The Red Carpet Has No Age Limit

Actresses like Cate Blanchett and Naomi Watts are challenging the long-held style rules for women over 50.

- Kim France

Cate Blanchett in Louis Vuitton;

Those searching for signs of exactly what the current mood around getting dressed is need look no further than the recently announced reboot of the popular aughts series What Not to Wear; this time around, it's going by the name Wear Whatever the F You Want. Which is only fitting. Fashion feels less prescriptive, more risky, and infinitely more fun than it did even a decade ago. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the red carpet—notably among stars who weren't born yesterday.

Gone are the days of flattering-but-dull column dresses in neutral tones for women over 40; gone are the sexless pantsuits; gone, in many cases, are modest touches like sleeves. In their place are edgier, sexier looks featuring cutouts, dramatic beading, and look-at-me, body-skimming silhouettes.