Summer Colors

I took these photos for my installation at Selfridges in July. Each of these subjects perfectly captured summer in fresh splashes of color. Check out www.gillianhorsup.com to find spectacular bracelets, rings, and earrings like the ones Gillian is wearing above!

Hats to the Stars

[Photos: Ari Seth Cohen, Text: Maayan Zilberman]

We met this gorgeous woman in the East Village as she was walking across the street with her family. Ms. Miyano Hiraki, 80, was surprised we stopped her but was excited to share stories about her hat and accessories, especially since we have lots in common having both moved to NYC to be artists. When Ari and I complimented her glamorous hat (and of course her guts to wear it amongst more casually dressed friends), she lit up and told us it was an original design from when she designed hats for designers such as Pierre Cardin, Valentino, and Oscar de la Renta.
Ms. Hiraki moved to New York from Tokyo 40 years ago to work as a milliner, and she says "I love wearing hats because they can tell so much about you."
She took the hat off and generously tried to give it to me, but I couldn't bare to let her part with such a work of art. We'll have to make a date to see her studio and archives... right?

Gray Is The New Blonde

I met Lubi while working at The New Museum and have had the wonderful opportunity to photograph her, in our shared hometown of San Diego, several times now. This is the second series from our shoot in Balboa Park. Lubi's unique sense of personal style is artful and elegant. To learn more about this wonderful woman CLICK HERE.

Dapper at Spitalfields Market

I ran into this guy twice on my trip to London. He was walking around Spitalfields Market and I stopped him to tell him how wonderful he was dressed. A veteran of two world wars, this classy fellow dresses up everyday and he loves when people stop to take his photo.

Advanced Style Hits The West Coast

I have been keeping my eye out for Advanced Style, while attending some weddings on the west coast where I came across the two wonderful folks above. I look forward to returning to New York in September, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the posts to come!

New York Times' Take On Advanced Style

My good friend Tziporah Salamon just sent me this great photo taken from The New York Times' T Magazine. Some of Advanced Style's favorite ladies including Tziporah and Iris Apfel were recently featured in an article entitled "Garb Fest" by Lynn Yaeger. Yaeger gathered these fine and fancy ladies for a tea party, where the women discussed their unique takes on personal and the responsibility of keeping up appearances. Check out the article HERE .

Baron Clifford Von Klenk

Baron Clifford Von Klenk is one of the most smartly dressed gentleman I came across while in taking photos abroad. I took his photo for Time Out London and wanted to share it with you all. He buys most of his clothes at Huntsman London and when I asked him about his style he replied, " I dress as I think I should."

Summer With Debra

It was great getting together with Debra after being in Europe last month. She has been having a wonderful Summer swimming and enjoying weekend trips to New Jersey and Vermont. Debra always looks fantastic in her wardrobe made up of items that have either been "thrifted" or "gifted". She also makes her own accessories including the hat seen above and her wonderful necklace, made out of recycled materials. Watch the clips below for some style inspiration!

Pretty in Pink

[Photos: Ari Seth Cohen, Text: Maayan Zilberman]

Now that Ari lives in the East Village, we tend to have lots of our meetings on St Marks Place, where there are several of our favorite snack spots (Chipotle, Pinkberry, etc...)

Because the neighborhood is generally populated by younger people, we aren't on high alert for Advanced Style as we would be on, say, 5th Avenue or at Grand Central Station.

On this day, however, we came across this beautiful woman named Juliette Szylar- She is from Warsaw and has lived in the East Village for many years. She now works for the Polish Theatre Institute in Manhattan.

Her many shades of powder pink caught our attention... we love her summer dress, sunglasses, and very subtle hair tint.

When we complimented her on her style, she waved her hand and said "This is nothing!"

She fits right in with all the cool East Village kids... we'd love to see one of her other looks...

wouldn't you?

On Kings Road

When I was in London I met this wonderful gentleman on Kings Road in Chelsea. He was dressed perfectly for Summer in his khaki pants and straw hat, but it was his antique cane and green vest that made him really stand out and look elegant!

Advanced Style Featured In Time Out London

The photos I took for Time Out London are featured in the current issue . Check it out to see some of London's finest examples of Advanced Style, including the fabulous Gitte Lee and Sue Kretizman!

