Damn! Where was Moonstruck-era Cher when I needed her on Oscar night? For that matter, where was Rihanna? Bad Gal RiRi’s puffy, pink Giambattista Valli gown made a huge impression at the Grammys earlier this month, but it would have been the obvious winner of my coveted Best Dressed/Wear What You Want combo award on…
What Wendy Wore: Weinstein and Vanity Fair Oscar Parties
I’m in Los Angeles, thrilled to be away from the 1 degree winter weather at home in New York. Last night, we went to a super-fun Oscar viewing party hosted by movie producer Harvey Weinstein, followed by the Vanity Fair after-party. There’s been a couple of times when I’ve worn a dress to the black-tie…
Oscar Fashion Flashback: Jennifer Hudson in 2007
I was reading the Hollywood Reporter’s Oscar issue and it included an article analyzing what color and style of gown was most likely to be worn by winning actresses. Gold was the lucky color, worn by 50% of the winners, with white in second place at 36%. But I lost all interest in the math…
Jewel of the Month: Amethyst Birthstone Studs
I’m continuing to make a series of cabochon birthstone studs that you can wear alone or with my FitzRoy the cat earring jackets. Here’s a close look at a single FitzRoy with January’s birthstone, garnet. February’s birthstone is amethyst and I’ve got one pair of amethyst studs available for any end-of-the-month birthday celebrations. Amethyst is…
Throwback Thursday for Chinese New Year
I really need to get back to writing my history-inspired posts! Here’s a throwback one in honor of the Chinese New Year. One of my favorite badass royal ladies was Empress Wu, as she’s known now. When she ruled China in the 7th century, she used the name Emperor Shensheng (spelling may vary), making her…
What Wendy Wore: AGTA Spectrum Awards in Tucson
Earlier this month, I was in Arizona for the big Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. The temperature in New York fell to about 5 degrees that week, so I was delighted to be in warmer cactus country. I have excellent gem dealers in New York City, but it can still be tough to find very…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in the San Francisco Chronicle
I’ve got to give a belated thank you to the San Francisco Chronicle for including a nice big photo of my gold IDGAF necklace in a Valentine’s Day story called “Tough-Love Tactics.” The Chronicle also shouted out my “Screw U” mixed earring pair, which I would love to see someone wear with Stubbs & Wootton’s…
What Wendy Wore: The Valentine’s Day Moschino Returns
I hadn’t worn my vintage Moschino heart dress for Valentine’s Day since 2011, so I figured it was due for an outing last night. What Wendy Wore Dress: Vintage Moschino (possibly acquired in 2008; random spots are from the camera) Boots: Prada (2008) Purse: Louis Vuitton (2014) MrB and I had dinner at Narcissa in…
Happy Valentine’s Day From Purrkoy!
Purrkoy, the kitten with the heart-shaped nose, would like to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day. There’s no place PK would rather spend Valentine’s Day than in the bathroom sink. It’s his favorite spot. (When he wants the faucet turned on so he can take a drink, he yodels for a human.) What are you…
Twisting and Turning Jewelry
I was inspired this week to take a little video of two of my mechanical jewelry designs. The first is the Sophie twisting heart necklace, which I wrote about recently. When I was working on that post, I didn’t have the extra pair of hands required to record video, but a few days ago Eryn…