Absolutely Fabulous Older Women Do What They Want

Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley has an unusual view of what fashion should be for older women. At 65, the actress has urged women around her age to forget about elegance and classic style in favor of the “mutton-dressed-as-lamb” fashion.

This means that Ms Lumley believes that people in their 40s and 50s should scour Topshop and other stores aimed at teenagers. In other words, the actress believes that these “older people” should embrace the youth they still feel and demonstrate this by what they wear.

According to a report in The Telegraph, this is an adage that could have come from the mouth of Joanna’s alter ego, Patsy Stone, in Absolutely Fabulous. Lumley said: "I think it's important for women to be daring and not worry what people say. When it comes to fashion, I know I look good in cheap clothes. I suit the high street, not designer fashion.”

Joanna Lumley feels the same way about wearing long hair after 40. Like her taste in fashion, some would believe that this is much too young and unsuitable for a woman her age. However, Ms Lumley seems to subscribe, and successfully so, to the idea that people are individuals and not to be herded into groups of similar styles and tastes when they don’t fit there.

Joanna also indicated that how she feels, i.e. “fabulous,” was much important than how others thought she looked. In a pair of old Jean Muir shorts, for example, she felt fabulous, but got no compliments when appearing in public. This didn’t bother her.

Joanna Lumley prefers to run “up and down stairs rather than ambling” to keep up her appearance. In this way, she has kept up her appearance and reputation as sex symbol, which was carved when she appeared in the role of Purdey in The New Avengers.

While she works hard to make choices such as face cream and vitamin supplements to keep up her looks and energy, Lumley has made the concession of drinking in moderation.

Although hardly a woman who stands for the same fashion ideals that Lumley does, the actress named the Queen as an inspirational older woman for her. Her energy, mental prowess, and general charm are things that Lumley genuinely admires.

Having said this, Joanna Lumley herself has plenty to admire; she stands against any conformity that would force older women to act or dress “their age.”

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