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What Wendy Wore: Special Jewelry for Skylar Grey

July 15, 2013 by WendyB

For a couple of weeks, I was so fixated on seeing Skylar Grey perform at Le Poisson Rouge that I hardly know what to do with myself now that the show is over!

I’ve been a big fan of Skylar’s since “Love the Way You Lie” came out in 2010. The song was performed by Eminem and Rihanna, but I quickly found out it was Skylar who wrote the haunting hook. (I love tracking down moody-sounding female vocalists.) Skylar’s excellent debut album, Like Blood Like Honey, came out in 2006 under her real first and middle name: Holly Brook.Β  I downloaded that album as well as song collaborations with other artists, including “Coming Home” by Diddy (2010) and “I Need a Doctor” by Dr. Dre and Eminem (2011), while I waited for a full album by the artist now known as Skylar Grey. (Skylar explained her new stage name in a Wall Street Journal story that I blogged about last December. This article from last week’s Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel — Skylar is originally from Wisconsin — is another good telling of the tale.)

I was also waiting for a full concert. After missing Skylar at Lollapalooza in 2011 while I was otherwise engaged, I caught her doing a couple of songs at Cyndi Lauper’s Home for the Holidays concert a few months later. I was excited to finally get a full album and full show in the same week. Don’t Look Down came out last Tuesday. It’s been as high as #2 on iTunes, topped only by Jay-Z’s new album. The concert followed on Thursday. Le Poisson Rouge has table seating, so I gathered up five lovely wimmins — Jen, Amanda, Stacy, Alyssa and Alice — and we got a table to ourselves, right next to the stage. During the enjoyable opening act,Β a duo called TeamMate that covered Madonna’s “Causing a Commotion,” we all had Prosecco and … Tater Tots. The dinner of champions. What?! I love Tots! Napoleon Dynamite was not wrong about the desirability of Tots.

We were finished with all of that by the time Skylar came out. Look at the great view we had!

skylar2resize

Skylar Grey at Le Poisson Rouge.

Because I didn’t have people jumping around in front of me and I was so close, I recorded two entire songs. Here is “C’mon Let Me Ride” …

… and “Final Warning,” which I already raved about here.

After the show, Skylar patiently stayed at her merchandise table till everyone had gotten an autograph or a photo. I was one of the last ones.

skylarandwendycrop

Skylar and me.

If you look closely at my necklace in that picture, you’ll see it’s Skylar’s double-ax logo — the same image that’s on the drum set in my photo of her on stage. I first saw the logo when the official “C’mon Let Me Ride” video came out in December. I immediately thought, “That would make a great stud earring … and why not do a matching necklace too?”Β  But I didn’t want to do it unless I knew I could get the designs to Skylar. While my general “gifting” policy isΒ #phuckyocelebrity these days, it is her logo. I wouldn’t feel right about making a jewelry version if she didn’t have it herself. By the time I sorted out the logistics, Skylar was on the road but her earrings and necklace will, hopefully, catch up with her shortly. I didn’t give them to her at the show because her pieces are 18K gold with diamonds, and it’s not a good idea to hand over things like that in a hectic environment. But I wore the gold-plated silver samples so I could point to them and say, “This is what you’re getting, kinda!” Here’s a closer look at the earring samples. I saved the diamonds for the gold versions; that’s why you don’t see any in this photo.

CrossedAx_Ear_G_Z__35772_std

Skylar Grey’s logo earrings.

Here is the necklace sample.

CrossedAx_Neck_G_Z__18203_std

Skylar Grey’s logo necklace.

Before, during and after the show, people were asking me where they could get the necklace but it won’t be for sale on my website unless Skylar decides she’s into that. She hasn’t even seen her own pieces yet! But you can console yourself with these single ax stud earrings in 18K gold …

Ax_Ear_Gold_Z__05521_std

$450. Click to purchase.

… or sterling silver.

Ax_Ear_Silver_Z__97701_std

$70. Click to purchase.

I think they’re very cute and a good gift for Lord of the Rings dwarf-weaponry aficionados. And yes, I’m sure dwarf-weaponry aficionados exist! It takes all types to make the world go ’round. People who like Tater Tots, people who like ligers and people who like dwarf weapons.

Here’s the rest of my concert outfit.

skylaroutfitcropWhat Wendy Wore
Top: Alexander McQueen (2010, previously seen here)
Shorts: Castelbajac (2013, previously seen here)
Shoes: Prada (2011, seen too many times to count)
Jewelry: My own designs

Earlier in the evening, I wore the Sunpocket sunglasses I got in London last month. They go well with the top, no? You can see my gorgeous friend Alyssa in one of the lenses, as well as the guy on line behind her. You also get another look at the logo necklace.

sunpocket

Photo by Stacy Lomman.

It looks like my next musical experience — before going back to Le Poisson Rouge to see Laura Mvula — will be seeing my friend Jen perform with Stranded at the famous Bitter End on July 24 at 8 p.m. If you’re in New York City that night, join us! Jen has performed on and off for years. She was one of the peeps who came to the Skylar Grey concert and I was pleased to get an email from her in the middle of the night on Friday, after the show, saying she was up watching Skylar’s videos on YouTube and was “so inspired!” Yesterday, I got an email saying, “So inspired by Skylar. Actually sang for several hours yesterday. And I am finally buying a new keyboard.” Today’s email announced the show at the Bitter End. Isn’t that cool? Good music inspires more music. And jewelry, of course. Never forget the jewelry!

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What Wendy Wore: Modernizing Psychedelia
Photos From Thanksgiving in Costa Rica
Thanks for the Jewelry-Blog Love and Pumpkin Cat!

Filed Under: concerts, earrings, music, my designs, necklaces, outfit post, pictures of me, prada, Skylar Grey, What Wendy Wore

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. milex says

    July 15, 2013 at 8:08 am

    Brilliant

    • WendyB says

      July 15, 2013 at 4:32 pm

      Definitely see her perform if you can!

  2. Vix says

    July 15, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    Wow! You look fantastic, Wendy! Love those crazy specs! x

    • WendyB says

      July 15, 2013 at 4:32 pm

      When I tried those on, I just HAD to get them.

  3. Tina says

    July 15, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    Great new pieces. Skylar must be psyched. Sorry I missed the outing!!

    • WendyB says

      July 15, 2013 at 4:33 pm

      I know! You want to come see this gal in September? http://www.lauramvula.com/

  4. Neil Condor says

    July 15, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    Man and here I thought I was the only one that got to talk to her, I was one of the first ones out of the room and got to talk to her just as she was about to do meet and greet before everyone else got there.

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1016242_10153011034125626_362799109_n.jpg

    Also I can totally see myself in the reflection of your sunglasses in that pic outside in line! that picture of Skylar on stage is really incredible too. So wish I had sitting seats.

    For anyone else who wants to see the whole performance, I have it in a playlist on youtube here

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8Gg0rrtMLyTum8i7ZiSDbcxtWqL3oBse

    @Wendy, I added your 2 vids into the playlist, hope you don’t mind!

    • Neil Condor says

      July 15, 2013 at 3:57 pm

      only one that got to take a picture* not talk to her. Lucky you though! Soon as we started to take it we got surrounded by like 70 people also wanting to take pictures.

      • WendyB says

        July 15, 2013 at 4:33 pm

        I’m happy to be included in your playlist, and you’re always welcome to hang out in my sunglasses lenses πŸ˜‰

  5. stacy says

    July 15, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    You are always ahead of the curve with these up-and-coming musicians. You are typically spot-on and in Skylar’s case… definitely. She was great, thanks for inviting me πŸ™‚

    You looked so fab! Amazing freaking legs girl.

    PS – Napoleon Dynamite was right about many things, not just tots.

    LOL

    • WendyB says

      July 15, 2013 at 4:31 pm

      Napoleon Dynamite was right about how to kill wolverines too.

      And as far as musicians go, I was actually wrong about Azealia Banks. I mean, I was right, then I was wrong. That crazy beyotch has at least two Twitter beefs going right now and I know that without even following her! I see her as a People magazine story in 15 years where they will write about her attempt to reclaim the career she threw away when she was 20.

  6. Jackline says

    July 15, 2013 at 6:43 pm

    Hey Wendy, just love the top. The fit, color, and pattern are just beautiful on you.

    • WendyB says

      July 15, 2013 at 6:51 pm

      Thank you, Miss J!

  7. Emily says

    July 15, 2013 at 6:53 pm

    LOVEEE this post. You have KILLER legs Wendy.

    • WendyB says

      July 16, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      Thanks, Emily!

  8. Alice Olive says

    July 16, 2013 at 10:54 am

    I can’t stop singing Madonna since that concert!

    What was Skylar’s reaction to your necklace? I hope she endorses because I want that necklace! Somehow it feels like a rock version of Chanel’s interlocking C’s.

    • WendyB says

      July 16, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      Her own personal necklace is chasing her around the country even as I type πŸ˜‰

  9. That's Not My Age says

    July 18, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    Never forget the shorts!

    • WendyB says

      July 18, 2013 at 7:42 pm

      πŸ™‚

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MEET WENDY BRANDES

Award-winning designer of fine jewelry inspired by women's history and pop culture. A former journalist who writes about jewelry, fashion, medieval history, news, feminism, dogs, cats and whatever else is on her mind. Blogging since 2007.
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