AMERICANA SUMMER

Old habits die hard, which is exactly why I'm not kicking this one... you know what I'm talking about. My flag-print shorts. I want to say that this is a practical festival look, but I'm wearing long-sleeves, so unless you fancy sweat stains and heat stroke, I wouldn't recommend this exact outfit for Coachillin'! But I'm digging the general idea... American spirit and denim are two constants in a staple April fashion equation where the answer is always HELL yes. Get your devil's fingers up, guard down, tongue out, and earbuds in... crank the Areosmith, start your car, spend the next four months road trippin' across the West Coast. I know I'll be back and forth between Las Vegas and LA for a while, and that's EXACTLY how I want to spend my vacay. Cruising through tumbleweeds and into the paradise that is Los motherfreakin' Angeles. Finally it's my time again... I'll never take a California second for granted.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Wide brim hat - Zara

Circle sunnies - 80s Purple

Silver cross necklace - THIS IS TRANSITION

Black cross necklace - RINGS AND TINGS

Denim blouse - SHEINSIDE

Belt -Brighton

Shorts - ROMWE

Ankle boots - YES STYLE

Bag - THIS IS TRANSITION

I used to have an oversized Ralph Lauren denim blouse but my mom hated how big it was on me and gave it away. So cruel... she brought it into my life, and she took it out. That was one of the first articles of clothing I had that made me interested in 'alternative fashion.' Before that, I struggled to make the clothes from my tacky prepster exoskeleton look "indie" as my mother refused to replace my old wardrobe with new apparel from the likes of Urban Outfitters and "Am Appy" (as we called it in its 2009 golden age.) Over time, I started earning enough money to buy myself solid v-necks, but this particular Ralph Lauren blouse marked my segue into taking alternative dress seriously enough to open up a Lookbook account. And look at me now! Thank you, oversized Ralph Lauren blouse. Rest in peace.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

TUNNEL VISION // GIVEAWAY

Anybody who follows me on Formspring or hangs out with me in real life knows that I am Madeline Pendleton's biggest fan. In fact, I'm typing this blog post out while wearing two foam "number one" hands, punching out every word in every sentence letter by letter. Tedious, but demonstrating diehard appreciation of my all-time favorite blogger and shop owner is at the top of my priorities (further down on the list: eating, sleeping, personal hygiene, anything that interferes with my freakish obsession and routine worship of Miss Madeline Perfect Pendleton [[saying all of this to humor whichever anonymous Formspringer asked her this question a few days ago.]]) 


Okay. For serious. Beyond crafting incredible outfits and blog posts, Madeline (and partner in crime Brit of Disarming Darling) channels her style savvy through selecting vintage pieces from thrift stores all over California and beyond to resell on her site TUNNEL VISION. She asked me to choose a garment from the shop to model for my blog, by way of illustrating the unbelievable stock her store offers. I naturally chose the most beautiful turquoise jacket I ever laid my eyes on. Cropped, quilted, and decorated with vivid patchwork in fuchsia, indigo, gold, and mustard, this vintage wonder is a work of art. I wore it in typical TV style -- with a turban, bindi, and Oscar De La Renta medallions.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Turban - Vintage

Body jewels - Party City

Jacket - TUNNEL VISION

Gold top - Secondhand, Cache

Necklaces - Oscar De La Renta, Jewelmint

Belt -Vintage

Circle skirt - c/o LULU*S

Mustard socks - H&M

Wedges - Jeffrey Campbell

Tunnel Vision is kind enough to offer my blog readers the opportunity to win a $50 gift card to use on their site! Here's how to enter:

1) Leave your email in a blog comment below.

2) Follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin'

3) LIKE Tunnel Vision on Facebook -- you'll get discount codes on the first Friday of every month when they add new stock, and again on the third Friday of every month when they add items to the sale section!

4) Tell me about your signature summer look!

The giveaway is open for 10 days, so we'll contact the winner on May 4th. Good luck and HAPPY SHOPPIN'! 

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

IN LOVE WITH DUSK

Definitely had to name this outfit after two things: 1) the company that crafted this flouncy black dress, LOVE and 2) one of my favorite songs by Keep Shelly in Athens. What I love about this song and this outfit is that they both make me feel the same way... intoxicated by the West Coast, squinting in the intense glare of a 5 o'clock sunset while riding in a convertible, fur and chains and hair blowing all over the place. I have the most ineffable infatuation with Los Angeles, a sycophantic obsession that I'm sure no one who lives there will ever experience. I think you have to be from out of town to understand it. And as is true with any love, the passion that ensues can be so mentally and emotionally and even physically consuming that it destroys you. Until you remember the way it smells in the summer heat or how perfectly it illuminates the Big Dipper at midnight and then you're drunk again, in love with it, inspired to survive. Only Los Angeles does that to me.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Hat - Zara, with Chanel chain detail

Lipstick - COSMOPOP from LIME CRIME

Faux fur vest - CHICWISH

Gold platelet necklace - Oscar De La Renta

Dress - IN LOVE WITH FASHION

Shoes - UNIF HELLBOUNDS, Solestruck

I wore this outfit a few weekends ago (a lot of weekends ago) when I actually decided to leave the house and do fun "normal people" things, like hanging out at Margaritaville while asking ChaCha to send Chuck Norris jokes to my cell phone. Binge eating rainbow licorice and trying to understand the "science" of drum n' bass while sitting in the shadows of facade opulence also included. Some people CAN handle Vegas. Maybe my tolerance has something to do with the fact that I can see the entire South end of the Strip from my dining room window and bedroom balcony. Whew -- so much city talk today! Starting to think that lights and buildings might be all that ever matter to me. How sad and wonderful.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

STAR GUITAR

I've always felt nervous about naming an outfit after my all-time favorite song because I'm worried about taking away from the near sacred nature that is its electro house PERFECTION. Yes, I'm talking about the Shinichi Osawa version, not boring Chemical Brothers original. But I realize now that it's impossible for CLOTHES to interfere with how much I love and worship this track. So I've decided that the gold stars on my sweater are little shout-outs. :-)

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Knit hat - Secondhand

Jeweled collar - Chicwish

Fuzzy sweater - ROMWE

Velvet leggings - ROMWE

Socks - Icing

Red wedges - Nine West

What I love about this look is that it has a nighttime quality in its star print and dark color scheme. I'm a romantic, so I could probably say something sappy about every time of day, but there really is some essence about the night that puts a spell on me... I'm sure it's a sensation everyone can relate to. There's something about the way the sky turns black that liberates people and bewitches them with a wild streak. Sunset only marks the dawn of a new attitude. I'd like to be wearing this outfit when that feeling overcomes me. You can change your life in a pair of leggings and lace socks... don't let their sweet exterior fool you! Seize the night.

P.S. For all of you Pinterest people! Prom Dress Sale is offering another giveaway opportunity to win a shopping credit on their site. The rules are as follows:

You can follow them on Facebook here and find their products here! The person with the most re-pins on their post will be declared WINNER and contacted three weeks from now. For everyone else -- enjoy this April coupon code to use on the site: April 1st

Good luck!

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva