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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 21
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Not all of Frida’s clothes were fancy and showy. She must have had clothes that she wore around the house. This top is a bit more hippy-dippy than her usual garb but the colourful detail and embroidery make it oh so Frida. She wasn’t seen often in earth tones but even when she was she brought a pop of colour to her fashion party ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 20
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
So many of Frida’s jewellery pieces are so beautiful, unique and usually have a nod to indigenous culture. There are different versions of this necklace in photographs and paintings… sometimes it’s green and other times its bone and red ♥ Who knows what the real colour scheme was but with Frida’s fertile imagination anything is possible. I used to make and wear a lot of beaded jewellery and looking at Frida’s collection I’m getting hungry to get creative… I might be getting my bead board out sooner rather than later.
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 19
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
We often see Frida dressed in summery clothing but I’m sure at times she felt a chill and had to wear something a bit warmer. This long sleeve top looks like it could be found now in Tree of Life. Crochet is a huge theme in traditional Mexican clothing and features prominently in Frida’s wardrobe ♥ I have no idea if Frida embellished her own clothing but either way, she had a lot of access to a lot of beautiful crocheted pieces.
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 18
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
I think Mexican women are onto something with these Huipil tops… cool cotton that sits away from the body but is still feminine and pretty. Red and yellow make such a great colour contrast ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 17
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
There are few things more iconic in fashion than Frida Kahlo’s head flowers. No one can wear flowers on their head without people thinking of the connection to Frida and her colourful fashion ways. Something so simple and beautiful helped define her unique and beautiful style. There is a video online of her doing her hair and she effortlessly shoves flowers into her tidy braids ♥ J’adore
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 16
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Gold cat eye sunglasses… that is what Frida would wear. These are her very own sexy specks. I don’t suit cat eyes but if I did I would definitely wear these♥ These shades are included in Frida by Ishiuchi Miyako (2013), a photographic record of Frida’s personal belongings that were archived shortly after her death.
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 15
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Frida Kahlo not only challenged fashion norms but she also experimented with gender roles in fashion. At the age of 19, in 1927, she was photographed with her family wearing a suit. She slicked back her hair in an attempt to look more mannish in her three-piece suit. She dressed in men’s clothing in other photographs too and even painted herself as a man in 1940 in Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair. She was so ahead of her time and her creativity leeched into every aspect of her life… art, fashion, her home and her amazing career ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 14
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
After Frida’s death in 1954, her ex-husband Diego Rivera ordered her personal belongings be locked up in a bathroom in her house. This house was later turned into a museum. This bathroom wasn’t opened until 2004. A Japanese artist Ishiuchi Miyako documented the items, she did not know much about Frida’s work or life and looked at her belongings with fresh eyes. This treasure trove of over 300 relics of Frida Kahlo’s life became the subject of photographs, books and exhibitions. Among these items was a crochet turquoise one-piece swimsuit. I can just imagine a young and sultry Frida laying poolside with her amazing gold shades on looking like a vision in turquoise ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 13
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
The rebozo or Mexican shawl is a traditional garment worn by women indigenous to Mexico. It is a long flat garment that can be worn in many ways… around the head, upper body to shade from the sun, as a fashion accessory or simply for warmth on a cold day. It is considered a symbol of Mexican identity and was often worn by Frida Kahlo. There are many photos and paintings of Frida wearing a rebozo and its an integral element of her strong sense of style ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 12
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
In 1939 Frida’s husband Diego Rivera divorced her and she didn’t take it well. She spent some time in Paris and befriended Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. Picasso gave her a pair of gold earrings in the shape of little hands. These earrings are seen in a painting she did in 1940 titled Self Portrait, Dedicated to Dr Eloesser and I have seen a few photographs of her wearing them. How are these hand earrings not a thing? They are so cute and ironic… the baby hands of the child she never had 🙁
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 11
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Having had polio as a child, Frida liked to hide her legs. She wore long full skirts to hide her very thin right leg. The fashion at the time was for women to wear figure-hugging outfits but Frida dressed for her own sense of style and around her bodies needs. No one should ever be a slave to fashion and Frida never was… she was a trailblazer ♥ She was often laughed at by local women as her sense of style was way out there for it’s time and place but she never held back and continued to challenge fashion at home and away.
