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It was the middle of January when I received an email from a Japanese leather bag and accessories company by the name of INDEN EST.1582. HERE They were inquiring about a possible collaboration with their brand, and as I visited their website, I realized that to have been contacted by this high quality company was truly an honor. I said "yes" without hesitation. INDEN is a highly popular brand widely known in Japan. Inden’s products are manufactured with a unique, 400-year-old technique of applying lacquer over deerskin. Their patterns are made of washi papers and all the complex designs are made by hand.

It was a cold and sunny day in the River North area of Denver. Snow had fallen the day before we traveled to this changing neighborhood of artists, restaurants and new development. Additions to the vibrant street art appear daily, and it's always a visual surprise from one week to the next. I chose a combination of rust and wine as my colors for the day. I threw on my favorite multicolored felted scarf, which incorporated and added to my sartorial display. As I approach my 75th birthday I feel a sense of confusion and hesitation. Where do I want

February's Hat Attack is a silk turban by Sukhinina Vera from Moscow, Russia HERE. I met Sukhinina on Instagram and last week I received her glorious creation just in time for this month's feature. I love its mix of patterns and colors and the silhouette it portrays from every angle. Sometimes I wear a turban positioned as a crown for height and the variation of shape. The versatility of headwear is limitless and I was in a playful mood. I was inspired by the luxurious cascade of silk and its intricate folds. This gorgeous turban will have its first outing this

The definition of resilience is an ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change. I view resilience as one of the key qualities to embrace as I age.  Every week brings change, some small and some overwhelming. "I can't do anything about it, so I'm moving forward," is a phrase that runs through my thoughts frequently as the weeks, months and years unfold.. The muff, which hasn't had resilience as an accessory choice over the years, is a thick, tubular case for the hands, covered with fur or other material, used by women for warmth and as a handbag.   It was

As mentioned in my last post, I am a fan of the Seventh Generation Principle, which is based on an ancient Iroquois philosophy that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future HERE. I try to match my behavior with my values, which only part of why I love explore businesses which are local and participate in recycling. Denver's Common Threads Consignment Shop HERE checks off all of my boxes. They carry beautiful clothing and accessories that have been previously owned, displayed thoughtfully in a charming space, with a warm and helpful staff that

I discovered this rhinestone jacket at a thrift shop many years ago. The label reads STAVROPOULOS (New York, Athens) HERE and it is extremely well made.  I paid $25 for this beauty and it will remain a permanent piece in my collection, providing me much pleasure whenever I want to "shine." It's the perfect New Year's Eve outfit, and it accompanied me into 2018 at two parties that I attended with Mr. J.  When worn during the day, as seen in these photos, its sparkles dance off the jacket in the sunlight. It's like wearing a disco ball! It can be

January's Hat Attack is a vintage black draped fabric turban embellished with a sparkling rhinestone pin.  I discovered this New Year's crown in a Minneapolis vintage store this past year.  I can't think of a better way to celebrate 2018 than with my love for vintage and turbans. There is nothing that makes me feel like dancing more than headwear and having fun with Daniel to a rhythm and blues beat.  I'm hoping to up my "Hat Attack" game in the new year.  Let's see what this fresh energy brings forward as I mediate on new intentions. I wish all

Sometimes the holidays make me sad. It's the time of year for great expectations and festive gatherings. There is subtle pressure to be joyful and happy.  Or so it seems. Memories of holidays past tend to flood my thoughts and I can feel as though I'm walking through honey.  Just when I need my energy to surge, it fails me.  Though it's important to accept and honor my thoughts and feelings, I view them as temporary. Thus I find myself longing for an opening of the unbound heart. Enter the vintage silver gown and the discipline of blogging.  How could

I have a love for accessories! They transform an ensemble from basic to extraordinary and are a potent tool for self expression. There are so many possibilities for transformation. With one stroke, the right pair of gloves, a careful conglomeration of jewelry or of course a hat can give an older, familiar background a new configuration.  Playing with accessories brings pleasure, creativity and variety to my life every day. My post this week demonstrates how changing a glove and scarf combination creates a new and different look.  The vintage green hat, vintage YSL velvet jacket and vintage black jumpsuit remain

There's nothing that screams "holiday" more than velvet. And in my world, rhinestones during the day or evening are always a strategy for embellishment! For this post I dressed in everything vintage. Just for the fun of it! The gifted Schiaparelli silk velvet and satin turban has been a hit with me for years.  I found the wine colored velvet gown and the fingerless long velvet gloves at estate sales, of course. And I've been collecting rhinestones since the 1970's.  A little sparkle is always good for the soul. These photos were taken before my trip to Minnesota last week.

