new york, she loves you
If you saw something curious flitting down the streets of New York City this past week—just over five feet tall, flowing brown locks, sweeping black eyeliner, shrouded in floor length capes, and big floppy hats—chances are it was Bebe Zeva, the 17-year-old blogger who was in town for the premiere of Bebe Zeva, a documentary made by writers Tao Lin and Megan Boyle about her life in Las Vegas.
We caught up with Zeva over fried chicken at Pies n Thighs in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to talk about her (first!) whirlwind trip to New York and, well, the ’90s.
Did anything about New York surprise you?
The most surprising thing [about New York] was that everything was as I had expected it to be. I thought, Oh, I have an expectation and New York is going to kill my expectations in terms of the culture, but it didn’t! It was wonderful! Everything I’ve anticipated for five years came to fruition. It was beautiful. I had not a single let down.
Was there any street style you saw that inspired you?
I keep seeing it over and over and over again—people wearing cuffed jeans with socks and high-tops. It’s the most perfect mixture of layers and shape. And everyone’s wearing flat shoes because they’re doing so much walking. I haven’t even seen a single pair of heels on anyone! It’s wonderful because I’m so used to seeing Lookbook street style online, and it’s become very cliché for me.
What are you working on now?
First I’d had a WordPress [blog] about my life, then I started a blog that’s about my fashion. I realized that I’m kind of limiting myself to fashion right now—I don’t use my personal work stuff anymore. Now I want to do writing, so I need an outlet for showing my work—my literature, my reviews, my poetry, and any sort of prose I have. I want to put all my experiences, all my feelings, every insight I have into life as a seventeen-year-old girl on the Internet.
What are you obsessed with at the moment?
Angela Chase, any ’90s girl…. Okay, every single character—girls and guys—in My So-Called Life. I’m so into Americana grunge, punk rock music. I want to listen to the Smashing Pumpkins on a Walkman while skateboarding down the boardwalk in California. I want to have a flannel tied around my waist, I want to eat a piece of pizza, I want to chug a Diet Pepsi. I want to act out in school, I want to kick a vending machine, I want to get detention, I want to hate my parents. I want do it all!
–MALLORY RICE
Visit Zeva’s current blog here.
Watch exclusive clips from the documentary here, and buy it here.
March 25th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
bebe omgs
she is right abt nyc
March 25th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
sweet
March 25th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
who even cares about this child? i dont get it
March 26th, 2011 at 2:35 am
Yeah except her name isn’t Bebe Zeva, it’s REBECCA HERSHKOVITZ.
March 26th, 2011 at 2:36 am
Pom Pom FVR this is it
March 26th, 2011 at 4:51 am
She sounds like a posser. Like she is trying so hard to be cool. Such a sale out.
March 26th, 2011 at 4:52 am
She sounds like she is trying so hard to stand out.
March 26th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Bebe Zeva is an alt God
March 26th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
never heard of her before this post – she is such an inspiration! i’m happy for her, & wish her all the best xo
March 26th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Saw clips of the movie n it looks pretty dumb. Who would buy her dumb documentary? She sounds like she is desperate for attention. I find her style pretty average. Put her in a herd of grunge wanna be n they all wear the same uniform.
March 26th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Yes I agree the movie looks boring and dumb. I would be sick to buy such thing.
March 26th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
I feel like she has been 17 for ever. She looks almost 30. Anyways I wouldnt pay money to watch the film. Looks stupid.
March 26th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
I dont see what the big deal is about this girl She looks like the many grunge clones out there. U put them in a herd and yes they all look the same. The movie is so ridiculous and dumb.
March 26th, 2011 at 11:57 pm
love you bebe i stalk you and love your style and everything about you one day we will meet n it’ll be gr8…….. cool blog btw
March 27th, 2011 at 12:27 am
ew Bebe don’t do interviews with Nylon, they’re so irrelevant!
March 27th, 2011 at 4:07 am
ya..a little too pretentious/trying too hard for my tastes as well
March 27th, 2011 at 10:55 am
What has my generation come to?
Getting famous on Disney Channel?
Getting famous off YouTube?
Now off a blog?
FML
March 28th, 2011 at 1:39 am
This girl is full of it. She uses people to get famous. Not cool. She is such a sale out! She thinks she can go far just by making that stupid pout. So sick of it. Seriously!
March 28th, 2011 at 2:23 pm
whether it’s an act or not, i love her style. i know A LOT of people who try to pull of the same looks, and although it may seem simple to some, it’s not. just wait till you see a “hipster” fashion victim, and you’ll have a whole new appreciation for bebe zeva. there are thousands of people out there with blogs, and bebe got famous off hers. that just means she has star power, something that most people lack.
March 28th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
lay off, haters.
as far as i’m concerned, bebe zeva is an adorable and creative little individual. yes, her blog is giving her attention which means a lot of people must enjoy viewing it.
bebe! if you are reading this, i am fan of your style, musings, photographs, and adore how passionate you are about fashion. also, i think you are as cute as a button. i’ve followed you since your early appearances on HRO and i can’t wait to see tao lin’s film of you. i remember the first time i saw you interviewed and was astounded by how eloquent you spoke and how lovely your demeanor was. you are fated to be hated because there will always (unfortunately) be haters. don’t let them phase you. you are loved just as much by others.
keep rocking those thigh highs! i swear everyone’s just jealous of your legs. i know i am!
March 28th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
She got famous because of her looks. If she was ugly her blog wouldn’t have sky rocketted.I am not fond of her commercial hipster look either.
March 28th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Love her blog.
March 28th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Jackie-o====Stop kissing butt!
March 28th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
ewww this is almost as bad as cory kennedy :/ c’mon nylon you can do better than this!
March 29th, 2011 at 1:38 am
wow people stop hating for real you dont even knwo this girl if you dont want to “hear about it” or “dont care” why the fck u here? lol dumb. I might not know her but dosnt give you the right to hate on her. anways i love her blog ! love her style too
March 31st, 2011 at 12:24 am
bebe, name three punk bands.
This girl is full of it. She uses people to get famous. Not cool. She is such a sale out! She thinks she can go far just by making that stupid pout. So sick of it. Seriously! [2]
get over yourself.
April 1st, 2011 at 9:46 pm
ohhh wowwww. the whole I love “Angela Chase” and 90′s grunge. I’ve never seen a million hipsters want to copy My So Called Life and wear plaid and get into 90s’ grunce music again. I can’t wait until she gets into buying cassettes.
kill me.
May 16th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
used to be a fan and then she went and dissed zooey deschanel.
HA.