Advanced Style For Beginners

I am completely in love with the blog Advanced Style. There is nothing I love more than a broad with a statement. And this is the purpose of photographer Ari Seth Cohen's work, to find the most stylish elders of New York City and give them a platform. Fashion is young, style is timeless. Over the years I've learned a lot from the ladies of Advanced Style, and now there's a documentary! And it's on Netflix! Hurray!

You may be underestimating the power of Advanced Style. You may be of the 'Wow Cara Delivijfhdfncoise's eyebrows' persuasion. But these women have KNOWLEDGE. They have the experience, creative eye and confidence to completely know themselves and their artistic flair. 

We open on this lady. A complete vision. Leather trousers and cat eye sunglasses. How old do you think she is?

She's sixty. SIXTY. I'll let that sink in for a while.

Elixir personified. And this is where my true fascination with Advanced Style lies, because when Cohen approaches these women on the street to ask to take their picture, we also get to hear their stories.

And they're really great stories.

So:

Amazing outfits: check
Inspiring anecdotes: check
New York City backdrop that makes me devastatingly piney: check

I'll give you a few snippets.

This is Tziporah Salamon. She cycles along the Hudson and knows she should wear a helmet but she just loves her hat so much.

 
She's meticulous about planning what she wears. "7 years one outfit took. I had the clothing but I didn't have the earrings to match the outfit." So she couldn't wear it yet, naturally.

And Joyce Carpati. She sings opera and braids her hair perfectly.

She insists that "money has nothing to do with style." Amen to that, I hope.

This is Lynn Dell and she owns Off Broadway Boutique. She talks like she should be a judge on ANTM. Honey, please.

This is Debra Rapoport. Doesn't she look like Robyn from the Future??

She's the queen of DIY and makes bracelets from toilet rolls.

Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock meets Cohen at the Apollo.

She was one of it's original dancers when she was 17 years old. At one point she tucks a guys number into her bra and refers to it as "the safe".

Zelda Kaplan, who in addition to having one of the best names ever, travelled Africa in search of the most beautiful prints, while campaigning for women's rights. When asked about her life she responds "I think I was born happy. I was a 10lb baby!"

She thinks that "good style improves the environment for everybody" which is an excellent outlook.

Honestly all of these ladies are fantastic.

They're so bold and stubborn.

But none of them come close to Ilona Royce Smithkin, she's my favourite. Her apartment is like a treasure trove.

She makes her own false eyelashes - from her own hair! When her art students (yes she's 94 and she teaches art) ask her how old she is she replies "I'm between 50 and dead"

Her intuition with prints and colours is extraordinary. Her approach is what most people would probably refer to as too matchy-matchy clash-clashy, which is my favourite aesthetic.

"I don't know what my body is doing. From the waist up, I'm wonderful. From the waist down? Don't ask, don't tell."

Let's learn from these ladies and be bolder.

I love you, New York City broads.