Frida Kahlo's Style

Like so many others, I adore the paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. I still remember the first encounter with one of her works: it was in my Danish class (yes, actually..) and we were presented with various paintings to analyse like we did short stories and novels. 

It was this The broken Column from 1944 and it was so striking to me. I had never seen a self portrait like this before. All I knew was the beautifying and glamourising portraits or the royal portraits. But this!? Exposing one's vulnerability and pain in a serious painting was something which blew me away. It also had a closer resonance to me as I have always suffered from spinal pains and I could very well imagine how it must feel to have your spine shattering to pieces.

And now following the will of her husband Diego Rivera, her locked up closets have been opened and many of her items are curated into an exhibition in her house in Mexico. Alas, I am probably not able to see it before it closes later in the year but examples of her most significant and iconic attributes are featured through Vogue Mexico online; her dresses.

When ever we think Frida Kahlo, we automatically have her colourful dresses and head pieces in mind. I have for long wanted to draw a paper doll of her so these dresses will be my first go to material and then her paintings and photographs of her.

If you follow the link at the bottom you can see a higher resolution of her wonderful wardrobe.

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Winter Elegance Extraordinaire

It is freezing here in Denmark at the moment, and thus it is one of the only times I rejoice in my somewhat voluntary confinement working on my thesis in doors. (sorry for the long hiatus though my posts will probably be very scattered until April when I finish) It is so cold I get migraines if I don't have something very warm protecting my ears when I go out. But how to combine practicality and elegance?

 

One of my top style wishes is to one day have a white fur hat. Ever since I saw Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story and saw the perfect white fur fox hat, it has been my ultimate luxury item. Luckily, I live in a country which experience such low temperatures every year so I could justify the use of such a hat. And of course there are starting to be some very nice and elegant faux choices too which don't look like plastic of wool, as well as the vintage option.

So in future winter fashion elegance aspirations, here are some of the most beautiful looks around the internet.
 

 

{image sources on the pictures}

{CFW SS13} Baum und Pferdgarten & Peter Jensen

Guess what!? More Danish fashion... I hope you enjoy this as much as I do because I really think Denmark has some really talented designers, and well, let's be honest, CFW is not as hyped (yet!) as Paris, London or Milan. And I do feel it as a sort of duty to spread the word when I think we in Denmark do great stuff. A little patriotic, but I hope you don't mind.

 

Today, I will show two of the more curious and funny brands; Baum und Pferdgarten and Peter Jensen. Basically, they are all about colours, colours, and fun in fashion. A nice contrast to the more demure wardrobe essentials that we usually do here.

First up is Baum und Pferdgarten.

Don't you just love the coats?

 

Next is off course Peter Jensen who is also the first with men's wear (that I at least feature here..)

I cannot help but thinking the men's wear match Baum und Pferdagrden's women's wear perfectly. Super cute date outfits, no? True, it would take a brave guy who wants to get noticed but at the same time doesn't take himself too seriously. Do you know any such guys?!

 I think I would pick up the whole bill if my date wore baby pink gingham shorts on our date! So awesome, and actually in the 1910s, pink was the colour for boys and blue was the colour for girls! It didn't change until about the 1950s. And I actually think that the male model wears pink better than the girl model below. Perhaps something about the complexion?

But I do adore pink and the various hues of pink. It can be a tricky colour to wear in case of your teint and style. Here I think it is done rather cool with the edgy slit. It is difficult to see here, but the slit is perhaps 10 cm and rounded. A really cool detail without making too much fuss at the same time.

 

Images: Copenhagen Fashion Week



{CFW SS13} Tabernacle Twins & Wackerhaus

The first up today is one of the fast moving young design brands here in Denmark. If you are into bold prints and colours, Tabernacle Twins might be your to go-designer. It is a fresh take on some well loved styles, and I partically like the everyday dresses and it is so nice to see something other than black! Here in Denmark we are going head first into autumn - no leaves have fallen - but all black ensembles are fast and vastly appearing on the street. I do think that if that is the only look you have it easily gets boring in stead of being elegant.

Oh well, enough of my ranting. Here are some lovely pictures of a not-boring brand.

 

 Next is Wackerhaus, a brand which grows on me season after season.. This season I really like the glitter (no wonder!) paired with the low key feel to the looks. I am already anticipant of these styles showing up in stores and in magazines.

 My personal favourite from Wackerhaus. It's the coat, I think. So gorgeous.

 

All images from Copenhagen Fashion Week.

 

{CFW SS13} Elsa Adams; Whiite; Ole Yde

Some more lovely looks of promise for next summer. Here in Denmark, we just had a small heatwave but now it seems like autumn is slowly setting in. Not that I mind that much really (I know, it is a terrible thing to say) because I am looking forward to be wearing boots, scarfs, gloves, and stockings. I cannot seem to pull out my inner fashionista when it is too hot. So many of these looks would also just be something I would wear in the spring or on a 'cold' summer's day.

First up is Swedish designer Elsa Adams who is a lace artist. I believe this is the first time she shows in Copenhagen, but I really liked her designs. Even though she is known for her use of lace, it was especially the white leather jacket which caught my eye. Very feminine and edgy at the same time.

Next, is the brand which featured one of my favourite looks of all the showing brands. Quite extraordinary that I haven't picked out more looks from Whiite, but it was a very basic and safe collection, very wearable and stylish at the same time. It was just that I thought it had been done before. However, some of the looks were extremely well done and I am head over heels in love with the last look, the suit. So beautiful!

I really adore the jacket and find it epic chic that the trousers are capri length.

Last up for today is Ole Yde, another designer which gave the glam in glamour. Like Jesper Høvring, he dresses the rich and the beautiful while the rest of us dreams of his designs. And dreamy they are, though I did find his cellection this time to be slightly more minimalistic if that can ever be descriptive of gowns and cocktail dresses. His collection had pops of bright, almost neon, colours, but the looks I liked the best were his white and black designs. Again, a dressing suit and 30s inspired gowns were my favourites.

So, a little more from the Denmark's efforts of establishing us as a fashion nation.

all images from Copenhagen Fashion Week