[Photos & Text: Ari Seth Cohen]

Every time I get my haircut on Astor Place I see this lady walking by. She always wears the most charming outfits and accessories and I love her blue tinted frames.

Both husband and wife have impeccable taste when it comes to eyewear. Lots of you ask us how to choose frames that are vintage but not too costume-y… well, here’s a perfect example. We also love George’s aviators, we’re guessing they are old frames but updated with his current prescription. We think more men should try this!

One of the top items on Ari’s “Kvetch List” yesterday was what sort of shoes he should wear for the summer and what shoes to pack for the humidity in Europe (for the Advanced Style Tour!)…
I say George has the right idea with his matte ivory-polished wing-tipped oxfords. His wife told us he asked if he could wear them to dinner this night, and we’re glad they decided it was a good idea! She says “They’re over 50 years old!”… to which he mutters “You know I don’t like when you say that…”
“Oh well”, she says,” they’re vintage, and so are we!”

Now that’s how to keep it cool.

One of the reasons I started Advanced Style is because I felt that there was a lack of positive and inspiring images of older people in media and advertising. In the last two years I have seen a growing awareness and coverage of seniors in campaigns, on the runway, and on TV. The folks that I meet while walking around New York inspire me to live life to the fullest and carry myself with dignity and pride. What I find so amazing about the Advanced Style set is that they are so comfortable in their own skin and so willing to share their stories and tips with others. By showing these images we can shift our perspective and realize that age does not have to limit our sense of creativity and vitality. The people above all lean on their canes and stand proudly with confidence allowing their strength and style to shine through. Where as canes have oftentimes been regarded as unfashionable and made to fade into the background(with their metal and grey tones) the men and women above use theirs to enhance their sense of independence and look all the more stylish and graceful it.

I met artist Sue Kreitzman outside the New Museum over a year ago and was struck by her original style and colorful palette. She splits her time traveling between New York and London and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit her studio and home and see her vast collection of jewelry and clothes and artwork.

Sue started off as a cook but unexpectedly became an artist. She makes colorful and delightful objects and paintings out of a combination of acrylics and nail polish, embellished with buttons, broken jewellery and found objects. She is a walking piece of art herself taking great care in putting together outfits that mix and match pieces that she has specially created for herself. When I asked Sue to describe her style she said,

“Art and colour are my life. My apartment is painted in vivid (you might say vulgar) colours, and festooned with fascinating objects. Well, so am I. My good friend, London fabric artist Lauren Shanley, makes my clothes. I am something of an obsessive collector, and – among other things – gather ethnic and vintage fabrics from all over the world. Lauren collages these fragments into miraculous garments. Often, they tell a story,. Anothai Hansen, in Brooklyn, and Amanda Caines, in London, make my jewellery; again, they are made from found objects I have gathered, and again, each piece usually tells a story. “
Check more of Sue’s artwork on her website: