‘Vanity, thy title is girl!’ So goes the oft-misquoted Shakespeare line. But why not? What is wrong with self-importance? Some could say that I’m residing proof.

And I consider that self-importance retains you nutritious, tends to make you feel greater and you get compliments, which is terrific for your mental wellness (although possibly not for gentlemen, considering the fact that these days, regrettably, telling a female that she appears to be lovely or effectively-dressed could get them cancelled, or even worse!)

Potentially this analogy will assist all those nonetheless having difficulties with the ‘guilt’ of getting thought of ‘vain’: You last but not least buy the car of your desires. What do you do? You set the greatest petrol in the tank, you choose it for common check out-ups, you maintain it, alter the oil, examine the tyres. You wash it, wax it and polish it.

If there are any nicks or scratches, you buff them. Address it very well and it really should past a life time, develop into a common, and be proven off at automobile displays. You’d be very pleased of it.

So why really should not the identical apply to us, our bodies and our faces?

I really admire females, and guys, too, who make the most effective of on their own, despite the fact that frequently they are mocked. After all, the picture you portray to the environment is how you sense about oneself.

And I imagine that people still regard you a lot more if you look refreshing and groomed than if you act and costume like a slob. Perhaps this is a non-woke feeling, but it’s mine.

I appear from a relatives of really glamorous gals — my mother, Elsa, had 11 siblings, nine of whom were female, and my father, Joe, experienced two exceptionally glamorous sisters, Pauline and Lalla.

They took really fantastic treatment of their wellbeing, bodies and faces, and so looked wonderful and a great deal young, even into their sixth ten years. Many of their contemporaries had been jealous and named them ‘vain’ and ‘narcissistic’, but they were being solid gals who ongoing to costume and groom themselves superbly irrespective of the criticism.

Both my mom and Aunt Lalla instilled in me the virtues of scrupulous skin treatment, the magic of make-up and how to make the greatest of you in just about every way. Pursuing in the footsteps of the females in our relatives, I became a big supporter of cosmetics.

What surprises me these days is that lots of persons assume ‘a total deal with of make‑up’ is around the prime and much too a great deal trouble to use. Without a doubt? Do not guys have to shave and/or trim their beards (and other assorted stray hairs)? That will take at least ten minutes, when I can throw on my day-to-day ‘full face’ in about 5.

We thespians contact it ‘slap’ due to the fact we just slap on the foundation (which must be liquid, so it covers the complexion quicker). I incorporate lipstick (which I am never ever without having), a dash of eyeshadow (I have stopped using mascara, as I just never like it and I can accomplish the very same influence with pencil and eyeshadow), toss on the sunglasses, and voila! I’m completely ready.

Elizabeth Taylor the moment explained to me that she often lingered at her dressing table for several hours. ‘I’m daydreaming!’ she laughed, ‘Marilyn does it, also, you know.’

For dinners and activities, of study course, I generally shell out at least 20 minutes applying my ‘full face’, with a bit of daydreaming thrown in.

I regard women of all ages who pick to appear their age, and I’m not striving to disguise mine by carrying make-up. I just like to glimpse as good as I can. And make-up has protecting characteristics. It shields us from the ageing results of the sunshine and from pollution.

Some, quite a bit more youthful than me, look as if they have suffered the dress in and tear of lifetime on their faces and bodies. They have not taken treatment of themselves, and it’s sad to see.

By distinction my good friend Jaclyn Smith, who was, of training course, a Charlie’s Angel while I starred in Dynasty, has taken care of herself, both equally inside of and out, and seems to be lovely — some thing instantly apparent when I observed her at a Christmas celebration a number of weeks back.

But search right after yourself at your peril, lest you are termed vain! In truth, some folks deride the motivation to seem and feel as excellent as probable, whatever your age. A number of remarks I have obtained on social media have been unkind and typically rude about my ‘vanity’. But perhaps there is a contact of the ‘green-eyed monster’ there?

There’s a faculty of imagined that believes it is shallow to care about your look, and that you need to do far better matters with your daily life.

And nevertheless I choose every day as an journey in which I test to accomplish a little something, find out anything and love something.

I’ve elevated three small children as a one mom, even though showing up in virtually 100 films, hundreds of Television displays, written 18 textbooks and supported many charities. I consider I have finished much better points, as perfectly as looking immediately after my looks.

Anyway, is it vain to treatment about your insides, which, of training course, impact how your exterior seems, much too?

When I was increasing up, Mummy was a martinet about ‘clean eating’, which was mysterious in the mid-20th century. This consisted of masses of fresh new inexperienced veggies, fruit, new milk, balanced roast hen, and sauteed liver and even offal (certainly, I know!) which I hated but was informed it was ‘good for you’. And, of program, contemporary fish at the very least once a 7 days.

