I met Raga Woods on my trip to the UK last week. We only had a few moments to talk, but I was deeply moved by her mission to restore elders to an elevated position in society.
Raga Woods
Bridget Sojouner
I met Bridget Sojourner through my dear friend Fanny Karst in London a few years ago. Fanny has a line of clothing for older woman called, The Old Ladies Rebellion, and Bridget was one of her wonderful models. People approach Bridget everyday because of her bold and colorful
outfits (mostly purchased in charity shops) opening the door to
meaningful and interactions and conversations about aging and style. Bridget, a gardener and activist says,” When people started stopping me about my clothes I thought,
I’ve been through feminism, racism, all the prejudices. I’m an activist
and Ageism is the last bastion.” What a testament to the power of style!
outfits (mostly purchased in charity shops) opening the door to
meaningful and interactions and conversations about aging and style. Bridget, a gardener and activist says,” When people started stopping me about my clothes I thought,
I’ve been through feminism, racism, all the prejudices. I’m an activist
and Ageism is the last bastion.” What a testament to the power of style!
“Don’t Wear Beige — it Might Kill You”
A trip to England isn’t complete without getting together with my dear friend Sue Kreitzman. We met for lunch at Fenwick where Sue came dressed in one of her incredible Lauren Shanley coats. My favorite piece of style advice from Sue is, “Don’t wear beige— it might kill you.”
Mary Moriarty
Ever since I was a child, my mom and grandma would take me to thrift shops and flea markets. I used to love to meet all the vendors and see all of the treasures they had collected over the years. People who frequent antique markets share a certain bond–a love for ephemera, and a need to be surrounded by beautiful objects from the past. I used to be more of a collector, but the limitations of a small New York apartment only allow for so many beloved artifacts. Now, I prefer photographing people and collecting their stories.
This weekend I met the most wonderful woman at the Out of The Blue Flea Market in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mary Moriarty runs a great booth out of the market, open the last Saturday of every month. I noticed her as soon as I walked through the hall and asked if I could take her photograph. Mary told me, “I love to dress flamboyantly and I am 75-years old.” Meeting Mary was the highlight of my trip to the Scotland!
At The Manhattan Vintage Sale
I first noticed this gorgeous woman sitting at Le Pain Quotidien a few weeks ago. To my surprise I ran into her again on her way into the Manhattan Vintage Show. When I stopped to ask for her photograph she proudly announced, “I am 81-years-old and still go to work everyday.” That reminded me of a quote from my 96-year-old friend Lucy Jarvis, “Don’t retire, just retread your tires.”