Next week, Mr. Blackwell, that arcane and increasingly anachronistic clothing critic, will release his 46th annual best- and worst-dressed list.

Last year, the fashionable fop stuck the Simpson sisters, Lindsay Lohan, Nicollette Sheridan, Courtney Love, Paris Hilton, Serena Williams, Paula Abdul, Britney Spears, Anna Nicole Smith and Meryl Streep on his Nay list. No major arguments there, although picking on Streep seems a bit below the belt.

To his credit, his 2004 thumbs-ups included these Red Carpet hotties: Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Annette Bening, Scarlett Johansson, Teri Hatcher and Jennifer Garner, many of whom will show off their style sense at the 2006 awards shows in the next few months.

Blackwell’s 2005 list goes out on Jan. 10. But this week, the doddering ascot wearer sent out a press release about his "updated criteria" for selecting winners and losers.

"It is important to note that the criteria for style has changed with each new generation. The standard exemplified by the Lana Turner's and Deborah Kerr's (huh?) has been replaced by a modern sensibility influenced by a changing social attitude."

He maintains "Despite the encouraging fact that so many film sirens blossomed into fabulous fashion-plates, the style-challenged music biz overcompensated in a cavalcade of camp." Uh, what?

And he reveals that the finalists who won a place in his Worst Dressed infamy did so "on the basis of their wardrobes — or lack thereof."

Guess there’s no point explaining to this poor old codger that modern music stars’ state-of-undress has nothing to do with taste and everything to do with selling CDs, ringtones and podcasts. Or, as he might call them, "33, 45, and 78 RPMs."

Memo to Blackwell: If seeing all that exposed fresh flesh is so upsetting, just stop watching the darn Grammys! Try the Turner Classic Movie Channel instead.

Photo: Fashion critic Mr. (Richard) Blackwell reveals his true colors at a 2004 LA.com gala.
(Lester Cohen / WireImage)