Style lessons from (infuriatingly underrated) Mexico
Don't worry, this is not another New Year's resolution email.
Amongst my post-vacation depression (who else? better not to ask), I am still reflecting on what beautiful Mexico taught me about style and how it changed my life for the better.
Please, express yourself
I still feel the chills of seeing Frida Kahlo’s acid blue house for the first time. Her entire home exudes vibrancy, color, and EMOTION.
Being Brazilian with an Italian heritage, I have been known to have “sangue quente” (hot-headed? melodramatic?) since my hormones first took over - and for the longest time, I have been trying to tone it down. Common..brutal honesty, crying… it’s not cute. So many useless hours of “I Control my Feelings” meditation on Headspace. Journaling. We are all a work in progress, I try to believe.
But then, I visited the home where the most famous Latina of HISTORY was born, raised, lived, and died - just to have my world shattered and my feelings appeased. Instead of signing up for Equinox to get unlimited Yoga classes, she wore her heart on her sleeve. The power of a woman that lets her wild side take over cannot be quantified. This is what makes Frida’s art so powerful, so honest - and why she is the most famous Latina in history.
Make it intentional
Frida made her Tehuana dresses an iconic look.
It’s not what Mexicans would wear at the time, and we still don’t know if she got the inspiration from her mother’s old photographs or if Diego (her husband and lover) just liked the vibe - but she made it hers. Mexico City’s Museo de Arte Moderno had an exhibit on Emma Hurtado, Diego’s last wife, and featured her Tehuana outfit - and all you can think is “look at Frida’s dress!”.
But what does it take to make something iconic? Should I adopt Lady Gaga’s strategy to being recognized and just wear the same sunglasses and bathing suit over fishnets every day? It worked, but even Gaga got tired. Maybe being iconic is not so hard (shout out to Harry Perry Venice Beach’s guitar hero on skates) - I guess the tricky part is how did Frida not get bored of the same silhouette. We will never know.
My guess is that she was able to combine elements that instantly brought her happiness (handmade detailing, flowers..her things were the cutest up close) with functionality (weather appropriate for Mexico City plus long skirts would cover areas of her body she wasn’t comfortable in showing). So she just wore it all the time. Do you wear what makes you happy?
I am not Frida Kahlo
I tried on so many Tehuana looks at street markets, I was very sad to learn that I am not Frida. Oh boy, I really tried.
Leaving so many stores and not buying anything was just made more awkward with my husband shouting FELIZ ANO - forgetting about the ñ that made his “happy new year” wishes into “happy anus”.
Looking for consolation, I remembered Queer Eye star Tan France’s Masterclass: “Coco Chanel would remove an accessory before leaving the house - but I am Tan France, I am not Coco Chanel, so I add one extra”.
I had my (short-lived) Frida Kahlo dream for a few days, just to realize I have to figure out a few things myself. I’m still not sure what “my look” will be, but don’t worry, I agree we are done with black turtle necks.
A little chile is the spice of life
I had one too many tacos to know.
A good taco has to have a perfect balance of all flavors, including some spicy ones.
A little sexy.
A little charm.
What’s sexy is up to you.
Your heritage is much more than what people may think
I was FLOORED when I visited Teotihuacan’s pyramids. I can assure you that the Spanish did not discover the Americas - the “city where men became Gods” was there already and INSANE. Even the Aztecs found it in ruins and rebuilt it to its former glory citing that only the divine could have built such a place.
While the rest of the world would used needles and thread to make clothes, a process that took a lot of time just to set up, Native Mexicans realized the Agave leaf when stripped down would serve the same purpose. The tip is a pointy tool with thread built-in, very easy to make. Remember this next time you do all your spitting, licking, and going cross-eyed trying to thread a needle.
Don’t let others tell your story. Our style narrative, very much like History, is very Euro-centered, but it does not have to be.
Our native blood is gold. The ability to do great is literally in us.
The best happens when you are not giving a f*: you can still be happy when you look like sh*t
Nothing like a week of leaving the hotel at 5:30 to fish to make you realize that how you dress is nothing in comparison to the real and important things in life. When I said yes to fulfilling my husband’s fishing fantasies I did not realize that there would be no peeing for me for at least 12 hours. It took me two trips to learn that dehydration was the key to survival on a boat.
And then, when I was already mourning the vacation days I was taking off to practice Kegel urinary retention, I saw the whales. Mommy whale, baby whale. Sleeping whale. Jumping whale. So many. Seeing their eyes!!
I started this post with how I am learning to be more accepting of my nature, and I will end it with proof:
I look miserable but I am actually super happy, watching the sunrise and the moon set over the ocean on our last boat trip.
Thank you Mexico, and my Mexican family, I love you more than ever <3