How Michelle Pfeiffer looks so good at 68
Michelle Pfeiffer wore an elegant ivory Chanel dress as she received the Legend Award in New York on Monday night - Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images
Michelle Pfeiffer is officially a legend. That’s according to the Gotham Television Awards, which honoured the actress with its Legend Award in New York on Monday night.
Not that we needed reminding. Anyone who has seen Scarface, Batman Returns or Dangerous Liaisons, or the shows she’s currently starring in, Margo’s Got Money Troubles and The Madison, could have told you that – but it’s nice to make it official.
Somehow, at 68, the actress remains more beautiful than ever, without resorting to the rather taut look that seems to have proliferated in Hollywood.
It helps to actually be Michelle Pfeiffer to look this good, but even if you haven’t won the genetic lottery, this appearance offers some excellent lessons in dressing up at any age.
Pfeiffer’s turn as Catwoman in Batman Returns cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s most unforgettable stars - Film Stills
Her dress, from Chanel’s autumn/winter 2026 collection, was a well-judged choice by Pfeiffer’s stylist, Samantha McMillen. “The ivory really suited her colouring – such an elegant piece, especially if you have the arms to pull it off,” observes personal stylist Bella Hignett.
“It’s figure-skimming and flattering but not too tight, and slightly reminiscent of Twenties flapper dresses... I love the swish of the skirt when she walks. It’s very chic and refined. Pfeiffer is around 5ft 7in, and you have to be quite tall to pull this style off, which she does with aplomb.”
The dress also works because Pfeiffer looks comfortable. This sense of ease is a key characteristic of Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel, and a nod to the practicality with which Coco Chanel once imbued her designs.
As my colleague Lisa Armstrong wrote in her review of that Paris Fashion Week show, “[Blazy] piled on airy textures, and layered shirts and tunics over low-belted skirts and dresses to create a drop-waisted silhouette that’s hard to wear for most women in real life. But that flapper look positions this collection as a true expression of the Coco Chanel spirit: easy, sporty, timeless.”
Of course, Pfeiffer masters off-duty style just as well, and can carry off a printed midi dress as effectively as she does a slouchy leather jacket. Or take a look at her wardrobe in The Madison, in which she wears stealth-wealth staples by Loro Piana, Chloé and Ralph Lauren, all in a delicious butterscotch-caramel-toffee palette.
In The Madison, Pfeiffer’s wardrobe is a masterclass in understated luxury, featuring pieces by Loro Piana, Chloé and Ralph Lauren - Emerson Miller /Paramount +
It’s a fun contrast with her character Shyanne in Margo’s Got Money Troubles. Costume designer Mirren Gordon-Crozier told W magazine that she “took a lot of inspiration from the first two seasons of The Real Housewives of Orange County before they went into logomania”.
As far as fashion goes, she has that rare ability to own whatever she’s wearing – a true chameleon – but it’s well-cut, minimal separates that suit her best, allowing her beauty to take centre stage.
Off-screen, Pfeiffer has also settled on a hairstyle – long and loosely waved – that looks youthful without trying too hard. Her go-to stylist is Richard Marin, the man behind Cindy Crawford’s glossy blow-dries. It’s the style that feels most “her”. Even though that Scarface bob inspired millions of women to cut their hair the same way, she told Harper’s Bazaar earlier this year: “I hated it... I’m not a bob girl.”
Pfeiffer’s bob in Scarface became one of the most copied hairstyles of the Eighties – despite the actress later admitting she hated it - Cinematic / Alamy Stock Photo
As for her make-up, it’s a lesson in keeping things flattering over 50, says Telegraph beauty director Sonia Haria. “Masterfully applied by make-up artist Valli O’Reilly, the soft, smoky eyeshadow, glossy burnt-peach lip gloss and lightly powdered cheeks looked beautiful, but I’d argue the star of the show was Pfeiffer’s eyebrows. Any good make-up artist will agree that a set of eyebrows can make or break a midlife beauty look. In Pfeiffer’s case, her lightly filled in, arched brows add shape and structure to her face.”
Add to all that Pfeiffer’s innate Elvira Hancock slinkiness, and it’s no wonder she continues to land leading roles. Or, indeed, that fashion houses remain eager to dress her. Last summer, she was a face of Saint Laurent, and she’s a powerful ambassador for her fragrance company, Henry Rose. That “legend” title feels pretty spot on.
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