Walking in orange over knee vinyl boots through comfy, relaxed and grunge gray Seattle? It’s an experience of personal power. It took Frida Kahlo to make me dare.
Most people know who Frida is; the artist who created amazing work against the chronic pain of a broken back she suffered in an accident. She turned pain into passionate beauty, even turning her stiff corset into works of art. She hid her damaged leg under huge mostly hand crafted traditional Mexican skirts, honoring the culture she loved deeply.
Her paintings, poetic and rebellious writing as much as her art told the story of her feelings. Sometimes pain is smashed into our faces creating our hearts to raise in shock, other times its passionate longing and celebration of nature; and always beautiful.
Frida was art herself; her designs and colors wrote her story and uplifted thousands.
Stepping into other womens’ shoes or in this case outfits, means feeling their energy and letting it touch our skin and hearts. We can buy all kinds of fashion items with Frida’s face on it ; that’s what fans do. To learn from her goes deeper.
I adorned a lace corset with Frida’s love for flowers and revolution. In it and a wide plisse skirt I felt the joy of both enter my heart; my love for art and nature as much as my feminist passion and rebellious soul.
But there was more.
What would you like to tell me, Frida?
Waving a wand of wisdom over my body, my little pains and complains crumbled facing her reality; she found creative joy and beauty even after life served her with a broken back and never-ending pain.
What was my stress about? My anxiety and pain?
I was still the kid who talked so fast that words summersaulted over each other for fear that my parents weren’t interested in my stories. I was the girl who tried to be a boy so that I would be loved. I am the woman whistling in the basement of aging because I don’t want to be afraid of it. I am the rebel because underneath the attempts of pleasing is the disappointment and anger that I don’t feel good enough as me.
If you need to let go of fears step into Frida.
She tells us to stop looking for acceptance, stop needing to prove our worth, stop pleasing, teaching, preaching. When we align with our true passion and talent, maybe even our purpose, turning our message up or down for effect fades in the truth of self expression.
Feeling her style on my skin told me that seeing things differently might not resonate with everybody but is an enrichment for others.
Hiding misery… broken back = corset. Amputated leg peg leg - big arty skirts
Frida’s emotional art, especially the uncensored, raw sketches in her diary are personal messages like street art was and is at its best. Like her and Diego Rivera, her rebellious muralist husband, I tell stories with my art; my outfits are ephemeral expressions of moods, feelings, history, psychology or visions. Streetart tells stories, I tell stories with what I wear. Not only that, she inspired me to review my street art photography of the last decade. I found myself amazed by the perspectives I captured; my work is worth an exhibition.
If you need self assurance step into Frida.
Frida gave me the vibrant, unapologetic colors I needed, literally and metaphorically.
Frida is a soul sister.
Who do you feel attracted to? She is worth exploring.