Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

WendyB Talks With the Washington Post

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In 2007, a dude named Chris Crocker got his 15 minutes of fame by crying through a video defense of Britney Spears called “Leave Britney Alone.” Now I’ve done a “Leave Hillary Clinton Alone” video, but I did it without weeping. Dang! My 15 minutes of viral fame might have to wait until I can manage an on-camera breakdown.

Hillary (and Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin) came up during an interview I did with the Washington Post’s Holly Thomas for the Post’s “On Leadership” series. Holly and I discussed queens, the politics of fashion and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. I compared Zuckerberg’s leadership failings to those of the 12th century’s Empress Matilda. While Matilda had her flaws, she’s still one of my favorite royal ladies so I hope Zuckerberg won’t yank down my Facebook fan page in a fit of pique. I’m already having flashbacks to the time my blog was frozen after I criticized a search-engine company whose name is two letters away from “poodle.”

Thanks to Holly, Andrea Useem, Liz Tenety and Madeline Marshall for producing the video and telling me I look like Brittany Murphy “in a good way.” Thanks also to Washington Post managing editor Raju Narisetti for including me in a series that’s featured an admiral, a general, a college president, numerous billionaires and Rudy Giuliani.

Here’s “On Leadership: Wendy Brandes on why fashion ‘torments’ women leaders.” The transcript is here. Don’t forget to “like” it on Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg would want you to!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Fantastic interview! You brought up a lot of great points from both a historical perspective and contemporary politics. I agree, it can be a problem to be too fashionable just as much as wearing hideous clothes. I do think that sometimes Michelle Obama is mostly discussed for her fabulous fashion sense, more than anything else she does. Then again, its not the same as those Palin clothing budgets you brought up, it is indeed a fine line. And your last piece of advice was great! haha, if you don’t have a thick skin its hard to succeed period.

  7. Such thoughtful commentary – loved it.

    BTW, I was watching a bootleg copy of SATC 2 last night (desperate times call for desperate measures) and totally was bragging to my husband that I *know* the woman who designed Samantha’s Cleopatra earrings and read her blog. HAHAHA!

  8. Well said, Wendy. I know that I have been criticized for being “too fashionable”–so I can relate to this. Now I take it in stride–if people are going to criticize, it says more about them than it does about me.

  9. How fabulous are YOU?! The interview is marvelous, Wendy. I loved hearing your commentary on fashion and leadership.

  11. Always weird seeing bloggers talking!!!
    You aren’t two dimensional then?
    Very poised interview Wendy.
    I ONLY do interviews for the shop via email because video cameras make me nervous!

  15. Great interview, and I was happy to learn that I’ve been pronouncing your last name correctly! Where was the swearing, though?? 😉

  17. omg, i didn\’t know they were making a video of the interview, how amazing! is she the peeps judge?

    since we already had a real life conversation about hilary, and mark zuckerberg, my comment is more about how much i love how you both put on your NPR voices for the video. i think fashion would be a much better place if we all discussed it with NPR voices.

  18. 😀 I’m sooo happy I watched this video! I really liked your advice at the end Wendy, many people will always try to bring you down no matter what you do as a designer, blogger, writer etc. but it’s up to you to keep going and persevere.

    Much love always,
    Glendy <3

  20. Yay! What a great interview! Loved your (true)comments about Hilary Clinton and other people in the political arena. Good advice as well!

  21. This was so steeped in your own knowledge and fashion history. Your commentary on Hillary, Michelle and SPalin were so non-judgmental and correct. You’re very poised on video as well. This was a very fine piece.

  22. yup, women leaders are always seen first for their fashion–it seldom goes beyond that. in our country, imelda marcos was so (in)famous for her fierce fashion that the next woman in line, cory aquino, purposely wore the simplest clothes in contrast. and that’s just one example!

    great interview, wendy! you have such a cute voice. and your mouth is so sexy! =)

  23. Wendy, what an inspiration you are! You give great interview, and why am I not surprised. You’re very poised and well-spoken. And I already knew it from reading your blog, but dang, woman, you are so smart.

    I loved hearing your voice, too (why did I think you’d have an accent?), and seeing you in video. So, so cool.

  25. I LOVE IT!! you look fabulous too! great lipstick shade!:) ….and I love the closing of it, you pulled it together beautifully!

  26. this is fantastic Wendy! i loved all your answers but fave had to be the bit about what you tell people who ask advice on starting jewelry and clothing lines!!! brilliant advice, the best there is i think.

  27. Fantastic interview, all that and pretty too.
    You should work in televis… oh, wait, you did.

  28. So cool! The camera loves you. As some of the other commenters have probably said: you should do more video posts. You could give us all fashion advice and so on…

  29. Great answers, Wendy! I esp. liked your answer about telling people \’Don\’t do it\’- great way to gauge if someone can get above the no\’s and criticism. xo, mel

  30. Bravo. Your star is surely rising to the top. Great advice on leadership and starting your own business. Especially love the leap from monarchs to Facebook.

  31. Hillary Clinton does not have a stylish bone in her body… you are funny. But, you speak the truth! And frankly, I don’t care how stylish she is… she is a politician, not an actress. Great interview, you should be PROUD!

  35. what a fabulous interview! you made some VERY good points…on women politicians…i agree whole-heartedly…they are going to be criticized whether they look wonderful…or absolutely need help…

    your response to those asking how to get started is brilliant…if you can’t handle rejection and “no’s” or “you won’t make it”…you will definately have a hard time…personally…when someone tells me that i can’t do something…it fuels me that much more…

    as always..you look fabulous…and i promise…i will never mis-pronounce your name again =/

  37. You were fantastic, Mrs. B!! You rocked that interview! You were poised, articulate and still had that sass we love so much about you! Congrats!! And I love that I was able to put a voice to your face 🙂

  41. hi darling. thanks for stopping by! this is amazing. im so glad youre getting to express your opinions. you look fantastic and you seem like such a strong independent woman! youre just great wendy!
    wish you a wonderful weekend

    xx ediot