Do you think there are any rules to dressing in your 40s?
"Hopefully by the time you are 40, you know what you are all about and can dress in a manner that is true to yourself. The only mistake you can make is to try and be something that you're not. Unless it’s Halloween."

Do you have any pieces in your wardrobe you'll never stop wearing, no matter how old you are?
"I have a huge, fuchsia faux-fur hat by Lola that I bought when I was 26. I still wear it every cold day. It makes people smile. And I’ll wear my Agnès B plaid mini-skirt that I think I’ve had since 1986 for as long as I’m showing my legs. My new favorite wardrobe item is a pair of flat, pale-green suede ankle boots by Eileen Shields for Maria Cornejo."

What are some favorite pieces in your closet right now?
"A black wool Tess Giberson poncho thing, a vintage black and tan wool tweed knee-length pleated skirt, silver cuff bracelet by Jill Platner, striped long sleeved Thakoon for Target T-shirt, not one, but two yellow Lacoste cardigans, previously owned by the grandfathers of two of my closest friends (one of whom is my husband!)."

Who inspires you in terms of how they dress and how they carry themselves?
"Evelyn Cunningham, an African-American political journalist, Harlem resident and Bill Cunningham favorite (she died just last year), because she carried herself with style, grace, and intelligence into her 90s. Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon because she’s not a kid, isn’t afraid to go out on a limb style-wise, and always looks amazing."

What's the one amazing thing you've learned about yourself through fashion and style at your age?
"I think I’ve learned to stop fighting that part of me that is the crazy lady who wears lots of different striped things at the same time. Or combines odd colors and breaks lots of rules. I’m happier if there is a little something left-of-center about what I’m wearing, even if I’m the only one who notices it."

What's the best thing about being in your 40s?
"Not being in my '20s."