We started out the day with lunch at L’Avenue with our Paris-based friend James Lieber. Thanks for lunch, James! After lunch, MrB and I headed to an exhibition of graffiti art called Born in the Streets. I was thrilled to be able to wear my new Francis graffiti dress while surrounded by graffiti. It was…
In the News
Things That Annoyed Me Today
In my profile on the right, I say that in addition to other topics, I write about things that annoy me. Here are the things that annoyed me today: People who are shocked — shocked! — by Farrah Fawcett’s death. What? She was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and was clearly terminal in recent months….
Leader of the Pack
I was amused by yesterday’s New York Times article about how round sunglasses are the hot look this summer. Here’s how it starts: “Was it only last year that round sunglasses were considered square? The hot eyewear look of 2008 was pretty much defined by plastic Wayfarer knockoffs, garish neon trapezoids often seen color-coordinated with…
Sunday Styles Strikes Again
You’d think that after this recent post, I would have stopped reading the non-fashion articles in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times. I know I should avoid exposure to quotes from incredibly annoying people, but I still couldn’t resist last Sunday’s section. The latest irksome article, about abandoned blogs, was called Blogs…
This Post Is Not for the Sensitive
Last week, I went to see “Whole in the Wall,” an exhibit of graffiti art at the Helenbeck Gallery, accompanied by my designing friend, Christian Francis Roth, and my gorgeous, non-designer friend, Maggie Kneip. I wrote more about the show on my brand-new Francis blog today. [UPDATED TO ADD: That blog is now defunct.] As…
What Really Grinds My Gears
I’ve mentioned my love for the animated series Family Guy before. On one episode, Peter Griffin gets his own segment on the local news called “What Really Grinds My Gears.” Take a look. The incest/period portion of that clip isn’t relevant to my post today. I don’t even have a brother, for God’s sake! You…
eBay Pick of the Day: Ossie Clark Sweater
I haven’t seen many vintage Ossie Clark sweaters. I recently posted about the only one that I own here. Not my favorite photo Well, right now, on eBay, there’s an Ossie Clark cardigan with very similar detailing to my sweater. That means that if you get it, we could wear them together and be twins!…
Designer Pissiness
To me, the most interesting thing about tonight’s Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is designer Azzedine Alaia’s pisstacular reaction to being left out of the “Model as Muse” exhibit: after fitting seven models for dresses, he asked the ladies not to wear them. As a result, Alaia fans Naomi Campbell and…
This Just In: Candytuft Stacking Rings
Candytuft is a flowering plant that has nothing whatsoever to do with candy. Candytuft My colorful new silver stacking rings, however, reminded me both of little flowers and candy, so I’m calling them Candytuft because I like the sound of it. Candytuft Stacking Rings © Wendy Brandes Each sterling silver ring is set with six…
Book Club: Introduction to A Distant Mirror
It’s become de rigueur for newspaper columnists, bloggers and people standing around the water cooler to bemoan the decline of civilization as evidenced by what one historian called “economic chaos, social unrest, high prices, profiteering, depraved morals, lack of production, industrial indolence, frenetic gaiety, wild expenditure, luxury, debauchery, social and religious hysteria, greed, avarice, maladministration,…