Spicy Midlife Women: Real Talk, Raw Truth, and Bold Moves for Women Over 40

25. Feeling Sexy in a Changing Body: Midlife Boudoir Edition

• Jules and Michele: Midlife Mentors • Episode 23

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In this spicy and empowering episode, Jules and Michelle pull back the curtain on their recent boudoir photo shoot with Seattle-based photographer Callie of Lustful Rose Boudoir. From nerves in the makeup chair to feeling fierce in front of the camera, they share the real, raw, and hilarious moments of stepping into lingerie and rediscovering their own sensuality.

Callie joins the conversation to talk about how she got started in boudoir photography, why women at every age and stage deserve to feel beautiful in their skin, and how the right photographer creates a safe, confidence-boosting space. Together, they break down the misconceptions about boudoir, celebrate midlife empowerment, and encourage women to embrace their bodies—no matter their age, size, or season of life.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Why boudoir photography is about empowerment—not sleaze
  • How Callie helps women of all ages feel confident and comfortable in their own skin
  • What to expect during a boudoir photo shoot (yes, even the awkward first poses!)
  • The importance of creating a safe and welcoming studio environment
  • Stories of midlife women who walked in nervous and left glowing
  • Why boudoir can be a healing and liberating experience for women at any stage of life

If you’ve ever wondered what a boudoir session is really like, or if you’ve been curious but hesitant, this episode will give you the inside scoop and maybe even the nudge you need to book your own.

🔗 Learn more about Callie’s work at lustfulroseboudoir.com

Are you ready to take your "spiciness" to the next level?!

Connect with Julee & Michele on Instagram @spicy_midlife_women and send a DM about what resonated most during this episode so they can encourage you with steps forward in your own life.

Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, all you spicy ladies out there. This is Jules and Michelle here, your two ladies from Seattle, Washington, the Emerald City, sharing our real life stories and having no BS conversations with all of you. Isn't that right, Miss Shelley?

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's right here to help all you midlife women redefine your relationships, ditch toxic cycles and reclaim your power. One episode at a time, let's get into it.

Speaker 1:

Jules, all right. Well, we are just doing a little precursor right now to the interview that we had with a boudoir photographer for the photo session that we had just recently done with her, and the interview itself covers quite a bit in regard to the boudoir session and the experience and everything, but really it's like we decided that this was something that we wanted to do to really show all of you spicy women out there that you know our sensuality, our sexuality, our bodies and how we feel in them is super important and it's something really to be celebrated. It doesn't really matter how old you are. We have a lot to offer. So this was a wonderful way to do that.

Speaker 2:

It sure was definitely a testimony to empowerment for women confidence for women and just the overall experience and really strengthening a lot in those areas and how you feel about yourself is just a really great experience and can't wait for you to listen and have a share with you, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So here we go. Here's the interview with Callie, the photographer that we had for our boudoir session, so thank you so much for joining us today, callie. We're thrilled to have been a part of a boudoir photography session with you today. It was pretty amazing absolutely.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much for having me on the podcast. You both were such a joy to have in the studio and it was just so much fun seeing you both thrive. You're both so beautiful. Okay, keep coming, keep coming.

Speaker 2:

Okay, this was Okay. This was nerve wracking for me. Yeah, it really was.

Speaker 1:

Well, watching you get prepared was, I don't know, a tiny bit hilarious, because she's so used to having the control over what's going on with her makeup and her hair. This is true, so it was good for you.

Speaker 2:

I think that was really good for you. Yeah, don't you think? It was such a great experience and I can't wait to talk now about how you got into this and just the different things.

Speaker 1:

So, first of all, it's like boudoir photography in general is obviously a very it's a sensual thing, it's a very feminine thing. How did you get into this type of photography? Because I know you've been in photography for about 10 years, right, yeah, correct.

