feed me fashion

It's always an honor and a pleasure to photograph dancer, Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock. Not only does she continue to dance into her 80s, but she also dresses up everyday no matter what. Jacquie grew up in Harlem, always dreaming of being a model and a dancer-She knew at five years old that she wanted to dance. A few years ago The Apollo Theater recognized Jacquie as a legendary dancer and one of her dreams came true. I hope Jacquie can inspire everyone to stay active and never forget their dreams.

I was rushing to meet a friend uptown and jumping out of my taxi, when I noticed this amazing woman from across the street.It's always wonderful to come across people who express themselves through artful and colorful expressions of personal style.

Check out part II of the our program on Swedish Television featuring Lynn Dell!

This weekend I met up with Rita Ellis Hammer. We had a wonderful time discussing my upcoming book and we got some great photos of Rita modelling some fun Spring looks.I always have so much fun hanging out with her and going through her amazing wardrobe. She is never afraid to try any combination of colors or patterns. Check out the video below for more Rita's Style secrets and CLICK HERE to check out her CD of cabaret classics.

I have been zooming around the city to show all the ladies their photos in the Advanced Style book. It's always a pleasure to get together, catch up, and of course see what they are wearing. Maryann was absolutely thrilled to be in the book and I'm so excited for everyone to see her great photos.

I noticed this woman's wonderful coat from across the street on 5th Avenue. I quickly rushed up to her and asked if I could take her photograph. It's always refreshing to see a burst of color in a crowd of people mostly clad in black. She was happy to pose for a shot in front of Bergdorf's and even gave me view of the back of her amazing jacket.

Artists, Richard Cramer and Carol Markel, always express their love of color through brilliantly coordinated outfits. Carols says, " We must be soul mates to have been together for 45 years, so it follows that we must have influenced each other's style along the way." It's always so much fun running into this stylish duo and hearing of their latest adventures. To follow more of their fashion and art adventures check out Carol's blog HERE .

Yesterday I was having lunch at Bergdorf Goodman with a friend, when I noticed that the restaurant was packed with Advanced Style ladies. After a delicious meal we decided to walk through the store for some aesthetic inspiration. A few minutes later I noticed one of my favorite ladies talking to a salesperson in the middle of the room. I photographed her on the Upper West Side one day, but neglected to get her information. I was excited to speak with her again, and after a moment I approached her, to tell her that she will be appearing in my upcoming book. She instantly remembered our initial meeting and was thrilled at the news. She told me that a few people had told her that she would be appearing in a book and that it was fate that we ran into each other. She kindly allowed me to take her photograph again. I can't wait to hear more about this gorgeous woman and share all of her style tips with everyone.

Yesterday I promised to post some new shots of Beatrix Ost. It's so hard picking which photos to include because Beatrix looks gorgeous in every shot. As you have seen from the video below, Beatrix is not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. A while back Beatrix and I had a conversation about dressing up and getting older where she told me, " I think most people give up. In some ways you should always be in love and never say I can't wear that because of my age. It's all how you feel." These are words that we can all live by.

The always fabulous, Countess of Glamour, Lynn Dell Cohen, is one of my favorite ladies to photograph. I ran into her in SoHo the other day and we had a lovely time catching up. Lynn is featured in my book , which comes out May 22. If you want an exclusive preview of the book, stop by the  Off Broadway Boutique on the Upper West Side and ask Lynn for a sneak peek.

I had the pleasure of visiting one of my favorite advanced style icons, Iris Apfel, at her apartment in New York this past weekend. At 90 years old she has become a "geriatric starlet" known for her amazing fashion sense and creative brilliance, but there is much more to Iris than her iconic style. Watch the video above to learn more about this incredible woman.

Come rain or come shine style icon, Tziporah Salamon always looks absolutely fabulous. I caught her on a way to a meeting in SoHo, when it started to pour all of a sudden. Tziporah and I ran across the street to a semi -covered building and got some great shots.

I ran into artist, Elke Kuhn, at  turban making workshop put on by the milliners guild last night. She looked as fantastic as ever in her wonderful accessories and wonderful hat. Elke and I are making a date for me to visit her at her house. I can't wait to see all of her amazing creations!

Debra Rapoport always has the most amazing accessories, most of which she makes by hand out of recycled materials. People always stop her to ask about her wonderful industrial felt hats and bracelets and lately she has been selling them right on the spot. Debra says, " Everyone these days is so into E-commerce, well I'm about Me-Commerce-I am my own store." If you do want to indulge in a little E-Commerce, which could eventually lead to some Me-Commerce feel free to email Debra at Debrathenutritionista@gmail.com .

I stopped by Ilona Royce Smithkin's apartment to show her a copy of the Advanced Style book. Check out her reaction to seeing herself in print, in the video above. I'm having a great time showing all the ladies their photographs in my book and can't wait to celebrate its release May 22.

Last night, I was looking through photos of one of my favorite Advanced Style icons singer, Rita Ellis Hammer. I love how she is very consistent with her look-she has developed a personal style that works for her and she sticks with it.Rita uses accessories, like a pair of sunglasses or a great bag, to transform her look from chic and trendy, to effortlessly glamorous. Its amazing how you can change a look by simply adding or removing a few key accessories. Rita chooses comfortable styles and always adds a pop of color and great accessories, to create her signature look. How would you describe Rita's style?

Last week my dad and I visited The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. I was looking at the paintings of Surrealist women artists, including Frida Kahlo, when I noticed this women all dressed in purple. I love how she arranged the elements and color in her outfit, just as the painters whose work we were viewing had. I waited until she was finished with the exhibit to ask if I could take her photograph. What I love about style is that it is a vehicle for personal expression. Style can change your mood and the mood of others around you. As soon as I spotted this women in the gallery, I immediately began to smile. Fashion can also be used as means to making a statement-one that has the power to make you think about the world around you.Older people are often made to feel invisible in our society.I love when older women wear color because it is a way of communicating their visibility in the world. Many people ask me if the people I photograph are looking for attention-if they are dressing up because they want people to notice them. Anyone of these marvelous ladies and gentleman will tell you that they are dressing up for themselves, because it makes them feel good. As they have gotten older their message has changed. They are no longer saying "Look At Me", but rather "I am Here".

When I was in Rome I was introduced to the most spectacular and inspiring women. One of these amazing ladies was Marisela Ferderici. I met Marisela at her villa "La Furibonda." She welcomed me and my mom into her garden, dressed in a gorgeous yellow dress and perfectly coiffed hair. Marisela told me that usually wears hats(a favorite accessory amongst the Advanced Style set.) She explained that, "Wearing a hat always keeps you neat, especially when there isn't a hairdresser around (for example when you're traveling). Moreover when you get older and your forehead doesn't look as it used to, a hat will always make you look stylish. I will even wear a hat when I am dressed in a gym suit in the garden." Marisela gave us a tour of her beautiful grounds, before moving into the living room to talk a little about her life and style. Check out our interview below:Have you always loved fashion? I don't like Fashion. I don't follow trends. So you are more about style?Yes I love style. I have had the same hairstyle since I was 12. I grew up in South America and there you are already considered a woman at 13. I always wanted to look older than I was. People tell me that I have looked the same for 40 years because I never change the way I dress, it is me.Did you dress up when you were younger?No I didn't. I wanted to look like my mum, I wanted to be charming. When I was 13 or 14 my style icon was the Duchess of Windsor; she wasn't an ordinary beauty. She had class and her hair was always gathered up. How did your mum dress?She was very classic, just like I am now. That was real elegance. Women from another era, international,elegant with low-heeled shoes. When did you arrive in Italy what did you think about the style? 40 or more years ago. It was around '68 and women were wearing jeans and taking their bras off. I've never worn jeans in public. I didn't want to look like the others. I wanted to create something identifiable. I wanted a signature, something that spoke of my personality. Do you have any style advice for younger women? Most important is water and soap. You have to be natural and feel comfortable with yourself, in order to give a lot to others.You must be honest with the image that you see reflected in the mirror. You must ask yourself if what you see in the mirror is what you want other people to see. Any other words of wisdom? 1."You are not what you are, you are what you want to be."2."You don't have to look like your friends, you have to be daring."3."You have to look for your style the same way you look for a boyfriend.You have to keep trying until you find the right one." How did you develop you personal style?It was how I always wanted to look. I used to go to fashion shows, but not anymore.People these days don't understand fashion. Its all about brands, fragrances, fabric. Its all business now. What is the difference between fashion and style? Fashion is focused on brands. You enter a room and you can see a beautiful dress from a beautiful brand. When someone is stylish you remember the person, not the dress. The whole should be very natural. It shouldn't be too aggressive; it must be harmonious.

