Must the French always insist on doing it better? And by “it” I mean life. Sure, their popular music is often regrettable and they aren’t exactly killing it in tech, but, damn, they look good not killing it. They also happen to look good long after most of us don’t. While I’m worrying about covering my arms or hunting down a summer turtleneck, Frenchwomen are celebrating their eighth decade by shimmying into a black lace bustier dress and posing spectacularly for photographers, as the fashion editor Carine Roitfeld, who’s 70, did recently.
Let’s also give a round of applause to Sylvie Grateau, the 61-year-old vixen played by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu on Emily in Paris. Sylvie doesn’t turn her back on a sheer dress, a thigh-high slit, a corset top, or a neckline that dips to the sternum. On Sylvie, stiletto heels may as well be bedroom slippers. She’s sexy and flirty and confident in her power.
