The End of an Era: I will never again hold a Bebe shopping bag
If my style could be summed up by one retailer, hands down; Bebe would best reflect my personal taste. This clothing store’s mostly neutral and solid color schemes of classic and sultry merchandise was my go-to for many years. For as long as I could remember I was drawn to their window displays of black body-con dresses and white jumpsuits; showcasing what I perceived as the perfect balance of youth and sophistication. Higher quality than most trendy clothiers at the time; my purchased pieces were limited by my budget but often withstood the test of time as Swarovski embossed black tank tops never really go out of style. While I love their basic pieces and athletic wear it was their cocktail dresses that made the biggest mark on my heart.
The way a rich socialite would lovingly describe her designer pieces individually; I oftentimes did the same with my Bebe dresses….the ruched, crème color, mini; the black chiffon asymmetrical one; the fire engine red maxi…they were my prized possessions. I even have a sentimental attachment to the line as my husband took me shopping there years ago and picked out a mid-length black satin dress during our early days. I still own that gown and while I doubt even my right leg would fit into it now I will treasure it always as a reminder of that love-struck courtship. The Bebe label represented more to me than just fashion, it was a certain status; an attitude I felt of vigor and sexiness that pastels and ruffles just couldn’t understand.
I never wavered far from my beloved; any Vegas trip was not complete until I cleaned out both the Grand Canal and Forum locations of all their new styles. Oftentimes unassuming in my mom clothes; the high-heeled sexies who worked there would politely ask if I could use some help, with a slight smirk thinking “how cute, she’s probably in here for a bangle.” After whipping out my Club Bebe card with Icon status and thousands upon thousands of points accrued over the decade; their demeanor would change and they suddenly felt quite confident that I would LOVE this plunging neckline corset dress with 7 inch stilettos to match.
Much to my horror, I recently walked into the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Hotel much expecting to find something perfect for the evening. The Bebe store was gone, not relocated but gone. I thought that perhaps Bebe prefers the ambiance of Rome to Venice so I hightailed over to Caesar’s Palace. That’s when I got the shocking news…Bebe was shutting its doors forever; at least in the sense of a brick and mortar store.
I later found out (as if this was supposed to soften the blow) that they would remain open as an online-only retailer. I still mourned a major loss that day, physically shopping inside a Bebe store and carrying out those gold embossed black bags was a simple pleasure that was gone forever. I still haven’t the heart to purchase online but will soon, I haven’t quite made it to the acceptance stage but I’ll get there.
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