Like A Fine Wine: 11 Women Who Only Got Better With Age

By Joanna Robinson | Lists | January 24, 2012 |

By Joanna Robinson | Lists | January 24, 2012 |

This isn’t our first post in praise of “older” ladies, nor will it be our last. Because, listen, not only can non-nubile flesh be sexy, but some women don’t even hit their maximum hotness until later in life. None of the women on this list were ever homely (well, um, sorry Liz Lemon), but many of them didn’t have it all figured out when they were fresh young things. Cute as hell? Sure. Face meltingly hot? Not so much. Now, well, it’s a different story. Whether it was the simple act of finding a good waxer and a reliable hair person, or swearing off gluten and doing yogalates 24/7, these ladies have officially hit their sweet spot. I tried to avoid anyone I *know* has had plastic surgery, but I’m notoriously bad at picking those things out. So here they are, 11 women, with the full force of the Hollywood beauty factory behind them, who look better than ever.

Julianne Moore: I know. The 80s were really really unkind to women and their hair.

Tina Fey: Fey owns her unfortunate youth (an unflattering photo made its way into an episode just last week) but, truly, it’s an impressive transformation.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: This may just be a case of JLD hiding her light under over-sized 90s blazers, but I really never thought of Elaine Benes as hot.

Gillian Anderson: Oh, have at thee, nerds. Gillian endured a lot of bad hair as Dana Scully. Be grateful I didn’t post the bangs.

Carla Gugino: I mean, in all honesty, these are just degrees of hotness. And while I don’t necessarily approve of that “bent at the waist to slenderize my ribcage” post, Gugino is more scorching than ever.

Connie Britton: “Spin City”-era Connia Britton was cute as a button, but it was only as Coach’s wife that she unlocked the power of that mane of hair.

Julianna Margulies: Beautiful as Nurse Hathaway but downright sizzling as Alicia Florrick.

Mary Louise Parker: I’m a little tired of Mary Louise Parker and her cheesecake “Weeds” ads, but holy hell I did not see this coming when I watched Fried Green Tomatoes and Boys On The Side on a loop.

Kyra Sedgwick: Look how sweet she was. Look how ridiculously gorgeous she is now. That’s what a daily intake of Bacon will do for you.

Marisa Tomei: To me, the crinkles around Tomei’s eyes are the sexiest thing about her.

Stacey Dash: Vampire. Clearly.