Feminist Style Icon: Frida Kahlo

In the past I have channeled other style icons (Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Hello Kitty), so I was very excited when the Feminist Fashion Bloggers group decided to kick off women's history month with a series of posts on feminist fashion icons.

I picked twentieth century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).  I have admired Frida Kahlo for many years, and visited her hours (La Casa Azul) when I was in Mexico City for a research trip back in 2006.  Her works are full of vibrant and intense colors, dramatic symbolism, emotion, and autobiographic elements.  They fetch higher prices than any other female artist and have been admired for their depictions of the female body and for the experience of women.  For me, as for many feminists, it's Frida's open depiction of the pain of women that makes her a feminist icon.

Growing up during the Mexican Revolution, stricken by polio as a child, and then injured in a bus accident as a teenager, Kahlo was no stranger to pain and struggle.  The accident left her with numerous injuries and unable to have children.  Although she was eventually able to walk again, she had to have numerous operations and spent weeks at a time in hospitals or in bed due to intense pain.  This was also a turning point for Frida, who had planned to go into medicine.  She began painting while still in a full body cast and painted a number of self-portraits.  

During her lifetime, Frida was mostly overshadowed on the international art scene by her husband the muralist Diego Rivera.  Both were impetuous and had fiery tempers.  They both engaged in multiple extramarital affairs.  Frida was openly bisexual and had affairs with both men, including Leon Trotksy, and women, such as Josephine Baker.  She smoked and drank tequila.  She loved to cook and entertain.  She associated herself with Mexico, with the Revolution, and with communism.  She continued to paint in spite of her lack of reputation and in spite of the fact that it was much harder for women to get solo exhibits.

I even tried to channel a little Frida yesterday with bright colors and a flower in my hair.

Who are your feminist fashion and style icons?

Weekend Wear: Channeling My Inner Hello Kitty

I mentioned in my post yesterday that I spent a lot of time during my childhood up in trees and reading books in my favorite climbing tree.  I also spent a fair amount of time writing, and one of the first journals that I ever owned was a Hello Kitty diary.  I still remember my parents buying it for me when I was in first grade.  They only agreed to buy it if I promised that I would actually write in it daily.  I loved that diary to pieces, and I think that thanks to this little diary with its lined pages my love for Hello Kitty was born.  Although I keep my obsession under pretty tight control -- at least comparatively -- I do have some Hello Kitty items in my home today.  I have a Hello Kitty messenger bag, which I rarely use anymore because it is rather too small for my current laptop.  I have a Hello Kitty apron that I wear when I'm doing a lot of cooking.  I have Hello Kitty slippers, which were a gift from one of my Hello Kitty loving friends and which sadly Bailey defaced and slightly disfigured a few days after we brought her home from the shelter.  I have the Hello Kitty t-shirt that my mother recently gave me as a gift, and I have my Hello Kitty Punk galoshes that M. gave me for the holidays in 2008. 

Although sometimes I wear my galoshes when it's sloggy out to go to campus and teach my classes, for the most part, Hello Kitty style is relegated to the weekend.   A few weeks ago, Ann Underfunded and I went on a Saturday to see Sherlock Holmes and eat Mexican food.  Then I had a few wedding-related errands to take care of around town.  This outfit¹ was great for a grey day that was just warm enough for the dirty snow to be melting away.   

 

1. Skinnies - Old Navy (remixed)

Shirt - SweaterWorks (remixed)

Cardi - Target (remixed)

Knee Highs - We Love Colors

Boots - Chooka (Gift and remixed)

Black beads - Thrifted (remixed)

Blue beads - Blanco (remixed)

Necklace - Etsy (gift and remixed)

This is definitely not my normal, daily style, and, for me, it's definitely not classroom attire because it's too casual, too youthful, and too colorful. Every now and then, though, it's fun to really press my style boundaries or to try a style that I don't consider my own.  Plus, sometimes I just have to let my love of Hello Kitty show.  Do any of you share my love of Hello Kitty? Have any cartoon characters or comic book characters influenced your style? 

What are you up to this weekend?

