“It’s an honor just to be nominated” is an awards-ceremony cliche, but it’s true! There are a lot of female jewelry designers, but I was one of only five nominated for a Women’s Jewelry Association Award of Excellence at the WJA’s gala dinner on Monday, and I am truly grateful for that. Of course, it…
History Is Made
I wasn’t sure I would see this in my lifetime. As a child in the 1970s, living in a part of New Jersey that somehow remained untouched by women’s lib, I couldn’t even imagine a woman becoming a nominee for president. Sure, one could TRY, but there was no way it was really going to…
What Wendy Wore: Gareth Pugh for Our Anniversary
MrB and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on Friday by having dinner at Osteria al Doge and going to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. We highly recommend both experiences! I had considered re-wearing white leather halter that was part of my 2001 post-wedding-gown party outfit, but I had that thought in the middle of…
Week in Review … Plus Billy, Betsy, and Qandeel
In case you missed it, here’s what was on the blog this week. Monday: The Vegas Gems at JCK. Tuesday: A lost and found ring. Wednesday: RIP, Garry Marshall and Pondering media descriptions of Meredith McIver. Thursday: One dress, three cities. Saturday: My ninth blogversary. Over on Instagram, I featured some of my gorgeous clients…
Ninth Blogversary
In 2007, they all told me not to do it. Luxury-goods consultants. The former fashion director of a major department store. My own publicist. Random-ass acquaintances. “Don’t do a blog,” they said. “It will ruin your brand.” “You’re too accessible,” they said. “Luxury is about exclusivity.” Clearly, I didn’t heed their warnings because today this…
Throwback Thursday: A Dress in London, Miami, NYC
For at least 10 years, MrB and I have visited London and Paris in July. We didn’t make plans this year, so I’ve been mournfully looking at my 2015 photos. This one of me — in a Keith Haring-print dress from Patricia Field — was taken in London on July 31. I think I might…
Pet Peeve: A Woman’s Work
Like many other people, I’ve been amazed and amused by the story of Melania Trump’s plagiarized speech at the Republican National Convention on Monday. Big shout-out to reporter Jarrett Hill for breaking the story of the speech’s substantial overlap with the speech Michelle Obama gave at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. (Note: Hill wasn’t one…
RIP, Garry Marshall
Late last night, Access Hollywood broke the news that director/producer Garry Marshall died of pneumonia complications following a stroke. He was 81. Embed from Getty Images Marshall directed a number of hit movies, including Pretty Woman (1990) and The Princess Diaries (2001), but before that, he was the creator of the iconic 1970s television shows…
Jan and Carma Have Good Karma!
This weekend, I received an intriguing email from a gentleman named Jan Boogaard: “I have found a ring that has the Wendy Brandes stamp on it and appears to be a custom piece. I have attached a picture. I’m hoping you keep some kind of record of whose this could be so I can return…
JCK LUXURY, Part II: Hanging With the Vegas Gems
Whew! So much has been going on that I’m just getting around to my second post on the JCK LUXURY jewelry trade show that took place in Las Vegas last month. To refresh your memory, here is Part I. Since that post, gorgeous blogger Becky Stone of Diamonds in the Library included me in a…






