
My Halloween Costume is inspired by Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter known for her imaginative self-portraits, unique personal style and floral hair accessories.
For Halloween, I would like to recreate the red-on-red look from one of her iconic images shot at her home, Casa Azul (The Blue House), in Mexico City.
Outfit Details
I could not find the whole image of her outfit from this photo shoot, but based on my research (https://in.pinterest.com/charvishrimali/frida-kahlo/), her style mostly consisted of a puffed cotton blouse and flared skirt or a layered dress, and always a shawl.
From my own wardrobe

- A cotton hand-block printed maxi dress from Anokhi
- A maroon embroidered shawl
- Red Petticoat or skirt under the the dress to add volume
- Layered chunky necklaces
- An eyebrow pencil to recreate her signature unibrow look
To buy
- Wide headband to form the base of the flowers from Micheals – https://www.amazon.com/Black-Satin-Headband-Motique-Accessories/dp/B00TYNS8DK ( Something like this)
- Pink and Red Paper from Blick Materials for Roses
- 5 Red LEDs
Process
- Make paper roses using this guide – https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-Real-Looking-Paper-Roses/
- Set up the circuit on the headband
- Place LEDs inside the paper roses
- Program the lights to fade and glow up slowly
Materials used
5 Red LEDs, Arduino, Wire, Battery Pack, Resistors, Soldering Iron
TinkerCad Circuit
I am yet to figure out how to integrate the arduino fading/glowing technique and hide away the battery pack inside the costume.

Sounds awesome, Charvi! Did you make a circuit diagram yet?
For someone like Frida who’s famous for portraits, maybe you’d consider, as a stretch goal, creating a small wearable backdrop for your torso? Something like this but casa azul: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpe3yevHnep/
also please put your post in the Works in Progress/Proposals category. Thanks!
Hi, Sharvi!! I really like your costume idea! I’m not quite sure what you’re gonna make light up with LEDs (maybe I missed it) but it definitely has to be the head roses. Good luck!!
Hi Charvi!! I love your idea! If you are looking for artificial roses, I remembered that the Halloween store we went to together sells black and roses too!