Dame Joan Collins has never been one to shy away from a party. While her fellow nonagenarians are often having a well-deserved rest, the Dynasty star can always be counted on to be out on the town in a fabulous outfit. Last week, she shared photos of a glamorous dinner date with Elizabeth Hurley (as well as her son, Damian, and beau, Billy Ray Cyrus) at newly reopened London hotspot Simpson’s, donning a bejewelled blazer and diamond necklace for the occasion. A few days later, Collins was at the Marks & Spencer Sparks launch party in a silver suit with coordinating eye make-up.
“Dame Joan’s sartorial choices are there to be noticed, highlighting that age is irrelevant and you should wear the items you admire and have fun whilst doing it,” says stylist Anna Woodham. “Whether that’s to everyone’s taste or not is irrelevant; Joan’s unarguably owning it.”
Here, we decode her evening wear style tips and how you too could be as stylish as “JC” whatever your age.
Seek out a statement jacket
When in doubt, one of the easiest ways to elevate your outfit for dinner at a nice restaurant is to add a smart jacket, like Dame Joan did for her visit to Simpson’s. She has always been a fan of the bedazzled look, and it’s no surprise that she has opted for a black blazer with silver beading on the shoulders. It’s also worth noting that she’s adding a little structure to her look with the shoulder pads, while the wide lapels create a flattering effect as they balance out the shoulders. Bonus points too for matching your embellishment with your jewellery – the silver here really brings the look together cohesively.
Try tonal dressing with metallics
Perhaps unsurprisingly considering she helped to define the era of power suits, Dame Joan is partial to tailoring, and often defaults to it for her evening wear looks in place of a dress. This ensemble is particularly chic thanks to the tonal mix of silver and grey, as well as matte and high-shine textures. “I love Joan for her unapologetically glamorous style choices,” says Woodham. “In stand-out metallic tailoring, she channels the golden age of cinema with a nod to classic Hollywood and its old-school glamour aesthetic. The silver tailoring look is the ideal style choice for Joan’s age, a mix of textured metallic fabrics can really lift an outfit and instantly make the overall look appear more luxe.”
Opt for monochrome
At The Cut’s Golden Globes brunch earlier this year, the 92-year-old looked smart and chic in a playful polka-dot print jacket worn over a simple black jumper and trousers. The jacket has a sense of youthfulness thanks to its cropped, collarless cut, with the timeless nature of both monochrome and polka dot also giving it refinement for evening. The addition of a sparkling floral brooch is another great flourish.
Add a brooch
Brooches are Dame Joan’s go-to accessory for jazzing up a jacket or blouse – and her approach is undeniably more is more, as she will often pair them with maximalist earrings, necklaces or bracelets too. “She regularly opts for statement accessories such as opulent jewellery or oversized sunglasses to elevate her look,” says Woodham. “Here, a crystal flamingo brooch pairs perfectly against her ruffled pink blouse.” We also love the sense of humour here, as the flamingo ties in with the hue of her top. After all, if you can’t have fun with fashion in your 90s, when can you?
Try a cape dress
A lot of women when they reach a certain age prefer to cover up the tops of their arms, and Dame Joan is one of them. One chic and modern way to do this is with a cape coat, or a dress like this one. “The bottle green velvet dress really suits her colouring and the length is demure and classy,” says stylist Bella Hignett. “If it was any longer she would look shorter than she is. The built-in cape that drapes so beautifully over her shoulders adds structure and definition – she matches it with some of her show-stopping jewellery. The square neckline showing off her tanned décolletage really suits her. She does old school glamour so well.” The square neckline is also very flattering for older women, as it smoothes out the décolletage.
Don’t be afraid of sparkle
Dame Joan clearly knows that sparkle has no age limit – including sequins. “I love this rock chick look on her,” says Hignett. “At 92 she can certainly pull this off and looks great in all black. I like the different fabrics and the gloss. She pairs her sequin biker jacket with straight leg black fitted trousers and her part pvc black leather gloves really suit this look. She’s gone for it. I like the slit up the front of the trousers to show off her suede black boots. This is a look that not everyone can pull off but she does it with such aplomb. The cropped jacket highlights her slim hips and I think she knows how good she looks!”