In 2019, 19-year-old rapper Lil Nas X vaulted from TikTok meme maker lauded by Justin Bieber to record-breaking mainstream success with his country-rap song “Old Town Road,” and there are so many things I love about this story. First of all, this song appealed to every age group, from toddlers to their grandparents. If you…
stud earrings
Happy New Ears!
My big self-care moments during the shitshow of 2020 involved new ear piercings by my favorite piercer, Cassi Lopez-March of So Gold Studios in Brooklyn. Cassi has been piercing my ears since 2015 — she’s done 11 piercings out of the 15 that I have. Believe it or not, I have small ears, but Cassi…
Jewels of the Month: Bye, Don! Welcome 46 & 47!
I don’t know if I should call this the dawn of a new era or a return to form. After years of Jewel of the Month posts, I had ZERO last year because fascism and the pandemic had me that distracted from what I love to do. But now that would-be dictator Donald Trump has…
Jewels of the Month, Part 2: October Birthstone
Tourmaline and opal are October’s two birthstones. I’ve shared the double-tourmaline ring that I created for ANZA Gems before, but ANZA’s recent Instagram post of it has inspired me to feature the ring again. I love how this post shows the different phases the gems went through: uncut rough; faceted but loose gems; and finally…
F@#! Yes, You Should Buy These Earrings
Fuck yeah, I’ve been waiting for these stud earrings to be finished! These are 18K rose gold and sold as singles. One stud is already spoken for, but the other is still available for $400. The rose gold version not on my website, so holla at me at info@wendybrandes.com if you want it! (For yellow…
The Final Friday the 13th Earrings!
Friday the 13th is always my excuse to post this gif of my silver hockey mask and chainsaw earrings, created by the once-hyped shopping app Spring. Alas, Spring is no more … and my earrings will be gone as well once my last four pairs are sold. Whether you’re a horror-movie fan, an Eminem fan,…
Jewels of the Month: Time to Give Women a Hand
I’ve got a limited number of my sterling-silver emoji earrings left. Ten of those depict hand gestures; they’re sold as single studs that you can mix and match. Through Sunday, June 16, at 11:59 p.m. ET, I will donate $10 from each $35 purchase of a single stud to your choice of She Should Run…
Jewel of the Month, Part II: New Skull Earrings
Shout-out to Colleen Egan at 1stdibs.com for interviewing me about the enduring appeal of skull jewelry! I felt inspired when I did this interview, and I hope it gives you fresh insight into my designs. CLICK HERE TO READ MY 1STDIBS INTERVIEW After you’re done reading, you can shop for my jewelry on 1stdibs — and if…
Jewel of the Month: Sexy Emojis Say Sayonara to Silver
September’s Jewel of the Month is a sex-ay mixed pair of silver stud earrings. Say hello to my little friends — the emoji peach and eggplant! If you’re fluent in emoji, you know what this combo means. Even if you’re not fluent in emoji and think to yourself, “If I had a dirty mind, what…
Small Cats for Leo Season on 1stdibs; Week in Review
Leo season started last Sunday, and I’ve got the lion jewelry of your dreams. That said, big cats aren’t always better! Why not do something different and get some small-cat jewelry for a feline-loving Leo’s birthday? I’ve got designs inspired by my own beloved FitzRoy the cat on 1stdibs. Fitzy is Instagram-famous for sitting in…