This morning Joyce and I had the pleasure of attending the Today Show with Bobbie Thomas. Bobbie had mentioned that she was looking for an older model for a segment on polka dots and I new Joyce would be just perfect. I am so excited for all of the much deserved attention the Advanced Style ladies are receiving as of late. I hope you enjoy this wonderful clip of Joyce’s television debut below!
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Lady Francesca Todd was born in a little row boat in Mississippi, during a great flood, New Years Eve, 85 years ago. Her parents were visiting from New York, when her mother went into labor. This was the beginning of many adventures for Francesca Todd.

At the age of 15, Francesca became interested in fashion. She enrolled in Traphagen School of Design, where she studied fashion design. After graduating she traveled through Europe perfecting her craft by working with some of the world’s best designers. She learned draping from Elsa Schiaparelli and sharpened her tailoring skills in Italy.

When Francesca Todd returned to New York, one of her many suitors asked if she would move to Kenya and marry him. She spent 16 years in Africa, traveling for four months of the year to different countries. One day in 1965, Francesca was walking by a river with a group of people. They saw a lion nearby, acting very strangely. Without a seconds notice the lion attacked Francesca’s face and killed a young boy–flying doctor’s rushed in to save her. Lady Francesca Todd barley escaped death and the lion was shot for fear that it would attack more people. She has had many adventures that have shaped her philosophy and influenced her style.

When I asked about her style influences,Lady Francesca Todd replied that one thing her mother told her years ago,is the most important. Her mother said, ” Get dressed in the morning and see what you can take off.” If she is wearing a dramatic necklace, she would never wear an arm full of bracelets.Francesca describes her style as Dramatic Simplicity and says(like many other Advanced Style subjects) that she dresses for herself, not other people.She also told me that it is important for older people to dress up because it raises their moral and makes others around them smile. With a lifetime of excitement behind her, Lady Francesca is still ready for her next adventure. She travels frequently and is a member of many groups, including the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asian Women’s Association, which she is planning a fashion show for next month.

There are two main schools of thought when it comes to dressing like an Advanced Style lady. Some women prefer the “more is never enough” approach. They pile on accessories, mix and match patterns and feel that an outfit is an ever-evolving work of art.The other camp prefers a more simple and classic manner of dress. These are the ladies who still heed their mother’s advice to, “Look in the mirror and remove any accessories that detracts from the face.” Whether you belong to the collectors or the classicists, remember that true style comes from within. Any Advanced Style lady know that’s it’s not how you dress,but how you act when dressed that matters.

It can be argued that a number of things make an outfit including the perfect shoes,accessories,or even a great smile. One item that the Advanced Style ladies never leave
home without is a beautiful bag. Whether vintage and well worn or new and shiny, here are my picks for Advanced Style’s best bags. Which are your favorites?