Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

About This Blog

by

If you are a new reader who is visiting due to my Marie Claire story, you might be wondering what the hell is going on here. If you’re an old reader who joined me at some point since I started this blog last July, you might be wondering the same thing.

A second photo from the Marie Claire story.
I’m wearing a vintage Ceil Chapman dress.

Please allow me to introduce myself!

This is, ostensibly, a fashion/style blog. You’ll notice that most of the other blogs I link to, over there on the right side of the screen, are fashion/style blogs.

This is my favorite look: a vintage dress, a faux-ny tail and a big smile.

I also write about my other interests, including history, books, feminism, dogs and things that annoy me. Occasionally, all those topics overlap. I swear a lot when things annoy me, and also when they don’t. If you have a problem with that, you should visit some other fucking site.

This blog is called Wendy Brandes Jewelry because I am a jewelry designer and started this to promote my jewelry. Sometimes I remember to do that. Luckily, most of my jewelry is inspired by queens or other fascinating ladies. I write about these women in my Book Club posts. Among my favorites are Anne Boleyn and the Empresses Wu and Matilda. Here are some links:

  • Anne Boleyn, Parts I, II and III
  • Empress Matilda, Parts I, II and III
  • Empress Wu, Parts I and II

I was trying to do my Book Club posts every Thursday at first, but I started writing biographies of the ladies instead of just listing books, so the weekly schedule became too much. The Book Club posts still come out on Thursdays, but not EVERY Thursday. While I will sometimes mention a movie or television show in these posts, they are primarily about books, as the title would suggest, so please don’t expect long reviews of The Tudors.

Two of my Boleyn-inspired necklaces
© Wendy Brandes 2007-2008

My motto is “Wear What You Want.” I’ve spoken about what that means to me a couple of times. You can check that out here and here. Need proof that I practice what I preach? Click here.

My favorite designer is the late Ossie Clark. In addition to women’s history, I like fashion history. Other vintage designers I’ve written about are:

I occasionally do music history, focusing on the ’70s and ’80s.

I offer practical advice:

I have strange obsessions:

And I like to explain why shit is sexist:

I’m sure you’ve noticed that I like to use a lot of links. Many of my photos are also links. You can mouse over the pictures to see whether they are links or whether they enlarge. As for comments, nearly everyone who has commented here has been delightful. (I love you bitches!) If you want to be anonymous and abusive, go elsewhere — approximately 99.9999% of teh Interweb is conducive to that, so you don’t need this blog as your outlet. If you spam my comments or abuse my regular commenters, I will delete your ass. I do read all the comments here and appreciate them. I used to try to respond to all of you who comment here, but sometimes I prefer to use my time to read and comment on YOUR blogs. So please don’t be miffed if yours is not one of the comments I reply to directly here.

All of the original content on Wendy Brandes Jewelry is copyrighted: jewelry designs, my personal photos and text. You are welcome to use photos in a noncommercial way as long as you give credit and link back here. If (as has happened) I find a spam blog has appropriated my content, I will hunt that blog down and beat its ass. If I use a photo from elsewhere, it will always be linked back to the source. If you have an issue with photo usage even though I link back to you, you can email me at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com. That hotmail address can also be used by anyone who wants to ask about jewelry or just say hello. All complaints should be sent here.

UPDATED JANUARY 2010 TO ADD:

I recently decided to answer some burning questions I frequently get about how and why I design the type of jewelry that I do. Enjoy!

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Awkward Fashion Moment
Hanging With Zang
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in the Wild

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I am new to your blog and it is fantastic. Your writing is fantastic as well. Love it. KC

  4. Raven, trust me, I am not used to it either. I don’t plan to make a habit of it. I’m just not a serious-face person.

  5. So far, everyone who has commented here has been delightful. (I love you bitches!)

    I have been waiting SO LONG* for you to refer to me as “gorgeous blogger” and it has never happened**. I’ll settle for “bitch.” But just so you know… it’s not the first time. Which is odd since I’m neither female/canine/gay.

    *Like 4-5 months.

    **you don’t even have to mean it. I just figured that you would be my closest shot to getting a complimentary “gorgeous blogger” tag.

  6. You look very nice in the first picture… buuuuut I like your smiley-faces much better!

    Also, I know this is weird and a little stalker-ish, but I will be in New York sometime in mid-July, and would be so so so so thrilled to meet you in a public place with lots of people… perhaps?

  7. Yeah, I just stumbled across your blog too! it’s great. I love the way that your page isn’t too PIMPED, like alot of other blogs.

  8. I love that you shared everything about yourself and your blog. I love reading your blog but it was still nice to get all of the details.

  9. Hi Wendy-in the 1st picture featured with you wearing your Queen of Scots earrings, where is the dress from? I love it!!

  11. OMG you look great in the un-smiley face, and I have to get the Marie Claire and tell people I “know” this person!

    Haven’t been around in what feels like ages, and to come back to all this feels like home…

  12. What a succinct and wonderful post 🙂 I should do something like that.. one day. LOL maybe when my debt is done

  13. congrats on the article, and nice primer on reading your blog. I think I’ll get back to the disney site now… jk

  14. Congrats Wendy. The picture is lovely. I am going to pick up the magazine today. Hooray to you!!:-)

  15. McGone, are you sure I never even referred to you as “gorgeous hog owner”?
    Lady E, I would be delighted to meet you IRL. Email me at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com.
    Ruby May, the only pimp you’re going to see on this blog is Ice-T.
    RW, I figured it was about time I let people know what I am up to. Who imagined I’d be doing it this long?
    SR, I should’ve known you’d want that info. It’s by Lillie Rubin.
    Terren, thank you.
    Lynn, where ya been???
    FB, that’s how you can celebrate a new stage to your blog.
    Pamcasso, say hi to Mickey for me.
    LBR, thanks!

