FUCHSIA FLUSH

A little while ago I decided to give 'The Traditional Club Look' a test drive by stepping out in a fuchsia peplum bodycon dress from Fairground. I'm usually the type to wear something most people would consider "unflattering" to an event in which neat silhouettes and feminine styles are encouraged. Validating a dress code is most definitely my worst fashion nightmare. But after some indiscernible quantity of public appearances in garishly unorthodox ensembles, the novelty wears off. And it paradoxically becomes even more head-turning to wear a look that does conform to expectation. So after enough hesitation, this outfit coalesced... and it turned out to be much more of a sartorial surprise than a look that would have actually been true to Bebe Zeva character. You know, like harem pants and sneaker wedges and an iPhone 5 charger wrapped twice around my neck. Instead of the usual response -- hands on hips and a lighthearted "you would..." -- I was met with (for the first time ever) a "you wouldn't!"



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Gold necklaces - ROMWE, Daily Look
Fuchsia peplum bodycon dress - FAIRGROUND
"Modern sandal heels" - Daily Look

Maybe I'll just start dressing like this forever? Like literally just showing up for class in ass-accentuating mall dresses and ostentatious costume jewelry... this seems like a good segue into a conversation I'm going to force my readers to have with me about the Female Dialectic. I'm expected to honor an aesthetic wherein my "feminine qualities" like boobs, hips, and a butt are highlighted, otherwise I'm considered unattractive. And as a woman, my attractiveness is directly proportional to my worth as a human being. But then when I actually wear this shit out in public, I get slut-shamed for trying to draw attention to my body and appearance. I'm labeled 'superficial' and 'trashy.' As a consequence, lots of women instead opt for "the natural look" or pride themselves in resembling "one of the guys." But I find that behavior to be problematic as it encourages assimilation to androgyny and a concentrated movement away from symbols of femininity. I don't believe that women should ever reject clothes or products they associate with a "socially constructed idea of womanhood." I don't believe that is productive to the feminist cause. I believe that embracing what is associated with womanhood sends the message that there is nothing to be ashamed of. High heels, heavy makeup, tight clothing, so what? Shaming these symbols because they are "fake" is like expecting a POC to reject elements of their own "socially constructed culture" because it contributes to their oppression. NO. SHAME and REJECTION contribute to oppression. Celebration does not. Agency does not. Subverting what society encourages us to move away from because it is 1) a threat to conformity and 2) a reinforcement of diversity is empowering.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

HALO RANCH

I haven't worn anything particularly Western inspired lately, so this look was especially fun to put together since it tapped into a more or less dormant region of my sartorial repertoire. I LOVE manipulating old standby themes to reflect more recent trends -- the small details like gold chains and a baroque patterned blouse elevated this look from "desert rock" to "desert luxe." The dress, which seems like a simple white gown in the front, actually features a brushed gold chain arrangement in the back. It's appropriately titled the "Pyramid Chain Dress" and looks damn good even when it isn't paired with a *colossal* floppy hat and costume jewels. Thank you, Bold Cupcake!

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Hat - Zara

Baroque print blouse - YES STYLE
"Pyramid Chain Dress" - Bold Cupcake

Boots - Buffalo Exchange

I put together a small mood board of photos that inspired this outfit's "vibe." There's a baroque and Renaissance element, halo motifs, but mostly a Californian desert aura suspended in a lens flare...

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

PACIFIC HI-FISLANDER

You've definitely seen this tropical print on me before -- I've worn the bomber twice already, once with velvet leggings (HIBITCHSCUS) and once with leopard print shorts (TROPIC FEVER). But you've never seen its matching dress! Yes, the hibiscus bomber has a hibiscus twin. Prints on prints are popular this year, especially as matching sets gain popularity and designers, stylists, and consumers alike opt for looks that feel deliberately 'put together.' I didn't even buy the bomber jacket from the same website as I bought the dress! I just knew I couldn't debut the latter without the former... it needed one extra layer. And what better than identical outerwear?

