With the ceaseless coverage of Hollywood celebrities in so-called cougar-cub relationships, this phenomenon may have made such pairings more socially acceptable here, said sociologist Paulin Straughan.

Famous older women include American actress Demi Moore, 49, and pop star Madonna, 54.

Moore’s ex-husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, was 15 years younger, while Madonna’s former spouse, British director Guy Ritchie, was 10 years her junior.

Marriage experts say a number of older Singaporean brides are married to younger foreigners.

Social worker Lee Yean Wun, who knows a few, including a 40-something Singaporean Eurasian housewife married to a 20-something Bangladeshi employee in a fast-food outlet, said: “They could be less hung up about the women’s age or they may be willing to settle for less, just like foreign brides who marry older men.”

Regardless of nationality, these relationships face unique challenges. The family may object. The man may feel insecure about earning less than his wife. The woman may feel increasingly uncertain about her looks as she ages, counsellors say.

But these barriers are not insurmountable.

Madam Tan said disparate earning powers were never an issue with her husband, both diploma holders. He was in his final year of polytechnic when they started dating, and she paid for most of their dates then.

“Most women still prefer a man who is financially stable but for me, feelings come first,” she said. “We really clicked and I don’t need a man to support me. I earn more than he does but we don’t mind. I also don’t expect him to contribute as much as I do to our joint bank account.”

Still, only close friends know of their age gap. It’s not something she brings up in casual conversations, to avoid gossip.

She said: “He looks more mature, and going by appearance, people wouldn’t know our age difference. So far, no one has told me that I look older than him.”

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