Included to this ended up the everyday supplements which the govt stipulated all small children had to be supplied: spoonfuls of cod liver oil (ugh!) Virol, a thick brown liquid malt extract containing bone marrow which was supposed to assist us increase sturdy and a thick orange extract which, when added to h2o, tasted like a little something the dishes had been washed in.

But we Blitz babies dutifully took it and became a balanced bunch. Wartime rationing has been hailed as generating the healthiest generation in Britain.

We had been not authorized quite a few sweets or candies (negative for you), and as for ice cream, that was a treat and only on a exceptional weekend when Daddy would push us to the seaside for healthful clean air and lengthy walks.

For the event, Mummy would dress superbly and properly, and generally wore make-up: basis, powder, lipstick and mascara, which came in a tiny black box with a brush that she experienced to spit into and rub versus the black paste just before applying.

I identified that very revolting, but liked her pores and skin treatment regime, which I adopted, of program. Due to the fact Mom understands most effective.

A single of her a lot of principles: make-up have to be taken off each night time with cotton wool and thick white chilly cream, then night time cream will have to be applied. Mummy also danced a large amount and exercised her reduced body and legs on a towel on the dwelling home floor. She experienced this kind of very good legs that her pals referred to as her ‘Marlene’, soon after Dietrich. So, I started out doing exercises, too, and have caught to it all my lifetime.

Of class, this all took a sure amount of money of time, which some individuals sneeringly called a ‘waste of’. But I have always believed the close justifies the indicates and these uncomplicated procedures truly did pay out off.

There were moments when it could all have absent erroneous, for my looks and my health and fitness.

When I went to Hollywood, I was a wholesome 9 st, 20-calendar year-old deal starlet. But ‘she’s as well fat’ screamed the studio bosses.

‘Put her on a diet regime, she requires to drop 10 lb at least’ (for the reason that the camera is reported to increase 10 lb.)

They insisted I started off having diet pills and get rid of all those pounds within two months.

I was horrified, as I was a lady who appreciated her meals. Their diet consisted of bananas and milk, or cottage cheese and tomatoes, with the occasional 50 % a can of tuna fish, and as many cigarettes as I could smoke.

I have to say the products labored — I was in no way hungry, and boy, was I a ball of electrical power! When I glimpse at photos of myself then, it’s astounding to see my very small midsection.

But the expense was significant. These products were amphetamines. When a pal realised I was turning out to be hooked, they threw them all in the bin with rigorous recommendations in no way to just take them once more.

In retrospect, I could have develop into a capsule popper or drug addict, as regrettably so lots of stars did. Think Judy Garland, Michael Jackson, even Matthew Perry.

As the decades passed, I remained written content with the way my confront seemed. Though I was identified as conceited, I was happy of my appearance and that, in some way, I had managed to cheat time.

Nevertheless, it was also bothersome that I would get terrible remarks. ‘Joan Collins is vain and narcissistic’, ‘Her facial area is faux, it’s all make-up and Botox, which she can afford to pay for.’

Neither statement is legitimate. Not for me lifts, tweaks, body fat injections and Botox, just simple outdated prevalent feeling, remaining out of the sunlight, and make-up.

These days, some ladies try to appear like fact stars, influencers, and pop artists, but they don’t have the very same glamour as the stars I utilized to idolise: Ava Gardner, Hedy Lamarr and Elizabeth Taylor, who were being other-worldly stunning.

These stars of yore experienced the faces they have been born with. Facelifts have been risky, and the panoply of ‘treatments’ available these times did not exist then. Right now, rather of getting a ‘face full of make-up’, some decide for a encounter total of fillers.

Not that I deride plastic surgical procedures or the several nips and tweaks available these times. ‘The basic woman’s revenge’ is what I simply call it, but I really don’t experience there’s just about anything incorrect with that.

I feel in earning the finest of yourself. And if it makes you truly feel superior about your self, then go in advance. But proceed with caution. Surgery can be addictive, and some people today go as well much.

I also assume it is vital to dress as very well as you can. It surprises me that with the masses of very well-designed but low-priced outfits in the stores, persons seem to like to gown accurately alike — limited denims, trainers and baggy sweaters or jackets are the norm.

Any person who does not conform to this ‘dressing down’ graphic is liable to acquire sarcastic, condescending or patronising remarks.

‘Oh! You’re so dressed up!’ I have been advised lots of times, when I am just in an outfit that is co-ordinated, or when my partner is carrying a accommodate and tie.

I feel it’s unfortunate that so numerous people truly feel dressing up is in some way narcissistic. It isn’t. It’s all part of having the self-esteem that arrives from owning a minimal bit of self-importance.

My interest is drawing and creating clothes and pretty much all my night gowns and working day dresses are merchandise of my creativeness. It is not vanity it is selection. I do not want to appear like a cookie from the identical cutter.

In a world where being overweight would seem to be celebrated, thinness derided and glamour regarded as previous-fashioned, I believe we ought to all rejoice getting a small bit of vainness — and getting pleased with nevertheless we glimpse.