The Development of Personal Style

I was talking to a friend the other day about why I photograph and interview older people. We went over how I was very close to my grandmother and how I wanted to bring focus on the advanced style set and show that beauty, style, and creativity don't disappear at a certain age.She had an interesting point. She feels that many of these people continue on from a peak moment in their lives. Their hairstyles, way of dress, and manner of decorum are carried over from a time when they first began to feel comfortable in their own skin and elements of this moment become frozen in time.This form of developed presentation is what I am capturing on Advanced Style. A majority of the ladies and gentleman I talk to tell me that although they have had interests in style throughout their lives, that it is in their later years that their personal style really developed as a result of years of experience.


I try and feature a range of styles in my photographs, but I am particularly interested in this idea of a "peak moment",frozen in time, where street style portraits speak not only about fashion history but also personal development. I spent most of my youth watching black and white movies with my grandmother. Seeing an older woman walking down the street dressed in the same style that she has been wearing for 40 years brings me back to these beautiful and graceful images.That's not to say that people don't continue to "advance" their sense of style.This is what makes my subjects so interesting to me,the combined wisdom and experience of a lifetime of dressing along with a willingness to adapt new ideas and trends into one's lifestyle.The woman below mixes old fashioned charm with contemporary chicness. Her orange suit, although classically cut is made of Neoprene. She is a wonderful example of how one becomes comfortable with certain things like her vintage gloves and classic tailoring, but the unexpected material of her suit exemplifies a willingness and desire to continue to learn, progress and advance.The key to looking stylish is confidence and older people have had time to develop not only a personal sense of style, but a comfort in who they are.

The Carter Burden Center for the Aging Annual Fashion Show

I attended The Carter Burden Center for the Aging 9Th annual fashion show where stylish seniors strutted down the runaway in their most fashionable attire. It was great fun watching these vital ladies and gentleman dance their way down the red carpet strutting their stuff for other senior members and staff. The Carter Burden Center for the Aging is an incredible organization that seeks to change the face of aging. The center," promotes the well-being of individuals 60 and older through a broad array of direct social services and volunteer programs oriented to individual, family and community needs" and they are "dedicated to supporting the efforts of older people to remain in their own homes living independently, safely and with dignity." Check out their website for more information on the center on the programs they have to offer http://burdencenter.org/ .

Style With a Heart

Marcia is one of my favorite ladies to photograph because she is not only extremely stylish, but she has a big heart as well. By day Marcia dresses for work at a fashionable boutique, while the rest of her time is spent running her organization, Women Beyond Survival, which rebuilds and revitalizes communities ravaged by warfare http://www.womenbeyondsurvival.org/ .

The photos above were taken for a series of articles that I am writing for the AARP website. My latest article, about fashionable sunglasses has just been posted. I hope you get the chance to check it out and I would love your feedback!

My AARP article can be found here
http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/fashion-beauty/info-10-2010/hi_lo_fashions.html

Dress How You Feel, Not By Your Age

One of the many lessons I have learned from the ladies and gentleman of Advanced Style is to dress how you feel. The lady above offered some great advice when I asked about her style inspiration,"You shouldn't dress by age, you should dress how you feel and look the very best you can at whatever age you are." Advanced Style's wonderful videographer Lina Plioplyte captured these fantastic words of wisdom in the clip below.



[Video by Lina Plioplyte]

The Top Ten Ways to Stay Stylish and Look Great at 98

The other day I had the wonderful opportunity to interview an amazingly stylish 98 year old woman by the name of Rose . I met her a few weeks ago when I stopped to take her photo off of Madison Ave. She told me that she never allows anyone to take her picture, and she is not quite sure why she decided to say yes to me that fateful day. After appearing on Advanced Style, her grandchildren emailed me telling me that Rose loved her picture and that I could come by her place and ask a few questions about her life and style! Even more inspiring than Roses' fantastic fashion sense is positive outlook on life; Enjoy every moment and be happy with what you have.At 98, she has more vitality and spirit than most people half her age. Check below for some of her cherished fashion secrets.

Here are Rose's top ten beauty and lifestyle secrets on how to look and feel great at 98

1. Find your perfect perfume, people will remember you by your scent. Rose is known for her Pauline Trigere fragrance.She tells her granddaughter "I'll give you anything in the world, but I won't give you my perfume."
2. Belts and Beads. Rose believes that a belt or unique strand of beads can really make an outfit and they don't have to cost a fortune.
3. Take care of your feet and wear good shoes, but when you are going out for a night on the town "Fashion comes before comfort" At 98, Rose goes out every single night!
4. "Walking is a must, its better than doctors or medicine"
5. No need to use expensive moisturizers, Rose swears by Oil of Olay which she has been using for decades.
6. "Inexspensive lipstick is as good as expensive, only better!" Rose has tried every brand from Chanel to Lauder and has recently been turned on to Revlon.
7. Be Unique: "If Everyone is wearing it, then its not for me"
8. "Be smart enough to know what you don't know"
9. If you have trouble reading the dinner menu, Lorgnettes are a fashionable and elegant alternative to reading glasses(see example above)
10. "Be Happy, enjoy what you have at every moment!"

Mal Cross: The Magic of Style

I ran into magician Mal Cross, on the Upper West Side, in his stylish yellow suit and hip green shoes. CLICK HERE to check out his site and book him for your next party.

All Plaid

I have recently been wearing a lot of plaid and this gentleman inspires me to take my favor of plaid to the next level. I saw him the day after taking his photo wearing all red Christmas plaid. He has a great sense of personal style full of character and commitment.

