The Guardian Saturday supplement published an article by Jess
Cartner-Morley last week, her choice of the 50 'best dressed over 50'.
Now part of me wants to take issue about the whole idea of it being a
challenge to even think of such a list, or that over fifty year olds are
forced to rely on snappy dressing to make any sort of impact. Also, the
list was heavily weighted in women's favour, 34 in all, so I'd like to
consider a bit of parity here; if it's important to flash style in your
fifties, then blokes should too. I also smarted on reading her
introductory explanation about how 'when youth and beauty are taken out
of the equation' there is suddenly a level field. So I'd start by saying
that at least some of her choices are beautiful, and that beauty is
possible after fifty, especially when it comes from inner qualities of
calmness and experience. So, the 'nominees' I would agree on would be
(her number one) Helen Mirren, Tilda Swinton, Judi Dench (whose name now
is a by word for great in urban slang), Joanna Lumley, Kirsty Walk,
Kristen Scott Thomas, Charlotte Rampling, Chrissie Hynde, Catherine
Deneuve, Julianne Moore, Aung San Suu Kyi and yes, Mary Berry. But what
happened to Meryl Streep, Susan Sarendon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nigella Lawson, Christine Lagarde, the
glorious Maya Angelou who was eighty-five today (4th April) to name a
few. And even Jo Brand is looking trendy and restyled nowadays. While
we're on comediennes, what about Ruby Wax?
As
for the male suggestions I agree with Jess on, the short list would be
Willem Dafoe, Bryan Ferry, Paul Weller (the mod's mod!),Bill Nighy,
Christopher Lee and Barack Obama. So a few I'd add to swell the ranks
would be Christopher Walken, especially as he can dance so well in a
suit, David Bowie, Danny Boyle, who has been everywhere lately looking
dapper to promote his new film, Jonathan Ross, yes the old bright
jackets included, Tom Cruise and Ralph Fiennes both just scraping in at
50, Pierce Brosnan, Robert Palmer, whose name is surely synonymous with
suits, Robert Redford, Michael Douglas, Patrick Stewart, Roger Moore,
Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Lenny Henry when not wearing
a red nose, Jon Snow, and Jools Holland.
Not quite 50, a few vacancies for later ideas!!
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