure what way a 40-year-old should act. I have a good feeling about this year and I hope it's a great one for Kylie too. And as the countdown begins to her big day, I'd advise her to pop the corks and party. She can't change it, so she might as well embrace it.

Just a few weeks after she marks her birthday, Kylie will be playing four dates in Belfast. I'd love to take her out on the town where we could celebrate together — two single, sassy women in our prime. We could drink Cosmopolitans and compare notes on all the men we've loved before. I think we could be great friends.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to an extended birthday break next weekend. I'm all set for Paris with a married female chum, who thinks she's getting old after turning 34 this week. But I won't let her youth get me down. Paris is for the taking. And with any luck, I might just bump into Olivier Martinez.