I saw Advanced Style at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2014, right before my first trip to New York, and writer Ari and writer-director Lina were there to talk to the audience. All the women in the audience showed up wearing their couture and outlandish rigs, and it was a celebration of our unique style as Vancouver women (who normally wear GORE-TEX and dayglo cycling gear in all weather). This launched a new life for me, and gave my style permission to fractalize into new shapes and never-before-dreamed-of combinations.
I was lucky enough to go to Lynn Dell’s store, the Off Broadway Boutique on W. 72nd Street, that October and again the following Spring, before Lynn passed away in the summer of 2015 and the store passed into a mountain of trunks. I have a few treasured items from the store, and it always warms my heart when I wear them and remember Lynn’s fantastic contribution to style divas on the Upper West Side and beyond.
Here’s the low-down on the outfit I wore to bring the West Village to a party at VNYL in the East Village.
Style Notes
- Mademoiselle Mirabelle faux fur coat, 330 Bleecker St.
- Wild horses print scarf in rust and olive, gift from friend
- Sparkly vintage sleeveless top, Krystyna’s Place, 12 Cornelia St. (closed)
- Bianco faux leather jeans, Variazioni, 323 Bleecker St.
- Helmut Lang fur and suede boots, rare Donna Karan storage sale on Greenwich St.
This article first appeared in my “Karen’s Quirky Style” column in the WestView News, the Voice of the West Village. Photo by Dusty Berke.