How do you feel about getting old?It's hard, but you have to live your life. There's nothing worse that a young lady wanting to be an old woman or an old woman wanting to be young. You have to live within your moment. Your body has it's own way and you have to accept it.When you get older you love different things. You change your way of thinking. I like being a lady of my age. I have a duty to my family. I always want to be beautiful for my husband, for my family and first of all for myself. Beauty can open a lot of doors, but more important is to keep those doors open. Real and true beauty is something absolute from within. It is other-wordly. Something that never passes no matter what age or gender.

Will and I holding the first advanced copies of my bookAdvanced copies of the Advanced Style book are in! I just got back from Rome and my amazing editor, Will Luckman dropped off a few copies for me to look at. It's strange, overwhelming, and super exciting to see the final product in person. I am very happy with the results and can't wait for everyone to see it on  May 22. If you would like to preorder a copy of my book it is available on amazon HERE.

(Photos by Marine Pierrot) Many people send me wonderful pictures of their grandparents, friends and other relatives. I always love receiving these great pictures of older people who have touched their lives. Since Advanced Style is really about my personal interactions with people that I meet walking around, I rarely post other people's photos. When Marine Pierrot sent me these pictures she had taken of her 84 year old grandmother in Paris, I couldn't help but include them here. They were just too marvelous not to share with everyone. I asked Marine if she would ask her grandmother a few questions and share some of her style secrets. Check out  a short description of her grandmother and the questions that follow below.

My grandma is a child of the 30's and always lived in Paris. She spent her holidays in Deuville.Very early on she appreciated art and painting. She became a painter and met her fourth lover(Francois) and a few years later met my grandfather(Alain Detry). Her favorite artists are Mucha, Chagall, Rodin, Klimt, Tamara de Lempicka, and Dali. She loves: High fetish heels, Kimonos, Aubrey Beardsley,Oscar Wilde, Art Deco, Flapper Dresses, Jazz, Classique Music, Beatles and 70s Rock.

My grandmother is called Jeanine Detry and she is 84 years old.

How has your grandmother influenced your style? What are her influences? Very early on my grandmother taught me to love silent movies(Louise Brooks, Charlie Chaplin, Murnau, Fritz Lang. She also taught me to love old movies starring Michel Carne, Fred Astaire, Gerard Philippe, and the music of the 20th Century and art of course. Like her, I have liked to draw since I was child. She always urged me to develop my imagination. Her favorite model is Louise Brooks, and the roaring 20s are her favorite period. It's also my aesthetic period. I'm a flapper girl. I wear and collect flapper dresses, cloche hats, flapper shoes, fur coats, kimonos... I always listen to jazz and classical music. Like my grandmother I'm a music lover, and its my job now.

She is a free and modern woman who is open to the world. The way she paints is singular and particular. She possesses her own style.Recently she gave me a beautiful present. She gave me  an antique 1920s silk kimono with embroidered roses(in silver thread) which belonged to her mother.

Do you remember any advice she had given to you? She approves of my aesthetic and professional choices. She often says to me that if she was not my grandmother she would like to be my friend. When I was younger she often advised me to wear my hairstyle to show my neck and nape of my neck(I have very long hair). In regards to make-up, she likes the very made up eyes and powder that illuminates the face. Indeed perfume is very important to her. She wears "Bel-Ami" by Hermes(that she also offered to me) and sometimes opium by YSL. I love Guerlain and I wear "L'Heure Bleue" (created in 1912).

She always advised me not to follow rules imposed by fashion. I think my grandmother and my mother taught me the art of being a woman and acting like a woman.

Tell me a little about her style? Daily my grandmother likes wearing long black or burgundy skirts with soft cashmere vests. She also wears Asian jackets with mandarin collars. She makes herself up everyday very diligently and wears fine gold jewels. She loves peacock feathers and decorates her apartment with them. She puts them in big vases. Her haircut has been the same since she was 20 years old: The flapper haircut of Louise Brooks.(She like very high fetish heels, but can't wear them anymore, thus she wears moccasins.

