Story of my Grandma. Yulia Otroschenko

Meet my grandmother, Tatyana!

For as long as I can remember, my grandmother has always amazed me with her incredible energy and charm. Even at the age of 70, she still has a spark in her eyes and a love for life that never seems to fade. 

With this photoshoot, I wanted to celebrate her beauty and show that even in retirement, at 70 years old, one can still look stunning, elegant, and daring. How beautiful gray hair can be. And how little it really takes to look striking at any age. 

This was her first-ever photoshoot — and a true adventure for both of us!  

The night before, we tried on my entire wardrobe (yes, she easily fit into a size 42!), and on the day of the shoot, she posed so confidently and effortlessly in front of the camera, as if she earned her “Veteran of Labor” title by strutting down the runway for the last 50 years, not by working hard in a factory.

 And then something amazing happened — the photos from this shoot were published by the British magazine Solstice!

Story of my Grandma. Yulia Otroschenko

A TV Channel even filmed a segment about our photoshoot!

Story of my Grandma. Yulia Otroschenko

  Grandma Tanya’s Life Lessons:  

As you approach 70, you start to realize just how many things are truly overvalued. For example, physical appearance or money. Neither will bring you true happiness. However, that doesn’t mean you should sit idle. Self-improvement, like hard work itself, is key to a meaningful and fulfilling life.

In my youth, I never thought of myself as attractive. I was tall and slender, but back then, it was fashionable for girls to be more rounded, with “something to hold on to.” I was embarrassed by my slim legs and cheekbones. But at 20, every girl will find a flaw in herself—or invent one if she can’t.

Now, people look at my old photos and say I looked like “a spitting image of Keira Knightley.” Some Hollywood actress, they say. In my time, they would have called me “skinny as a rail.” But now? A top beauty.

Times are changing and society’s tastes are too. That’s why trying to conform is a waste of energy. Nowadays, everyone chases slim bodies and full lips, but tomorrow it’ll be square-shaped heads. The only things that never go out of style are natural beauty and a genuine smile. Don’t go against your nature. And laugh more often.

This is perhaps the greatest gift of age—it brings acceptance of yourself and your place in life.

Aging, after all, is about inevitability. Wrinkles will increase, energy will decrease. You can mourn this or accept it as a fact and enjoy the stage of life where you owe nothing to anyone—not even the government.

The only advice I can give is: don’t be afraid of anything. Not other people’s opinions, not change, not challenges. Some people spend half their lives worrying about these things.

Who cares what others think? Do you think you have all the time in the world? Ha! I was 30 yesterday. I’m saying this not to make you sad, but so you hear me: “Wake up! Do everything you’ve dreamed of! Don’t waste energy on doubt—there’s no time for that anymore.”

Listen to your heart. And keep moving forward! Movement is life, in every sense.

  “I never thought I could look like this! You’ve given me a second youth and the realization that I am truly beautiful— right here, right now!”  

Story of my Grandma. Yulia Otroschenko
Story of my Grandma. Yulia Otroschenko

And now I invite you to join your personal experiment!

Discovering yourself, your strength, and of course, your beauty.It won’t hurt (I promise) — but it will definitely be interesting!

Trust me