Marlo Thomas Stuns Fans in Red at 85 — Actress Had Support of Husband Who Is ‘Not a Fashionista’ for Years

On September 7, 2023, fans were stunned when they saw how Marlo Thomas is still “That Girl.” At age 85, the actress, famous for playing the role of Ann Marie in the 1960s sitcom, still kept up the style she had on the show.

The star appeared in an Instagram post with a longtime friend and member of her glam squad, Steven Rice, looking incredible in what looked like a red dress. She accentuated her look with matching lipstick as her pal smiled while holding her from behind.

Thomas revealed how Rice helped her “find the light” and that the image was taken behind the scenes the week before for a shoot they were doing. On September 11, 2023, she appeared in Rossbund’s magazine with a picture of her being shared by Rice.

It seemed the day Thomas posed for an image with her makeup and hairstylist a few days before was for the magazine’s shoot. Fans swarmed the post’s comment section of her Instagram post, with one person noting how “awesome” the actress’ photo was and that the celebrity looked “absolutely stunning.”

The person also shared how any color looks “spectacular” on the actress, noting how she has “class all the way.” before asking God to bless her and her husband, Phil Donahue. Someone else thought the star looked “fantastic” and “so pretty” in red, while another fan agreed that the color made her look “gorgeous.”

A third person called Thomas “stunning,” while other followers focused more on her eyebrows, with one stating how the actress’ “brows” made all the difference. Someone else seemed stunned that the celebrity has “eyebrows again!” with another fan adding:

“Beautiful!! Bolder eyebrows make you look so young!!”

Another Instagram user was pleased to see the star and believed she hadn’t “change[d] a bit.” Someone who knew her from her famous sitcom wrote, “Are you talking about ‘THAT GIRL,'” noting how she always “look[s] so stylish,” before confessing they still watched the series. Another person added:

“Still beyond gorgeous and adorable after all these years after ‘That Girl!!’ Wow!!! Love the dress too!!”

The fan also appreciated Thomas’s “huge heart,” citing her willingness to assist the families and children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital who are in need. Another follower complimented her, saying:

“‘THAT GIRL’ still ‘THAT GIRL.'”

Being somewhat of a fashion icon is something Thomas embraced long ago and hasn’t let go in her older years. The actress once spoke about how she felt about her looks in her eighties and how her husband supports her.

What Did Marlo Say about Fashion and Her Husband’s Take On It?

In January 2017, Thomas was close to turning 80 and was launching a clothing line aptly called “That Woman” when she was asked why she felt it was important to still feel sexy at that age. The star said it was always important to feel that way as women and men had to be authentic.

Speaking about her husband’s fashion, she revealed he would often wear jeans, V-neck cashmere sweaters, and striped shirts, and he looked good in them even if he could’ve worn the outfits 40 years before. She thought the most important is one’s spirit, which she dressed for, not her age.

The celebrity also described Donahue’s style as preppy and conservative, while she leans more on classic. Thomas also shared that she consulted him on her clothing line, and while she admits, he’s “not a fashionista,” he would offer an opinion or two. For instance, he loved the blue dress she wore to her launch party and the suede jacket she featured in her collection.

Sharing more about her husband, the actress described him as cool and not critical, adding, ” He gets a kick out of watching me enjoy what I do.” When she told him about her idea for a clothing line, he thought it was great and supported her. “You’re born to do this!” he egged.

When it came to how she and Donahue managed to make their marriage a success, the star says giving it time is what works. The couple took trips alone, and since their first anniversary, they decided not to buy each other gifts but to spend their money on trips.

Speaking about age, Thomas said she didn’t think women over 40 didn’t want to look older but that they wished to appear as the girls inside them. During a conversation with her husband, they figured men brought some of their boyishness in them when they were older, while women did the same.

Their clothes needed to “have that feeling about them”; otherwise, they didn’t make you feel like yourself. So she tried making things with some “sass,” like showing some skin so women felt flirty and feminine, which she felt would never go out of style.

To show how she lives up to her statements at age 85, on May 23, 2023, the star glammed up wearing a stunning white dress to the Gracie Awards in Beverly Hills, California. On March 29, 2023, she was also seen in a stylish top and pants alongside Brooke Shields while attending the “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” premiere.

In August 2023, she appeared in an Instagram video sitting in a chair as her glam squad worked on her in preparation for the St. Jude’s hospital shoot. That same month, she appeared seemingly without much makeup in an interview with Krissa Rossbund, the Style and Design Editor for Traditional Home, to discuss designing.

When she wasn’t discussing the show that made her famous, Thomas revealed in 2021…

Even though “That Girl” concluded its last episode decades ago, it still came up in interviews years later. Besides talking about the series, Thomas also revealed what else she is up to in recent years.

Marlo’s Role as Ann Marie and Her Other Projects

In 2019, Thomas’ role as Ann Marie in the series “That Girl” was dissected by “That Book About That Girl” author Stephen Cole. Cole said Thomas’ character stood out because of her independence and aspirations as a woman.

Cole also revealed part of the appeal of the show was being able to meld fantasy and reality in Thomas’ character. He recalled an episode where Ann Marie had no money and made tomato soup using ketchup, but she was still the character still looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine.

“That Girl” ran from 1966 until 1971, and on September 8, 2023, the actress celebrated 57 years since the series was released with a throwback photo of herself in the role.

Thomas has kept herself busy through the years. In 2021, she revealed that she had a script to read, a book to write, and a podcast to record. She also had a Williams-Sonoma collection of entertaining essentials coming out, was tackling gun control laws and women’s rights and working with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.