Channeling My Inner Coco: I am Pretty Enough to be a Feminist

I've been looking for ways to wear this striped shirt.¹  It's a little too long, so it tends to make me feel frumpy unless I wear it with layers or tuck it in like I did yesterday.  I felt like this ensemble had elements of the simple elegance of Coco Chanel to it along with a more modern twist in the extra polka dots.  I know that I'll never be as glamorous as Coco was, but I did get several compliments on my outfit, including one from another feminist faculty member whom I greatly admire. 

1. Shirt - ??? (Filene's and remixed)

Skirt - J. Crew (thrifted and remixed)

Tights - Top Shop (gift and remixed)

Shoes - r2 (DSW and remixed)

Scarf - from another shirt (and remixed)

Bracelet - wedding gift from my husband

When Karl Lagerfield pretended to be Coco in an interview with Harper's Bazaar a few months ago, he remarked that Coco "was never ugly enough" to be a feminist. These kinds of remarks, the industry pressure for models to be and remain a size 0, the insane cost, among other factors are reasons that I'm not a fashionista -- all the more reason that I'm glad that my Coco inspired outfit came together from thrifted, repurposed, and remixed pieces.

As I've said before I care about clothes.  I also very much consider myself a feminist.  I kept my name rather than taking my husband's for both professional and personal reasons.  When I sat on an undergraduate teaching committee a few years ago, I helped to explore how we might attract more women to the history major.  My academic work has to do with gendered issues and giving sixteenth and seventeenth century women a voice (it also to some extent has to do with what they were wearing).  I am very much concerned with equity for women.  

What I'm saying is feminism shouldn't be a dirty word.  Feminists come in and should come in all genders, races, shapes, shoe sizes, and religious affiliations.  I am one.  My man of honor is one.  My hubs is one.  Ariel is one.  Yet, many women seem to find the term feminist offensive and one with which they don't wish to associate.  Of course, there are many variants of feminism, but, to (over)simplify, fundamentally being a feminist means wanting equal rights, equal opportunities, and legal protections for women.  Do people still honestly believe that we women shouldn't have those things?  Oh, wait, don't answer that.  Just check out Sal's fantastic post on patriarchy and start thinking about ways you can take action as an individual.

So, do you consider yourself to be a feminist?  Why or why not?  And do you see your identity as a feminist as connected in any way to your personal style of dress?

Channeling My Inner Betty Draper - Holiday Party Edition

I love Mad Men and my personal style has been significantly influenced by the character of Joan.  However, there's much to love about Betty Draper's sophisticated, pretty style too.  My fiance and I hosted a Holiday Party the other night, and I tried to channel my inner Betty Draper with my party dress¹, pretty prints, cooking, and hosting skills.

I couldn't find one of the attachments to my food processor, so I had to grate about a million potatoes for latkes by hand before the festivities could start.

1. Dress - White House Black Market

Floral cardi - Target

Tights - Target

Suede pumps - Nine West (DSW)

Cameo Choker - Etsy
Bracelet - Gift
Earrings - Edwin Pearl (Filene's Basement)

We were joined by a number of friends in festive attire for the latkes and other goodies and festive, holiday drinks, like pomegranate cocktails, mulled wine, and candy cane flavored beverages.

You can see my cameo choker better here.

Have you been to any holiday parties yet?  What did you wear?  We Fashionable Academics hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!  Stay safe and warm and on top of your academic (or other work-related) responsibilities!

Channeling My Inner Katharine

Last week I wore an outfit inspired by style icon Audrey Hepburn.  Yesterday, I decided to try to channel another twentieth century diva, Katharine Hepburn.  I love Katharine Hepburn (she had a degree in history!), and her work, especially her performances in Little Women, The Lion in Winter, The Philadelphia Story, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.  (My mom even blames The Lion in Winter, along with Indiana Jones, for influencing me at impressionable age to become interested in history.)  Katharine's personal style famously centered around high-waisted trousers and button downs.  She almost always wore pants.  Her so-called "boyish" style helped to pave the way for both better cut pants and blazers for women and for the chic androgynous-femme look so popularized by Audrey Hepburn.

