Ms Paula Bee

Billabong challenged me to wear their new sarong in an unorthodox kind of way. As a turban, a bandeau or any other style you could think of. Naturally, I decided to put it on my head because a bandeau just wasn’t doing it for me. But then I thought to myself, why create a turban-inspired look if that’s what is expected? Why not try something completely out of the box? And that’s when I turned to Frieda.

For those of you who don’t know who Frieda Khalo is, let’s recap on a quick history lesson.
Khalo was a Mexican painter who is best known for her self-portraits (and those thick brows). Her work is remembered for its “pain and passion”, and its vibrant, intense colours which can be easily recognised. I drew inspiration from this cultural icon because of her beautiful artworks that are always full of tropical colours, fresh blooms, and of course that braided hair.

How I achieved this look:
Tying my hair into two pigtails, I decided to braid the sarong into my hair with multiple techniques of twisting and winding around the base of each pony tail. I clipped the braided hair and sarong together as you would for a braid crown. I then added faux flowers and my cute head piece from The Ramp Store that I’ve had for a while but just didn’t find a fitting look for it. My brows were filled in quite heavily (I know Frieda would approve), and the rest of my makeup was kept quite soft with a pop of red for the lips. I used Rimmel London’s Provocalips in “Kiss Me You Fool” which I reviewed previously (click here to view).

Lisa did such an amazing job at capturing my idea and bringing it to life in these shots. I wanted a vibrant feel, rich in life and colour, while focusing on the detail of the headpiece.

This is a tricky, but totally worth it way of rocking a sarong. What do you think of the way I challenged the norm?
Thank you Billabong SA for the challenge 😉

Ms Paula Bee
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Sarong | Billabong / Dress | Mr Price / Green bracelet | Shimmer / Earrings | Woolworths

Photographer: Lisa Gabriel

For bookings to shoot with Lisa, email her: [email protected].