Advanced Style In The Age of Conformity

"Fashion is what you're offered four times a year by designers. And style is what you choose." —Lauren Hutton

Advanced Style, is a light-hearted fashion blog that describes itself as 'capturing the sartorial savvy of the senior set'. Unlike other street style blogs such as The Sartorialist , Advanced Style is devoted to fashion for women over 60. The blog's founder, Ari Seth Cohen has a lifelong affinity to his elders and explained the blog's inspiration simply as “I wanted to show that you can be stylish, creative and vital at any age.” The blog (and now movie) features street portraits of stylish women over 60 who despite their age continue to regard fashion as a core part of their life. The blog has gained fans among designers and creative directors and has inspired ad campaigns for Lanvin, Karen Walker, Coach, Kmart and has helped land modeling gigs for some of it's over 60 fashionistas.

In addition to its great portrait photography, Advanced Style is thought provoking for it's ethos and underlying social commentary. There's no reason to look the way people expect you to look, regardless of your age. The anxiety over aging is created by perceptions in society and media. It's reassuring to see Cohen's older fashionistas so self assured, unapologetic and having such a good time.