The Double Standard
This is one of the reasons Sarandon’s controversy resonated with so many people.
Older male celebrities are frequently allowed to experiment with fashion without the same level of discussion surrounding whether their clothing is “appropriate for their age.”
A man in his seventies can wear a leather jacket, an open shirt, sneakers, sunglasses, or an unconventional suit and often be described as stylish, confident, or effortlessly cool.
Women don’t always receive the same treatment.
As actresses age, conversations about their careers can increasingly become conversations about their bodies, faces, hairstyles, clothing, and whether they “look their age.”
That’s one reason Sarandon’s story became more than celebrity gossip.
It touched something that many women recognize from their own lives.
Sarandon Had Already Built a Career on Breaking Expectations
It’s also worth remembering that Susan Sarandon’s reputation wasn’t created by playing it safe.
Her career includes some of the most memorable films of several generations.
She received multiple Academy Award nominations and won the Oscar for Best Actress for Dead Man Walking at the 1996 Academy Awards.
She was also nominated for films including Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo’s Oil, and The Client.
In other words, the woman being discussed because of an outfit had already spent decades proving herself as an actress.
Yet for a moment, the clothing became the headline.
That says something about how celebrity culture works.
