Everybody Isn't 25

When I saw Glenn Close's stunning ensemble at the Golden Globe Banquet last night, I was certain she'd make all the best-dressed lists. I was, therefore, very annoyed when a TV journalist criticized her appearance as being "too covered up." A newspaper from which I got this photo compared her to Cloris Leachman, and not in a good way.






Well, both of these women happen to be over 60 (okay, so Cloris Leachman is over 80). Does it occur to anyone that it's probably a good idea for women of this age not to show a lot of skin? Glenn was clearly dressed for a formal evening, and at least her hair was combed (which is more than I can say for Drew Barrymore, who wore a lovely dress but whose hair looked like she'd just gotten out of bed and forgot her comb). If Glenn had shown up in a body-baring ensemble displaying dimpled cleavage and upper arms, these same people would be the first ones to accuse her of trying to look 30 when she's twice that age. Even the always elegant Helen Mirren was criticized last year for a dress that, despite the "required" low-cut neckline that showed a rather weathered cleavage, attempted to conceal her arms with some kind of fishnet threading.


Does anybody remember the scene in the movie Life when an elderly Eddie Murphy chided another elderly (and obviously dementia-suffering) inmate who had a habit of letting his bathrobe fall open to cover up "because nobody wants to look at that mess"?


Well, we don't. All those fashion critics need to realize that what works at 40 won't always work over 60.