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 10
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Revlon… that’s what Frida would wear. She really did. This is Frida’s makeup and it’s on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London as part of the Making herself up exhibition. Apparently, this hot pink Revlon lipstick was Frida’s favourite and I must say it’s something I would love too. I can face the world if I’ve got my favourite lippy on hand… love a good pink lippy. Good to know I have something in common with Frida ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 9
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Apparently, Frida liked to wear loose fitting clothes to accommodate and hide her mobility aids. She wore a brace to support her back and spent some time in a wheelchair. By wearing many layers of loose clothing she would have been able to hide some of her supportive clothing. This elegant dress would have been worn over a long skirt – it has been exhibited with a black full skirt underneath. She would have gone out into the world wearing her two types of body armour; one to support her body physically and another to express her love of colour and beauty ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 8
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
When Frida was 18 years old she was riding the bus with her boyfriend Alejandro when it was hit by a sidecar. Several people on the bus were killed and Frida was impaled suffering horrible injuries including broken legs, a smashed pelvis and broken collarbone. After spending a month in hospital and two more months recovering at home, Frida still had terrible back pain and fatigue prompting doctors to take further x-rays. They discovered that three of her vertebra had been displaced. She was confined to bed for three months and was fitted with a plaster corset. Frida’s dream of becoming a doctor was now dead and instead, she decided to become a medical illustrator… this set her on the path to art. She turned her creativity onto the casts themselves decorating them with strips of fabric, paint and mirrors ♥ This corset is decorated with the hammer and sickle representing the ideals of communism and a growing fetus, the child she deeply longed for but would never have 🙁
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 7
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Frida’s choice of accessories was inspired, beautiful and in this case a little bit humorous. I have no idea who made this necklace but it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen… and I used to make jewellery. A thin strand of red beads separating small metal legs capped off with a bundle of gold beads. Absolute genius. To lose a leg and then wear a necklace with 27 individual legs dangling off them is an amazing statement and a small window into the mind of this amazing and incredibly creative woman. It’s making me wonder how I can incorporate nerves into my work, art and jewellery LOL ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 6
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
It seems that Frida’s love of style and fashion started at a young age. In a photograph taken by her father Guillermo Kahlo when she was roughly 19, Frida wore a black satin bell sleeve dress with embroidery detail. So classy and classic for such a young girl (although it could have been thoroughly modern at the time). This photograph was taken after her bus accident and perhaps it was with the support of her family that she held on to beauty and still looked after herself. This dress would be at home in my wardrobe – I would proudly wear this dress today. It seems that the little black dress (LBD) has never and will never go out of style ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 5
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Frida’s focus on fashion did not diminish with her failing health. After her leg was amputated due to gangrene in 1953 when she was 46, 1 year before she died, she used a prosthetic leg and did so with this fabulous red lace up boot. She met the task of dealing with her now missing leg with an amazing sense of form, function, fashion and great style. If you have to deal with truly terrible obstacles in life… think of Frida and how she took on some super challenging life-changing shit with flair, colour and a great sense of fashion ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 4
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Who doesn’t have a red Mexican boho dress? Me that’s who! Frida had it all sorted. The boho dress is a staple in the traditional Mexican woman’s wardrobe. Normally knee length and made of a light fabric such as cotton, these dresses are as cool now as they were back in the early part of last century. They normally have some embroidery embellishment like this one ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 3
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
This is just one of Frida’s many Huipil tops. This is a traditional garment worn by indigenous women from Mexico and Central America. It is the most common traditional female indigenous garment still used today. Frida’s Huipil’s were mostly cotton with chain stitch embroidery like this gorgeous purple and pink number. I think I want a Huipil for myself ♥
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 2
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
Frida wore a lot of amazing accessories and her necklaces really stood out. She wore so many different styles including large beaded necklaces made of handcrafted beads native to Mexico. She was photographed more than once in this necklace and she painted herself wearing it in Self Portrait with Braid. While she painted it as a black necklace, it is actually made up of green stones, perhaps jade or some other kind of stone found in Mexico? I don’t know but it’s amazing ♥ I would wear this… would you?
