Barbra Streisand is "too old to care" if people like her style.

The 81-year-old star shied away from wearing provocative outfits early in her career - but these days, she doesn't worry at all about her critics.

She told the New York Times newspaper: "I was too afraid to be seen that way at that time. Now I'm too old to care."

Streisand also rubbished the suggestion that people should "dress their age".

The award-winning star - whose career has spanned more than six decades - explained: "People should express themselves and wear whatever they feel on any given day. And that has nothing to do with age."

Meanwhile, Barbra previously claimed that her attitude has "scared" a lot of men during her career.

The iconic star has always been extremely ambitious and opinionated - but Barbra conceded that her assertive approach has also alienated some people.

She told the Guardian newspaper: "I didn't want to stay in my place.

"I started out wanting to be an actress and I got to acting through my singing. But then that wasn't enough. I wanted to shape things.

"I wanted to write. I wanted to direct. I wanted to produce. I wanted to make decisions. And that got me into trouble.

"A woman in control: that scared men. It scared other women! They weren't ready for it."

Despite this, Barbra has always refused to bite her tongue.

She said: "That's my problem. I would constantly get attacked; I still get attacked.

"I remember a line from George Bernard Shaw's play 'Saint Joan': 'He who tells too much truth shall surely be hanged.'

"I was making TV movies about subjects I loved, about gun control, gay rights, about Margarethe Cammermeyer, who was ousted from the army for telling the truth about her sexuality, and that didn't make me more popular with a lot of people.

"But it's what I believe in my heart is what decency is, and fairness. So that's what I stand up for."