One of the most famous Mexican painters, Frida Kahlo, left a mark on the world with her art, expression of political views, and vibrant personality when she passed away in 1954. But not everybody knows that she also left her unique collection of clothes, which were revealed to the public once again after being locked away for almost 50 years.
Frida's husband, Diego Rivera, was left with an impressive wardrobe of his wife, which he decided to seal in the bathroom of their Mexico City home, and ordered to keep them hidden away until 15 years after his death. He passed away soon after in 1957, but Kahlo's belongings were left locked until 2004 when the museum decided to catalog its content.
The photographer who got the privilege to immortalize over 300 of Frida's wardrobe items was the renowned Japanese photographer Ishiuchi Miyako, who did the job using only a 35mm Nikon camera and a natural light.
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Kahlo’s Earrings
These are traditional earrings from Guanajuato Mexico. Probably a present
Love birds mate for life, like they did. sure he messed around but he loved her.
Prosthetic Leg
Kahlo’s leg was amputated in 1953. She designed this prosthetic leg with embroidered red lace-up boots and a bell attached.
Had no idea she was an amputee. That fact that she was able to design her own prsostethis is amazing.
have you seen her paintings? Self-portraits with all these disabilities?
Load More Replies...She was seriously wounded in a trolley car accident when she was younger. Really messed her up physically.
Load More Replies...Can't knock the girls uniqueness, she sure was her own person. Boot is really on trend
Classic Cats-Eye Glasses
Kahlo’s Outfits
Kahlo’s friends noted that the more pain she felt, and the more incapacitated she became, the more elaborate her outfits were.
As a chronic pain sufferer, I can confirm that this is a great coping strategy. If I feel like c**p I dress to the nines. It actually helps!
Exactly. I'll have days when I have a full face of makeup and a nightgown or pajamas.
Load More Replies...Getting lost in creating something can let your mind escape pain that your body can not get away from!!! I have been in a lot of pain for over 15 years. I asked to get in a pain management program as soon as I was told in would not go away a d learned quickly that keeping your mind busy is a must. If you don't your mind starts playing ugly games with you! While this has went on a looooong time I am only in the pain I am feeling right this moment. If you don't find something you can do your brain starts telling you that pain is adding up and it gets worse because you are mentally adding it all up. Working out what you want to make and how you are going to do it keeps you busy so you don't add it up. When I have my camera out and I find something anything to shot I honestly don't feel it! I am alway trying out new crafts or combining crafts in new ways and I have always felt like she did that too!
Traditional Tehuana Dress
Kahlo’s right leg was thinner than her left after childhood polio – and it was later fractured in 11 places when she had a horrific bus accident in her 20s. As a result, she wore long, traditional Tehuana dresses that concealed her lower body.
The square and triangular traditional Oaxacan bodice shapes also drew the viewer's eyes upward and "framed" her face
Kahlo’s Fringed Boots
Yes like many with polio she was left with a shorter leg on the side most affected by polio.
She lost her leg later in life. The shoes above are from when she still had two feet.
Selina Jaz ~ but it does make sense. Kahlo’s right leg was thinner (and shorter ) than her left after childhood polio – and it was later fractured in 11 places when she had a horrific bus accident in her 20s . Sadly, her leg was later amputated.
Selina Jaz - perhaps she wore these before her leg was amputated?
Before she had a leg amputated she had to wear a lift in one shoe.
Kahlo’s Knit Swimsuit In Mint Green
I know that Lycra didn't exist until 1959, but I would think swimming in cotton knit swimwear would be rather uncomfortable.
Not really, kinda like wimping in a tee shirt really.
Load More Replies...I like the color. It looks a bit turquoise on my screen. I bet it looked great on her. Especially when the rope belt was tied. The knit pattern looks a bit like water ripples. Gives great texture to it. I wonder if she went into the water with it or just wore it to the beach?
Frida’s Cast Corset
After her bus accident, Kahlo was in a full body cast for three months, and she remained in pain for the rest of her life. She painted her casts and corsets, turning them from medical equipment into artworks
This looks like a type of removalable partial cast. It looks very similar to what I wore after six months in a full body cast at 15.
I can totally relate...it's not easy, but you do what you have to do when you don't have a choice.
Makes me wanna take a look at her artwork again and see if I can reference any of the clothing shown.
A tram and a bus collided. You're both correct.
Load More Replies...A Skirt Of Green Silk And Lace Attached To A Body Corset
Frida’s Cast Corset
When I just saw the clothes I was like 'such awesome stuff'..of course it is Frida's..she was such a gorgeous woman.
Skirt Fabric
Portable Ashtray
This is amazing , I have visited Casa Asul in Coyoacan Mexico where she lived and seen many I'd her paintings as well as many if her household items her diary, but never seen this clothing are they going to be part of the Museum exposition?
i even got one in plastic with thin alufoil inside.... to helt prevent polution of the nature 20170418_0...5c8be8.jpg
This is for transporting cigarette in your purse , my gran grandma has one a like
Kahlo’s Nail Polish
This is some really good marketing for Revlon! Especially the surviving red colour!