Sally Thornton: "Keep Moving"

[Photos and Text by Ari Seth Cohen and Jack Cohen]

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down at the The Thornton Winery and talk with Sally Thornton one of San Diego's most stylish ladies. I asked Sally about her style and how she goes about putting an outfit together. She told me that she re-spins things in her closet. She said, " I invent things. Style opens the door for your creativity. It's an opportunity. You do it everyday, just like painting a picture, its just fun for me."

In college, Sally really began to develop her own sense of style. Her roommate was a designer and she would sit on the floor all day coming up with designs and patterns to make clothes. Sally would watch her in awe as she worked on her fantastic creations. When they would walk down the street together, Sally's roommate would tell her that she couldn't walk next to her unless she approved of her outfit. Thornton embraced this critique and learned from it. She was astounded and excited by her brilliant talent.

Sally's own brilliant talent extends beyond personal style. She is an award winning author, equestrian and philanthropist. Her father taught her that whatever she did she must learn how to do everything from beginning to end so that she would be ready for anything. Sally told me that if you know the ins and outs and learn how to do everything involved with a task you will be ready for any situation." You learn how to think in a different dimension so that you don't fall apart if something doesn't go your way. You think creatively when something happens and remember nothing is beneath you."

Her motto in life is to Keep Moving no matter what. "You have to ride through adversity no matter what happens and keep on moving." Her tips on how to stay active, " I haven't grown up yet. I diet, take vitamins and exercise daily."

When it comes to being stylish Sally recommends, " Keep your eyes open all the time and expose yourself to as many things as possible. Your eyes are like a camera. Your brain automatically adapts and you adopt . You have to feel it and you have to want to be stylish."Like minded friends like Jewelry designer Reena Horowitz and Style Expert Leonard Simpson help to keep Sally inspired.

It was pleasure to interview Sally Thornton and learn how to drink from the cup of life.

Lubi Lubi Lubi

[Photo & Text: Ari Seth Cohen]

I'm in San Diego for my cousin's Wedding so I thought I would call up one of my favorite Advanced Style ladies. I met Lubi at the New Museum a while back and have been inspired by her take on life and style ever since. Lubi works in science, but she has a great love for art and fashion. When we were talking she told me that she, "Dreams of Concrete" and can't wait to move to New York where she can explore more of her creative passions. Lubi's personal style is a mix of simple elegance with a touch of the avant garde

Lubi takes clean designs and accessorizes them to make them her own. Check out how she uses a basic white James Perse skirt and top to make three different unique and fashionable outfits. James Perse is one of her favorite brands because she can pair their comfortable basics with her personal touches to make wearable and artful combinations.

A few months ago I had Lubi write about letting her hair go silver and I thought I'd share it once again! I have many more photos of Lubi to post, but in the mean time enjoy her story below:

"Fashion often revolves around feeling “IN”, being safe and going along with the crowd. Well, not for me!. I was never fearful of being extraordinarily different. I was, as well, never ignored for my fashion style. For some reason, I was (I am) more considered different and somewhat mysterious than ignored. I might have been lost in my own fashion world. However, I was never unaware of what was being “IN” in the fashion industry. Looking through fashion magazines I always see something that might be barely visible to others. This is how I am able to create my own style in fashion. I was never behind on fashion, yet never quite “IN” fashion. Having said that, let’s talk about “ THE silver hair.”

At first, my hair started to develop pale, very blond streaks. These out of the blue pale stripes reminded me of platinum elegance! Nice! Very nice!!! But if you gazed at it thoroughly enough, my hair was getting gray. GRAY!!!!????. Well, some might recognize it as gray hair, age, genetics, stress, etc. I see it differently. I see it simply- SILVER. I see it as PLATINUM ELEGANCE!!!! To others it might represent a sign of age. To me it portrays a photograph of a lady brushed in silver glitter, kissed by California sun, ocean breeze and sea mist. To me, my silver hair is a MYSTERY of all mysteries.
Martin Luther said: “The hair is the richest ornament of a woman”. My portrait is painted silver. For now, I like it. Someday, I might paint it differently. "
Lubi