viva rosa

Since bandana paisley and floral print are clearly my shit this season, today's outfit makes me feel like I did myself a generous service. Several other elements of this look that more or less define my personhood: impractical vinyl wedges paired with hyperpractical velvet joggers, clubmaster sunglasses (especially ones reflecting the downtown Vegas skyline), striped faux fur and a spectrum of reds from matte rouge on my lips to a maroon orange in the bricks behind me. Athletic glamour will never go out of style. Like, ever. I mean at least until its ineffable charm is subsumed by a Wal-Mart boardroom of coolhunters. We still got time, people.

This oversize tee, which functions just as well (if not better) as a dress, is accented by both a rose bouquet around the collar and a silver zipper that splits up the hem as it draws eyes down to the second half of the ensemble. Y'all gotta check out Ovidius Clothing and their other designs -- prints are the team's specialty. There's def a lot going on in this look but I better not need to explain why that isn't a bad thing... if you're on this blog, you're no stranger to maximalism. Living in a highly excited state of overstimulation since '93.





Ovidius Clothing "Rosa" XL tee, MeeMee Mono Stripe Faux Fur Coat, Sheinside joggers, Pink Brix Coco Ring and Brandi Choker

Everything is infinite,

Bebe

you're fired

Up in blue flames this week... these vinyl wedges are my downright favorite pair of shoes. I wore them once to a punk show (remember this story from like, 2 years ago? ) and they broke while I was moshing. Another time they broke while I was crossing Hollywood Boulevard on my way to Goodwill. So, we've been through a lot, me and these shiny hunks. They've since been repaired with industrial grade glue so I think they'll last many more moshing endeavors and jaywalking excursions. 

This outfit is a dream for Vegas weather -- perforated mesh makes for ideal ventilation conditions while traipsing the Strip. Hit me up if you're ever out here. I'll show ya a good time.



Romwe mesh flames dress, snapback from 7-11, sunglasses from Claire's outlet, secondhand wedges

Everything is infinite,

Bebe

HOLIER THAN THOU

Several months ago I went out shopping with my mom for some "retail therapy"... I was still dressing fresh breakup wounds and needed to distract myself with material goods for emotional refuge. Sometimes those false needs really come in handy. Lemme tell ya. I spied this waffle weave T by Alexander Wang top at Scoop NYC and fell in love instantaneously. Well, that's not entirely true. I had already seen the top a million times online because I'm an obnoxious Alexander Wang superfan. When it came before me on a hanger in the store... it was a seriously divine moment and I bought it without a moment's hesitation. I also snagged a leopard print porkpie hat and some J Brand zipper-embellished denim & leather jeans from Intermix. Fantastic little spree that I have yet to top. 



FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Snapback - YES STYLE
"PARADISE" baseball jacket - ALOHA FROM DEER
Waffle weave tee - T by Alexander Wang (Scoop NYC)
Blouse around waist - Sugarlips
Chiffon pants - YES STYLE
"Popstar sneaker wedges" - G BY GUESS
Faux leather backpack - YESWALKER

Soooo, if you follow me on Twitter, you might already know that I'm a bit of an art snob. This varsity jacket by Aloha From Deer couldn't more perfectly fit into my personal brand. It's decorated in a freakin' Rococo angel mural for Pete's sake -- now that's that shit I DEFINITELY like. Also on my list of shit I definitely like: yet another pair of kicks to add to my growing collection. These are are a pair of G by Guess "Popstar" sneaker wedges. Diggin' the neutral beige... matches nearly everything, especially the nude tones in my Paradise jacket. I level up on that spiked sneaker game daily.

