Customer Reviews

Ladies of Rylstone Calendar (Calendars)

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Every so often something comes along that is extraordinarily right, even if for an obscure reason. This calendar is an example. It features photos of British women wearing nothing but pearls. But it is as far from a pinup "girlie" production as may be imagined.

Two things create that impression. First, when photographed the women were 45 to 66 years old. Second, the women are nude while performing feminized domestic tasks: sewing, baking, pouring tea, etc. On seeing this calendar, many middle-aged British women, cast out by media idolatry for young models, applauded loudly.

Indeed, the calendar shows that people exist in all shapes, sizes, body types, and--most importantly--ages. Why don't older women have the right to be without clothes? The calendar also desexualizes nudity, for there is nothing erotic about the photos. They normalize body imagery and remove, for anyone willing to look before criticizing, the notion that all nudity is bad.

Of course, if the sight of one nipple (even almost hidden behind utensils or cloth) will give you a fit, then you may have some body issues to deal with before purchasing this wonderful calendar. Better yet, buy it and learn from it. (As for the dreaded female pubic hair, none is visible.)

The 12 photos from the original 2000 calendar (long ago sold out) return for June 2000 to May 2001. After that, unfortunately, instead of new individual photos, we get three ordinary (clothed) group shots. July to December 2001 are clustered three months to a page, which is less useful than the one-per-page format of June 2000 to June 2001.

The captions to the nude photos are lightly humorous, a few poking fun at women's bodies. Those might have been replaced. The women might also have been shown doing a greater variety of tasks. But part of the joke of it all is to link nudity with domesticity in an ironic reference to dozens of other "women's calendars." That is what this one does superbly.

Bright yellow sunflowers stand out in the sepia tones of each photo. They are a reminder of the husband of Angela Baker, one of the women photgraphed. John Baker died of leukemia while the calendar was being planned. He grew sunflowers while ill and gave them to family members and friends in the hope that he would recover by the time they flowered.

It is wholly appropriate, then, that money from sales of the calendar goes to leukemia and similar research in Britain and the U.S.A. By now the calendar has raised vast amounts beyond what these splendid women ever imagined possible.

Overall, the calendar blends acceptance of women's bodies with the aging process in a context which is both fun and serious, honoring women everywhere in honesty and hope.

Forget Playboy, Pirelli, and all the rest. This calendar helps to return women's bodies and femininity to women themselves. Despite its shortcomings, it deserves the widest possible distribution.

I loved this calendar and its concept the moment I saw it. That it's all done to raise money for Leukemia research is icing on the cake because the calendar itself is really very good. The photography is excellent and the ladies who bare all area actually quite beautiful. Quite beautiful indeed!

the rylstone calendar is a wonderful addition to the home of any baby boomer, male or female. the sepia tone photography is dazzling and whimsical. the images evoke the true beauty of women. the purpose of the calendar is to raise money for leukemia research.who could resist!

Needless to say my family and i are very proud of my sister, the calendar girl, and all of her friends that posed for the calendar. Not only is it a wonerful way to raise money for a very worthwhile cause, but also a very tasteful, very unique way to also raise more awareness of a terrible disease. I am lucky to have my own autographed copy of the calendar which i will keep long after December 2001. I hope the calendar does as well in the U.S. as it did in England, all of that money will hopefully help find a cure for a terrible disease. Keep up the good work girls.