I should probably acknowledge my awkward ~1 month absence from blogging... August was *the* most hectic month of my summer/entire life. I moved out of my mom's house, temporarily lived in a hotel, temporarily lived with a friend, then begrudgingly moved back in with my mom, went to New York City for 10 days on an admittedly cliche soul-searching expedition, then re-enrolled in college, where I am right now, typing out this blog post. I have also eaten 400 calories worth of wheat thins since I started this paragraph. So as you can surmise, I am completely out of control and not even remotely closer to understanding 'who I am' or 'what I want to do.' All I know is that I am compensating for an absence of identity with copious amounts of whole grain crackers. I'm hoping that having to attend classes and respect deadlines will reinstate some structure and normalcy in my life... and as a result I'll get back to blogging more regularly. ^_^




FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Silver baseball cap - Buffalo Exchange

Hibiscus bomber jacket - YES STYLE

Hibiscus print dress - ROMWE

"Modern Sandal Heels" - Daily Look

I've worn this silver baseball hat at the very least 500 times between now and last August when I bought it... made its initial grand appearance in LA and has topped off outfit themes like sports luxe, cyber swag, and everything in between. I'm SHOCKED that I haven't showed it to you before?!?! I feel like every one of my readers has been cheated of some veeeeery central information.

It's probably a good thing that I haven't played out the silver hat signature... I'm definitely on the fast track to becoming predictable with my cuff necklace and lucite sandal obsession. Pray for my creative process. PRAY. I should probably invest in more jewelry and shoes. I'm just too overwhelmed with life right now to allot any time to online shopping. Still need to buy all my college textbooks, print out my homework, write my novel, and respond to the one million unanswered emails festering in my inbox. 

Jk.

Shopping online eternally comes first.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

ROUGE AND FLARE

Perhaps this look without a hat will serve as a breath of fresh air... and also maybe a source of inspiration for bottle blondes who are too ashamed to expose their dark roots to the world! I have embraced mine all the way... and in fact I think they accentuate the black and white stripe theme in this retro drop-waist dress look. Whoever says you can't look fancy with a huge patch of undyed brunette locks needs a reality check. It's 2013, plenty of people dye their hair artificial colors, and no one should feel too embarrassed to bare evidence of it. I'm sure you could also make the argument that dark roots suggest laziness... but show me a working woman who has enough time to spare for a four hour hair bleaching appointment and I'll show you 12 year old white girl who doesn't like Justin Bieber. Yeah. Not gonna happen.



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Cage collar - ROMWE
"Vertical Stripe Jumper Dress" - ECUGO
Suede wedge heels - YES STYLE
Leather clutch - Doctor Couture

Super simple look with minimal accessories for a casual, cafe-appropriate ensemble. This silhouette seems retro to me -- a floating 1960s cut with timeless stripes and a ruffled hem. It matches nearly all of my heels, but I went with the pointed suede wedges since they're the easiest to walk in without compromising height. 

Yes, as pro-body-acceptance as I am, the fact that I'm so vertically challenged (5'2" represent) still gets to me. Probably has something to do with the fact that *all* the visual media I consume every day as a fashion blogger reinforces a ridiculously tall and borderline emaciated beauty standard... one that has conditioned my self-esteem for the worse. Can designers and campaign directors PLEASE do something about this? If you need your clothes modeled by an underweight amazon to afford them any ounce of sartorial credibility, you're copping out. Let the apparel speak for itself and leave the ~personal interpretation~ to real people with average bodies so consumers can get a REAL idea of what they'll look like if they make the purchase. Don't distract from the garment with a fabricated lifestyle. Consumers should decide that for themselves.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

NEON JET SETTER

I'm baaaaack with a fluorescent vengeance! Nothing says "ready to go" like racing checks in classic Nascar style. But instead of a jacket adorned in corporate logos, I'm rocking a Givenchy inspired silk bomber from Choies to afford my look a more 'fast fashion' than 'fast track' feel. I've posted a couple photos on Instagram featuring this holographic snapback from my new favorite online shop -- 24 HRS. A million and one of my readers have asked where it's from, so I'm pretty sure this might be the most popular 'crown' in my cap collection. And the lucite heels... man. Where do I begin with these? I apologize in advance for wearing them WAY. TOO. FREQUENTLY. I swear I'm not being lazy. I'm just unhealthily obsessed.



