Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Surprise!

by

I didn’t expect this, but my Marie Claire essay is now available online. I hope you peeps who bought the magazine won’t be demanding a refund. You did get an extra photo in the print version. Maybe that counts for something.

I will give you two more photos here. When we did the shoot for the story, I started out with my favorite faux-ny tail hairstyle. But after the test Polaroids, I was deemed to look “too Asian,” especially in the green dress. I want to make it clear that this was only a problem because I’m not Asian. It is TOTALLY cool for Asian people to look Asian in Marie Claire.

Here are the Polaroids (via photographer Anna Wolf):

I think the dress looks better here than in the photo that ran.
I like this one because I look a little smiley.
But they wanted me to be very serious to match the story.

I want to mention one final thing regarding the story itself. If you scour teh Internets for information on my late business partner, you might notice an age discrepancy between my story and other references. Like many women — and more and more men — my late partner was known to be “imprecise” about her age. A family member told me that she was 52, so that was the age I used, rather than my partner’s preference, which was 50. Personally, I don’t believe in rounding down. If you say you’re younger than you are, people think you aged really badly and they’re all like, “Holy meth face, Batman!” The trick is to round up and then people say, “You look so young!” That’s why I’m going to start telling everyone I’m 60. Just play along with it, bitches. Just play along.

NOTE: If you are a new reader who is wondering what the hell is going on here, read this post for the 411.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Holy Mother of Massive Traffic! That’s an awesome plug, send some of that traffic my way pretty please?

  4. WendyB, I didn’t get to stop by my local Walgreen’s and get my copy of the magazine after work today–allergies had my butt dragging bad–so I checked online this evening and found it! You did a great job with the essay, and the photos rock big time.

    You’re the second person I know who has been published in Marie Claire. Casey Parks wrote here, http://www.marieclaire.com/world/articles/black-white-skin

    About the Ugly in my post, I don’t get it either. I was just thrilled to see the U on the billboard.

  5. Were you in Marie Claire???!!! I have no idea Wendy, ’till now. Love your pics, you looked gorgeous and congrats for this. I told you you’re gonna be a big success in fashion, please remember me then hahaa

  8. what a beautiful essay! I am glad you have been strong and moved on. I am glad the piece is online because I haven’t gotten the chance to pick up the issue yet.

    I love that you take your inspiration from historic women. Have you ever used Catherine the Great or Joan of Arc? They were both pretty prime bad-ass ladies.

  9. What a touching essay Wendy. That must have been such a hard and confusing time for you.

  10. This 2nd picture is really lovely wendy-and you’re right, the 1st shows your dress off better!!

  11. I read the article. My condolences to the family. Wish you all the best Miss Wendy.

    Besos!

  12. Gorgeous pictures! you look so timeless. What an exciting thing, to be in Marie Claire!

  13. Thanks for the link! A well-written, provocative essay (sigh–sounds like a typical profssor comment).

  14. WendyB
    Thanks for sharing the link. I’m glad I go to read it since I haven’t found the issue yet!

    I think the piece comes off very fair and straightforward, although we do get some of your humor in there.

    They should have let you smile, at least once! You continue to move forward.

    Luv
    Poochie

  15. Great story! And I totally love the picture with the article.. Its so Sartorial-esque!

  17. I do like the photos without the phoney-pony better. But, I do like your phoney-poney. I am happy I bought the magazine. No regrets.;-)

  19. Hey Wendy, I’m a recent convert to the Cult of Your Awesomeness. Started reading your blog just a few weeks ago and now enjoy it daily.

    Having just finished the Marie Claire article, I’ve gotta express my admiration. A dear friend of mine designs jewelery under her own name here in Mpls, and I’ve watched her struggle to keep her head above water year after year. I can’t IMAGINE how she would’ve fared if she’d been relying on a business partner who suddenly and tragically passed. What a blow … and what strength it must’ve taken for you to carry on. Entrepreneurial endeavors are difficult enough for women without life-shattering loss of support.

    I’m so glad you persevered. Love your designs, love your sass, and love your strength. Thanks, you.

  21. I definitely love your smiling photos, but now having read the essay, I can understand the editors’ decision to run “serious” photos of you. I got a copy on Monday; it was a nice break from my class-related reading.

  22. Congratulations! Can’t wait to read it. You look terrific!!

    Also, need to read Media Bistro article about your husband.

    You two are too cool.

  23. Thank you to all you kind peeps! It’s much more exciting to have this story out (it was two years in the making –I wrote the first draft in August 2006) when I have you to celebrate it with.

    Lynette, I can’t believe you know that writer! That story really stuck with me. I recognized it immediately.

