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…
Throwback Thursday: Cold-Shoulder Top Has Its Moment
Ten years ago, I wore an outfit that made me look like Blanche Devereaux if she were trying to dress like a New Yorker. On casual day. That cold-shoulder turtleneck was already “old” to me at the time. I had gotten it on eBay years earlier, thinking it was going to look more punk, only…
My Best Dressed at the 2021 Grammys Is …
The winner of my Best Dressed/Wear What You Want award for the 2020 Grammys is Billy Porter and his fabulous mechanical hat! Yeah, I said 2020. I know the 2021 Grammys ceremony was on last night, and I’ll get to that eventually, but I’m a wee bit behind! There was a lot going on when…
Throwback Thursday: Another Round of Neon
I walked by Macy’s the other day and was so happy to see neon colors in the window that I took a picture. DayGlo is a longtime favorite of mine. I really liked the cropped blue jacket with the long pink dress. Eventually, I figured out why the combination appealed to me so much: I…
Comment on This Post for Good Luck
I had a live chat with the support center at my bank today. At the end, I thanked Rita for her assistance and was surprised when she replied: “You’re most welcome! May all the dreams that your heart holds come true! May each day of life bring the best for you! Here’s wishing that happiness,…
Throwback Thursday: 32 But Looking Brand-New
I’ve been neglecting the laundry so, yesterday, I was forced to dig into the “things I never wear” layer of my dresser. When I say I never wear something, I’m not kidding, because this 32-year-old sweatshirt from my graduation from Columbia University looks brand-new! I’ve never been a fan of gray sweatshirts. They’re too drab…
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…
Feeling Fancy at Wendy Brandes Jewelry
If you haven’t visited my online store in a minute, come on by! I’ve done a few renovations. My updated homepage now has a slideshow that explains each collection. The first slide is my gold collection. Gold always comes first with me — the first serious designs for my line were done in 18K yellow…
Make L.L. Bean Your Valentine in 2022
Put a note in your calendar now, because you’re going to want to get L.L. Bean’s Valentine’s-Day-red boots when the limited run becomes available again early in 2022. I stumbled upon them this year and I was unable to resist. Behold the cuteness! Unfortunately, the boots are now sold out online; the product page isn’t…
Jewel of the Month: Lip Necklace in 18K Gold
Whether you love Valentine’s Day or loathe it, the days immediately following the holiday are kind of awesome. First of all, the big Whitman’s Sampler chocolate assortments are on sale in all the drugstores to make room for the Easter candy. If you’re buying for me, I do prefer Whitman’s Samplers to Russell Stover boxes,…