February 4 2020

JLo & Shakira’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Proved Women Can (& Should) Feel Sexy After 40

For twelve minutes on a Sunday night in Miami, the world watched while Jennifer Lopez and Shakira put on a show-stopping spectacle. During the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV halftime show, the two women hip-shook their way to history as the first Latina duo to headline a Super Bowl halftime. While we certainly applaud the duo for embracing their Latin heritage, we’re give them a standing ovation for showing their Boss Lady Power and representing working midlife moms everywhere. The high-energy performance proved that women —regardless of their age— should embrace and even show off their sexiness. Because in the end, a woman’s age is just a number.

We’re celebrating the history-making JLo & Shakira’s halftime show and the age-defying message of Boss Lady Power behind it.

We applaud both JLo and Shakira for proving to the world that women can and should feel sexy after 40. Today, mainstream media sends an overwhelming message to middle-aged women that they should feel bad about their age. Our culture is overrun with anti-aging beauty products, Photoshop, and articles touting ‘Ten Ways to Look Ten Years Younger.’ It seems that instead of teaching women to embrace and enjoy midlife, women are taught to avoid it at all costs. When 50 year old JLo and 43 year old Shakira stepped on stage, they sent a powerful message: women over 40 cannot and should not be ignored.

Critics have been quick to jump on the Super Bowl halftime show, deeming the hip shaking and pole dancing too overtly sexual for mainstream audiences. What naysayers failed to notice was the incredible athleticism and years of training behind the performance. In the male-dominated world of football, it’s the norm to put your body on display. NFL players aren’t shamed for flashing their abs during sexy touchdown dances. No one criticizes the displays of male aggression and hyper-masculinity that have been normalized in football. Yet when two 40+ working moms get on stage and show off a super feminine display of their talents, they’re deemed poor influences for young girls.

If male players are allowed to put their bodies and athletic abilities on display, shouldn’t women be able to as well? It just so happens that these women’s version of showing off includes a healthy dose of glitter and hair spray, but nonetheless still involved countless hours of hard work and dedication to their craft. Frankly, we’d like to see anyone who criticizes JLo’s dancing try taking a spin around the pole themselves. On top of singing, holding your entire body weight up and spinning endlessly around, you’ll also need to look sexy and hit all your marks because your dance is being broadcast live to millions. The woman (and her core strength) deserve an award.

The Super Bowl’s halftime headliners weren’t the only female firsts. 49er’s Offensive Coach, Katie Sowers also made history as the first woman to coach at a Super Bowl. Her incredible determination proved that women can break even the most seemingly unbreakable glass ceilings.

JLo’s 11 year old daughter, Emme Lopez also deserves a round of applause for her age-defying confidence. Mothers everywhere could relate to JLo, looking on with pride as her daughter took center stage. The moment showed the importance of empowering young women to believe in themselves, take risks and know that there’s always a Boss Lady or two behind them for support. When it comes to the Lopez girls, it seems #bssldypwr runs in the family!

Jennifer Lopez Emme Lopez Super Bowl Halftime Show

At Armoire, we know the power clothing can have on your self-confidence. While true Boss Lady power comes from within, a great outfit can bring it to the surface. JLo and Shakira’s Super Bowl halftime outfits played on both their femininity and their Latin heritage. Next time you need a power outfit, take inspiration from Shakira’s red sequin number, JLo’s leather ensemble or the duo’s glittering outfit reveal for the finale. It doesn’t take head-to-toe leather or a perfect body to get in touch with your sexy side. Wear something that gives you JLo-level confidence and inspires you to show the Boss Lady within. Don’t let your age limit what you wear. Every woman deserves to feel sexy— regardless of their age!