February 16, 2024

Today's garnering.

I was reading "Vera Wang, 74, flaunts age-defying appearance in hooded gown at the BAFTA Gala 2024" —in the NY Post (and marveling at the photographs) — when I encountered that word:
"The fashion designer, whose impressive appearance at 74 years old continues to garner attention, arrived at London’s swanky Peninsula Hotel in a stunning white gown."

Others may get attention, but Vera Wang garners attention. The comments over there are funny. No one seems to agree that she has defied age.

By the way, did the Post get the flaunt/flout distinction right? Yes. She may be flouting age, but she's flaunting age defiance.

26 comments:

Randomizer said...

From the NY Post comments:

"Age defying"??! She looks like a ghoul from one of those horror Korean movies we all love.

gilbar said...

she looks pretty good.. Doesn't Look a day over 73

tim maguire said...

I'm with the Post commenters that she looks her age. But she would present better if she dressed her age.

Kate said...

Lean people look younger.

rhhardin said...

Garner is get with implied effort, not some ridiculous word.

Rafe said...

Once again, “get” and “garner” have subtly different meanings. “To get” may be passive, “to garner” is active. They are not strictly interchangeable.

- Rafe

Howard said...

The sleeve designed exaggeration of arm length on such a short woman makes her look like a Tim Burton drawing.

Rusty said...

Vera Wang The Garnering

rehajm said...

So I’ve always appreciated her brand. She’s on brand here…but…how catty is still in bounds? Is ‘ Inca mummy’ a red card?

planetgeo said...

I think the dress is beautiful. Functional too. Like how the folds in front garner the current elasticity and altitude of her boobs near her waist.

MadisonMan said...

It is unseemly to comment on the looks for a septuagenarian, so I won't, except to say she doesn't look like she tanned a lot as a youngster.

Ice Nine said...

>Ann Althouse said...
"when I encountered that word:'The fashion designer, whose impressive appearance at 74 years old continues to garner attention, arrived at London’s swanky Peninsula Hotel in a stunning white gown.'Others may get attention, but Vera Wang garners attention."<

Whereby Althouse continues to garner (sic) in the comments, explanations of the difference between "garner" and "get."

As it happens, this time she is accidentally right about it - but not for the reason she usually presumes (like, "What, is Vera Wang piling up grain in a storage unit?...). This is noteworthy.

Unlike "get," "garner" implies the action occurring over a period of time, such that "continues to garner" is redundant and clumsy. If "continue" is going to be used, it should be, "...continues to get attention" (ie., at this event). Some editor at New York Post caught this and fixed it by changing the sentence to, as it now reads, "The fashion designer, whose age-defying appearance at 74 continues to make headlines..." Everybody's happy now.

Jersey Fled said...

Did you know that Vera designed the cheerleader outfits for the Philadelphia Eagles?

Jersey Fled said...

Did you know that Vera designed the cheerleader outfits for the Philadelphia Eagles?

Jersey Fled said...

Vera is the one in the middle.

https://media.gettyimages.com/id/82891198/photo/fashion-designer-vera-wang-poses-with-two-philadelphia-eagles-cheerleaders-who-are-wearing-new.jpg?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=ZTD6D00vlC5zlZh9ZVkyQ_vnkezXP8YTh5pTtpWqYEw=

Jupiter said...

Well. On the rare occasions when I am confronted with the expectation that I assess a woman's appearance, the question that comes to mind is, "Would I hit that?". I'm afraid in this case, the answer is "No. Well. Maybe. How drunk would I have to be? Probably too drunk". But if I found myself seated next to her at a dinner party, I don't think it would ruin my evening. She looks nice.

Rocco said...

I am assuming the “age defying” refers to still working at 74.

The hooded dress reminds me of Princess Leia’s outfit in the original Star Wars movie.

Josephbleau said...

Like many Asian women, she looks like she is 18 until she is 75, then she looks like she is 90. She has no boobs, so that makes her look youthful.

NKP said...

She looks nice but could use a little meat on those bones. Best thing - the eyes still say, "Somebody's home". Not nearly the stunner my late MIL was at 89, though (many magazine covers, 1940s).

Joe Smith said...

Wang.

Heh heh, heh.

Aggie said...

Not taking anything away from Ms. Wang obvious success and talent. But she's of a type of Asian woman (skinny and small-breasted) that keeps their form throughout life, and she's wearing her hair long. So from a distance, she could be taken for a younger woman - and she's dressed to enhance the odds. Good for her! I've known women like this, in fact I know one (Asian / East Indian) that has 6 kids, is in her 40's, yet could pass for a teenager until you're up close.

Kudos to Vera for not going to the extremes with plastic surgery, where, instead of making a 70 year-old look 20, they make a 70 year-old look like a 100 year-old gargoyle.

Eva Marie said...

In the photo taken at the 2024 BAFTA Gala, Wang reminds me of No Name in Spirited Away. She doesn’t look younger than her age in any of the photographs. It may be, though, that she “looks younger” in motion. In which case “looking younger” really means she acts like a person vigorously engaged in modern life. Some people, as they age, withdraw from active engagement and take on the role of an observer and therefore “look their age” since such a role is more the societal expectation. (Lots of younger folks take on the role of observer and they are said to be “wise for their age”.)

Rocco said...

Apparently she was a figure skater and journalist before designing her first dress at age 40.

Earnest Prole said...

As the earthier Latin cultures like to remind us, the bone is for the dog / the meat is for the man, so I’ll take a hard pass on garnering Ms. Wang.

boatbuilder said...

Good thing she didn't try to move. How the hell does she keep from falling on her face?

Tofu King said...

Not a fan of that look, but I'm happy to acknowledge being one of the last anyone in fashion should care about.