Can’t say that I was a fan of Dolly Parton, given that I can only name three of her songs — “9 to 5” is a good one — but what I know for sure is that she was beautiful at 80 years old and everyone should age so gracefully.
Parton died on Tuesday and even as an octogenarian, she was remarkably youthful in both appearance and vigor. She of course wore heavy makeup and over the years was candid about undergoing various cosmetic surgeries and procedures. She told the BBC in 2019 that she stays “looking so young” with the work of “good lighting, good doctors and good makeup.” That’s the life of a celebrity entertainer that the average person can’t realistically match, but it’s worth noting that unlike many other figures of Parton’s stature, she didn’t pluck and tuck her face or body unrecognizable in some ill-fated attempt to achieve the eternal appearance of a hot 20-something.
To be attractive as you age — to be sexy, even — isn’t about trying to stay young or acting like you’ve “still got it.” It’s to present yourself in a way that acknowledges you, like everyone, have changed, but that you haven’t given up; you still have plenty of life to live and you care that others know it. Parton was a natural beauty, but she obviously cared and it showed.
Plenty of celebrities age poorly or present themselves in ridiculous ways that make it obvious they either aren’t aware that they’re past their prime, or they believe nobody else is. George Clooney, for example. Still a good looking guy in his 60s, but clearly continues to fancy himself a robust stud, perpetually casting himself in movie roles meant to portray him as the sexy lead male. It’s embarrassing. (Though admittedly not as embarrassing as his role in making Kamala Harris the head of the Democrat Party for a hot second.)
Parton never appeared to try fooling anyone. She was for a long time old enough to be a grandmother and that was fine. She was an attractive older woman, even if it took a lot of work. She didn’t appear on stage in leather BDSM attire at 70 and she wasn’t exposing her butt in a thong on national television. That’s Madonna behavior.
As you age, don’t be a Madonna. Don’t be a Clooney. Be a Dolly.