    Natasha, I haven’t used Catherine or Joan yet, but they’re on my mental list. I got quite a few Catherine biographies. It’s just a matter of having enough money to produce all the designs I’d like to do. I can generally only work on a couple at once. Oh, also I need the inspiration to strike too and it doesn’t always do so in a very orderly fashion. I tend to jump around in history.

    Poochie, I’m glad you think it was fair. I was certainly trying to give her her due.

    Sal, tell your friend to hang in there. I know there are a lot of ups and downs but there are a lot of quitters too. Maybe your friend and I will triumph by virtue of being the last ones standing!

    Weasel, that pony is like Patti Lupone. People either love it or they hate it!

  24. I certainly don’t want my money back! In fact, in defiance, I’m going back to Albie’s and buy out ALL the racks!

    I like the faux-y tail.

  25. I’m never good at guessing ages (I aways think people look older than they are and learned a long time ago never to guess). But I’ve never been good with numbers. But, for the record, you do appear 20somethingish.

  26. Great, thanks for sharing the link.
    I’ll check it, since I had no chance to find an American Marie Claire.
    You look powerful and lovely.
    You may say ist’s a contradition… but I don’t think so.
    xxxx

  28. I think the fauxny tail rocks. And the dress is better in your shot. And who is the dress by? (Sorry if you indicated that somewhere and I missed it. I’m on my own planet these days…)

  29. Dear Wendy, it is an essay with your heart, thoughts, braveness, and all the love to your business partner! I feel so touched! It is very motivated yet still very fashionable! Darling, you look great in faux-ny tail and “sersious” doesn’t have to look like Anna Wintour! You are such a fabulour person and so is your jewellery!

  31. I like the dark dress and ponytail photo but I guess if it didn’t go with the article then what can you do?

    I hate when people ask my age. My response is usually, “How old do you think I am?” If their guess is younger than my actual age, I tell them ‘Good guess!’ If it’s older than my actual age, I stomp off sulking.

  32. but i love the fauxny tail! and the photo where you are a little smiley is my favorite.

  33. Step, my (younger) sister always used to make people guess which of us was older. They always picked her and then she would be angry. I finally told her, “Just stop asking that question!” And voila, problem solved.

  34. Your age theory makes total sense! When people tell my mother she looks exactly like she did in her 20s, she laughs at them and says she must have been one messed up look 20 year old! (She is in her 50s.)

  36. Miss Janey likes to round up regarding her weight. If she tells people she weighs 200 lbs, they immediately comment that she carries it so well, they’d never have guessed. “Well, it’s just my giant brain.”

  38. I really want to know if they actually used the words “too Asian.” I don’t see how it’s a problem…or even possible. Exactly what did they mean? That your hair was in a style known to be worn by the non-Occidental peoples of the world?

  40. Miss Janey’s weight comment is Funniest.Comment.Evah.
    Thesundaybest, I’m cracking up re “non-occidental.” Bwah. Someone did say “too Asian” but I guess any amount of Asian is too Asian when you’re not Asian. We don’t want to mislead the public!
    Bear, thank you.
    TCH, That’s a good point!

  41. I have to confess that ‘faux-ny’ confused me a little. Like, is it Faux NY as in fake new york, although you live in New York, or like the word ‘folksy’ except… ‘fauxny’?

    Totes irrelevent I know, but you probably know how great you look already 😉 I have to agree with you in regards to the smiles though, they definitely become you more than moodiness but a happy WendyB face wouldn’t sit quite right with the title ‘Secrets & Lies’ would it?

  42. PF, don’t you think “faux-ny” is so much more elegant than “phony”? Who wants to admit to having a phony pony? I nearly fell over when I read the title “Secrets and Lies” — it seemed so dramatic and definitely ruled out smiling. I do wish I was an emo chick who looked good pouting though. I guess you have to be born with that skill!

  46. Excellent tale, miss. Well, except for the part where your life got made more difficult.

  47. Congratulations on the article. I bought the magazine yesterday and that’s the only thing I read in it so far. I did have the US Weekly to read also. Can you do something to get yourself in that mag?

  48. Congratulations on the article. I bought the magazine yesterday and that’s the only thing I read in it so far. I did have the US Weekly to read also. Can you do something to get yourself in that mag?

  49. woohoo! now i can stop searching for the american marie claire here. will read it first thing tomorrow, now i just need to sleep. thanks for posting, and i really like the photos of you!

    ps: congrats to your cute sister!

  50. I was just reading your comments above and misread “Suze’s Ass”, thinking to my self, “Wow, someone named their blog after their own ass?!?!

    Hahahaha!