VELVET FORTUNE TELLER

Velvet + anything is automatically the bomb shit. It gives any and every ensemble a gothic edge, which can get prettttty sexy haute if your outfit theme is dark to begin with. I paired this velvet bustier with a maroon maxi skirt c/o American Apparel to experiment with its witchy wonder. Turned out incredibly well, I think! I felt like a mystic fortune telling sorceress of dark magic in all my gauzy capes and crosses. Pretty obvious that bindi-inspired body jewels are my new signature. But they're also everybody else's signature, so I guess that doesn't make them a 'signature' at all. That makes them a trend. And me a conformist. THE ABSOLUTE HORROR!!!! Eastern influence is takin' over my body and soul, which totally explains why I'm such a prideful individualist, you know? Suck on it, haters.While you guys spy these photos, I'll be charming a snake somewhere in the Saharan desert. SEACREST OUT. (#relevanthumor2003)

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Scarf - Secondhand

Body jewel - Party City
Sunglasses - 80s Purple

Velvet robe - Frederick's of Hollywood

Bustier - NATIVE HEART

Belt - Brighton

Maxi skirt - American Apparel (sponsored)

Wedges - ROMWE
I wore this outfit to one of my Women's Studies discussions a few weeks ago. I just took my final exam yesterday and am having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that my favorite course is OVER FOR GOOD and the semester is donezo and now I gotta stress about summer plans and music festivals and stuff. If you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at managing my stress levels, which is probably why I opt out of so many opportunities that would probably benefit my being/career. Sometimes it seems like brainwashing myself into believing that an opportunity does not exist is more comforting and convenient than actually making the effort to accept and experience one. Ah. Coping mechanisms. 

(P.S., I'm wearing a fake bindi again, so if you're interested in hearing my position on reappropriation in fashion, here's a response I published on formspring a few months ago.)

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva

PARTY LIKE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

It's my 19th birthday today! So crazy that this is my last year EVER as a teenager. You ever notice how the whole concept of "ever" is tragic? It's kind of been an existential downer on my birthday because I'm a sentimental drama queen who ascribes too much significance to "growing up" and adolescence. I always cite my obsession with the essence of being a teenager, the underage mystique, the vice and lust for and of lolita culture to the internet. And the fact that it was the internet that raised my persona. I'm a victim to its social conditioning... another tragedy. But I don't want to discuss the consequences of 'social media as agents of socialization' because HELLO I'M SUPPOSED TO BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW. Not thinking about boring academic essay topics and """"cultural phenomena.""" I mean, as sad as I am about being one year closer to the permanence of adulthood (curse you, internet, for suggesting that adults lack novelty and novelty is the only reason I was ever successful,) look at how smiley I am in all these pictures! What the?? Bebe Zeva has TEETH? Yes, yes I do. All the better to eat cake with!!!!!!!!!!!














FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Floppy hat - Zara, with Chanel detachable chain
Jeweled bib necklace - Oscar De La Renta
Blazer - Burberry
Silk playsuit - REECN
 Heels - Vince Camuto
Bag - Alexander McQueen

 My mom gave me the most incredible birthday presents yesterday (a day early, since she knows the weekend is a better time to celebrate than on Monday when everybody is going back to school and grumpy and Garfield and lasagna.) Of course, they're all clothes because I hardly care about anything else. "Hardly" isn't even a fair adjective. Look at all these wonderful GOODIES!



Topshop skinny jeans in a print that screams #BASED and Current/Elliott floral print pants!


Union Jack socks to appease my spirit animal (Baby Spice)


Trilby hat with a lace inset to hide the eyes... eat your heart out, Gaga.


Animal print body-con dress from Topshop (that I spontaneously decided to wear to dinner last night and somehow didn't expose how bloated I was after binge eating chocolate covered strawberries for dessert at my fave buffet.)


Eastern-inspired chartreuse, tangerine, fuchsia, and teal top. AKA all my favorite colors, all in one garment!


Ralph Lauren equestrian silk scarf... my mom knows me too well!


Pink and gold/green "curtain" blazer by Lafayette. To DIE for. I apologize in advance for how many outfit posts this jacket will creep its way into.


