Yesterday I went to visit one of my favorite ladies on the Upper West Side. I was thrilled to see Lynn Dell as she has been traveling and taking some time off after breaking her knee. Lynn looked as glamorous as ever in her all black ensemble, accented beautifully with gold jewelry. Since breaking her knee she hasn’t had as much time or energy to fix her hair back like she prefers. Lynn told me that people have been commenting that she looks so much younger with her hair down, but she says, “I don’t want to look younger. I just want to look as wonderful as I can.” This seems to be a common sentiment amongst the Advanced Style Ladies and a very important statement considering our culture’s obsession with youth and trying to stay young. Check out the video above to hear what Lynn has to say about trying to look younger.

It’s been a busy few weeks for my friend 91 year old Ilona Royce Smithkin. From fashion week events to meetings with international press, Ilona is becoming quite a star. Here are some photos from some of her recent adventures.

I came across this gorgeous woman walking down Fifth Avenue. She looked effortlessly chic in her trench coat and beautiful shades.What do you think of the pop of print in her bag?

It is always refreshing to see someone in anything other than the all black ensembles preferred by many New Yorkers. This woman looked stunning near Central Park in her beautiful red blazer and coordinated scarf.

Presentation is everything to the Advanced Style ladies. Mary looks great even on the way home from grocery shopping near union square. 100 year old Ruth dresses everyday, even to  check the mail. She says, “You never know who you will run into along the way.” I can’t stress enough that style is not about how much money you have, but how you put yourself together. These women may look like they spend a lot of money on clothes, but most of them recycle what is in their wardrobes or shop at vintage and thrift stores. The key to their style is presentation.