Speaker 3:

So I originally started out I was doing weddings, engagements, just a couple of family photos, and I had a friend who was getting married and she really wanted boudoir photos done and I had never taken them before, nor had I had my own taken, so it was completely new to me. So I was like, yeah, you know, I'm going to take this on, I'm going to do it for you, and I just kind of dove into it. I did some research, looked at poses and like what's going to be my style? What do I think is going to look the best? And I rented out a studio space and one that kind of fit the vibe that I liked. We did the whole session. I went home and I edited these photos and I was like this is what was meant for me. You knew it. I did Right away during the session. While we were doing the photos, I felt like I was just thriving seeing her light up and just feel so beautiful in her own skin.

Speaker 3:

I'm like nothing will ever replace this feeling and just empowering women and being like you are beautiful in your own skin, no matter what size, no matter what age, and being able to show women that is just such a gift to me and I just could never give this up. This is the best kind of photography I could ever do.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I was just telling Julie because I have a makeup background right and I've done wedding makeup, just like you were doing wedding photography, and I said this would be so fun to do makeup for these women. Oh, yeah, and getting ready for a shoot like this.

Speaker 3:

I have a few makeup artists that come in. Yeah, and every time they leave like I love this, I love that I'm now doing boudoir makeup. It's now something that they just enjoy coming in to do, because it's a little bit of a different style. Right? You have bridal makeup, which is a little bit lighter, airy, and then you come in here and you have the little bit you can maybe do that darker eye and you can just really have that creative freedom here.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

And it's just. It's so fun to see on all ends everyone just enjoying it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So your studio? We'll probably we will have described your studio already, but, from your perspective, how did you choose this space? Because this space is really amazing. We're in downtown Seattle, down in an older part of like Pioneer Square area, and you obviously love a lot of the architecture, just like I do. But it's like tell us how you chose this particular space and what about it really resonated with you.

Speaker 3:

So I love history and old buildings and just the brick, especially of downtown Seattle. It is so beautiful and I love all that cultural history that.

Speaker 3:

Seattle holds and originally I was in Tacoma and when I got to the point where I was expanding I needed more space. I knew that I wanted to come to Seattle just because I love the architecture down here. So I kind of just went out on a hunt. I started searching online everything that kind of met the parameters that I was looking for. And one day in my searching this building came up and I was like this is perfect, I have to see it. So I messaged him right away and I just saw like the beautiful original wood flooring, the brick. I'm like this is the best boudoir studio. It would just highlight everything so wonderfully. And I knew the second I walked in here I'm like this will be my studio. Like this is it?

Speaker 3:

I told him right away. I'm like send me whatever I need, like I will fill it out, and within a couple of days like yep, yeah, you got the space and I was just beaming. It's fantastic Bringing this place to life has been an absolute dream Designing it and just having that like beautiful place where I can take these photos. I just I never want to give this up. I love this spot so much.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and we just love it. So just for all of our listeners out there, just to give you a visual, we'll have some pictures we can post as well. But Callie has this area that's like a huge closet full of lingerie and full of all of these beautiful high heels and different colors and laces and all of this kind of stuff, and we walk in here and we got to pick from all of these items for what we wanted to wear.

Speaker 1:

And you know there's obviously a tremendous variety. So I love that you've done that and everything. Color coordinates, it's just. The whole vibe is so positive and just female driven and I can see how people, very, very nervous, walking in here and not really knowing what to expect, would feel very, very welcome and comfortable almost immediately. It took a little while, I think Michelle's. I've done this before, a long, long time ago, so I kind of knew what to expect. But everything's a little bit different, obviously, depending upon you know where you go and the timing and all that. When you have worked with women that are in that midlife stage, what have you noticed that might be different Because they're obviously in a different place in their life. You know they've had children maybe, or they've gone through ups and downs, they might have a little gray hair. I mean, there might be these things that they're really not maybe feeling super comfortable about.

Speaker 3:

even yeah, I think the first thing I notice is when I get a message about someone midlife requesting to do a session. Notice is when I get a message about someone midlife requesting to do a session they always ask am I? Too old? My answer will always be never. You're never too old, you are always beautiful. And that's one thing when I made this studio space is that I wanted to focus on it. Doesn't matter how old you are.

Speaker 3:

It doesn't matter what you look like. You are beautiful and I'm going to show you how beautiful you are and you're going to leave this studio just feeling radiant and it's just really showing that it doesn't matter where you're at in life, you deserve to feel confident you deserve to feel good in your skin, and that is my primary focus here.

Speaker 3:

The photos are fun, but I want people to just really feel empowered in their bodies and know that you're beautiful through every stage in life 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s. Everyone's been in this studio and everyone's left feeling like wow, I didn't know I could look like this and. I tailor the sessions to everyone's comfortability level. That's why I'll send out a questionnaire. But what would you like me to highlight on what do you want me to more? So what do you not like about yourself that let's kind of, you know, boost you up little bit.

Speaker 2:

And.

Speaker 3:

I take everyone's responses and I craft a session that I believe is going to tailor them the best, and then I will try and pull some pieces. If someone's like I'm not feeling very comfortable, I'm very conservative, I'm like no problem, we have pieces for everyone here and then just going from there, and I think that really helps when especially laying it out too, when you don't know what to expect, I try and front load as much information as I can, so you walk in the door and you're like, okay, it's not as scary.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I think that's helped a lot.

Speaker 1:

I noticed that you have a little iPad and you pulled together different poses based on the feedback that we gave you that you thought would be good for us.

Speaker 3:

Yes, which I?

Speaker 1:

thought was so cool, so she was showing us and she showed you, too, the different poses and things that she thought would work for. Basically, the information that we filled out and I think our information we filled out was a little generic, probably to some degree, because I'm like I don't know, you know, so you have to. Yeah, sometimes we do that, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

And here's the thing too. It's like I know some of the poses that I took with you, callie, were probably not ones that I would initially think that I would love or want to accentuate on my lovely body, but in looking at them they're so tastefully done and really fantastic, and they are beautiful.

Speaker 1:

I so enjoyed watching you get your photos taken. Yeah, because I could see within 10 minutes or so and Callie saying okay, do this, do this like, move this way or you know, kind of put your hand up. However it ends up and all of a sudden you could see where you were kind of letting your guard down. You're kind of trusting the process and just letting it happen. Yeah, and it was really. It was really cool to see. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

It was fun, yeah, it was really it was.

Speaker 3:

It was great. I think that's a big thing too is the first few poses, especially if you're shy and this is something you've never done before can be really nerve wracking. You come in here and you're like what can I do? You might feel a little stiff and I try and walk everyone through the poses. I'll demonstrate it. I'll show them a picture of I know I'm a visual learner so I know someone shows me something I'm like okay, perfect, that's great.

Speaker 3:

And after a few poses people just really loosen up. They're like you know what? This is actually a lot of fun.

Speaker 2:

I'm feeling really good and the rest of the session is just a really great time it feels good and the atmosphere is fun, it's flirty, it's sexy, and then you do start letting your guard down. That helps with your comfortability, just like you were talking about. And yeah, I mean, who hasn't come on ladies, who hasn't thought about looking sexy, not for you, know, entire public viewing, but for the ones that are close to you, right, and for yourself, right, and being able to come into a space where you can do that, you can let your guard down, it feels sexy, it feels comfortable, you feel beautiful while you're doing it, because really you are beautiful and that's what it shows in the photos that you end up with. It's a fantastic experience. I would highly recommend it for all you women out there. It's a must do. It's a must do.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. So, kelly, do you have any little stories that you can think of for women that were in their midlife or a little bit older, that were hesitant and like how they came in and kind of blossomed or bloomed?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely. I've had a few women come in and it almost seems like they would want to run out the door when they first walked in, right, or they're just like. I don't know. If I want to do this, this isn't me. I've never done this before and I try and make this a really welcoming environment.

