Sometimes I am asked to explain the thought process that invents my everyday outfits. I admit that I have NEVER been one to reach into my closet blindfolded and pull out whichever t-shirt I grasp first, paired with the cleanest pair of jeans in my vicinity and the most comfortable pair of shoes in my closet. While I admire people that are so low-maintenance, I honestly cannot relate. Every outing is an opportunity to
something to be proud of. It's a chance to earn compliments, respect, and attention from those who appreciate the art form that is apparel. I wouldn't sacrifice that chance, even if it meant comfort, bliss, and relaxation for the entire day. I want my peers to think that I care more about pleasing them than I do about pleasing myself. Wearing sweat pants is like saying "I'd rather be sleeping, but since I have to be here, I might as well be comfortable". Something about that mindset seems a tad pessimistic. I wish more poeple were happy to dress up.
Contrary to popular belief, fashion isn't superficial. It requires a great deal of talent to accurately execute a theme, as well as dedication to an aesthetic. It's more than what meets the eye- it's what meets the mind, and how the mind manipulates its fabric environment. Fashion icons shouldn't be lambasted for caring about the way they look; they should be lauded for their stylish sagacity. I'd like to give you a very teensy taste of
the purpose behind my clothing choices. I don't ever want to come across as someone who values material for the way it looks exclusively. To me, a good outfit is something practical, well-constructed, and artistic. Hopefully you can work some sense out of my looks as you're scrolling through.
My first outfit is an all-pink ensemble that I wore to a downtown street festival last month. Essentially, I wanted to make a statement since the purpose of the venue was to promote art, culture, and general quirkiness.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Giant pink bow- Not sure where this accessory came from, but it appeared within the depths of my closet and was begging to be paired with equally cutesy clothing. I'm pretty sure the spirit of Tavi Gevinson was living vicariously through this frosty neck adornment.
Pink blazer- Escada from Neiman Marcus
Pink and gold belt- V-I-N-T-A-G-E y'all
Neutral dress- American Apparel
Sparkly tights- Juicy Couture
Cream heels- Ralph Lauren (found these babies at Ross 2 years ago for $25)
Also, that weird thing on my forearm is the remnants of a dancing skeleton temporary tattoo. Because I take getting into the Halloween groove extremely seriously. It was October!
My theme for this outfit was "Lady Gaga Barbie Baby Doll". Admittedly, Lady Gaga would have pulled together something exponentially louder and more eye-catching, but it wouldn't surprise me if she attempted this theme herself one day. For something ironically insignificant, like dining at a sidewalk cafe or window shopping in Paris. JK AS IF IMMORTAL BEINGS ACTUALLY HAVE TO LOWER THEMSELVES TO THE PLEBEIAN STANDARD OF CONSUMING SANDWICHES AND PURCHASING CLOTHING.
The Barbie facet of this outfit was manifested in the pastel shades of the bow, belt, and blazer. As for 'Baby Doll', that seems obvious. Mature adults don't wear affectionate pink tones. Anyone catch the Madame Alexander vibe??
This is undoubtedly my next outfit inspiration.
My second outfit is a simple blend of pale blue denim, lambskin leather, and lightweight cotton. I wore it to my sister's college campus one day to study for my SATs. I wasn't trying to attract attention- just to stay comfortable, warm, contented, and studious. It would behoove me to use SAT-vocabulary-approved adjectives, but my brain is fried from the actual exam and I fear that it may implode if I push it past its intended capacity.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Hat- Light wash denim newsboy cap from DA CLOSET~
Leather jacket- Diesel. The original version of this jacket features a- no joke- all white lapel, which I had dyed black to match the rest of the jacket. For that reason, this piece is more or less one of a kind. You can still check out Diesel's other available styles if you're interested in a good quality leather jacket (next to Members Only, it's the only brand I strongly recommend).
Denim button-down- Ralph Lauren. It's a 'vintage piece' (probably from the 80s or 90s) which means I likeliest bought it off eBay.
Skull shirt- Threadless. Yuri from
Lookbook asked me if I'd be interested in modeling it for the site, to which I happily agreed! It's one of my favorite tees and I'm delighted to welcome it into my wardrobe. Get your own "BONE IDOL" t-shirt
here!
Eiffel Tower necklace- I made it out of a keychain (my friend got it for me in Paris) and a gold necklace.
Denim shorts- I cut an old pair of pants into shorts and VOILA they've been this way ever since.
Tights- Vera Wang at Kohls
Flats- Target
My third outfit is what I wore to take my SATs last Saturday! The objective was to feel physically confident just in case my intellectual security began faltering midway through the math section (it did).
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
American flag bandana- stole it out of Travis McFarland's car trunk. I feel guilty because he probably loved it just as much as I do and maybe even mourned over its disappearance.
Leather jacket- Members Only
White v-neck - American Apparel
Dreamcatcher- Also stolen from Travis McFarland's Miata. I AM A REPEAT OFFENDER.
Native American feather braided headband worn as necklace- Metro Park
Crocodile belt- Vintage. Could be an alligator, who knows?
Shorts- Guess
Sneakers- Converse high-top all stars.
I took these pictures with a Canon Powershot Sx210 which is (maybe) why it didn't turn out so well. I think I will stick with my Samsung L310W.
My thought process behind this outfit was "what can I wear that will restore hope in my existence just in case I do poorly on this test?" Eventually I went with something trendy (patriotic flag pattern) paired with something relatively timeless (leather jacket) paired with something comfortable (shorts, shirt, and shoes) paired with something personalized and original (dreamcatcher accessories). As I anxiously punched out math equations on my TI-84 Silver Edition Plus scientific calculator, I thought to myself "at least if I fail this geometry section, I'm still wearing a really awesome American Flag scarf around my forehead". Shrugged it off and cruised through the rest of my exam.
(I will not share my test scores when they are released so please do not request them! Thank you!)
Hopefully I'll be able to delve farther into the psychology of my outfits as I become more experienced and cultured. This blog is still a little baby- not even one month old yet! Thanks so much to everyone who has been following along with my 'fashion lifestream' since day one.
Everything is infinite,
Bebe Zeva