 Red orange Laundry fitted blazer!!!! The silhouette is perfect... I actually look like I have a waist while wearing it. A godsend.


Anyway, thanks for stopping by! For me, the very best birthday present is knowing that I can share my special day virtually with followers and friends. You give me purpose, inspire me, enlighten me, motivate me, complete me. I feel like for once in my life, I'm actually part of a community that understands me as well as I understand it. And all I can do is stay humble and say thanks -- we were fated to be.

Everything is infinite!!

Bebe Zeva

KINDERWHORE

BAD GIRL, BAD GIRL, WATCHA GONNA DO, WATCHA GONNDA DO WHEN SHE COMES FOR YOU? Not a rhetorical question, punk!!!! I'm preeeetty sure I would make an amazing bully... good thing I'm super nice to people and smile at everyone who makes eye contact with my dumb face. This outfit is just overcompenstaion for how embarrassingly friendly I am to strangers. Go ahead, ask me for directions! I'll have absolutely no idea where you're going and no, I don't know street names because I don't drive, but I'll apologize a million times and offer to buy you french fries!

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:

Beanie - H&M

Wayfarers - Secondhand

Studded collar - Israel

Dress - YES STYLE

Jacket - Members Only

Biker boots - YES STYLE

This look is inspired by Courtney Love and the rest of the 90s Kinderwhore clan. I sought out this buttercup babydoll dress with hopes of punking the crap out of it. Did I deliver? Well, my eyeliner is hardly smudged and I'm not flicking cigarette ashes onto my loveseat so maybe not. But is it subversive? YES. Since I'm on the topic of female powerhouses, I figure this is a good opportunity to bring up the subject of feminism. Those of you who follow me on Formspring already know where I stand on the movement, but for the rest of you -- it's time to find out.

I am not afraid to say that I expect each and every one of my readers to be a feminist. Girl, guy, genderqueer, it doesn't matter -- every morally conscious human being should be able to recognize that gender equality is IMPERATIVE for society to progress and excel. Feminism is not about making women more powerful than men, it is about deconstructing the values we ascribe to genders that make us believe any one is more important than the other. That means feminism is not only for women. Feminism frees men from oppression, too; patriarchy cripples a man's ability to express himself emotionally, depend on others, and love. Patriarchy socializes people to victimize others and oppress themselves. Women and men alike often exercise the knee-jerk reaction of dismissing feminism. Why do we do this? Because we want to protect our privilege and defend our mental framework. We don't want to change the way we think or live, because that would mean sacrificing many of the benefits we are conditioned to desire. For a man, a privilege might be the ability to assume a place of political power (America has yet to elect a single female president!) So, if he were to embrace feminism and attempt to destroy his own privilege, that would mean he must accept more competition in the political sphere and workforce. For a woman, the privilege of patriarchy might be depending on a male counterpart to provide income, at the expense of her ability to assume the roles she genuinely desires (as opposed to those she is conditioned to believe she desires.) I believe that subconsciously, men recognize the privileges that come with patriarchy and want to keep them because they make life easier. But it's important that as we develop more advanced moral consciousnesses, we exchange convenience for equality.  It's also common for men (and women!) to deny that they are privileged, because pretending that privilege isn't real means that it can still exist without being addressed and amended. As soon as we acknowledge a problem, we are obligated to fix it. That is why we deny that there is any real need for change.

I encourage all of you to question the agents of socialization that influence your mindset and essentially shape your perspective -- that includes propaganda presented by the media, roles ascribed to you by your friends and family, even concepts that are presented to you as truths by your religion. Many of the values we are taught to apply to our livelihoods are not objectively fair; they are socially constructed ideas invented to control society and maintain power structures. Even if they benefit you, convenience you, or ease your sense of self, consider that those privileges cost someone else a basic human right. Challenge them. 

I could go on for hours about feminist/racial/class theory and how or why it's relevant, but I think for now I simply want to point out that equality is my priority. I will touch on specific subjects later. Opening up a dialogue for feminism (and intersectionality in general) is important to me, especially as someone who intends to pursue activism through self-expression and education for the rest of their life. Now you know!

Everything is infinite,

Bebe Zeva