Last month my honey and I were in Mexico and rounded the corner in the small town we were near to find this fan-cleaning man hard at work under Frida Kahlo’s badass gaze. In it I saw “I dare you.” And as I get older, I’m working on daring myself a little more each day. Yes to be true in all those life ways that I’ve spent years therapizing on, but also in seeing what it takes to honestly live on this planet consciously. To pause around my love of style and pay attention to where my choices come from…and stay on a budget. It’s a work in progress for sure, but I mean to keep it up and put down here the ways in which I find success and stumbles.

Frida Kahlo, who not only had a style that was drop-jaw stunning but who also lived a story filled with a trillion opportunities for her to meet challenges and then express them to the rest of us by way of art, was born this month (1907) in Mexico. Her story: Daughter of a German father and Mestizo mother, citizen of Mexico, artist with shows in America and Europe, disabled, bisexual and outspoken.

With the humanitarian disaster exploding on the border between her place of birth and the place where she spent a good portion of time, this post is a bit What might Frida do along with a chance to support some artisans from Central and South America whose work is not only stunning and interesting, but also benefits the humans creating it and the culture it represents.

(Side note: Also a donation to Raices, an organization doing amazing work at the border is a wonderful accessory. I’ve investigated laminating the Thank You email and wearing it around my neck layered with some of the necklaces below.)

Jewelry. Frida’s was consistently colorful and just damn interesting. With that in mind:

These are so cool and I feel would not distract me like so many earrings can when they dangle from my lobes. The company that makes them, Wakami, partners with local women in Guatemala to create fantastic jewelry and handbags.

I also really love this simple necklace from them as well. And if truly channeling Frida’s style, it would be layered with many more.

And on the subject of layering, stacking these beauties in the summer on a bare arm, right?

If you want to get dangly with it, these babies are beauties. I’d go silver, because that’s my jam, but they make them in gold as well. The company also supports Guatemalan artisans.

Frida did some amazing things on her head: flowers woven into braids, ribbons and what-not featured prominently. I’m a hat girl myself and these feathers quite intrigued me. I don’t know how they’d hold up on my summer straw in the subway or walking down the NYC streets. I kind of think a pigeon might dive bomb me, but if I was just two inches more brave, I might give these a try. Pachacuti is all about supporting Panamanian artists.

Moving from tête to toes, a great wrap or shawl is always handy—even during the hottest months given some highly air conditioned location is bound to spill some chill over you at some point.

This awesome multi-purpose piece is both traditional and functional. And the site The Little Market is a great place to find home accessories and lots more made by Central and South American artists.

Designer Carla Fernandez is quite wonderful. Her work has a great architectural edge and some interesting angles that make me want to look from all angles.

The one caveat about Carla’s work is that you have to look a little bit to find her clothes. Resale sites like Poshmark and such are a good place to start. This wool cape (yes, wool, not altogether summertime, but an awesome piece to save for chill) is much like this from her Fall/Winter 2015 collection. I could totally see Frida throwing this on.

As we have now arrived at the feet, I feel the need to throw in another Frida photo. One that plays on her love for gender fluidity.

Frida as a teenager on the far left with her family. I’ve always loved a suit and can often be found in the boy’s department of thrift stores looking for cast-off suits outgrown (or discarded) by some young dude who had to wear it to a wedding or something. I’m not always successful, but still do try.

But shoes, we’re here for shoes. My feeling is that Frida is sporting a pair of oxfords in this photo. I’m bringing you a summer version made by this cool company called Nisolo in Peru.

If an open-toed style is your thing, there are these below from the same company, that I might still snap up before the summer ends:

And then these totally festive slides:

Which are made to order (so for those impatient souls among us. I’m looking at you, LSpencer, writer of these words, find the patience). The Guatemala company Root Collective has a fantastic mission statement so I think everything they make is fully worth the wait.

We’ve reached the toes so I’m going to slide out crossing fingers that however you choose to support being human and helping out all those other humans around you, you know that every little ripple helps.

“Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.” 
― Frida Kahlo

What words and/or artists inspire you to make a difference?