Winter Coat Options

Lind Rodin For Grey Magazine

Photos by Ari Seth Cohen for Grey Magazine, Styling Valentina Ilardi Martin

I had the pleasure of shooting Linda Rodin and her poodle Winky for Grey Magazine's first quarterly issue! Check out an in depth interview with Linda HERE and to purchase a copy of the first quarterly issue CLICK HERE.

West Coast Layers

Cape Coat and Pearls

Joyce Carpati is one of the most elegant and confident women I know. She has recently started taking signing lessons again at 82-years-old, after performing opera in her teens. I can't wait to hear her perform!

Advancing Style: Carol Markel and Richard Cramer

Carol and Richard sometime in the 70s posing as The Avengers, Emma Peel and John Steed. The bowler hats belonged to my(Carol's) father.

Carol in her visor hat at Chestnut Street Studio. The little orange top was from a favorite Philly store, Asta de Blue.

Richard on the roof of our building on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The white building in the background was the Strawbridge and Clothier Department Store. Richard is wearing army/navy fatigues and a denim work shirt.

In our loft on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia in the 80s. I am wearing an Armani jacket from the Tribout Shop at John Wanamaker's with a vintage tie. The jacket was part of a beautiful suit that I bought for my job at The Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Carol and Richard sometime in the 70s in Philadelphia. Richard is wearing a pea coat I bought at the Pennsylvania Hospital Thrift Shop for 50 cents. We used to haunt the alleys of Philly and I found the swan pin in a notions store that was being torn down.

Carol and Richard just a few years ago by Ari Seth Cohen

I first met and photographed Carol and Richard when I  was working at The New Museum back in 2009. I have loved following this style duo's inspiring adventures ever since on Carol's wonderful blog http://femmeetfleur.blogspot.com  Carol and Richard, both artists, describe their style as extravagantly exuberant. Check out Carol's style story below and make sure to check out her blog for more colorful adventures.

  

In the 60's I looked at Dianna Vreeland's brilliant photo shoots for Vogue. The over-the-top exotica of patterned fabrics,

models in rich caftans posing in tiled temples in Morocco, with impossible hairdos piled high, simply enthralled me. Once I found some patterned ribbons in an abandoned notions store in Philadelphia and made a long dress from them. I am loathe to admit that I did not keep it. I have the clutter-free gene in my DNA.

Back in the day, I earned my keep as a career woman, and had to learn to dress like one. However, I made my own style. I loved Cacharel, and bought great clothes with French flourishes and details. If I was going to be tromping the halls of commerce, I would dressed like a French ingenue, by Jove!

Now, as always, I am inspired by art and color. The cut-outs of Matisse suck the breath right out of me. And I love fabulous clothes by the great designers like Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli and Jeanne Lanvin. 

As I have gotten older (and retired from my job) I have the freedom to do and dress as I like. When I dress for an event, I put together an outfit as one would create a salade composée. I pick color and form for a memorable effect. You should feel passion when you dress, as if you were posing for Matisse on the French Riviera. This kind of dressing pumps up the joie de vie!

Since I am part of a fashion team with my husband, Richard Cramer, it is only fitting that I tell you that his first job was as a window dresser at a beautiful department store in Milwaukee called T.A. Chapman's. He loves color too, and buys his fantastic shirts at Coton Doux in Paris. He is celebrated in our co-op for his shirts which he even wears to the gym! We are often greeted by our neighbors with: "You two always look spectacular!"

Magda's Autumn Colors

Magda splits her time between New York and Spain, so it's always a pleasure to get to see her when she is in town.

Statement Earrings

I love how Colleen always pairs simple, elegant dresses with dramatic statement earrings. Check out some of her other looks HERE.

Debra Rapoport

I always love getting together with my dear friend Debra Rapoport. She is one of the very first ladies that I ever photographed and she continues to inspire me to lead a creative life everyday.

Why Wear One Hat When You Can Wear Two?!!!

Magda looks always looks absolutely elegant in one of her many vintage dresses. My favorite part of this look is the way that she has layered a sequin headband over a leopard print hat to make a wonderful new accessory.

Pat in Leopard

Is Leopard Print The New Black?

Come Autumn and there is always a lot of leopard print on the streets of New York. Lynn Dell Cohen, The Countess of Glamour, wears animal print, hear and there, all year long. She commented on the classic print,"Leopard isn't the new black, it's not the new anything. Leopard is Leopard and it will always be in style no matter what." Well there we have it!!!

Leopard Accents

In Honor of Bluma

I rarely share anything this personal, but going through photos and thinking about how and why I started to photograph stylish and creative older women, I have to honor my incredible grandmother Bluma. Bluma was my best friend and most wonderful teacher. I know that this project is a gift from her.

Here I am  a few years before my grandmother passed away, speaking about the influence she had on me on her 93rd birthday(two years before I moved to New York). My dad sent me this video when I first started the blog, but I have been too afraid to look at it until today. Grandma Bluma I love you forever. Thank you for this incredible gift.

Autumn in New York

Autumn is always one of my favorite times to photo hunt in New York City There are so many great coats, colors, layers and textures to spot on the street. I always have a hard time transitioning into cooler weather and sometimes find it hard to find a fashionable alternative to a bulky puffy coat, but the woman I photograph consistently prove that a great Fall/Winter can definitely make a stylish statement.

Print on Print in Sydney

When I stopped this woman to ask if I could take her photograph she replied, "I'm 87 and I try to look my best everyday."

Colleen in Black