Lovely Age

After watching Driving Miss Daisy on a date years ago, I turned to the fellow who had brought me to the movies.  "You know," I said, "Jessica Tandy really is a stunning woman."

"What?" He was horrified. "But - she's old!"

Yeah, I broke up with him not long after that. 

I've been watching sucked into the world of Downton Abbey, and I must say that Maggie Smith looks better than ever. Her cheekbones are elegant, and she still exudes the air of old-world elegance.

Here, in no particular order, are some of the woman who, like Ms Smith and Ms Tandy, are truly gorgeous in spite of - nay, BECAUSE of - their age and experience.

1. Lena Horne: Killer smile.

courtesy Lena-Horne.com

2. Dame Helen Mirren: Simply not fair.

courtesy Huffington Post

3. Carmen Dell'Orifice - Making 80 glamorous

courtesy Huffington Post

4. Queen Elizabeth - Not a "beauty" (never was) but carrying her age splendidly and looking better than ever; in fact, she positively glows. Makes me want to wear hats, even though I probably never will.

courtesy royalgov.uk

5. Random lady I don't know: Love the scarf and the hair. She is beautiful.

6. Diane Keaton, wearing wrinkles with flair: SO much better than a facelift!

courtesy sodahead.com

7. Dame Judi Dench. Again, not classically beautiful, but DAYummmm:

8. I could never pull off the sari, but this lady is rocking it. Plus I love the look in her eyes:

Yo, dude who took me to the movies aeons ago - you are wrong. Age isn't something to fear or cut out with a scalpel, it is an accessory to wear with pride.