A host of stars are leading the way to show that style and sass are not the just for the young
WORDS: SUE CRAWFORD
Emma Thompson 64
After a career spanning 40 years, the Oscar-winning actress struck a defiant blow for older women by taking on one of her most daring roles at the age of 63.
The 2022 film Good Luck To You, Leo Grande saw Emma playing a woman seeking out a young sex worker to help her feel better about life.
Emma says she was proud that the movie showed her nude “untreated body”.
“It is radical because normally the bodies that we choose to put on screen have been treated in some way,” she says.
Confident, witty and full of fun, the star of Love Actually and Nanny McPhee has received numerous accolades throughout a career spanning four decades, including two Oscars, three BAFTAs and two Golden Globes – and she spiritedly believes there’s plenty more to come.
“I think your 60s, if you are well, is the most fantastic decade. No more periods: resolved! Menopause over: hooray! Kids grown up,” she laughs.
Dame Joanna Lumley 77
Forever in vogue, Joanna Lumley has that rare ability to be fashionable and relevant in any decade, and remains an inspiration to women of all ages.
Confident, charming and with an inimitable enthusiasm for life, she burst on to our screens as high-kicking action girl Purdey in The New Avengers more than 40 years ago.
Now equally well-known as a travel presenter and activist, one thing that hasn’t changed is her timeless glamour and style.
And while many women worry about the ageing process, 77-year-old Joanna hits the nail on the head with her refreshingly no-nonsense approach to the passing years.
“I have always loved getting old,” says the star of a host of roles including Absolutely Fabulous, Coronation Street and The Wolf Of Wall Street.
“When you’re younger you’re afraid you look wrong, sound wrong, you might not do it right, you might be late, he might drop you, she might not like you. When you’re older, the fear has gone.”
Jamie Lee Curtis 65
Jamie Lee Curtis’s silver tresses coupled with her signature short pixie cut perfectly marry edgy youthfulness and graceful ageing.
These days, the stylish Hollywood legend is all about the natural look and says she regrets dabbling with cosmetic procedures early in her career.
“I have been an advocate for natural beauty for a long time, mostly because I’ve had
