Collection of my Dreams

I've been thinking of Frida and Diego a lot recently.

I hate to be so predictable but,

when I saw this photo (at Casa Azul) I teared up:

Contrary to popular belief or what I write on this blog, I don't normally cry at photos but this one really had a hold on me. You could see how tightly they were holding each other - like if they let go one would disappear (most likely Diego).

You know Frida would dress up in traditional Mexican costumes for Diego? I feel like she would have done anything to engross him, using her feminine and artistic wiles to keep his attention focused on her. It worked but only for a while.

I don't have a Diego Rivera but I do appreciate wearing traditional clothing of Spanish and Mexican decent. I wear my peineta,

my shawls

and Lucha Libre masks to honor the women of my family and also because they're pretty.

I cannot wait to see Moschino's collection next spring. It has all the trappings of a perfect Spanish wardrobe - whether I want to be muy masculino o muy feminina. Plus all the accessories for head and hair are making me weak in the knees.

This would be the perfect way to pay tribute to the matriarchs of my family and maybe Frida as well.

Blacks Hats are the Dreamiest

My equivalent of a little black dress -- something you wear to feel OK about the world -- is the black hat. There were some dreamy hats shown during the Spring/ Summer 2012 shows in Europe.

At Balenciaga:

My sister was perusing Style.com and sent me a photo of this hat poking fun at it -- not knowing I had already bookmarked it for my Wish List.

A.F. Vandevorst had some gorgeous tall creations

that you should not wear to the theater.

Oh I wish they had used a white backdrop for those of us who did not go to the show and struggle with looking at a photo of black on black.

Armani wins for the most universally classic hat.

This is one I know my sister and my mother would wear, and if my grandmother were still with us she would wear it to church.

The most exciting hat was from Moschino.

I have a matador hat (a gift from the sister who will make fun of me when I try to recreate Balenciaga) and I cannot wait to break it out this Spring when I can wear flimsy dresses and bare legs.

The question is, do I really need one more black hat?

I have so many.

But you know, they, like the inspiration

behind them, are so different.

The sailor cap:

(I wore this when I took a baby to a bar.)

The flower hat:

(Which seemed appropriate for taking my nephew to the food court.)

The nod to the early 1900's:

The wide-brimmed felt hat:

The tiny beret:

(Mine is a children's hat from the 1930's,

ergo a hat pin is very necessary, as my head is huge.)

The classic animal ears hat:

A très masculin hat:

There's the straw summer hat:

(Which I wore to see the immensely entertaining comedian Pete Holmes.)

The sun- shielder to keep you properly pale:

I try not to play favorites, but the bowler hat

is clearly my preferred choice.

When I saw Cabaret in high school it led to an obsession with Joel Grey, that haircut and bowler hats. Unfortunately at such an awkward time of my life I should have skipped my attempt at the hair cut and just bought the hat.

Years later I put Ashley 1st in one when I styled

her for a show at Sullivan Hall.

She looked so 'Masculin, Féminin' sexy in it I went out and bought one the next day.

We have been inseparable ever since.

So back to my question, do I really need one more black hat (and these are barely half of them)? Obviously, the answer is always, 'yes.' And I promise if I ever get my hands on the Balenciaga, I will not wear it in the presence of my sister.