(Photos by Fadi Choker and Elisabetta Passaretti)Last week I sent my students out on the streets of Rome to photograph and interview people with Advanced Style. We all went to different sections of the city and then returned to class to share what we had found. One group found a man named Wanny Di Filippo, owner of Il Bisonte leather goods . I have seen Wanny on many street style blogs and have always wanted to meet him. He is a true original who always looks marvelous in his creative and sophisticated mix of colors and patterns. I can only hope to have as much style and poise as Wanny some day.

Today was the most amazing day. My students in the Advanced Style seminar for IED Roma had the honor of meeting and interviewing legendary costume and set designer Lucia Mirisola, at the gorgeous Rome Cavalieri Hotel. Lucia began her career as the assistant set and costumer designer for Fellini's, La Dolce Vita and later oversaw the set designs for most Luigi Magni's classic films. It was an honor to speak with this accomplished 83 year old and hear her philosophy on style and design. Lucia told the class that when making a film you can't separate one thing from another. Everyone must work together to paint a beautiful picture. Here are some photos of Lucia dressed in the most amazing vintage Missoni. I can't thank the Rome Cavalieri Hotel enough for hosting us in their beautiful suite!

IED Roma will be putting together a video of our workshop and interviews so I can share more of Lucia's story with you soon.

My mom and I were walking in Trastevere when we noticed these dapper gentlemen enjoying a drink at a cafe. I asked them if I could take their photograph and they said yes as long as they didn't have to stand up. I snapped away one as of the gentleman, author Peter Berling, helped his friend light a pipe. I hope to one day have half as much style as these two smartly dressed fellows.

Before went on on our way, my mom remarked that she loved how beautifully they were dressed. The man smoking his pipe replied, "It's American Vintage." After we walked away I noticed this gorgeous vintage Fiat. I thought about how the color and design could serve as inspiration for one's personal style, fashion and industrial design projects.

I am teaching a seminar at IED Roma about Advanced Style this week. Today I gave my class an assignment to find visual inspiration on the streets of Rome. They broke into groups in search of stylish older people, who they photographed and interviewed for blogs which will they present at the end of the week. The goal was to broaden our ideas about style and design and focus on things that might otherwise be taken for granted. We talked about how color and texture, as seen in architecture, clothing, and nature can inspire both fashion and interior design. I wanted the students to think about how and why they chose to focus on certain people or objects,analyze their process of editing, and realize that our individual points of view and perspectives are what make us unique in valued in creative fields. Today was all about seeing and documenting. Tomorrow we will have some great interviews with some well known Italian women. I can't wait to share everyone's final projects!

I think the title says it all!

I am in Rome for a seminar that I am teaching at IED Roma. Today my mom and I walked around looking for Advanced Style. Everywhere we turned there were dapper men and elegant women enjoying the beautiful, sunny day. This man looked especially stylish while listening to some live music near Piazza Navona. I love that Italian men aren't afraid to wear a little color!

I paid a visit to my good friend Debra Rapoport yesterday. She helped me plan a seminar that I will be teaching at IED Roma next week. We had a great conversation about creativity, dressing, and aging. I also got to test out my new lense on her. I love the results, do you? ( Some of you have asked about Debra's hats. If you would like to get in touch with her send  an email to debrathenutritionista@gmail.com )

Villarrazo Madrid just sent me this wonderful video of Eloisa Bercero and I just had to share it with everyone. For the original article click here http://www.villarrazo.com/behindthestyling/2012/02/10/making-of-eloisa-bercero-revista-diez-minutos/ .

It's been a busy few weeks for my friend 91 year old Ilona Royce Smithkin. From fashion week events to meetings with international press, Ilona is becoming quite a star. Here are some photos from some of her recent adventures.

I came across this gorgeous woman walking down Fifth Avenue. She looked effortlessly chic in her trench coat and beautiful shades.What do you think of the pop of print in her bag?

It is always refreshing to see someone in anything other than the all black ensembles preferred by many New Yorkers. This woman looked stunning near Central Park in her beautiful red blazer and coordinated scarf.