  16. I’ve been following your blog for some time ago, despite I don’t comment very often, but I see all your posts, because you always have such a funny and true way to put things together.
    Thank you for being you.
    This post is cool, making some how a review.
    And I love your smile!!!!
    xx

  17. Congratulations on the article, from one of your Washington, DC bitches! I will be stopping to pick up a copy today.

  20. That was a super-fun post!
    If you are this funny in real life, then seriously… that’s scary.

  21. i think I actually said “YAY” outloud as i was on the redeye this weekend and flipping through marie claire and saw your picture staring back at me.

    what great exposure!!! congrats! hope lots of good comes out of it -personally and professionally 😉

    hearts,
    D

  22. I hope you find plenty of new readers because of the article! You deserve it, lady.

  23. Pretty Face, you can check with Jenn from In Yr Fshn but I fear I might be disappointing in real life. But she might have been most disappointed by the fact that I don’t have a raspy smoker’s voice.
    Diobolina, thank you! My other wish is that I’d never have to tell this story to people again, but I think I’m stuck with it forever (every time someone asks “How’d you start the business” no matter how terse I am, it leads back to that story.)

  24. Oooh, a primer intro to your fabulousness for everyone who missed out before MC came along- yay!
    I understand why the article had to have the serious face photographs, you were writing about something serious after all, but I think we all like Smiley (and happy!) Wendy better.

  26. Okay, even serious you look hot. I’m trying to hunt this issue down, but four stores have proved fruitless. I’ll be braving the heat in a bit to look again. I can’t wait to read it!

  27. Thank you, Natasha.
    BFH, I am definitely not “emo chick,” right?
    Siljes, thanks! I got it from my friend Evan at Frock NYC (see the link in my sidebar)
    IYF, I think the official newsstand date might not be till tomorrow! Please don’t get heatstroke for my sake!

  28. WendyB, You have been BUSY! Miss Janey can’t wait to read the Marie Claire piece. Congrats on your many successes.

  29. Bravo to you for knowing what your blog is about and even having categories. I, on the other hand, have no rhyme or reason to my blog. It’s a hot mess all over the map!

  30. I keep coming back to your blog because I think it’s a fantastic mix of fashion, writing and jewelry. Btw, that vintage dress with the faux-ny tail. . I love it!

    Keep doing what you do. . one day I’ll be able to afford your creations once I stop being a poor undergrad 🙂

  31. Love the explaination – I’m so one of your London bitches. Particulalry as I live near Hampton Court- that makes me one of your Tudor biatches (am also named after Katherine Parr, pater is history teacher)

    Photo is tres tes lovely

  32. Great to know a bit more about the real person behind this blog. Looks like you make some really lovely jewelry. Congrats on on MC story…

  34. Step Right Up, I would say that my blog is pretty hot messy. You know, I got rejected from participating in a fashion blog network because my blog didn’t have enough fashion for them. Now I just love to tell the story. The story is way better than membership.
    Retifism, hurry up! I need you to make the big bucks fast.
    Make Do, I didn’t realize you were a Tudor bitch! I had a nice visit to Hampton Court once. If you’re going to be around the first two weeks of July let me know at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com. I may be going to London.

  36. Congrats on MC! I’m so excited to see such a great person get some really great attention. I think in the blogosphere we kind of feel like we’re somehow a part of each other’s success stories. It’s nice to share in it and I’m sure it’s nice to feel so much support from your bitches.

    http://www.shinylittlethings.com

  41. I am an “old” reader, having been with you for a few months now, and let me tell you, it’s been life-enriching. That sounds sarcastic, but it isn’t. I’m so glad to have found this blog.

    Great post, and You Tell ‘Em!

    xx
    enc

  42. Love your vintage Lillie Rubin. Remember those print ads? (Of course you do–just being rhetorical.)

  43. well said, wendy! nice round-up, i guess now even more people will fall in love with you 😉

  44. Hey Wendy!

    I just read the article — very interesting and tragic / alarming. I’m glag you got your shizz together with the vendors et al. What total suckage!

    In addition to superfantastic posts, I think you also have superfantastic readers. This is one of the few blogs where I read all the comments — they are consistently short and interesting. Shout out to the WendyBitches!

  45. TCH, ooh, I’ve always wanted to be introduced as “someone who needs no introduction…”
    Jules, definitely, I feel I’ve been helped a lot by all my peeps here.
    Imelda, thank you.
    KittyK, and vice versa.
    Meghann, you are too kind!
    Jay, welcome, I hope you’ll be back.
    ENC, and I’m glad we got to meet in real life!
    MissC, right before I read “of course you do” I was thinking “of course I do!”
    Anna, generally, I find that the less one knows about me, the more lovable I appear, but thanks for bucking the trend!
    Hey Deirdre, isn’t it crazy? I was berating myself for a long time for my stupidity. In fact, I think I’ll berate myself some more right now.

  46. I giggled a bit when I saw your Marie Claire shot. As per usual you look gorgeous, but it is so strange to see you with such a serious face, and not ‘smiling with your eyes.’ Haha. Great shots.

  47. Jill, I’m glad you had a laugh, because I was busy recoiling in horror. I’m not cut out for that kind of shot!

  48. LOL Wendy. You can’t control a control freak. The only thing I know about her is what you wrote, but in my five-cent analysis: don’t beat yourself up because there was nothing you could have done.

    Save the ass beatings for spammers and Coco haters!

  50. i love this blog and i had no clue that you were in marie claire I guess i should say congrats but this blog always cheers me up!!