Speaker 3:

I'm like let's just figure it out. We'll just sit down, let's get you in the makeup chair, let's get you pampered, and then we'll talk about it. And then I'm like what is the vision that you see, what do you want? And we'll create that session and we'll create that safe space. And that's where I have this closet too, where it's like you pick what you're going to feel comfortable in, what you're going to feel really good in your skin and we'll just take it step by step and as we go through the session.

Speaker 3:

That's usually where they start to blossom and they. I'll show little examples of pictures as we go along, kind of like I showed you both where, like this is how the photos are turning out. You look beautiful and I think people too, seeing that preview, that's where they just light up. They're like that's me, yeah, and that is the best feeling in the world is hearing someone say that, like I didn't think I could look like that, like well, this is how I view you. You are beautiful and now you can see that, yeah, and it's just nothing beats that feeling.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that was honestly really really cool and I like the fact that you showed us like different shots that you were taking, because, at least to begin with, especially because we're kind of like we don't know if we're posing right or we're. You know, we obviously, like you said, are a little bit hesitant and so you could see the relaxing happening, you know, as you go. But I think a lot of it's that you just showed us the pictures and we're going, oh wow, yeah, that actually looks a lot better than I thought it would.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and that's the thing I tell a lot of people is it feels so ridiculous doing the pose You're like does this really look good? And I always say, the more silly it feels, the better it looks. And that's usually the case Like how much can you?

Speaker 2:

arch your back. It was kind of workout. Yeah, I have to say it's kind of a workout. Yeah, Some of the poses are definitely. You know, they look sexy and the shot is great. But yeah, get ready for a little bit of a workout there too.

Speaker 3:

It is a little bit of a gym day here. I tell people that you might wake up a little sore in the morning because you'll hear me say arch your back and point your toes probably a hundred times, but I promise it pays off every time.

Speaker 1:

Have you found that, since you've been doing boudoir, that it is kind of a healing process for women or more of an empowerment process for women when they've come in and then when they leave, absolutely I?

Speaker 3:

think a huge thing is just society as a whole. There's these beauty standards for women that are so unattainable that we feel like we have to fit this mold and it just kind of breaks my heart because I think just women are just so beautiful in all sizes and when people are just trying to fit this and be like, well, I can't do boudoir because I'm not small enough or I'm not pretty enough, I'm like no, that's not the case. And me being able to showcase that and be like, no, at any size you are absolutely beautiful and this is what you look like. And then realizing that and coming to that realization of I don't have to fit society's mold, like I look beautiful the way I am and I've had women message me after I'll send their galleries, it'll be a month later and like I'm still beaming after my session because I've never felt so good in my own skin and felt so beautiful and so sexy.

Speaker 3:

I love that. And good in my own skin and felt so beautiful and so sexy I love that and it just, it makes this just the best job I could ever do.

Speaker 2:

I can imagine, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So what would your advice be to women who are hearing about this and are hesitant or have this perception that it is sleazy? You know that's right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up, jules, because I think there's a lot of judgment.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

I wrapped around this. I didn't tell a lot of folks that we were doing this today. Well, one, just because you know it's up and coming, but at the same time it's people are kind of judging about this.

Speaker 3:

It still is a little taboo in a way where it's just not a super common form of photography and if people are seeking it. That's usually where I get messages, but it's just getting the word out there where it's. It's not sleazy, it's empowering, it's beautiful and it's just showing that you feel confident in your skin and I just that woman empowerment is my biggest thing, that I try to push and I'm trying to break past those barriers of it's not sleazy.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's what I was saying Women for the most part, I think I can speak for a lot of us. We love to feel sexy, we want to feel beautiful. Lingerie is lovely and fun. Sometimes it's not comfortable, we kind of don't know where we fit, and this was an opportunity to kind of go outside the lines a little bit and the pieces I wore I don't have anything like that at home.