In line with my practical footwear is a practical new leather backpack from YesWalker. I used to wear the same Rebecca Minkoff messenger bag everyday for a year... then sometime in 2012 I switched over to a backpack, and I've been collecting them ever since! Tiny, clear, canvas, vinyl, I want them ALL. The latest is made of matte black pleather. Super stealth to match a strong monochrome look. It's probably the best backpack I've ever ordered online because it STILL hasn't shown any sign of wear and tear... and I'm pretty brutal with my backpacks. The real test is whether or not it will last a week in LA? I should travel soon... ;)

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

SOLAR FREEZE

Making cosmic waves again in galaxy print... this time around I've got a jacket to match my leggings! I can't get enough of the matching set trend. When a top and bottom complement each other not just visually but thematically, the look immediately elevates from smart to genius. Not that I think of myself as a sartorial genius or anything... but the swirling galactic prints on my top and bottom are lookin' pretty brilliant. Especially once highlighted and accessorized by a bold cap in royal purple and subtle metallic neck cuff. The patterns are futuristic and other-worldly... extraterrestrial... heavenly in their cosmic way. But the outfit is fundamentally inspired by a familiar urban concept. Snapback, t-shirt and hoodie, leggings, sneaker wedges.

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Snapback - Yes Style
Necklace + galaxy jacket + galaxy leggings - ROMWE
Cosmic waves tee - THREE DOTS
Gio Sneaker Wedges - Jeffrey Campbell (Solestruck)

A word about Three Dots, the brand that designed my top -- many of you have expressed concern with supporting brands and retailers that outsource jobs and engage in unethical labor practices. I share your moral unease, and want to introduce you to Three Dots, an American made company, for that reason. Their labor policies are ethical and qualities exceptional. This top is the softest in my wardrobe! And graphically the coolest, too... who could resist a pastel wave raglan tee?

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

GALAXY SQUARED

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

ROUGH SLEEPER

Over the years, I've noticed that people associate me less and less with music. The more I brand with the sartorial elements of fashion - the apparel trends, the kitschy fads, the visual tropes of a young adult acquainted with classic fashion themes - the less attention people pay to my parallel interests. Fashion is more than "clothes"; it's the rhythm of politically relevant aesthetics. The music you listen to, spaces you occupy, slang you use, literature you read, and even foods you eat are mired in a web of changing cultural preferences. Basically, what you consume reflects your attitude at large. But people seem to forget that "fashion presences" can (and do) accessorize with more than just Stella McCartney clutch purses and lucite stiletto heels. Instagram photos of boxed macarons, tweets about hitting the gym, embedded YouTube links to dance music mp3s are all accessories, manifested through social networks, but representing facets of pop culture that are just as indicative of lifestyle as are actual garments. People seem to forget that 'aesthetics' exist in tandem. So if you relate to someone's style, there's a good chance you'll likewise relate to their preferences in music, film, and literature. 

I don't want to be associated less with music just because my blog is fashion-focused. So I'm naming this look after one of my favorite electronic tracks from 2012 to give you a little hint about my taste in music. But I'm not satisfied proffering my own recommendations - I want to hear yours, too. If you relate to my style, or at least admire it from a distance, you might likewise relate to my preferences beyond the scope of 'personal style' and have some music recommendations to make of your own. So tell me what you're listening to! What's your favorite track or album? Of all-time? Of 2012? Of 2013 so far?

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Snapback - YES STYLE

Cage collar - ROMWE

"Locomotive Leather Jacket" - WENDYBOX

Chiffon dress - YES STYLE

Blouse underneath - SUGARLIPS

Sneaker wedges - American Eagle

So, a couple things here on the topic of CLOTHES: I'm wearing a detachable collar that I can only describe as a sort of bondage-inspired cage thing with straps crossing over my leather bodice and creating a business-not-so-casual one-piece partnership with my chiffon dress. I'll give you a minute to mull that one over. My second cool "garment hack" (i.e. clever way to create a new dimension without actually sewing or altering a single clothing item) is tying a black and white Sugarlips blouse around my waist underneath my dress. You can't see the knot, so it just looks like a fabric extension of the dress on top. But it isn't!! HOW EXCITING FOR ME WHEN I FEEL LIKE I'M TRICKING PEOPLE!

Anyway. This post in a nutshell: talk to me about music and hack your wardrobe. Peace.

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva