A couple weeks ago I woke up in an optimistic stupor and immediately put my gym clothes on, ran six miles, showered, changed into this outfit, and walked to a local recycled clothing store where I traded a bunch of 'unnecessary' winter sweaters for $20 to spend on a shopping spree at 7-Eleven. This is unfortunately not a joke, and I have the receipt (and gas station food wrappers) to prove it. My uncharacteristic motivation that day seems banal to you, and I guess I'm only mentioning it to illustrate how boring my life is outside this web page. Why do all the people in boring outfits have such exciting lives meanwhile I'm rocking a NOT boring geometric overall dress lamenting that the most exciting part of my day was sucking the creme out of a Cadbury egg? And now that it's April 1st, I don't even have seasonal eggs to look forward to. What on earth am I supposed to spend $20 on for the next 11 months? Two orders of the 40 piece Chicken McNugget platter? I'd still have 58 cents left over, even after you calculate tax. Feel free to share your social sob stories in the comment forum below!
About The Look: very clearly inspired by a nu-millennium hacker aesthetic, minimalistic, low-maintenance, hyperfunctional, and design conscious. Would have loved to incorporate more futuristic fabrics into this look to emphasize that innovation is *the most contemporary* accessory. But. Ya know. Cotton, pleather, and jersey knit will have to do. Just want to acknowledge that the concept of this dress is rad as hell: it's like a skirt with suspenders and a grid bodice attached. Linear on top, free flow on bottom, a subtle silhouette juxtaposition that I MOST DEFINITELY 'f*ck wit.' It's from Swaychic, a beloved and trusted online retailer I've supported since 2011, and officially called the "SUS TO DEATH" dress. SUS to death? That is literally the tightest shit. I did feel pretty stealthy in this monochrome ensemble. Potentially to death. We'll have to see how many SUS levels I ascend the next time I show off this little lattice number IRL.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Sunglasses - Ralph Lauren
Silver cuff necklace - OASAP
White turtleneck - American Apparel
"SUS TO DEATH DRESS" - SWAYCHIC
Ankle boots - YES STYLE
Backpack - YES STYLE
P.S. I named this look after my greatest tweet ever.
Everything is infinite,
Bebe Zeva
So, sometimes this funny but also weird thing happens when you're shopping on a wholesale website -- you buy an item with a logo screen printed on it, you have no idea where the logo comes from and neither does the retailer from whom you purchased the garment, you wear it out and someone recognizes the logo and gets excited thinking you're "in" on it, whatever it is, but you're not, you just bought the frickin' shirt because it LOOKS COOL, and then you have to explain where your shirt comes from and "oh that's really awesome how you know what the graphic means!" but internally "GOD I FEEL REALLY PRETENTIOUS WEARING THIS RIGHT NOW." I'm going on this dumb rant because it actually happened to me, wearing this galaxy print sweater I found on OASAP. "Rotting Out" just seems like an extremely.. Tumblrwave design... especially when superimposed over space print. But, no, actually it's the name of a hardcore band I don't listen to. So I have three options here: 1) listen to Rotting Out (the band) and continue wearing the sweater, 2) don't listen to Rotting Out and don't wear the sweater, 3) don't listen to Rotting Out and continue wearing the sweater and risk someone discovering that I am branding with an artist I don't even like. Or maybe I could listen to Rotting Out and never wear the sweater because I respect the DIY scene enough to buy merch straight from the artists themselves. THESE ARE CHOICES.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Turtleneck - American Apparel
Rotting Out knockoff sweater - OASAP (you can support the band by buying their actual merchandise HERE)
Galaxy print leggings - MAD LADY
White blouse - ROMWE
"Space Wedge Sneakers" - DAILY LOOK
With the turtleneck, I think this outfit has a cheerleader-esque vibe. But since I'm donning pants and not pleats, it's a cheerleader vibe of the male variety, which I do NOT see as often as I'd like. Male cheerleaders are tight as shit. Let's cool it with the heteronormative masculinity standards for five minutes and encourage our dude friends to get in touch with their sassy, theatrical sides. RA RA: not just for teen girls.
One more thing: GALAXY PRINT IN 2013???? I'M SO LATE I'M EARLY. PIONEER OF POST-IRONY RIGHT HERE, FOLKS. THANK YOU AND NO AUTOGRAPHS PLEASE.
Everything is infinite,
Bebe Zeva
...Figured that since I have intense dark roots now, I should go hard with the Kurt Cobain look. I couldn't bring myself to wear low-top black Converse so I opted for my favorite Skechers work boots instead. I might look super 'grunge-derivative' but ultimately my outfit isn't meant to be a costume. The love for an oversize flannel, boyfriend jeans, and a striped tee is real. And I rock hair grease like an accessory.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Sunglasses - Buffalo Exchange
Oversize flannel - YES STYLE
Striped tee - American Apparel
Boyfriend jeans - YES STYLE
Boots - Skechers
I don't usually tote Kurt Cobain as an 'aesthetic inspiration' because I feel like, ironically, people fetishize Nirvana, the grunge movement, and clothing style in a way that is actually offensive to its anti-mainstream principles. So out of respect, I try to keep it offline. Sorry for breaking my streak today, Kurt. I'm sure you understand because you know that at the core we're the same fucking person. Love ya bud.
Everything is infinite,
Bebe Zeva
Closing off my SUGARLIPS collaboration week with a piece that I think is especially characteristic of the brand: a crisp, black and white button-up with signature triangle studs at the collar. My sister is as obsessed with the top as I am - she's a big fan of the 60s and all the artistic movements, films, and styles that came out of it. You could even say she's a 'modophile.' So, naturally, a loose blouse with a giant black block in the center tickled her minimalist fancy. I can definitely see her wearing an outfit like this one (even though she's not much of a hat person). Sometimes we rub off on each other!
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Fuzzy beret - YES STYLE
Sunglasses - ROMWE
"Western Consultant Top" - SUGARLIPS
Charcoal shorts - c/o American Apparel
Loafers - Pink and Pepper
Thought I was done harping on about the glory that is Pink and Pepper's patent loafer collection, huh? So wrong you were! I've recently added two new pairs to my shoe caddy and they feel RIGHT AT HOME among the oxfords and flats and crochet booties. Loafers (especially the cutie pies with tassel details) are the unofficially official School Shoe. Wear them over and over again - it doesn't matter, they never lose their sharpness.
My shorts are from American Apparel (thanks, guys!!) and WAHOO do I love a new neutral staple! Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you feel about the desert being a hellish ball of heat and tumbleweed), the weather won't get painfully cold at least until January, so I've still got a solid amount of time to rock these sophisticated shorts before we enter Pants Only territory.
Last but not least, I want to thank Sugarlips a million and one times for arranging this incredible collaboration with me! Personalizing their awesome garments in a way that tested my creativity and inspired my readers (or so I hope!) was an indescribably rewarding experience. I extend my sincerest thanks to the team! You can DEFINITELY look forward to more Sugarlips coverage on FTBH.
Everything is infinite
Bebe Zeva
