Legs Talk : The Midult

 

When Emilie and Annabel launched The Midult, it wasn’t just a passion project — it was a necessary conversation. Tired of being overlooked in a youth-obsessed media landscape, they set out to give a voice to Gen X women navigating midlife with humor, honesty, and a healthy dose of swearing. In this conversation with Kate, they reflect on how it all started, the life lessons they wish they’d known earlier, and why sitting down at parties might just be the ultimate act of self-care.

Why did you start The Midult in the first place?

 

Emilie: We knew we wanted to do something together. Yep. And originally, I wanted to do something called Ask Annabel. 'Cause I was like, what do I do most? I ask Annabel.

 

Annabel: And I have quite a lot of opinions. Helpful and unhelpful, asked for and unasked for.

 

Emilie: So sadly we didn't set up the alternative Google. You'd be like AI, Annabel Intelligence. But as we were thinking about it, we started thinking, hang on, we're sort of 40 and nobody's talking to us.

 

You were talking to Gen X?

 

Annabel: We were talking to Gen X. Because nobody else was, and it was before midlife was fashionable. Yeah. So we were quite early in that space. And we were a bit swearing and a bit rude. Yeah. And then we launched the Instagram account. Yes. Which is about really what we're all thinking.

 

Three things you'd tell your younger selves?

 

Annabel: I would tell my younger self not to be afraid of money because I was so scared of ever engaging with it. I never did anything about it, and I'm still terrified of it. Check your bank balance, do sensible things. Get organized financially. Understand the grammar of money. I think I would've done that.

 

Emilie: I was also gonna say start a meaningful pension. Yeah. And also, and this is really sexy—learn how to use Excel and Microsoft Word and all of these things properly. I watched someone the other day, age 24, create a document and a spreadsheet out of nothing and it was just a thing of beauty and I thought, my God, I never knew that. Yes. And the other thing I suppose is, you can always press reset. On a job, a relationship, a situation. I think, we certainly felt very much trapped. It was the idea of the ladder, I think, wasn't it? You can't ever get off.

 

Kate: But again, that's a hangover from the olden days.

 

Emilie: Exactly. And I feel like that doesn't suit. And yeah, I think there are definitely times where I hung onto things that I should have probably left and I would've been happier.

 

Annabel: And I would've told my younger self to sit down at parties. I did discover that—

 

Emilie: Oh, that's such a good one!

 

Annabel: —six months ago, rather than staggering around getting sort of a bit too drunk and looking over people's shoulders and panicking and at the end of the evening realizing I hadn't had a meaningful conversation. I realized the other day if I just sit down, people can talk to me if they want or ignore me if they want, but at least I'm rooted and I'm okay. And it's transformed it for me.

 

Legs. What's your routines?

 

Annabel: When we were teenagers, epilators were fucking agony. They're not anymore. Dunno what they've done to the tech. But they're amazing. Also, for about 15 years, I was on rolling waxing appointments and every time I wanted to go to a party or on a mini break, I had sprouting bristly leg hairs. The timing was just a fucker. And then I like a leg oil. I like your leg oil.

 

Emilie: I'm obsessed with legs. With any kind of like loofa or body brushing.

 

We have one more here. What's your favourite leg day workout?

 

Annabel: We have our stupid mental health walks, don't we? We're trying to sort of look at a tree and not feel cross.

 

Kate: That's right. Breathe in the O₂ and say I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine.

 

Annabel: I'm absolutely fine!

 

Emilie: I'm absolutely fine!

 

Annabel: We both do Pilates, Emilie on a mat, me on a machine.