If you’ve scrolled through New York fashion content online, you’ve probably spotted her. There’s this woman who turns city streets into her personal runway, wearing color combinations that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. That’s Patricia Fox, better known as Purely Patricia, and she’s basically a walking art installation.
Patricia is an assemblage artist, interior designer, style icon, and entrepreneur who’s spent nearly three decades proving that personal style has nothing to do with following trends. Her philosophy? “Nothing Matches & Everything Goes.” And honestly, it’s working for her.
With over 90,000 Instagram followers and features in The New York Times and on Times Square billboards, Patricia has turned self-expression into both art and business. She’s appeared alongside legendary fashion icon Iris Apfel, graced the cover of a New York Times bestseller, and continues running her interior design firm after 29 years.
Biography
Patricia Fox grew up in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in what she describes as “a small upper class neighborhood where I dreamed of being Miss America.” That childhood aspiration to stand out? It definitely foreshadowed everything that came next.
She pursued her creative education at the University of Miami, earning a degree in Fine Arts.
Patricia famously refuses to reveal her age. “We should never tell our age,” she’s stated publicly. Various websites claim she was born on March 9, 1974, but these claims aren’t reliable. Her inclusion in photographer Ari Seth Cohen’s “Advanced Style” project, which typically features stylish individuals in their 60s through 90s, suggests she’s likely older than 48. And frankly, that makes her even more impressive.
What we do know is that Patricia holds American citizenship and stands approximately 5’8″ tall. She has white skin, curly light brown hair, and dark brown eyes. But honestly, those basic stats barely scratch the surface of who she is. Her real identity is in those elaborate hats, vintage eyewear, and kaleidoscopic outfits that make people stop and stare.
Details about her family remain private. Whether she has siblings or was an only child isn’t publicly confirmed, and Patricia seems to prefer keeping certain aspects of her life away from the spotlight.
Career
By June 1995, Patricia had established Patricia Fox Design, her interior decorating firm in New York City. That’s nearly three decades of consistent business operation, which is no small feat in the competitive New York creative scene.
Some sources claim that Patricia worked as a beauty advisor at Clinique before serving as the National Training Director at Estée Lauder for roughly 10 years. What’s certain is that she leveraged her Fine Arts education and creative vision to build a multifaceted career.
The “Purely Patricia” brand emerged as her signature identity, encompassing multiple creative disciplines. A famous artist once called her “a walking installation,” and Patricia embraced that characterisation completely. Her aesthetic features elaborate hats and headpieces, vintage eyewear, layered jewellery mixing high-end pieces with affordable finds, and colour combinations that transform ordinary streets into something extraordinary.
While her fashion influence gets tons of attention, Patricia emphasises that interior decorating “is how I earn my living.” Her firm specialises in creating “warm, inviting, practical, whimsical and comfortable spaces.” She’s earned particular recognition as a Color Specialist, helping clients move beyond boring neutral palettes.
The New York Times Style Magazine featured her alongside Iris Apfel in a memorable spread photographed at The Carlyle Hotel. Can you imagine? Being photographed with Iris Apfel is basically fashion royalty recognising fashion royalty.
The Project (RED) Education Campaign selected her as cover girl, resulting in a full-page New York Times advertisement and Times Square billboard. That was a personal dream realised for Patricia. She’s also appeared on the cover of Humans of New York, a number one New York Times Bestseller, and Quaker Oats chose her for a national campaign celebrating physical fitness and healthy living.
Patricia has curated events for Housing Works, creating themed installations featuring “People With Purpose.” These involved mannequins styled after NYC creatives, essentially turning charity events into immersive art experiences.
Her most recent central feature appeared in October 2025 in Karjaka Magazine. The extensive interview, titled “Be You Now: A Pure Conversation on Age, Purpose & Passion with Purely Patricia,” explored creativity, ageing gracefully, and living authentically. “Be you now because you don’t know what you’re going to grow up to be,” she advised. “If I inspire you in this moment, then take what it is that resonates with you about me and apply it to yourself.”
Digital Presence
Patricia maintains an active social media presence, with Instagram serving as her primary platform. Her account @purelypatricia is filled with her fashion content, event appearances, and brand partnerships. She describes herself as “Brand Partner/Style Inspirer/Spokesperson/Model/Interior Designer/Color Specialist,” which pretty much covers it.
She’s also active on Twitter/X (@purelypatricia), runs a YouTube channel featuring fashion videos and interviews, and maintains presences on Facebook and Pinterest. Her digital reach has brought diverse opportunities, from Pix News Live coverage during Easter Parade festivities to international broadcast interviews on Imagen TV.
There was even a memorable 2019 appearance alongside Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy for his viral pizza review series. Because why shouldn’t a fashion icon also have opinions about New York pizza?
Personal Life
Patricia is married to Howard Chezar, a Master Builder and Home Consultant licensed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. The couple frequently appears together at fashion events, including the High Line Hat Party and New York’s famous Easter Parade, where they’ve been fixtures for over 20 years.
Howard reportedly shares his wife’s enthusiasm for fashion, with a preference for luxurious male attire that complements Patricia’s elaborate ensembles. The couple has no known children, but their household includes Ruby Rose, Patricia’s beloved dog, who accompanies her on regular walks through Central Park.
Patricia maintains rigorous daily exercise habits, including Pilates strength training at Equinox. She follows an alcohol-free diet, and she’s known for ordering Shirley Temples. She describes her New York lifestyle as “constant lights, music, action,” which every introvert will agree sounds both exhausting and exhilarating.
Her dressing room doubles as both a creative studio and a treasure trove. It’s “filled with beautiful, sparkling, magical accessories and clothing,” she explains, calling it “a palette to assemble my wardrobe creations and ensembles that materialize into the artistic visions of myself.” She creates assemblage art during what she describes as “solitude meditative time,” crafting one-of-a-kind pieces that blur the line between fashion and fine art.
