Screen legend Lauren Bacall has slammed today's stars for lacking style and wants women her age to cover-up.

The elegant DOGVILLE star, 79, is shocked by some of the outfits worn by Hollywood's top leading ladies, and prefers "understatement" to some of the more flamboyant sartorial efforts modelled.

Bacall says, "I cannot believe what they wear, they are all so overdressed. Put a ruffle on me and I'm finished.

"If I see shocking pink, I run for the hills. Turquoise, green, purple, they're awful. I love muted colours. I love understatement.

"I can't wear bare stuff any more but that's no great loss. Women of a certain age don't look fabulous in sleeveless tops."

Nor is the wife of late actor Humphrey Bogart an advocate of cosmetic surgery.

She adds, "I have friends who are beautiful women and they're having liposuction and boob lifts and I say, 'What are you doing to yourself? Stop it.'"

16/04/2004 13:34