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Silver snapback - 24 HRS
Givenchy-print bomber jacket - CHOIES
"Lightweight Bustier Crop Top" - Daily Look
Check-print shorts - ROMWE
"Modern Sandal Heels" - Daily Look

Sooo I've been "offline" for a quite a while because I'm going through a transitional period right now and have been busy trying to establish my surroundings. I recently moved out of my old condo and have been living the vagabond life while waiting for a new apartment to open up. Last time I posted, I mentioned a loft downtown that my family and I intended to move into. It unfortunately didn't work out, but I'm optimistic. I don't think a sense of environmental uncertainty should excuse an exaggerated absence. I've got so many new posts to share with you so I'll try my best to be consistent!! Love you all.

BTW -- the best way to keep in touch with me is on Twitter and Ask.fm!

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

UPTOWN DOWNTOWN

This was an "appointment look" I put together for a meeting downtown last weekend. Without wanting to compromise my attention to current trends, but also wanting to look sleek and subdued, I opted for a leather jumper from Daily Look and paired it with a staple Sugarlips blouse. I've seen this pairing many times before on fellow bloggers... something about the silhouette of a baggy top underneath a leather dress or overalls is irresistible to the fashion set. It has the conservative element of a schoolgirl uniform and the flair of Parisian street style. Been opting out of hats this week because I decided I L O V E the contrast of platinum blonde and dark roots. Does this count as a paradigm shift? 



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Blouse - Sugarlips
Silver studded necklace - Forever 21
"Faux Leather Drop Waist Dress" - DAILY LOOK
Suede heels - Persunmall

Since we're on the subject -- I just found out yesterday that I'll be moving to the downtown quarter of Las Vegas next month! I'm super excited about the move (even though it's only 5 minutes away from where I already live) because it means that I'll have more access to the venues and hangouts I frequent most. No more asking friends for rides back to my place! I can walk home sweet home. And I might even land a real 9 to 5 job at one of the emerging business in the arts district this fall... BABY'S GROWING UP. 

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

CAMO CASUAL

In my mind, this camouflage halter can be worn one of two ways: either as a loose top, over leggings or pants (as it's worn here), or as a some sort of cross between kilt and skirt, held up like suspenders over a top and pants with the rope tied around my neck. I've been brave enough to rock that "avant army" look only once before, but I hope to do it up again with a mesh tee, leatherette pants, and combat boots or sneaker wedges. This time, I got a bit glam with it and wore my suede heels. But a practical army jacket and beanie keep the theme casual overall. 



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Beanie - H&M
"Berlin jacket" - CRASH & BURN
Camo halter - GYPSPY WARRIOR
"High Wait Faux Leather Leggings" - Daily Look
Suede heels - Persunmall


I've had this Crash and Burn "Berlin" jacket for at least a year and it's proved to be one of the most useful pieces of outerwear in my wardrobe, despite always seeming to escape documentation on my blog. I sadly won't be wearing it as much this summer (hello searing 110+ degree temperatures) but I'm glad I got one last outfit in before hanging it back up in the section of my closet titled "don't even THINK about it until November." Other, equally practical pieces: high-waist leatherette leggings. Most underrated garment in ALL of contemporary apparel. Faux leather leggings aren't comfortable unless you're a 90 pound waif with a flat stomach. For the rest of us: the high-waisted version! DailyLook sells them in black, rose, and burgundy for only $30. I wear mine at LEAST twice a week, so the price is justified tenfold. 

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva