helen mirrenActress Helen Mirren doesn't need Botox to be fabulous. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The 66-year-old actress just won the "Body of the Year" award from L.A. Fitness, who surveyed 2,000 people to pinpoint the winner. Mirren even beat model Elle Macpherson, Kelly Brook, Jennifer Lopez, and Pippa Middleton -- who came in eighth place with only 4 percent of the vote. (I would say that's just because she's British, but so is Helen! So, too bad, so sad for Pippa!)

It's pretty amazing that the poll-takers (possibly hard bodies associated with the gym chain?) were MOST taken with a woman of her age. Geesh, usually when it comes to admiring beauty -- or especially a good-looking body -- it seems like society totally casts off women over 50, period. Maybe women that age get praised for their faces -- sans wrinkles or with "did she or didn't she?" plastic surgery.

Even someone like MADONNA, who has an incredible -- alright, maybe somewhat OVER-ripped -- body isn't exactly praised as often as she's seen as a strange anomaly.

Not to say that women like Helen aren't usually appreciated in other ways. We'll say they're "beautiful," "elegant," "stunning," and of course, talented. But her body usually isn't what we think of. Well, maybe if you've seen Mirren in her famous bikini shots, but still -- a 66-year-old trumped 27-year-old Pippa for this award! A 27-year-old who has been snapped TOPLESS in a bikini, nonetheless. Wow!

I'm Pippa's age -- strangely, we share the same exact b-day and will both be 28 on September 6 -- and at 4'11", I've always thought my petite-ness bought me a "get out of jail free" card on that whole "looking old" thing. But ahhh -- not so sure about that anymore!

I actually just had my first mini-nervous breakdown about looking "old." A waiter carded my 30-year-old baby-faced boyfriend, and as I went to dig into my purse for my I.D., he told me, "Oh no, you're fine." WHAAAAAT?! I spent the rest of our dinner asking my boyfriend if I look old, and worrying that somehow I looked like a cougar next to him, despite being three years his junior?! Agh! I never thought I'd be freaked out by something like that. Until that moment, I thought I had a pretty healthy attitude about getting older. But the minute I thought someone thought I looked older, I tweaked out. Crazy, I know.

But now ... all I can say is God Save The Queen Helen Mirren! The Leo lady who is approaching her 70s obviously ROCKS it, and it doesn't go unnoticed. Perhaps this award shows promise, that society's attitude about women of a certain age is changing? I sure hope so. Either way, I definitely realize now that freaking out about looking old at 27 is ridiculous. If you take good care of yourself and carry yourself like a Dame, I have a feeling you won't ever "look old."   

Do you think Helen Mirren is setting a new standard of beauty for the 50+ crowd?

 

Image via Starface.ru/Splash News