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a drawing a day ::: july 2018 ::: day 1
#adrawingaday #whatwouldFRIDAwear
In a complete change of subject matter, this month I have decided to draw clothing worn by Frida Kahlo. Frida was an amazing and unique style icon in her time and across history. She pushed the boundaries of fashion, colour, gender roles, design and self-expression. I adore her personal style as much as I do her artwork. Her influence on women and fashion will continue for generations to come. Here’s to a month filled with fashion and colour ♥
This is a black satin full-length skirt with chain stitch and floral embroidery. It is owned by the Museo Frida Kahlo and is currently on exhibition at the V&A or Victoria and Albert Museum London as part of the exhibition titled Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up. If you’re lucky enough to be in London, check it out 🙂 I’ll just admire from down here in the southern hemisphere…
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 30
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
Dragon Fruit, also known as Pitaya, is the fruit of serval cactus species indigenous to the Americas. Very popular in Mexico, Central and northern South America and Asia this fruit grows on serval species of cactus. The tree can be quite tall, filled with cascading leaves full of stunning pink, white or yellow fruits. I have yet to try this fruit but it’s so beautiful. I have really enjoyed drawing succulents this month… stay tuned for next months exciting adventure into drawing ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 29
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
I’ve tried to push myself being the end of the month, squeezing in more subject matter and trying to up my blending game. I am learning a lot about pencils and how to customise colours. Such fun! The source image for this was shared in the Facebook group Succulent Swap Australia but not for me to draw… Kelly Pineira was asking a question about this plant and I liked the photo so much I had to draw it… one more succulent drawing to go ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 28
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
There is something comforting about the spiralling pattern of the leaves of most succulent plants. I like their symmetry. This one, in particular, looks like it has a few sets of boobs in there 😛 nipplepalooza. The source image for this one was supplied by Australian Succulent Farm ♥ Only two more succulent drawings to go
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 27
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
I adore the reds and pinks in these cute little grafted cacti. I had one of these when I was a kid… it was my second succulent after killing my stone plant with too much love. It’s coming to the end of the month and I think I’m going to miss drawing succulents 🙁 The source image for this one was shared by Sharon Rich from the Facebook group Succulent Swap Australia ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 26
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
Not all succulents are smooth… some come with an inbuilt defence mechanism. These long spikes hurt… BAD. The soft flesh of the plant sits pretty under so many long hard and dangerous spines. I found the source image in google images ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 25
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
Another Bunnings special – I love me a good aloe. They look great and are great for you… did you know that they are very efficient at cleaning the air and would be a great addition to any home or office? More to love ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 24
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
I’ve been putting off doing a drawing of a frilly succulent because it seemed like too much work. As with most things in life, it’s not as bad as you think… until you do it. Thank you Deb Beukers from the Facebook group Succulent Swap Australia ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 23
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
My cousin in Texas shared some photos of her garden the other day and this one jumped out to me… I’m not sure if she was subconsciously trying to help me out with drawing inspiration or if it was entirely accidental but this plant sums up so much of what I love about succulents. The spiralling patterns and blending of unconventional colours like green and purple. Thanks Carmen ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 22
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
This sweet little sample would look lovely in my garden… another one for me to find and buy 😛 The photo for this one was supplied by Samantha Manis from the Facebook group Succulent Swap Australia ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 21
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
Another potted succulent from my local Bunnings. So many sweet little plants to choose from ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 20
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
Fun with succulents… I love the range of little pots available for succulents as much as I do the plants. I came across this little ditty while searching for images of pretty plants. This sweet thing is available for purchase… I’m not sure I’m going to buy it, but I like knowing it’s out there ♥
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a drawing a day ::: june 2018 ::: day 19
#adrawingaday #succulentdreams
There are so many different styles of succulent leaves… pointy, mottled, bumpy, smooth, thick, thin, rough or velvety. I love how fat these leaves are… so fleshy, holding onto enough liquid and nutrients to survive long hot dry spells. Maybe succulents are the camels of the plant world 😛 I took a photo of this plant in Bunnings, I might go back and buy it ♥
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