The Life and Times of Dorothy Wiggins, 97-Year-Old Social Media Star

At 97 years old, Dorothy Wiggins has unexpectedly become an internet sensation after her friend started posting videos of her candid musings and escapades around New York City. While initially reluctant, Wiggins has gained almost 100,000 Instagram followers who are charmed by her vintage style, wry humor, and no-nonsense take on modern life.

Contents hide

1. Picking Up the Pieces

2. A Star is Born

3. An Unwilling Influencer

4. The Real Dorothy

5. Staying Young at Heart

Picking Up the Pieces

Wiggins was devastated after her husband Guy, whom she had been married to for 61 years, passed away in 2020 shortly after his 100th birthday. To help his grieving mother, Wiggins’ son Noel commissioned family friend and journalist Michael Astor to create a short documentary film about her to keep her preoccupied.

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A post shared by Dorothy Wiggins (@dorothylovesnewyork)

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A Star is Born

Astor soon started posting clips of Wiggins’ Manhattan outings on social media, showing her marching around the city armed with her trademark wooden staff and dressed to impress. Fans quickly took to the petite and spirited nonagenarian’s humorous hot takes on topics ranging from health benefits of wine to seduction techniques. In just over a year, her Instagram account @dorothylovesnewyork has amassed close to 100,000 loyal followers.

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An Unwilling Influencer

However, Wiggins herself does not approve of social media or the influencer lifestyle. “I think cellphones are a great invention and have made life much easier for everybody, but I think social media is stupid,” she says. “People telling things about their lives to strangers is just a jerky thing to do. I’m not a bit interested in it.”

While ambivalent about her online fame, Wiggins does enjoy reading the uplifting comments from fans who tell her she has inspired them through her attitude and longevity. She is most thrilled by a video of her tennis serve that garnered 9 million views and a comment from champion player Chris Evert. As a former model and actress, Wiggins does not mind the filming and attention on the streets from fans.

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The Real Dorothy

For all her social media presence, Wiggins maintains the same unchanged routine and friends, including a daily “sacred cocktail hour” she used to share with her late husband. What her fans respond to is the authenticity that Astor captures in his videos showing Wiggins living life strictly on her own terms, with plenty of bold opinions and joyful moments. “I’ve always been very outspoken. If I don’t like something, I will let people know that,” she says unapologetically.

Staying Young at Heart

While the grief over her husband remains, Wiggins has learned to carry on and embraces each day to the fullest. She offers her longevity secret as simply never acting or thinking old. “If you say: ‘I’m old,’ you act old and think old. I just don’t think old. My personality is the same and people still seem to enjoy my company.”