Kahlo’s Gloves
A Comb Still Covered With Strands Of The Artist’s Hair
Take that DNA and let's make a new Frida. We'll show her how amazing her "mother" was.
Tehuana Lacy Headdress
Kahlo’s Scarf
Technically it's not a scarf it's called rebozo it is more similar to a chal.... a traditional piece of clothing made by artisans in a loom (can be a blackstrap loom or a colonial loom)
Kahlo’s Outfits
I've heard that there's a such thing as real & fake lace. How can you tell the difference?
Load More Replies...Kahlo’s Stockings
Bottle Of Perfume
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dana/Emir-22054.html
Load More Replies...Kahlo’s Vest
It probably helped her pain. Constriction can help support and keep the pain from getting too intense. I know from experience
There's a painting of her wearing a corset like this. It depicts the terrible pain and agony she was in. It's called The Broken Column.
The Broken Column doesn't really show a corset but more of a metal spine
Load More Replies...One Of The Corsets Worn By Kahlo
An Old Black T-shirt
Love the thinness of the material to match the lace. Beautiful blouse!
T-shirt? Who wrote these descriptions? And what's fun for me, in the late 1960s I had a very similar black blouse.
Somebody needs to make a coffee table book of these items and add in some of her artwork.
The movie "Frida." Reasonably accurate, and it seemed to capture her spirit. My fashion sense was inspired by that movie.
frida khalo niece said that salma hayek never contact the family to know how frida khalo was or how really frida and her husband be come to live in twin houses in mexico city. the movie is fiction .
Load More Replies...Wish there was more to see...she clearly loved swallows, lace and the colour red!
You should visit her home/studio in Coyoacan (south Mexico City). It was inspirational to me.
Load More Replies...This is intense, but only because I am able to empathise. We all are in our own ways - wondering what her perfume smelled like; trying to imagine her pain; celebrating her artistic achievements and dress-sense against what is otherwise a truly horrid human existence (at the bodily level). Yes: an astonishing life. An astonishing woman. She gave to us her indomitable human spirit via paint and fabrics, and we still have it today. I feel tears coming on.
#18 is not a scarf it's called rebozo and it's more similar to a chal. Traditional piece of clothing made by artisans in a loom (can be a backstrap loom or a colonial loom). For every region there is diferent tipes of embroidery colors and techniques, all of them really beautiful...
Loved this but who wrote the titles? The "comb" is a brush. The "old black t-shirt" is a blouse with lace insets. The "green silk skirt with lace" is actually eyelet, not lace. Sorry to be stickler for accuracy.
There is a book already, but most of these items aren't in it. Self-portrait in a Velvet Dress, Frida's Wardrobe. ISBN 978-0-8118-6344-5. It's absolutely lovely.
978-1614282631 this one goes a little deeper into her fashion
Load More Replies...Why keep these hidden away in a bathroom? Lucky they did not get absolutely damaged! What museum are they kept in now? Would be nice to visit!
Somebody needs to make a coffee table book of these items and add in some of her artwork.
The movie "Frida." Reasonably accurate, and it seemed to capture her spirit. My fashion sense was inspired by that movie.
frida khalo niece said that salma hayek never contact the family to know how frida khalo was or how really frida and her husband be come to live in twin houses in mexico city. the movie is fiction .
Load More Replies...Wish there was more to see...she clearly loved swallows, lace and the colour red!
You should visit her home/studio in Coyoacan (south Mexico City). It was inspirational to me.
Load More Replies...This is intense, but only because I am able to empathise. We all are in our own ways - wondering what her perfume smelled like; trying to imagine her pain; celebrating her artistic achievements and dress-sense against what is otherwise a truly horrid human existence (at the bodily level). Yes: an astonishing life. An astonishing woman. She gave to us her indomitable human spirit via paint and fabrics, and we still have it today. I feel tears coming on.
#18 is not a scarf it's called rebozo and it's more similar to a chal. Traditional piece of clothing made by artisans in a loom (can be a backstrap loom or a colonial loom). For every region there is diferent tipes of embroidery colors and techniques, all of them really beautiful...
Loved this but who wrote the titles? The "comb" is a brush. The "old black t-shirt" is a blouse with lace insets. The "green silk skirt with lace" is actually eyelet, not lace. Sorry to be stickler for accuracy.
There is a book already, but most of these items aren't in it. Self-portrait in a Velvet Dress, Frida's Wardrobe. ISBN 978-0-8118-6344-5. It's absolutely lovely.
978-1614282631 this one goes a little deeper into her fashion
Load More Replies...Why keep these hidden away in a bathroom? Lucky they did not get absolutely damaged! What museum are they kept in now? Would be nice to visit!
