stylefaerie interview: BEVLEE Tañedo

so you’re immensely convinced that you are born in the wrong era?
My friends and I share an amusing fascination for the past. We were at this music festival once some time last year and we were just thinking how it was in the old days of music festivals and fairs. People stayed at festivals for days on end, lived in their tents and backpacks. I’m not sure I want to do that now since I really only like to see a handful of artists these days and I can’t stand camping, but the level of passion towards music in the past and that lifestyle is extraordinary.

I am also generally into old things like old cars, old jewelry, designs and prints.  Places and things that tell stories of the past really intensifies my curiosity as well. There’s a mad rush inside me whenever I learn that it’s been around for a long time. Say for example an old book, an old photograph or an old dress. It’s just really exciting to think that someone before me have been so engrossed by it. Or say an ancestral house. It gives me a happy chill to listen to old stories and go through old photographs of the families that lived there.

are you brand concious or are you more of an ukay-ukay cheap trip thrills?
Cheap thrills, definitely! You can be sure that you will find one of a kind things when you go thrifting. It’s more exciting, anyway. I like labels when it comes to beach wear and if it’s off-season sale I do like some labels but nothing high-end that breaks the bank. If money were no object, I’d probably still mix labels with thrift goods. Still, nothing beats the fun of finding a skirt with a label for P50. I am particularly lucky with P50 finds.

what’s your favourite accessory?

My Loveys,  Ego and Id They’re conversation pieces haha and  a toss between Big, chunky rings and long necklaces. Bags don’t count because it’s already a necessity for me. I’ve  also recently accumulated hats which I voluntarily loan to my friends when they travel. Hence, affording me the new nick “Hat Faerie!”

do you ever go out without accessorizing?
Yes, when I’m working on location and only because I don’t want to lose any of my rings. Otherwise, I feel naked without it.

what’s has been your greatest style influence?
Main influence would be The Coven – Xesspool, Storiesende, Mint, Hoon and Suskind – who at a point in our lives went on costume parties and dress up weekends, embroidered our own peasant blouses, thrifted the best vintage shirts without a care what others thought. Of course, people still think we dress alike but I disagree. We each have our own style but we tend to like the same things and normally, these girls would balk at the thought of owning the same things. Ergo, thrifting solved that problem ;p There is a commonality but the wardrobe quirks are entirely personal.

My other group of girlfriends, who are summer girls all the way through, are also  big influences in my style – most of all lifestyle. Our cookouts, frugal sojourns, afternoon tea talking about the latest reads, life and how being true to one’s style transcend any fashion at all.

I am also greatly influenced with what I see, where I go to or been and definitely eras.  Places, music and people from the past. I am envious of Talitha Getty for having roamed Marrakech during her time. She had the most beautiful loungewears and dresses. Also, Edie Sedgewick’s nonchalant flair and how she managed to define her style without really trying is fun. Of course, there are things during that time that are just mindless and too indulgent a kind of lifestyle for my liking but style-wise and the freedom were very much, how do you say it, in-tuned?   They defined it with the way they lived.

Seasons are also a great inspiration. I know it’s summer all year long where I’m based but it’s good to save on that beautiful boots when there’s an opportunity to go traveling during Winter. I am crazy for boots. As long as I’m not stepping on your toes wearing it, I can wear it all year long.

I also think of India and what comes to mind are colors, fabrics and dyes.  The souks in Morocco. I dream of going there. The night markets in Greece where gypsies sell a ton of beautiful rings.One of my fave rings is a ring I got from this gypsy woman. I was so enthralled by her. She was wearing gypsy clothes from head to toe. It was lovely. So, travel, travel and more travel. It just opens the mind.

I love it when people tell me it’s such a “beverly store” or it’s such a “beverly dress.” Sometimes I wouldn’t know what that means because I like so many things. It’s just fun to have my friends give me something because they instantly thought about me when they saw the piece. I think it’s just delightful that your friends already know what you want because you, yourself know what you want.

how do you decide on an outfit?
Based on comfort and if I feel like it.  I’m very cyclical and repetitive.  There always has to have a level of comfort for myself even if people think I’m too layered or too this or that. A cut off jean will be a staple for weeks with different tops because it’s so comfortable and easy to work around. I wore peasant skirts a lot before and mostly just jeans and a top. Sometimes there’s an effort to dress up.  Most of the time, i throw on what I can find.

if you had to wear something you can’t dare, what would that be?
Sequins, Leopard print.  Oh, and probably a clown outfit.

trendy or classic?
Go for what works for you. I should say trendy items should just accentuate an outfit but really I just go for what I feel is working for me today. Trend is also good because it makes things more accessible. The downside is things are more accessible and there’ll be an endless clone of things trendy that maybe a favorite even before it was a trend. Classic, on the other hand, gets too boring with just plain classic. So, it’s good to spice up things with trend. A leopard print anything is not so bad as long as it’s not head to toe

i always sense your bohemian spirit. what’s the best thing about it?
I’m a wanderer. I have wanderer’s feet and can’t stay put. I personally don’t think I’m living an unconventional lifestyle but it’s not also one that fits the mold, which is just as well I am uncomfortable with labels and I don’t think I’m radical in my approach to life so I’d rather just live according to how I desire and ultimately, what makes me happy. I dress the way I feel like it. In the end, it’s my spirit and my experiences that count more than how many peasant skirts I own. As they say, it’s how many true people in your life you keep rather than the shoes in your rack.    So, dress for yourself and live fully. Never mind what people say.    People will say things anyway. Might as well live the life you desire true to your own style.

✭ Bevlee is into video production and independent motion picture production.
Aside from travel and hanging out with the loveys, this beach bum is launching a pet photography business soon ✭