Style as Art

Carol Markel

Sue Kreitzman
The ladies above are two of my favorite Advanced Style artists. Sue Kreitzman splits her time between London and New York, where she works on her amazing sculptural collages and paintings. Carol Markel,in the amazing Prada sunglasses, lives and works out of New York.She makes everything from hats and jewelry, to wonderful collages and videos.

People always ask me what I look for when I am shooting on the street. For me, its all about personal expression and spirit. Most of the ladies I photograph look at style and fashion as a form of art. They incorporate their creative spirits into how they dress everyday. Style is a wonderful way to add some creativity into your life. Rose, one of Advanced Style’s most elegant women, could only explain her style as, “It’s like how an artist picks out his paints everyday. That’s how I choose a certain scarf or belt.”

If you aren’t used to dressing up, try this experiment. Choose a favorite painting and look at the color combinations. Try and use these colors as a template for your outfit. You can use accessories like hats,necklaces and bracelets to work against a black or more neutral base. You can also follow 90 year old artist,Ilona Royce Smithkin’s advice, when she says, ” You can wear any colors in combination as long as you have a repeat.” The most important thing is to have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously. I’d love to hear about your dressing up adventures!