Today I would like to introduce my dear friend Julie from Orchid Grey…

“Frida Kahlo has long been a favorite artist of mine, in the boy’s club of the early-to-mid-century art scene she stood out as a pre-feminist hell raiser. A force to be reckoned with. I could not say when I first laid eyes on one of her paintings, but Kahlo’s highly charged self portraiture left a lasting impression both artistically and stylistically. She seemed to layer clothing like paint, color over color, necklace over necklace, building up an organized chaos of clothing.

One of the most meaningful gifts my fiance has given me in our six years together is the book I Will Never Forget You: Frida Kahlo and Nickolas Muray. The book explores the relationship between Kahlo and photographer Nickolas Muray through letters and portraits taken by the two artists, their complex relationship winds through their correspondence and intimate photographs like a twisted thread. I decided to use these photographs of the artist (Kahlo) by an artist (Muray)- rather than one of her own paintings- because Muray captures not just Frida’s personality but also her style. Her layers, colors, and textures are documented so well even in black and white.

To emulate Muray’s photographs and Kahlo’s style I concentrated on texture and tone. I layered a long vintage dress with a patterned scarf- one that is remeniscent of the wildlife that appears in Kahlo’s paintings- and lots of silver and turquoise jewelry. I used my hair as a texture as well, instead of pinning it up in the signature braids I let it hang loose.”

Dress: Vintage
Scarf: Vintage
Belt: Vintage
Jewelry: F21 & Vintage