Ilona Royce Smithkin’s Advice for a Rainy Day

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When I need a little bit of cheering up I call up my great friend Ilona Royce Smithkin. She always has the best advice and helps me to put things into perspective. The other day we were having lunch and I was showing her  all the comments on a post I had done about her. She loves the fact that she can share her lifetime of experience with others. Ilona is an artist, a teacher, and a style icon. She wanted to share a few words with anyone who is having a hard day, so we made the short video above. If you want to tell Ilona anything feel free to comment here or on my facebook site HERE .

Advanced Style Loves OMHU

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I love any company that considers smart design when making products for older people. I remember going out to help my grandmother buy a cane and all we could find were those grey and silver, very clinical looking, walking sticks. My grandma Bluma loved color. She felt that as long as she needed a cane, that she should find something beautiful that would lift her spirits. My mother and I always considered this when we would go out shopping for her.

The ladies and gentleman of Advanced Style have offered proof that style advances with time. Wouldn’t they want their canes, walkers, and other aids for daily life, to be just as stylish as their carefully coordinated accessories? This is why I was thrilled when I first heard about Omhu, a wonderful company offering groundbreaking designs to support people’s abilities as they change throughout life.I had the great opportunity to shoot Lynn Dell, “The Countess of Glamour” modelling one of their stylish canes in the ad above. At 78 Lynn Dell knows what works best for her.When it comes to style she says,”I like strong colors and I like strong people. All colors work if the intensity is strong enough.” The bold color and sleek design of the Omhu cane suit Lynn Dell’s style philosophy perfectly.

If you would like to order one of the Omhu canes,available in six different colors, they are offering free shipping for the month of December. Check out some more great holiday gifts at http://omhu.com/ and enjoy more of Lynn Dell’s style below .

Do We Lose The Longing For Self-Expression As We Age?

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It is the opinion of some that as we age, we should become more conservative and not express ourselves in the same ways. I once had a woman email me to say that her grandchildren didn’t want her to dress colorfully any more.They thought that she was too old to wear clothing that would make her stand out in anyway.The problem with this is that the longing for personal expression, and the need to be creative don’t end at a certain age. 91 year old Ilona Royce Smithkin will tell you that she still feels young inside. It is only when she feels a slight pain, that she is reminded of her age.

The streets of New York are a wonderful place to look for inspiration. I love to walk around and scan crowds of people passing by, looking for something that catches my eye.  Whether its a woman with neon dyed hair, or another with a great pair of purple glasses or still another with arms full of handmade accessories.There is something glorious to see on every corner.

What I love about the ladies I photograph is that age has allowed them a renewed sense of freedom.Their rule, is that there are no rules.They dress for themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin.That’s not to say that they would all dye their hair pink or don eccentric accessories. They do what is right for them and wear what makes them feel good.As 80 year old Joyce says,” To age is a privilege”. I hope that the images I present are a reminder that we should never stop living life to the fullest and never stop having fun.

A Perfect Winter Coat

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I saw this woman walking down Madison, and I’m so glad that I stopped her for a photo. Not only does she look stunning in her amazing winter coat, but she had such a wonderful spirit. She told me that she is in band that performs all that great old classics. I can’t wait for her to send me their information and I’ll share it with all of you as well!

An Advanced Style Short

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[A Short by Lina Plioplyte and Ari Seth Cohen]

I started Advanced Style a little more than three years ago. When I first moved to New York I was living in Williamsburg, working at The New Museum book store, and shooting stylish ladies and gentleman on my days off. Almost everyday I would get sandwiches and tea from a local cafe, down the street. I met an awesome young woman by the name of Lina Plioplyte. She was working at the cafe and interning for Nylon Magazine, doing film and editing. One day I came in to get a sandwich and told Lina, ” I just moved here will you be my friend.” She laughed, but I knew that we would become great friends one day.

Lina got a job with Nylon and I saw her once in a while at art shows. One day she sent me a message over Facebook saying, ” I want to make a film about your stylish older ladies.” I was excited to meet with her and hear all of her ideas.Two and a half years later, we have been filming the Advanced Style ladies in all their sartorial splendor. We have compiled wonderful and inspiring footage, that will not only change people’s perception of aging, but will also make us all look forward to the freedom that comes with getting older.

Last March we posted a short trailer of our work on NOWNESS. Here is an extended version of our edit, which debuted in October, at Diane Pernet’s, A Shaded View On Fashion Film Festival in Paris.Lina and I hope to complete our film by next year, but for now I hope you enjoy the new edit above.For more great work by filmmaker Lina Plioplyte CLICK HERE.