Thank You

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday weekend with family and friends. I look forward to your comments and feedback everyday and am thankful for all of your continued support!!!

Gretchen Schields

Gretchen Schields is not only incredibly stunning, but she is also an amazing jewelry designer. Check out her work HERE.

Irene

I am in California for a series of talks and signings and am overwhelmed by the feedback and stories that I am hearing from people who have purchased my book. It's wonderful to know that the women I have photographed can have such a positive impact on the way we look at aging and vitality.

It was great to see my gorgeous friend Irene at my book signing at Koi this past weekend. I met Irene after my parents became acquainted with her at a jazz concert last year. She was walking around Thornton Winery (a winery and venue for live music near San Diego) holding my book, when my mom approached her and said, "That's my son Ari's book!" Irene purchased Advanced Style at Fireworks, one of my favorite stores in Seattle, and after flipping through the pages she was excited to see Sally Thornton, a style icon and owner of Thornton Winery featured on one of the pages. Irene brought the book to Thornton to have it signed by Sally, when my mom noticed her in the crowd. Irene expressed to me how the ladies I photograph have influenced her attitude towards aging and style.  I am excited to share her photograph here as she can now be a wonderful inspiration on us all!

Cherub Bliss

Debra and I have been having a ball in California. We met so many incredible ladies at our signing at Koi Boutique on Saturday, including the incredible Cherub Bliss. If you are in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend a visit to Koi and for those of you wondering about Bliss' wonderful bag, check out her vintage handbag store HERE.

In The East Village

I see this woman almost everyday walking through the east village. I have photographed her several times and am always struck by how elegantly she puts herself together.

Ilona and Lynn

I love seeing all the ladies I know becoming friends. Ilona and Lynn have become regular lunch partners! Check out their fun interaction in the video below:

Advanced Style Is Coming to California

Debra Rapoport and I are heading to California at the end of the week for two exciting book signing events. We will be in South Pasadena and then will head to my hometown of San Diego to sign books and talk about aging and style. Details for the events are below. Hope to see you there!!!

Koi
1007 Fair Oaks Ave. South Pasadena, CA (626) 441-3254
Saturday, November 23, 1-5 pm
www.koi-style.com/category/blog/

d Forsythe
1136 Loma Ave #203, Cornado, CA 92118 (619) 435-9211
Monday, November 25, 10am-2pm
http://dforsythe.com/

Reading The News

Near Madison

 I always drawn to a great coat and this one certainly fits the bill.

Alice Carey's New Pants

Alice Carey has an amazing wardrobe made up of vintage treasures that she has collected over the years. She found her bespoke jacket at a local thrift store and her pants were a gift from an old friend. I am always inspired by Alice's ability to bring elegance and glamor to old pieces of men's clothing. To learn more about my wonderful friend, check out her memoir HERE.

Rita Ellis Hammer

I ran into Rita Ellis Hammer on the Upper West Side looking as stunning as ever.

A Coat For Fall

When I complimented this lovely lady on her coat she responded, "I bought it at a store on 23rd street, they make wild things."

How to Live to 102

Ruth Kobin invited me for an afternoon of sandwiches and Bananagrams at her apartment last week. We had a grand time snacking and catching up, even though she won two out  of three games. I asked Ruth how she stays so vital and energetic at 102-years-old and she replied, " By playing Bananagrams and hollering at football games on the television like mad. The truth is, Ruth has been physically active her whole life and now at 102 she stretches, lifts weights everyday, and goes to pilates once a week. Her real secret to aging gracefully is, " Celebrate everyday and don't look at the calendar."

Linda Rodin At The Manhattan Vintage Sale

I ran into Linda Rodin at the Manhattan Vintage Sale. I can't wait to photograph her in her new treasures.

Raga Woods

I met Raga Woods on my trip to the UK last week. We only had a few moments to talk, but I was deeply moved by her mission to restore elders to an elevated position in society.

Bridget Sojouner

I met Bridget Sojourner  through my dear friend Fanny Karst in London a few years ago.  Fanny has a line of clothing for older woman called, The Old Ladies Rebellion, and Bridget was one of her wonderful models. People approach Bridget everyday because of her bold and colorful outfits (mostly purchased in charity shops) opening the door to meaningful and interactions and conversations about aging and style. Bridget, a gardener and activist says," When people started stopping me about my clothes I thought, I've been through feminism, racism, all the prejudices. I'm an activist and Ageism is the last bastion." What a testament to the power of style!

"Don't Wear Beige — it Might Kill You"

A trip  to England isn't complete without getting together with my dear friend Sue Kreitzman. We met for lunch at Fenwick where Sue came  dressed in one of her incredible Lauren Shanley coats. My favorite piece of style advice from Sue is, "Don't wear beige— it might kill you."

Mary Moriarty

Ever since I was a child, my mom and grandma would take me to thrift shops and flea markets. I used to love to meet all the vendors and see all of the treasures they had collected over the years. People who frequent antique markets share a certain bond--a love for ephemera, and a need to be surrounded by beautiful objects from the past. I used to be more of a collector, but the limitations of a small New York apartment only allow for so many beloved artifacts. Now, I prefer photographing people and collecting their stories.

This weekend I met the most wonderful woman at the Out of The Blue Flea Market in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mary Moriarty runs a great booth out of the market, open the last Saturday of every month. I noticed her as soon as I walked through the hall and asked if I could take her photograph. Mary told me, "I love to dress flamboyantly and I am 75-years old." Meeting Mary was the highlight of my trip to the Scotland!

At The Manhattan Vintage Sale

I first noticed this gorgeous woman sitting at Le Pain Quotidien a few weeks ago. To my surprise I ran into her again on her way into the Manhattan Vintage Show. When I stopped to ask for her photograph she proudly announced, "I am 81-years-old and still go to work everyday." That reminded me of a quote from my 96-year-old friend Lucy Jarvis, "Don't retire, just retread your tires."