Fashion designer Betsey Johnson, 83, provided a refreshing take on aging that we don’t hear often in the entertainment industry.
During her recent online interview with Advanced Style, she expressed: “80 is a very exciting time and women I think – you finally gel. Whatever. You’re cooked. You’re done. And hopefully you have the confidence to enjoy the cooking process [and] all the years.”
Betsey continued: “I mean, if you don’t celebrate now…it’s a different kind of celebration. You’re celebrating who you really want to be. Who you really have become.”
She confirmed: “I feel good. That to me is the major thing cause I really feel great – energy. I don’t feel my age at all. I feel maybe thirty-two, thirty-five. Something like that.”
Believe it or not, the iconic designer shared that she has “no beauty regime” at all. Betsey transparently opened up about previously undergoing cosmetic procedures, but she’s turned a new leaf since.
When the interviewer inquired about her secret to looking so fabulous, she replied: “Uh, uh, not fab. No. In need of a little [tuck] but I don’t want to do it. At my age, I don’t want to go under [the knife].”
She explained: “I have to live with what’s happening now. I did a little [tweak] when I was 60. A little tweaking [in my] 70s. But I think I’m finally at the point where I have to accept.”
Despite being a fashion designer, Betsey isn’t a big fan of clothes believe it or not. She is a strong believer of the old saying “less is more.”
Betsey stated: “80 doesn’t mean that I can’t wear anything that I wouldn’t wear at 20. I have the designer closet from [explective]. I wear like four, five things and that’s it. I just keep this stuff to have it around but I don’t bother with clothes.”
She confessed: “I’m just not into fashion. I’ve always liked what I like and if it’s fashionable…great. If it isn’t, great. That’s why my favorite stuff is years old.”
During the interview, Betsey showcased her notorious split, which is how she concludes all of her fashion shows.
© WireImageShe confirmed: “Of course I do [splits] darling. I swore I always would. I was an aerialist.” The artist explained why she decided to continue her personal tradition, year after year.
Betsey reveled: “I never wanted to stiffen up so I promised – I don’t know why I just said, ‘You know, if you could do a split every year, that would be a good thing.'”
The designer believes that the key to maintaining a youthful spirit is embracing your unique weirdness.
© FilmMagicShe shared: “I think there’s a real need for weird – you know just off-center. You just don’t expect it. You’ve never seen it. It’s brand new. It’s a surprise. You feel young again. You feel you’re seeing something new. Well, weird is something great on top of new.’
Betsey expressed: “I don’t know why somebody hasn’t cracked beauty at eighty – what I like about it is I feel I’m free from the memories. I’m not this. I’m not that. I can be brand new. Whatever.”
Regardless of Betsey’s personal opinion, she is living proof of someone cracking beauty at eighty while showcasing a sense of whimsy and wonder.
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