Ilona in Leopard

"If you try to imitate too much, then you look like nothing. Never compare yourself, you are."              - 94-year-old Ilona Royce Smithkin

After Pilates

I spotted these two women chatting near Madison Avenue and loved their coordinated sporty looks. When I asked if I could take their photograph, they replied, "Sure, we just left Pilates class. Guess how old we are. We are both in our 80s." I better get myself to Pilates fast!!!

Bristol Farms, Rancho Mirage

I was having breakfast in Rancho Mirage the day before my screening when I noticed this wonderful woman sitting across from me. I generally don't like to bother people in public spaces, but I just had to get up and ask her for a photograph. After we were finished, I apologized about taking her away from her breakfast and she replied, "There is always another meal, but there's not always an opportunity like this."

Statement Necklace, Roma

Carol Channing

I had the immense honor of meeting the legendary Carol Channing in Palm Springs over the weekend. She was as bright and witty as ever, commenting on my sequin jacket, " You should never take that off. In fact you should wear it to church on Sunday." Miss Channing was invited to the premiere of Advanced Style in Palm Springs, by our mutual friend Colleen. When asked what she thought about aging she replied, " You're either you or you're not and I think you're the same at any age."

Palm Springs

Advanced Style in Palm Springs

I'm in the desert for the Palm Springs premiere of Advanced Style screening this Friday. Yesterday, I caught up with my dear friend Colleen outside her wonderful consignment shop, Re-Deux in Rancho Mirage. Colleen is bringing a bunch of people to the premiere, including a very special guest, her dear friend, Carol Channing!!! Colleen, Carol, and I will all be attending the 7:15pm show on Friday at Camelot Theaters. For advance tickets CLICK HERE.

The Advanced Style DVD is out Today

I'm excited to announce that after a successful two month run in theaters, Advanced Style The Movie, is available on DVD starting today!!! The DVD is packed with tons of extra footage including conversations with the ladies about the aging process, sex and aging and some fun scenes that will make us all want to dress up and approach each day a little more vibrantly. For anyone in the Palm Springs area, I will be doing one last Q&A at the Palm Springs Camelot Theater on Friday at 7:20pm. 

The Advanced Style DVD is available at our official page or on Amazon and can be found in the links below:

Store link: http://advancedstyle.bigcartel.com/

Amazon link: http://bit.ly/ASAmazon

Beatrix Ost at Home

Red Accents

Advancing Style: Alice Carey

I’m about eleven and wearing a Lord & Taylor navy cotton dress with white linen handkerchief pockets decorated in numbers one to six in red.
Daring for its day when one went to Catholic school.

I’m about seventeen, on my way to Ireland.  I’m wearing a Mark Cross blazer and carrying a COACH bag.  Note the white gloves.  I thought I looked swell.

I’m about twenty in the highlands of Scotland wearing a kilt and the same navy blazer from Mark Cross.

I’m in my thirties and in an Off-Broadway play.  The dress is a John Kloss from Bendel’s.  The shoes are Charles Jordan.  I still have them.

I am in my thirties.  This is taken at dawn (for the Eastern light) in Cherry Grove.  I’m wearing a 1920’s silk chiffon Tea Dress covered in lilac pansies  that I found thrown out in the Village.

Photo by Ari Seth Cohen 2013

The marvelous, Alice Carey is featured in our second "Advancing Style" series. If you are a regular reader of the blog, than you will surely recognize Alice's signature mix of menswear pieces with great vintage accessories. Read more about Alice's style development below and in the captions above. 

Check out her wonderful novel HERE.

My Mother was a maid for Broadway producer, Jean Dalrymple, who wore wonderful clothes. From an early age I knew SAK’S was good and Bergdorf’s was better.  I was exposed to wonderful dresses all the time.  And because Miss D. was small like me, I got the discarded cashmere because it was stained or ripped.  For fun, I’d roam 5th Avenue’s wonderful stores, hoping one day I too could dress like the women I saw.  And I do.  The only difference is, I buy my Bergdorf’s at thrift shops.  

I was educated in Catholic schools where we wore uniforms, a mode of dressing I still find useful. Depending on the weather my daily dress is that of a man because it’s stylish, warm and comfortable.  I combine tweed jackets with cashmere sweaters and paisley scarves, Marks & Spencer skinny black pants and Doc Martins.   If it’s rainy I rely on my worn Barbour and the same Doc Martins.  In summer I wear Vintage cotton dresses and ditch the Doc’s for sandals.  I do not wear hats.  I wear earrings and always without fail – red lipstick.  In a word, I’d say I dress Spiffy!

As a writer I work at home.  Yet I dress up every morning, lipstick and all, because it pleases me.  If you saw me eating breakfast and reading the paper in one of my Village hangouts, you’d never suspect I go home to sit at the kitchen table.  I am a contributor to Huffington Post and ‘be the good Lord willing’ my memoir, I’ll Know It When I See It, will be updated and published in Ireland next year under a new title.  

Advanced Style The Movie is Coming to LA

It's been a incredible few weeks traveling with The Advanced Style Movie. Lina and I are so grateful to everyone who has come out to one of our screenings and supported the film. We are about to premiere the film in Los Angeles this Friday and then I'll be heading to Palm Springs for another Q&A next weekend. Come say hi at one of our Q&A's this weekend. I promise to wear something sparkly!

For tickets to LA screenings CLICK HERE

To watch the film on iTunes CLICK HERE

Cape Town

Joy Venturini Bianchi, San Francisco

I spent the weekend in San Francisco celebrating my dad's 65th birthday and the Bay Area release of Advanced Style. My dear friend Joy Venturini Bianchi did an incredible job moderating a post-screening Q&A. She raised some very important points about elder care and highlighted the fact that we must rethink our treatment and attitudes towards senior communities.

Lina and I are off to Los Angeles for Friday's premiere of Advanced Style. We will be doing a series of Q&A's throughout the weekend. Advanced tickets are available HERE!

More is Better in Dallas

I love  how these two ladies accessorized their outfits for the Advanced Style screening in Dallas. I'm proud to announce that our film is now playing in over 32 theaters throughout the US.

For screening times in the US check out: Advancedstylethemovie.com
For international screenings:                    Advancedstylefilm.com
If it's not in a theater near you, the movie is now available on iTunes HERE.

Jan Strimple

I had the honor of photographing model and events producer Jan Strimple in Dallas over the weekend. Sixty has never looked so good.

Advanced Style x & Other Stories

Photos by Ari Seth Cohen for & Other Stories

When I first got the call that & Other Stories wanted me to shoot a story for the launch of their first US store and e-Commerce site I was thrilled. I have been a fan of the brand for a long time and was excited that they were finally heading to NYC. We knew that Iris Apfel would be the perfect match for a personal styling story featuring some of the brand's latest clothing and accessories. Head to www.stories.com to check out the rest of the shoot and collection and make sure to visit their new store at 575 Broadway, opening on October 17th.

Derrill Osborn, Dallas

I finally  met my style icon, Derrill Osborn, at a one night showing of Advanced Style, in Dallas over the weekend. Derrill has had an illustrious career in the fashion industry working as fashion director of men's tailored clothing for Neiman Marcus. It was truly an honor to meet this incredible gentleman. I can only hope to be half as debonair as him one day.

San Diego Style

Sue In The City

 

Sue Kreitzman was one of the first people I ever photographed when I was working at The New Museum several years ago. It's always such a joy seeing her and catching up. Check out more of Sue's wonderfully vibrant world HERE.

Bold Steps