On Friday I hiked to the Brooklyn Museum to see the “Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving” exhibit. I was thrilled to get up close to her clothing and accessories (yes, yes, she was an extraordinary painter, too.) The exhibit was glorious. Not a black legging and Canadian Goose jacket to be found.
Luckily, she died before Kondo-izing because Kahlo had a lot of stuff (and the world is better for it). Everything she wore was so vivid — the multi-tiered skirts. The square cut blouses. Those shawls (I’m definitely going to rethink how to wear a scarf.) Besotted with Kahlo’s style, the curator was kind enough to put her Revlon nail polish in its own vitrine. Come on! Is that not fabulous?
I cannot find any information on Frida Kahlo’s mother and I would like to know what she thought about her daughter’s exuberant albeit offbeat style.
(My mother hates the way I dress.)
Wonderful sense of style, I just came from Mexico City and visited her house in Coyoacan. Great woman in every sense. Luisa
Dear Luisa,
I am envious you got to see Casa Azul. The pottery by itself was fantastic. The Brooklyn Museum did a brilliant job of giving the visitor a glimpse into Kahlo’s creative spirit. Thanks for writing and reading. Appreciatively, E.
I love the way you dress!
I love your kindness and generosity.
Lovely to be close enough to explore that Kahlo exhibit – all those wonderful colours, patterns and choices that she made to create a sense of herself, for both public and private lives.
And who was her mother – what a great question in terms of how a woman ‘dresses her self’, either moving far away from that parental influence or taking that influencer sensibility and spinning it to a woman’s own advantage.
Now there’s a question worth exploring in future discussions I think.
And I too enjoy the way you dress – creating your own personal style.
Cheers!
Gee whiz, Laurel. What a lovely thoughtful comment. I do think about how an authority figure might influence the choices we make. To be “safe” and not roil the waters or to be original and possibly even daring. My guess is that Frida Kahlo was way beyond caring about her mother (that was a little wink to the readers). Many thanks for the compliments and I hope to continue this path I’m on that makes wrinkles and saggy skin irrelevant to the presentation.
Fondly, E.