“The key to looking stylish is confidence and older people have had time to develop not only a personal sense of style, but a comfort in who they are.” That’s the firm belief of author and blogger Ari Seth Cohen. He started his street style blog Advanced Style to pay tribute to a large, often overlooked, age group: stylish ladies and gentleman over 60. “To show that beauty, style, and creativity don’t disappear at a certain age”. His views are very much in line with Angie’s philosophy that style is universal. It’s not a dress size, a height measurement, or a certain age. 

This is something I personally feel very strongly about too. In today’s youth-driven world the older generation sometimes runs the risk of being ignored, becoming invisible even. So it’s always a delight to read a different perspective, and to see strong, independent, well-dressed women of all ages featured in the media and on the internet.

Mr. Cohen mixes interviews and videos full of snippets of wisdom with outfit photography. From designer ensembles to thrift store finds, from simple elegance to movie star glamour, from eccentric over punk to avant-garde… his real-life models celebrate individual style with confidence and joie de vivre. 

Now, his first book, also named Advanced Style, combines the best of the blog “with all-new material featuring wardrobes, interviews, stories, and advice from a cadre of his most chic subjects”.

Are you, like the Advanced Style ladies, looking forward to many more years of having fun with fashion? How do you see your own style evolving? Do you feel you are growing more confident and daring in your style choices as you get older?

This was the third and final event we attended during our recent trip to Chicago. After attending the absolutely divine morning wedding and luncheon, we had some time to take a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s house and studio before going back to the hotel to change for the evening banquet. 

Greg and I were focused on the ceremony earlier in the day as the main event, and we underestimated how dressy the banquet was going to be. What we thought was going to be a fancy, yet relaxed dinner, was actually a full blown, lavish banquet in a large ballroom. There were hundreds of people in attendance, all dressed to the nines in the most spectacular Indian attire. I was mesmerized by the utterly gorgeous outfits! And we both felt quite underdressed. 

I wore a sparkly grey midi dress, which is the same frock that I wore for the holidays last year. But a long formal gown would not have been out of place. I matched it up with a silky patterned blazer in a similar neutral colour palette. I changed up the vibe by sporting the blazer both buttoned and unbuttoned.

I wore the same red patent heels and carried the same clutch as I did for the second event. I also kept the specs, watch, wedding ring and hose just the same. I brightened up the lipstick and that was that. 

Every item in this outfit was shiny, from the frock and blazer, to the bag and shoes. And while I was not dressed to the nines, I was sparkly. I also felt extremely pattern-mixed against the carpet of the banqueting hall!

We flew back home to our Yorkie Rosie the next morning. As much as I love dressing up, I was also relieved to be back in socks and casual boots for the plane trip after sporting high heels for three events in a row. We had a fantastic time in Chicago, and are looking forward to visiting the wonderful city again soon. 

Astrid enjoyed an informative post by No Signposts in the Sea on how to buy a good pair of trousers. 

MaryK and I both liked Already Pretty’s post on being too old to have fun with fashion. YLF’s number one rule is to have fun with fashion AT ANY AGE. Sally and I both feel very strongly about the fact that you are never to old to have fun with fashion. Currently, my 74 year old client is having more fun with fashion than she has ever had before. 

Cora recommends reading about garment quality control on Empty Emptor. 

Ironkurtain found this uncomplimentary New York Times article about top Spanish clothing retailer Zara very interesting.  

Kappy loves the festive collection of Bass shoes that are designed by Rachel Antonoff.

Emily found a fun slideshow of Mad Men Fashion on Slate. 

Have you ever wondered who put Americans in jeans and t-shirts? Well, Laurinda found out how this all started in the Etsy blog.

Annygybe informs us via an article in Women’s Wear Daily that Swedish budget retailer H&M is doing a luxury line. I’m interested to see how this will unfold. 

Inge found a fab article in The Guardian on Autumn and Winter 2012 trends that we can wear right now. Of particular interest was the map-printed dress. How conversational! 

Vildy likes Constanza Pascolata’s style sensibility on Women of Style because she has a great way of feminizing masculine pieces. 

mm88 recommends these 10 Great Clothing Tricks in 60 Seconds from Lifehacker. Very fab, especially for blokes. 

Jonesy found these jazzy suits for women on Stylesight ultra inspiring.  

Debora informs us that Club Monaco merchandise is now available online. Finally! 

Having attended a fun and festive rehearsal dinner on Saturday night, it was off to the wedding ceremony the next morning on what was an extraordinarily warm Chicago Spring day. This was the main event and it was held at the gorgeous Columbus Park Refectory, which somehow manages to be spacious and cozy at the same time. The sun shone through the high ceiling windows, spreading it’s warmth and glow throughout the day. 

Morning weddings aren’t as formal as evening weddings, so I kept the vibe of this outfit a touch relaxed. I stuck to the same neutral palette of grey, white, bone and black, only this time I added tomato red footwear and retro clutch.

I matched a very fitted polka dot midi skirt with a drapey scarf printed blouse as a nod to this season’s pattern mixing trend. This skirt is SO fitted (the length restricting my movement even more), that I hobbled along taking pigeon steps in my three inch heels whenever I moved about the venue. But the ensemble was fine for a seated wedding and reception where there was no need to charge around like I usually do. 

My aim was to take the bombshell out of the pencil skirt, so I created a voluminous effect on top by tucking a boxy blouse into the fitted skirt. I’m so impressed with how the pattern on the seams of the blouse match up, and how the underside of the collar is pattern matched too. If ever there was a blouse to “scrunch, pop and button up”, this is it. 

I left off all jewelry other than my gold watch and wedding ring because one of my style goals is to be minimal and streamlined. Micro fishnet hose created the right texture on my lower legs. I also threw on a darker shade of lipstick to bring out the light colours of the blouse. I swapped out my specs for a black retro pair and was ready to celebrate the festivities with friends. 

The Islamic wedding event featured the most breathtaking assortment of Indian ensembles. WOW. Most of the men, women and kids were dressed in heavily embellished Indian clothing which was a sheer feast for my eyes. So, so, so beautiful. Truly, my outfit paled in comparison. But I was very comfortable, felt fab, and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful day.