Speaker 1:

She might now yeah.

Speaker 2:

I might seek it out now, because it's really not something that I ever would have thought that I would have, but it is. It's flirty, fun, again sexy. I did feel confident and it's very tastefully done. Very tastefully done and yeah, so we need to break those barriers.

Speaker 1:

I think, with people and the perceptions of these things and it being overindulgent, you know, you hear things like that. Or I had someone, you know, when I was telling them what I was doing go, why would you do something like that? And I'm like, why wouldn't you? Yeah, was what I was like. Well, why would you do something like that? And I'm like, why wouldn't you? Yeah, was what I was like. Well, why wouldn't you? You know? And to her it seemed very odd, but to each his own. That's kind of how I look at it, and it's like she'll see the pictures and she'll go okay.

Speaker 2:

And that's the thing too, really, women, it's like we've been talking about and we've talked on past episodes, you know, wearing something sexy underneath what you have on, because of how it makes you feel. Nobody else has to know Right Like you can come and do a session like this completely for yourself. Yeah, yeah, if you have a man in your life, yep, maybe share it with him. But even if you don't just do it, for yourself, absolutely.

Speaker 3:

I've done my own session before and it was for myself, yeah, and I still have those pictures on my phone and I feel so good in my own skin when I see those, because as much as I tell other people like, take society's standards and push into the side, I fall victim to it too. I critique myself all the time and I just always found myself doing it. So when I did that session and I just saw how I looked, I felt so good and it was.

Speaker 3:

I'm like if I'm making other people feel this way, I'm doing everything right. And I look back at those pictures and I just I cherish them, I love them so much, damn girl.

Speaker 1:

So now, what would you say to the younger girls that are out there, the ones that are in their teens, trying to figure out what their sexuality looks like, what sensuality is they're exposed to so much. And you know, I know, that we have daughters. You know Michelle has boys, but I was telling you how my daughter would probably die before she did something like this, and I'm hoping I can encourage her to do it at one point or another, because I think she would be very pleasantly surprised. But what message would you have for, you know, young girls out there that are kind of starting to go into this space, you know, understanding their sexuality, I would say and I know it's said all the time it's just social media can be pretty evil.

Speaker 3:

And there's just such a heavy influence on the younger generation with social media and kind of like we were saying before, where you're conforming to these societal norms of this is how it's supposed to be, when it's really it's not.

Speaker 3:

It's not how we're supposed to look like, and it's just really realizing how beautiful you are and you don't have to fit that mold. And then you know, just taking it step by step and maybe even coming in here one day 18 years old, you know, and then we'll take it, just have like a nice little session, just feel good in your skin and pick out something that you feel pretty in, and I tailor sessions where some people want like really risque photos, you know and other people just want very conservative, like pretty pictures you know where absolutely like it's so customized to you and I think it's just a really great experience young or old to come in here.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, okay. So all of those women out there that we have listeners all across the US and outside of the US as well, who are probably going to be going, I want to see that girl. I want to come to her studio in Seattle Washington. We might need to make that happen, but what would you recommend in terms of if someone was kind of starting to do their research and making a decision to do a photo shoot like this, what would you look for in a boudoir photographer that you could share with them?

Speaker 3:

I would say the biggest thing to look at is their communication, what kind of information they bring to you when you're asking questions. Sometimes photographers are pretty bad about responding or they're just very. I would say they don't front load a lot of information.

Speaker 3:

And making sure that you feel comfortable with their personality before you even step foot in that studio and asking the questions that you need to feel comfortable and just moving forward that way, because you hear horror stories all the time with other boudoir photographers where people will walk in and they're just like I had a horrible experience because they're closed off and it's just more transactional. I feel like when you go for a boudoir session you have to really vibe with your photographer and make sure that it is a safe space.

