Turn Me Into Frida Kahlo
It’s a hot summer day here in Los Angeles, and all I can do is stare at this cool picture of Frida Kahlo. Which got me thinking, hey, how can I actually dress like that? Odds are she had these clothes custom made for her, so it’s impossible to find exact replicas. But with some browsing, I was able to round up some reasonable facsimiles, which turned up more ideas for accessorizing during the late summer.
My favorite discovery: silk flowers to wear in bundles in your hair? What else could be more festive? Wrap one of these bronze bolo ties from www.collectorsindex.com around your neck a few times. Secure with topaz jewel piece: Then French braid your hair around your crown weaving a turquoise ribbon throughout. Pin six of these silk roses from flowerclip.com in a bunch on your crown.
Splurge on this luxurious black shawl from etsy.com, which is the perfect transitional item to take you into cooler weather as fall, well, falls.
Underneath, wear a yellow Mexican peasant top. They have a few on ebay.com.
I never found the perfect skirt shape, ideally an antique white petticoat and a stiff black embroidered maxi-skirt for this, but why not jeans? I think that’s what Frida would be wearing if she were painting now. She might even wear them rolled up like Katie Holmes.
Finished off with these austere orthopedic style heels, which capture the strappy, uncomfortable feel of her various braces throughout her life. Like Lisa Lisa, that outfit tells a story from head to toe. Maybe that’s who we should deconstruct next!
—Serena
There is an AWESOME new vintage shop I have been frequenting lately in Riverdale, New York called “ANJANOU”. I got an awesome pair of gold plated hanging earrings w/orange glass beads, + a Pucci print dress, also w/orange nuances. My first purchase was a Spanish inspired gold tone/plated bracelet w/black inlay ornamentals. I wear it w/ my Spanish fan earrings + pin, also vintage, from you guessed it, Espana. It is located on Mosholu Ave in the Riverdale section of The Bronx. Ask for Andrea, the store’s proprietress. She can hook you up w/ Frida inspired goodies, or styles from ANY ERA. Tell her; “Her ‘make-up artist client’ sent you. Suerte.
Frida was bohemian before there even was a bohemian. She epitomized the free-spiritedness: she was an uninhibited and unapologetic.
As for trying to replicate her syle of dress, think long and flowing, but also think about the details. I would suspect that whether or not she had her clothes specifically tailored for her, she was a fanatic of quality and craftsmanship. I’d like to think that if she really cared about fashion and aesthetic as much as we praise her for it, that she could appreciate the embroidery, the lace trimmings, the intricate weaving of the cotton to create another dimension of texture to her piece. These details she could have found in a dress sold by the peasants off the side of the road somewhere or by some well establishe tailor of the day.
Or maybe, just maybe, she apathetically threw on whatever piece of cloth she could find.
Sorry for writing a book but…
Also remember that Frida’s look can never be pulled off well without some sort of connection to the clothes. Again, I would imagine that as an artist, she felt or could at least create some sort of connection to what she wore. Most often it was some sort of reflection of not only her mood but also of who she was as a person. I’d say that the way she dressed was an indulgence in herself: “This is who I am, and what I feel is a part of who I am, and what I’m wearing is a part of what I feel and subsequently who I am”. In today’s world, if you’re a happy go lucky preppy person, chances are you might not be able to pull this off very well. It would just look like you were playing dress up or going trick or treating.
Wow, what amazing and heartfelt comments. To Bellastrega, I wish that I could visit your vintage boutique in Riverdale—sounds FABULOUS, but alas I am in Hollywood. There are tons of great vintage boutiques here, too, though, like American Rag on La Brea. And to asmall08, I totally respect what you are saying about finding a connection to the clothes, and not just throwing on whatever from Forever 21.
Hi Skim………..if you are ever in NYC, check it out. But I’m sure where you are out in Hollywood there is a plethora of such shops. If you Google “ANJANOU” there is a web. I believe she sells in this manner as well. Nice to meet you!!!! Asmall08 I totally see where you are coming from from an aesthetic, artistic, + cerebral point of view. Cuidate!