Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

A Basic Wardrobe, Part I

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Gorgeous blogger K-Line tagged me to answer the question: “What is a basic wardrobe to you?” I put off writing my reply for a couple of days because I’m (a) a big procrastinator and (b) unhappy with my basic wardrobe.

I am in mourning for my old wardrobe. Since I left the corporate world in 2005 to concentrate on the jewelry business, my day-to-day look has changed a lot. The beautiful suits I collected are languishing in the closet or in storage. I never imagined I would miss wearing suits, but in the last five years of my 9-to-5 (okay, 9:30-to-4:59…okay, 10-to-4:30) life, I got some that I loved. Here are a few of the many that I have. These photos don’t do them justice; it’s all about fit.

Alexander McQueen suit with sheer shoulders and rear-end pleating on too-short skirt.
Narciso Rodriguez suit with tight, tight skirt
Gaultier suit with striped shoulders

I always felt great in this Stella McCartney suit with a baby blue pinstripe.

Also in storage: the jewelry my husband got for me over the years. Really, this whole Wendy Brandes jewelry business is his fault. When we started going out in 1998, I wore one silver ring and a watch. I tried to turn down his jewelry gifts at first, but he insisted and look what happened! Not only did I become an addict, but I went from using to dealing. Most of the pieces Paul got me were surprises, which was very romantic. I feel very sentimental about the old jewelry. Unfortunately, when people are introduced to a jewelry designer, they immediately ask, “Did you design that?” It’s not very good business to be wearing another designer’s work. Even around friends and family, it’s always better to be wearing the latest WendyB pieces: who do you think were my first customers? You never know when BarbaraB is going to whip out her credit card. Here are pictures of the old jewelry. Again, this is just a small sample.

You can barely make out the rubellite necklace I’m wearing in this 2001 picture with GeorgeB.
I’m wearing moonstone drop earrings in this 2002-ish photo with Terri Berry.
This coral necklace was great for warm weather.
(That’s what my hair did in the humidity in the pre-flatiron days of 2002.)

I wore an aquamarine and diamond choker for Y2K New Year’s.

Shortly before I started the jewelry business, I swore I was going to drastically reduce the black and denim in my non-work wardrobe. Guess what I wear nearly every day now? Black and denim. There are a few reasons for that. I spend a lot of time walking between appointments with manufacturers and wholesalers. It quickly became clear to me that it wasn’t a good idea to wear beautiful clothes while trudging around on 90 degree summer days, 10 degree winter days or through a rainstorm that was so violent it washed two fancy buttons right off my jacket. Also I do wear my own jewelry and as you might have noticed, some of my pieces are quite bold, so during the day I feel compelled to tone it down with black. And if I’m seeing clients, the best choice is head-to-toe black with as much jewelry as I can pack on. People are always inclined to buy what they see me wearing, so it’s good to give them a lot to choose from while making sure they don’t get distracted by a vibrant skirt or flower feet.

Phew. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Stay tuned for the next post with photos of my current staples.

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Comments

  1. Wendy Brandes – J-Dealer at large:) I like the trouser suit very much. I don’t even know what my basics are – jeans I guess.

  2. oh, every girl need some alexander mcqueen in their life! those are total power suits. but still chic and feminine. me wants.

  3. I am exactly the same as you, used to work in the Corporate world (until I had my son 7 years ago) and my power suits long since left my wardrobe via Ebay! Since then I have worked in retail, and now only part time, and spend my life on school or supermarket runs which requires no more than, like you, black tops and denim! I also miss dressing up everyday.

  5. WendyB: I’m in mourning for your gorgeous suits! 🙂 That Alexander McQueen is fantastic. Someday I hope to own something Alexander McQueen…

    Can’t wait to see the next installment. Thanks for your fab post. K

  7. Yum! Your suits are so delicious.

    It’s saddening, but sensical, that you mostly wear your own jewelry out now. I always sniffle a bit at the pieces I don’t get to wear anymore (for whatever reason) and it’s heartbreaking to see what beautiful pieces you have but wear less now.

    Any way that you can mix & match at all? Wear the McQueen coat on a nice day to see clients or the skirt with a black top? Then again, you always risk the chance of wearing one too much and then the fabrics no longer matching…

  8. beautiful suits! my favorites of your gifted jewelery are your moonstone drop earrings & coral necklace. your hubby has excellent taste!

  9. Those are great suits, and I love your hair in those photos!

    It is a tricky proposition to re-tool one’s style when leaving the corporate world. I hear this refrain over and over from people I know who start their own businesses.

    I can’t wait to see what great stuff is in your wardrobe now!

    Don’t forget shoes!

  10. Bronwyn, thanks, that one was definitely a favorite.
    Oh Lady E, I wish I had a photo of my Alexander McQueen pantsuit! It’s a warm weather suit so maybe I’ll take a picture this summer.
    Iwant, the problem is I can’t bear to give any of these up. I’m going to try to find a way to wear them more.
    Lynn, I tried so hard to straighten my hair that day and it just sprang back up.
    K.line, thanks for the tag.
    Susie, why thank you!
    Ashe, I actually started doing that more this fall, and I have vowed to make more of an effort going forward.
    Seamstress, I don’t even have photos of the best pieces. I probably have about 20 beautiful pieces in the vault.
    ENC, I’m so sick of the extreme casualness! I have to put more effort into evenings out. After feeling blah from wearing jeans all day, it’s so easy just to stick with them when going out to dinner especially when I feel fairly dressed up from the jewelry. But it’s getting depressing.

  11. wow, I love your suits.
    I’m also a fan of suits.
    Thanks for left such nice comment on my blog.
    Have a wonderfull weekend.

  13. I love your suits! They must have been a pleasure to wear…and I’m hoping for the day when I’ll be able to get my own (given that lawyers do spend lots of time in suits, I’d like mine to be nice). And even your un-ironed hair is lovely and pixielike!
    PS: What are those feather headdresses (?) you’ve got on in the last picture? They’re beautiful!

  14. There’s going to be a day when I’m forced to wear a suit, and I’m going to be mad when it’s to work and not to a funeral.

  16. what gorge suits! i wish i had just one of them…still saving for my first super-fab suit

    🙂 D

  18. what? you don’t wear your flower feet to work? are you a euro size 39 by any chance? perhaps you’d like to give it a good home and send them over to me instead? hehe

  19. i’m now in mourning for all that sits in storage! it’s like it is mary queen of scotts and you elizabeth.

    just sayin.

  21. i have a theory about the brandes family. I bet when the first child was born to your mother, he/she looked so beautiful…that your mother couldn’t bare to have a child any less attractive.

    Therefore she made sure she had one of those procedures were you can design your own babies…and alas the brandes siblings came along..all with perfect smiles and hard to distinguish from picture to picture.