Style is not only about what you wear, but also how you carry yourself.This woman was walking on the Upper West Side with a friend when I noticed her from afar. I loved her look, but her confident pose stands out above everything else.
Style is not only about what you wear, but also how you carry yourself.This woman was walking on the Upper West Side with a friend when I noticed her from afar. I loved her look, but her confident pose stands out above everything else.
While I am out photo-hunting on the Upper West Side, I always like to stop by Lynn Dell's Off Broadway Boutique. She has the most stylish customers, including the beautiful lady above.This glamorous woman told me that she had seen me on The Today Show and I replied that I would love to take her photograph, but that she seemed way too young. When she told me that she had a 40 year old son, I knew that she fit the bill. I was excited to capture her dazzling style to share with all of you.When I got back home I reflected on this experience. I know that people are often told that they are too old to model and represent fashion, style and beauty. I wonder how it feels when I tell an older person that they are too young to appear on Advanced Style? Do they take this as a compliment? Is youth the only valued stage of life? 80 year old Joyce always tells me that, " To Age is a Privilege." I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get old.
I was out walking when I noticed this woman and her beautiful red hat a few blocks ahead of me. I quickly ran up to her and asked if I could take her photograph. I told her that I loved her red hat and she replied, " I don't usually wear hats, but this one is my favorite. Everyone compliments it." I am always on the look out for a great hat!
Here is the clip from our Today Show debut. The Ladies did an incredible job!!!
I'm heading to bed early because I have an exciting day ahead of me. Ruth, Jacquie, Ilona, Joyce and I are going to be featured on The Today Show between 9 and 10am. These four very special women, also appearing in my upcoming book and documentary, will be representing ageless style. I will post a clip of our television debut as soon it appears online tomorrow!
I have some great news!!! The Today Show will be featuring Advanced Style tomorrow between 9 and 10 am. Four of our favorite ladies will be dressed to the nines, sharing their style secrets. I get to walk Ruth on stage, so don't blink or you will miss me. I am so happy that these ladies are getting the attention they deserve and I can't wait to see what America thinks about Advanced Style.
This week, I'm checking in on several of the Advanced Style ladies to get them prepared for a big TV appearance on Thursday morning(more details to come). One of the outfits Jacquie tried on was this vintage red coat and a pair of beaded white high heels. At 81 years old she told me, " I come from the age of glamour. I'm not afraid to wear heels in my 80s."
I met this woman on Madison Avenue last April after admiring her blue shoes and wonderful coat. She told me that men stop her on the streets to tell her how much they like her shoes. Just yesterday, I was dropping a friend off at Penn Station when I noticed an incredible woman with a fantastic hairdo. After taking a closer look, I realized she was the lady with the blue shoes that I had met some months before! We were both delighted to see one another again. I love her new hairstyle, don't you?
One of Advanced Style's favorite ladies, Lynn Dell, and her husband Sandy Cohen, celebrated their 60th anniversary earlier this summer. Bravo's Chef Roble & Co. were there to provide food and entertainment for this wonderful celebration. The episode aired on Bravo this past weekend.Check out some behind the scenes moments HERE and some photos from their wedding day below.
I just got off the phone with 81-year-old Jacquie Tajah Murdock. She wanted to catch up and see what has been happening with Advanced Style. I told her that she has inspired many women to dress up and feel good about themselves. Jacquie was delighted to hear this.She wanted to share some more of her style philosophy and told me that,"Style has absolutely nothing to do with money. In fact, I buy many of my things at thrifts shops. For me style is about looking different from anybody else. Fashion is an art."
This morning Joyce and I had the pleasure of attending the Today Show with Bobbie Thomas. Bobbie had mentioned that she was looking for an older model for a segment on polka dots and I new Joyce would be just perfect. I am so excited for all of the much deserved attention the Advanced Style ladies are receiving as of late. I hope you enjoy this wonderful clip of Joyce's television debut below!Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Lady Francesca Todd with a lion that attacked her Kenya in 1965
Lady Francesca Todd was born in a little row boat in Mississippi, during a great flood, New Years Eve, 85 years ago. Her parents were visiting from New York, when her mother went into labor. This was the beginning of many adventures for Francesca Todd.At the age of 15, Francesca became interested in fashion. She enrolled in Traphagen School of Design, where she studied fashion design. After graduating she traveled through Europe perfecting her craft by working with some of the world's best designers. She learned draping from Elsa Schiaparelli and sharpened her tailoring skills in Italy.
When Francesca Todd returned to New York, one of her many suitors asked if she would move to Kenya and marry him. She spent 16 years in Africa, traveling for four months of the year to different countries. One day in 1965, Francesca was walking by a river with a group of people. They saw a lion nearby, acting very strangely. Without a seconds notice the lion attacked Francesca's face and killed a young boy--flying doctor's rushed in to save her. Lady Francesca Todd barley escaped death and the lion was shot for fear that it would attack more people. She has had many adventures that have shaped her philosophy and influenced her style.
When I asked about her style influences,Lady Francesca Todd replied that one thing her mother told her years ago,is the most important. Her mother said, " Get dressed in the morning and see what you can take off." If she is wearing a dramatic necklace, she would never wear an arm full of bracelets.Francesca describes her style as Dramatic Simplicity and says(like many other Advanced Style subjects) that she dresses for herself, not other people.She also told me that it is important for older people to dress up because it raises their moral and makes others around them smile. With a lifetime of excitement behind her, Lady Francesca is still ready for her next adventure. She travels frequently and is a member of many groups, including the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asian Women's Association, which she is planning a fashion show for next month.
Less is More
More is Never Enough
There are two main schools of thought when it comes to dressing like an Advanced Style lady. Some women prefer the "more is never enough" approach. They pile on accessories, mix and match patterns and feel that an outfit is an ever-evolving work of art.The other camp prefers a more simple and classic manner of dress. These are the ladies who still heed their mother's advice to, "Look in the mirror and remove any accessories that detracts from the face." Whether you belong to the collectors or the classicists, remember that true style comes from within. Any Advanced Style lady know that's it's not how you dress,but how you act when dressed that matters.
It can be argued that a number of things make an outfit including the perfect shoes,accessories,or even a great smile. One item that the Advanced Style ladies never leavehome without is a beautiful bag. Whether vintage and well worn or new and shiny, here are my picks for Advanced Style's best bags. Which are your favorites?
