Fifteen Fridas

Fifteen photographic portraits of Frida Kahlo, some familiar, some not so familiar. These are all taken from the book that I refered to in yesterday's post, Frida Kahlo: Portraits of an Icon, with text by Margaret Hooks. About Kahlo's ornate indigenous costumes, Hooks writes:

For Frida, clothes were a means of communication with the outside world and every day she selected from her lexicon the elements that would best represent the image she wanted to project. Some of those who had the privilege of watching her dress describe it as being present at a cross between a ceremonial ritual and the creation of a work of art, particularly if she was preparing to receive a photographer arriving for a session. Frida selected from a wardrobe of an enormous array of clothes from all over the Mexican republic. Choosing combinations from a vast assortment of skirts, blouses and belts, dresses, shawls and petticoats, all in a wide variety of colours and textures, plus footware that ranged from pointed-toed cowboy boots, to huarache sandals and even, her one concession to western style, four-inch high-heeled pumps. She sometimes took hours over the process carefully choosing and combining items of clothing after making sure that each item was in perfect condition. She thought nothing of making adjustments on the spot with a needle and thread or having one of her servants re-press an item that had the slightest rumpled pleat. If in any doubt about the final overall effect, she would ask the opinion of those she trusted as to whether it looked good, and start all over again if it did not.