Gitte Lee Models For Celine

Who better to capture the style and elegance of Celine than my gorgeous friend Gitte Lee. You may recognize her from some of my previous posts but it seems I'm not the only one who appreciates her beauty and vibrancy these days. She lends a sophistication and charm to anything she does. Bravo to to Celine for recognizing such a wonderful individual and for using an older woman in their campaign.

The Art of Simplicity:Dress to Suit Your Mood

Advanced Style is about personal style and expression. Oftentimes I feature people who wear bright colors and unexpected pairings of patterns. I have come to appreciate those who are daring, who get older and bolder, who take risks and live life to the fullest.

On the opposite side of the style spectrum are those who keep it simple and elegant. Their style shines, through their graceful and elegant approach to fashion and aging. The ladies above look chic, comfortable and confident. The Advanced Stylistas have taught me that you can dress to suit your mood, some days simple, others more eccentric, as long as you feel beautiful and comfortable!

A Well Designed Cane

The other day I went to visit the offices of a wonderful company called OMHU. The staff there believes that life is both imperfect and beautiful and their aim is to," change the way people think and feel about aging and disability" by offering "joyful products that support people’s abilities as they change throughout life."

I photographed Carolyn Korb,mother of one of the company's founders, with one of OMHU's striking canes. The cane is not only well designed and beautifully constructed, but it is the perfect mobility aid for the modern age. One doesn't have to hide their metal cane any longer, in fact they can proudly display their independence with a stylish and contemporary option. For more details on OMHU check out their informative blog http://omhublog.blogspot.com/ .

Malcah Zeldis: Older and Bolder

Advanced Style Presents: Malcah Zeldis from teenage peanut video productions on Vimeo.

Back in March I had the opportunity to meet the amazing artist Malcah Zeldis. We had a fantastic time exploring her studio and hearing about how her work has influenced her life and vice versa.Lina Plioplyte put together this wonderful video of Malcah explaining her work and philosohphy on style .Malcah explains that as she gets older she gets bolder. What an inspiring way to look at life! CLICK HERE to read more about Malcah Zeldis and enjoy the photos and video above.

Following in Mama's Footsteps

This super fashionable lady was walking down 5Th Ave when I stopped her for a quick photo. I asked her about her style influences and she replied, " I learned from my Mama." Ladies often tell me that they have inherited their mothers' good taste or desire to dress up. I know this is part of the reason I am interested in fashion and style. If you want to know a little more about what influences me to do Advanced style Check out this link from a recent profile in the New York Times!

Article Link: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/of-a-certain-age-with-vitality-and-style/

A Stylish Friend

Lynn Dell,one of my favorite Advanced Stylistas, seems to know the most fashionable women in town. She introduced me to her best friend, who like Lynn is full of charm and wisdom. She told me that fashion should be fun and not taken too seriously.Great advice at any age!

Gitte Lee in Vogue Italia

[Photos from Real Life Is Elsewhere]

This past summer I met the amazing Gitte Lee while shooting for Selfridges in London. She told me that she had some exciting things coming up, so I was thrilled to see her featured in this month's Vogue Italia ,shot by Tim Walker. As the article reads, style is truly ageless! Its great to see more and more older models being featured in magazines and ad campaigns.

A Treasured Scarf

This woman looked beautiful walking through the East Village in her purple top and yellow shawl. I asked her about her gorgeous lace head scarf and she told me that she has had it for over 50 years and treasures it dearly. It was passed on from her mother and she can't find another one like it.

The OGs Fashion Advice

If you have ever seen the OGs website, you know that 93 year old Cuties Cooper gives advice about everything from relationships to fashion. I found this site a few weeks ago and was thrilled to see how The Coopers' grandchildren have found a way to share the life,love, and adventures of their amazing grandparents. I asked Cutie and her granddaughter Kim if they would make a video that would share The OGs' advice on fashion and style. Cutie believes in wearing timeless pieces that are simple, elegant, and can be worn throughout the years with updates. She also wants you to know that you're never so old that it's okay to be a frump!" Thank you to Cutie and Kim for this wonderful video.

Embrace Your Age

I'm 92 Years Old !
I'm 80 Years Old !

I'm 98 Years Old!

I'm 82 Years Old!

I'm 80 Years Old!I'm 77 Years Old!

I got a phone call the other day that made me feel really good about what I am doing. My friend Lynn Dell called to tell me that lately she has been proudly telling everyone her age. At 77 Lynn is hardworking,full of life and absolutely gorgeous. She never felt the need to tell anyone how old she was, but she explained to me that having her picture taken for Advanced Style has made her proud to proclaim her age aloud. She loves the positive reaction and how her outlook on life affects others. Check out the other amazing ladies above who proudly told me their age. Lynn Dell also has a new page on Advanced Style which can be found on the sidebar.

If you are proud of your age send me a photo(jpegs only) along with your age to Advancedstyleinfo@gmail.com for our I'm Proud To Be___ Years Old page.

Advanced Style for AARP

I just completed the first in a series of articles I am doing for AARP. It would be amazing if you guys could check out the article and let me know what you think. My photos with accompanying text can be found here :
http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/fashion-beauty/info-10-2010/hats_for_fall.html .

Ilona Royce Smithkin

I know we have seen a lot of Ilona these days but she never ceases to amaze me. The other day she called me to let me know that she had made the most marvelous creation. When I arrived at her apartment she told me, " I found the most wonderful scarf today, which I sewed together to make into a dress with matching scarf." Read more about how Ilona's style relates to her artistic practice in a post I did about her for The New Museum Blog
including the video below.



Here is Ilona performing this summer in Provincetown: