5 Celebs Who Hit Their Style Stride After 40

There’s surely more to Anne Hathaway’s recent uptick in popularity than the series of next-level looks she’s served over the past few months—but the fact that her latest style choices have generated an onslaught of buzz certainly isn’t hurting her reputation.

Of course, Hathaway’s two-plus decades in the spotlight have included some one-off standout looks, including her red taffeta Valentino Haute Couture gown at the 2018 Met Gala. And she’s always looked lovely in the way that thin, conventionally attractive women who employ professional glam squads do. But no one’s made much noise about Hathaway’s overall personal style until precisely right now. (Just this week Vogue.) Part of the credit likely goes to her new stylist, Erin Walsh, but I’m guessing at least some of Hathaway’s newfound moxie has to do with her impending 40th birthday.

Hear me out: Though pop culture has tried to convince women in their 40s that we’re living, breathing “Cathy” cartoons, the real-life forty-somethings among us say they’re more confident than they were in their 20s—and less concerned with what people think about them. They dress for themselves, not their dates or their brunch companions. And they’ve done enough laps around the actual mall (in the ’80s through the aughts) and the vast world of Internet retail (the seven other tabs I have open as I write this) to know what fits, what feels good, and which trends to skip. (Which isn’t to say women in their 40s need to pass on trendy items in favor of Talbots sweater sets—just ask a crop-topped Beyoncé, who turns 41 in September. But by your fourth decade, you generally know which trends you’ll enjoy wearing—and which you’ll regret within minutes of getting the order confirmation email.)

And that fashion audacity isn’t just for forty-something suburban moms who’ve decided that they can, in fact, wear a tailored romper to the office: It’s frequently on display across the over-40 red carpet set—which Anne Hathaway is about to join—women like the five below were regular stars for decades, but didn’t become bona fide style stars until their 40s.

Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Union’s had solid fashion game since taking her star turn Bring It On, but she’s truly come into her own just shy of her 50th birthday. (Yes, you read that right. She was 28 (28!) when she played the East Compton Clovers’ head cheerleader.) Union, who’s worked with stylist Thomas Christos since 2015, has made style a family affair of late, and the fun she’s having with her fashion-forward crew makes every look all the more appealing.

Sarah Paulson

If Sarah Paulson played it pretty but safe in her 20s and 30s (think: muted strapless gowns with sweetheart necklines) she’s spent her 40s pushing boundaries—with bold colors and head-turning silhouettes—and it’s working for her.

Katie Holmes

Like most fashion-savvy forty-something moms, Katie Holmes saves time by taking the guesswork out of dressing. (Less time spent on clothes means more time for teen drama.) Since the Dawson’s Creek star turn 40 in 2018, her street-style formula has leaned into the staples she knows work, including pointy-toed pumps and suits with plunging necklines—preferably worn sans shirt.

Celine Dion

Celine’s Dion’s style in the aughts felt like a sartorial reflection of her 2003 to 2007 Vegas residency. (Think: color and crystals—LOTS of crystals.) In 2016—when the singer turned 48—instead of fading into fashion obscurity, she enlisted stylist Law Roach to overhaul her wardrobe. Since then, her style’s gotten more dramatic and experimental—in the best possible ways.

Tracee Ellis Ross

If fashion confidence is born in a woman’s 40s, Tracee Ellis Ross may have maxed out a few months shy of her 50th birthday. For the past decade, the Black-ish star’s wardrobe has been an eye-popping display of volume, color, and patterns that somehow always play perfectly together.

More life advice for—and from—women in their 40s: