[Photos and Text Ari Seth Cohen]I ran into this charming woman on 5th Ave and realized that I had seen her somewhere before. While going through my archives I found another photo I’d taken of her on Madison Ave over a year ago! She has a wonderful sense of personal style that is both elegant and classic.
Maayan and I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet with legendary Apollo Theater Dancer Jacquie Tajah Murdock. Jacquie is turning 80 this year but keeps her spirit young by continuing to dance and dress up.While speaking with her I was reminded of a quote by my friend Mimi Weddell that you must, “Dance your way through life”. Look for more about Jacquie’s’ wonderful history and some high fashion photos on Monday!
I was walking through Chinatown when I spotted this fellow looking smart in his suit and straw hat. When I asked him where he purchased his hat, he took it off and said with a quick smile”5th avenue.”
nail polish from Forever 21
[Photos: Ari Seth Cohen]
Debra has been receiving so many great submissions for our “Thrifted &Gifted Contest. Not only is she super excited to read through all of your emails, but is anticipating picking the big winner as well. I took some photos of Debra as she was reading through contest submissions this evening. You should also check out her very own page(which you kind find on the sidebar) for daily updates and words of inspiration.Remember to comment!!! Just a reminder the rules for the contest are as follows:
TO ENTER:
Make sure to get all your mail in to her by WEDNESDAY, MAY 26: debrathenutritionista@gmail.com
Winner will be announced Wednesday, June 2.
On this unusually brisk May afternoon, Tracy showed up in a perfect answer to cold temperature on a spring day: ivory coat and pleated skirt, light layers with ivory accents, and thin cotton jersey gloves. We love her choice of hat and “Chanel orchid”, as she calls it, in preparation of the typically New York downpour that later fell upon us.
Tracy Kendall was born and raised in New York, and says she remembers her mother as one of her earliest style icons. “She used to wear a black hat and skirt with a big red fringe… It must have been this graphic element that influenced me.”
Tracy was interested in elegance from a very young age, favoring the look of Great Gatsby and Chanel of the 20’s and 30’s. Though she has honed this look for many decades, she says she’s always been more inspired by menswear than by women’s fashions.
Tracy knows much about both sides of the coin. From 1963-1975 she worked as a fashion stylist, working directly with luxury showrooms and designers to create the looks and advertisements we saw in Time Life, Vogue, etc.
“I had to think on my feet, know what to choose on a moment’s notice. But sometimes it would work backward, we’d receive the credits and then have to find the clothes.”
As she became more well acquainted with the fashion business, and models became younger and younger, Tracy became less enchanted with this type of work and decided to break out on her own…with an entirely new objective.
“Fashion can be a disaster…it makes people believe they look good just because they are wearing the right thing.”
She put an ad in the newspaper offering her services as a personal stylist to transvestites. During a time in New York when this was becoming more embraced, she knew that there would be many men who would be able to benefit from her knowledge of how to put together an outfit.
I asked Tracy what her most common request was, and she said it was to look natural and to feel comfortable in feminine clothes.
We can all learn from Tracy’s classic and timeless approach to fashion.