Speaker 3:

It's vulnerable I mean essentially everyone's strangers and you're walking in and you're wearing minimal clothing. Yeah, you want to really have that safe place and making sure that it's a good feeling walking in and then you know that it's a safe environment.

Speaker 2:

We did, yeah, we researched Cali. We looked into. You know different venues and I so dig your.

Speaker 1:

I just loved your vibe, your style. Just your photos were. So I was just like, oh my gosh, I just love this. And we looked at a lot of different ones and it's like yours just stuck out to me because it just had this real energy to them. I don't know how else to describe it. But, I was like, yeah, we need to call her we definitely need to call her. I'm so glad you did.

Speaker 1:

It was the most amazing session and you were so wonderful, even just like responsive and just really positive and upbeat, and it's like immediately I was like I think we're really going to really enjoy our time with you, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So for all our listeners out there, can you just tell everybody the name of your studio and just information, because we'll put a link on our page so that people can reach out and get in touch and if they want to do a session, I know where to go yeah, so we're at lustful rose boudoir, located in downtown seattle, pioneer square district.

Speaker 3:

We're pretty close to the water. Another great bonus about us is we're really close to the ferry terminal, so if you need to catch a ferry to pop over here, it's only a five minute walk from the ferry. So, we're very conveniently located. I tried to pick a place where everyone could get here. If you don't drive, that's okay. We're really accessible to public transit and we try to make this whole experience is really easy for everybody, yeah, do you have a website. I do, yep, it's lustfulroseboudoircom.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

Lustful, lustfulroseboudoircom. Okay, lustfulroseboudoircom. Well, we so appreciate your time and just really have enjoyed spending this with you. We really think we're probably going to have a lot of people that are going to reach out and be a lot more curious than maybe they were before, because we're giving them some insight into it and we've got some back of the scene photography and things or pictures. I'm not a photographer, obviously, so it be you know. Hopefully Michelle will fix my pictures that I took before we put them up.

Speaker 1:

And then, oh, one more thing she took pictures of us together.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

Which I was like, OK, could this be weird? But it really wasn't weird at all.

Speaker 2:

It wasn't weird at all. I love how they turned out.

Speaker 3:

You both look so great and they're photos that we took today.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, I mean, we're not sitting there naked next to each other. We do have a little bit of stuff on. I had to have Michelle show her boob a little bit more because it was covered up too much, but other than that it was great. But thank you so much for all of your time and your energy and everything in this. We just so appreciate it, of course you both are so wonderful, highly recommend. Let'sfoolboudoirpotographycom. Callie, she's amazing and thanks again.

Speaker 2:

All you spicy midlife women out there. Just do it, Just do it. There you go. Can't say much more than what we just talked about in that interview. Right, Jules?

Speaker 1:

I'd say that was a tiny bit spicy, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Spiciness.

Speaker 1:

We had the best time. You guys, you have no idea what you're missing. You've got to give it a try. You've got to give it a try.

Speaker 2:

Love, love, love yeah.

Speaker 1:

Do it Everyone. Just remember that the photographer, callie, has her business in Seattle Washington and it is called lustfulrosebourgeoiscom, and she is amazing. So if you're in this area, I would highly recommend it, michelle would highly recommend it, and we will have all of her information available in our show notes. So we really appreciate all of you listening to this and we hope that you have got a little pep in your step thinking about the possibility of experiencing it yourself got a little pep in your step thinking about the possibility of experiencing it yourself.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we'll have lots to preview and listen to over on our socials, so check it out on Facebook, instagram, just because we are going to share some of the photos, the ones that are appropriate for you know social media, the ones we want you to see.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, but yeah. So head on over to the socials, check it out. And again, Callie's information. You know we'll have that there as well, so super excited to share it with you. Thanks for joining us along in the experience and until next time. We want you all to stay spicy, All to stay spicy.

Speaker 1:

We want you all to stay spicy. Have a good one, people.

Speaker 3:

We'll see you next week Bye.