December's Hat Attack is an "ode" to vintage millinery finery.  This Coralie brimmed beauty with rhinestone pin has been perched in the hat room for years.  When I realized that it was the perfect accessory for the red vintage coat that I purchased from a friend several years ago, I knew that it was time to declare my love for vintage hats. I love hats from every era if they call to me. Today I'm announcing from the empty stage at Denver's Union Station that the way to top off an outfit for the holidays is to "put a hat on

Last week I was honored by a visit from Cynthia Pastor, the creative, kind, generous, stylish, compassionate and beautiful founder of the Instagram gallery sin60style HERE.  She and her photographer Emma were in Denver, and of course we met for a photo shoot.  As evidenced by the photos in this post, we had an outrageously wonderful time! Daniel was in the driver's seat, and off we went to the River North area of Denver, where the paint is never dry on the most recent rendition of street art. This area of Denver is growing so fast that it's barely recognizable

Several years ago I posted a "gown series" with images photographed in a mid-century modern furniture store.  It was the perfect backdrop for vintage style. In the spirit of this tradition, the photos for today's post were taken in the Antique Annex HERE, a vintage wonderland located on South Broadway and Iowa in Denver, Colorado. There's an outfit for every occasion, and the Annex deserved a vintage ensemble, which I "shopped" for amidst my collections. The fringe trimmed dress was discovered in a NYC vintage shop that no longer exists and the feather turban and rhinestone jewels were discovered at

DATE NIGHT Over two years ago I began collaborating with the talented and accomplished Denver icon, designer Brooks Luby of Brooks Ltd HERE and have blogged about our adventures in the past on Style Crone.  It has been an honor and privilege to model for her photo shoots, a piece featuring her mother-of-the bride couture in Novelty Bride Magazine and her pop-up shops. This past weekend I modeled for the presentation of her designs at Massif Fashion Week HERE. Over this period of time we have become friends and have spent endless hours talking about fashion, aging with passion and

November's Hat Attack was created by the gorgeous milliner, artist and blogger Carol Markel of Femme et Fleur HERE.  I have to admit that this piece of headwear is one of my all time favorites, although how could I possibly create a hierarchy within my hat collection when I have so much love for them all.  They facilitate the expression of different aspects of my personality. Perhaps I'm guilty of humanizing my hats. I adore Carol's love of color, texture and design and this hat is a statement piece that never fails to inspire me to live life to the

Daniel is out-of-town on a much-needed vacation, so my friend Wren is taking Style Crone photos in his absence.  We traveled to the periphery of the Denver Botanic Gardens HERE, where the autumn leaves are at their colorful peak. I consider myself in the autumn of life, and verging on winter. My hair has turned to silver, just as the leaves of the trees have transitioned to the most radiant and brilliant hues of orange, red, yellow and brown. We don't judge the trees and they do not lose their value as they shed their foliage of gold. There is

VENICE It's been almost a month since I returned home from Italy, and I'm just now posting about my travel experiences.  It took time to catch up with my life in Denver, integrate all that I learned and stabilize once again.  It's past time to seasonally change the hat room, which is always an intense project.  I have been in the unfortunate space of "blogger's block,"  struggling to find my voice and my ability to write. Hopefully today will be the day that my blogging routine will be back on track. I'm including two images of the four cities that

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting milliner Anna Mikhailov HERE, who is from Saint-Petersburg, Russia and was visiting Denver for a few days. In the photo above we are wearing her signature headpieces. I met Anna on Instagram, which to my surprise has provided a platform for me to meet hundreds of milliners from across the world. I found Anna to be warm, bright, interesting, generous and beautiful. We spent our time together chatting about headwear, as you might expect.  Below I have included a small sample of Anna's work, which demonstrates her talent, skill and artistry. Through her

October's Hat Attack features ELY.B - Eleonara Bruno Hats HERE and Instagram HERE. I initially met Eleonora when she began following me on Instagram over a year ago.  When I knew that I would be in Florence, I contacted her and we arranged a meetup.  The time that we spent together was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy. Eleanora's headwear is magnificent. She is a feather specialist and wearing her headpieces makes me feel powerful and infused with magic.  This is what headwear can do for you if the milliner or hatmaker is talented, skilled and creative. Luca

September's Hat Attack is a natural straw wide brim with black straw trim by Marzi HERE., which I discovered at an estate sale about a year ago.  Marzi hats are made in Italy, which is perfect for September 1st, as I will be traveling to Venice on this very day.  Who knows what hat adventures lie ahead! As a hat journalist I will share the beauty! This large brimmed hat allows a very small window into the world, peering forth beneath its protective straw cover. There are times when I like the choice of a limited view.  Just another example