I wore trousers and a blazer¹ in an attempt to emulate Katharine's chic look yesterday for a day of meetings and grading at a coffee shop.  Then I spent part of the evening prepping one of my last classes of the term with some unwanted help from Bailey, who loves to try to get on my lap while I'm typing -- and while I'm taking pictures for my outfit posts....

(Note: I doubt that  Kate Hepburn ever had a fleece blanket with hearts on it.  I'm a little embarrassed that I forgot this was on the couch before I took pictures, but oh well. This blanket and cups of tea keep me warm as I write lectures and grade quizzes.)

1.  Button down - Zoe D (Filene's Basement)

Trousers - ABS (Filene's Basement)

Blazer - Rafaella (Filene's Basement)

Spectator Pumps - r2 remixed
(None new)

The easiest part of putting together my Katharine ensemble was that it's really all wardrobe basics: button down shirt, dark trousers, and most academics have a blazer or four stashed in their closets (if they don't wear one most days).   So, academics and other readers, I'd like to hear how you style your blazers! 

Channeling My Inner Audrey

Yesterday I didn't go into campus, but I had plenty to do.  I worked on revisions at home, took Bailey to the vet for some bloodwork, and had Ann Underfunded Humanity over to see if a skirt suit that sadly doesn't really fit me anymore would work for her (it did!) and to catch up over a cup of tea.  Inspired by a recent post on The Glamorous Grad Student, I decided to channel my inner Audrey Hepburn for my day away from campus.¹

1. Skinny Jeans - Mango

Turtleneck - Target (sale)

Flats - Me Too*

Sunglasses - Oscar de la Renta (DSW)

Scarf - Hand-me-down from a friend

I realize that I'm not as glamorous as Audrey.  I mean, who is?  But I had fun wearing this outfit.  It's not often that I go so monochromatic.  Which - if any - celebrities have influenced your style?

*These shoes are so comfy that I've practically worn them to pieces over the past couple of years.  I practically lived in them for teaching in the spring and summer.  I think I'll have to invest in a new pair once it gets warmer....

A Grey Day Requires Hello Kitty Punk Rock Power

When I woke up this morning, I found myself faced with a grim, grey day with few prospects of sun and the chance of scattered showers. While I didn't have to teach today, I did have a few errands to run on campus and I had to take my dog to the vet. I had a crappy attitude about having to do all these things, and I knew I needed to shake it off quickly. I thought of the things in my closet that were surest to help: my Hello Kitty Punk rain boots (a gift from my ever-so-thoughtful fiance), my bright pink umbrella, and an-almost as bright pink scarf. Combined with a simple black, cotton dress from target, I felt armed with my boots and accessories to face the rainy day ahead. With my mood brightened, the day suddenly didn't seem so grey. By early afternoon it actually was no longer grey, so, before heading to the vet's, I ditched the scarf and umbrella and traded my boots for black flats. Maybe Hello Kitty didn't change the weather patterns, but her cute face and love of punk sure helped me to power my way through the first part of the day.

The First Lady of Fashion

As I was watching Obama's address last night, I couldn't help be distracted by two things.  One was Joe Wilson's disrespectful outburst.  The other was how fabulous our first lady looked in that sort of dusty rose colored Moschino skirt suit that she was wearing.  I want to own that suit or something very similar!  The brooch was such a nice touch.

I really like the fact that Michelle Obama has supported up and coming designers - particularly minority designers, such as Thakoon Panichgul,  even as it has earned her some criticism from famous designers, such as Vera Wang.  I love that she bares her buff arms.  I love that her sense of style seems to meld common sense with confidence and power with youth.  I think she always looks smart and polished in addition to being smart and polished.

I hesitated to blog about this because I do take healthcare reform seriously, and I don't want our readers to think that I was *that* distracted.   But having read way too much political blog today, my blood was starting to boil.  How could I achieve a happy, feel-good state once more?  Well, since I can't afford the suit, looking at it online, thinking about the gorgeous seamwork in the back, and writing about it was the next best thing.

What do you think about the first lady's style?