Anna Scholz Blog

Over time, the personal style of Mexican Surrealist painter Frida Kahlo has become as influential as her art. Embroidered peasant blouse, long skirt, shawl, braids piled high and festooned with flowers…this look is as iconically hers as her distinctive painting style. (Anna herself is such a fan of Kahlo that she named her beloved dog, Frida, after her!)

At the end of November, a stunning collection of Kahlo’s clothing and accessories will be on display in Mexico City at the painter’s home, now the Frida Kahlo Museum. Sponsored by Vogue Mexico, the show, entitled “Appearances Can Be Deceiving: The Dresses of Frida Kahlo,” will exhibit numerous pieces that had been locked away in the artist’s armoires and dressers for almost 50 years.

Kahlo often wore traditional Mexican garments, but these outfits were quite an unusual statement in the sophisticated artistic circles of the 1930s, where woman favoured sleek gowns and gelled-down curls. However, Frida Kahlo wore her clothes very consciously as a badge of individuality and self-empowerment.

Her colourful garb helped her to disguise physical flaws that caused her pain. Long skirts hid a leg withered by childhood polio. Loose peasant blouses covered the stiff braces she often wore for back pain after being maimed in a bus accident. But these clothes also displayed an undeniable inner vibrance. “She was convinced that what she wore displayed who she was inside,” says Alejandra Lopez, art restorer at the museum.

Many of Kahlo’s blouses were custom made. She bought the fabrics and took them to Indian seamstresses. Some were made of velvet cherry, an elegant traditional fabric from the Oaxaca region known as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The Tehuana dress, Kahlo’s signature piece, was named after the Indian woman of that region, says the show’s curator, Henestrosa. “It is not a dress she chose by accident. The women run that society. The women symbolize power.”

You can also read more and see more photos here.

Finding the perfect dress is a snap, thanks to Anna Scholz (wink wink)! But having the right underwear under there helps to make an outfit look that much more spectacular.

The Plus Size Tall blog recently posted some very useful guidelines on choosing the right lingerie for the curvier figure. Many lingerie websites have very helpful tips and size guides. It is also worth going into a store to be fitted properly.

*Your bra size is found by measuring under your bust where the under band sits. If the measurement comes out as an odd number then round up. Your cup size is determined by measuring where your bust is fullest and then subtracting from under the under band size. The difference equals your cup size: 1 inch difference — A Cup, 2 inches — B Cup and on up.

*The back of the bra should fit straight across your back and the middle of the bra should sit flat between your breasts. The straps should be supportive without digging in, and the bust should not bulge out of the cups.

*It is important to work with your boob shape as well as your bust size in order to select the style that best supports your shape. For example, if your boobs are fuller at the bottom then your bust line is likely to be low and will require extra support. In this case, you might want to try a balconette bra as it lifts the bust and has wider straps for extra support.

*Think about the garment you are wearing and what look you want to achieve. For example, if you want to create extra cleavage and/or hide the top of your bra under a low cut top, a plunge bra is a good choice.

*Be sure to buy knickers that fit you properly too. Your size may vary across different brands. Also, the right fabric is important. You don’t want to wear knickers that are too flimsy or too heavy and bulky. Choose cotton or silky fabrics that are comfortable and support you where you want it. Different styles of knickers will support different parts of the body. If you are apple shaped, high-waisted knickers that use flattering panels are great.

*But most of all, you should choose lingerie that makes you feel great. That will certainly translate through whatever you are wearing!

Read more at Plus Size Tall.

We love seeing what new heights plus model Robyn Lawley’s career is reaching. A shoot for the November issue of Cosmopolitan Australia showed her frolicking in the blue lagoon at Aitutaki, Cook Islands. As ever, she looks amazing.

She also recently landed a contract to become the first plus model for Ralph Lauren. And many of you will remember her stunning shoot in Morocco for Anna Scholz’s Spring-Summer 2012 White Label collection.

See more of Robyn’s Cosmo Australia shoot here!

Lisa sent us this photo from her recent trip to New York City.

“Here I am wearing Anna Scholz (on right) in David Burke’s restaurant in Bloomingdales – just before speed shopping womenswear on the 5th floor.”

Lisa has won a £100 shopping voucher for use on www.annascholz.com!

Customers: we invite you to submit your photos now for the photo contest for the next month. Send us snaps of you in your favourite Anna Scholz looks for publication on our blog, and you’ll be entered to win a £100 online shopping voucher. Whether you’re out on the town or just hanging out, we’d love to see how you lend your personal flavour to Anna’s clothes.

Just e-mail your photo to info@annascholz.com

Anna and Darren took New York by storm recently for the business end of Fashion Week; meanwhile, a some of us also had fun representing the Anna Scholz brand at Cheltenham Fashion Week. We showed Anna’s Autumn-Winter 2012 collection in the Boutique 24 event held at the gorgeous Cowley Manor hotel.

The hotel and grounds were amazing, our model, Madeline, looked stunning and we met some lovely people. Shoppers were loving the prints and colours!

CFW was created “to provide exciting  fashion events throughout the year showcasing  work created by designers and fashion students as well as promoting fashion from our fabulous independent retailers; from the wearable to the inspirational,” explain the event’s organisers.

Here are a few pics — we hope they hold another soon!

Our model, Madeline

Liz and Winnie- sellin' the collection!

Cowley Manor grounds

Cowley Manor grounds

Anna and our sales/production manager, Darren, travelled to New York City the other week to show Anna’s Spring-Summer 2013 collection to buyers. They had a hectic schedule, but luckily they also managed to have some fun along the way!

In the below photo, Anna poses with Oliver Steinhaus, her old friend and the photographer of the SS ‘13 campaign imagery, shot in Miami.

Lunch in the Meatpacking District

Darren brings some style to Times Square

Anna channels Holly Golightly on a coffee break

A recent study found that viewing photos of cuddly kittens and puppies can improve your concentration.

According to an article in the October 5th edition of London’s Metro newspaper, “Experts believe focus is improved by a cuteness-triggered emotion which is associated with taking motivation from anything that gives you happiness, pleasure or joy.” The paper cites a study in which students who were shown pictures of baby animals performed significantly better when playing the medical board game Operation than those shown photos of adult animals.

That said, we recommend that you view our previous blog photo contestant, Mr Teddytails!

The latest issue of the online magazine Vol.Up.2 is out now, featuring several pieces from Anna’s Spring-Summer 2012 collection.

Vol.Up.2 is published by Velvet d’Amour, who is the Editor, Creator, Art Director and Photographer (as well as being a good friend of Anna’s). The theme of this edition of the magazine is “ZEST”. The numerous editorials in the magazine celebrate not only the sex appeal of the curvier figure, but all kinds beauty in non-”mainstream” packaging. “And that’s what ZEST is all about for me, Energy, Spirit, Vitality, Color and Force!” says d’Amour. “It can’t be defined in a black and white manner it’s more interpretive”.