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The post The Age of Majority Blogversary first appeared on Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog.

You know those exercises where you write a letter to your future self? I should be doing that right now, seeing as I'm typing these words in 2021. Let's see:

Dear 2025 Wendy,

I have no expectation that you'll remember to share this Associated Press report about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on the actual 160th anniversary of the shooting, so I'm setting it up in advance. By the way, are you still writing the blog?! If so, congrats!

Best,

2021 Wendy

P.S. I hope the fascists haven't taken over.

I came across the AP's link to its own April 14, 1865, story about a little incident at Ford's Theatre too late to write a timely 2021 post, so I decided to save it for the next big round-number occasion, just because the first paragraph of the story by Lawrence Gobright is such a spectacular example of burying the lede:

WASHINGTON, APRIL 14 — President Lincoln and wife visited Ford’s Theatre this evening for the purpose of witnessing the performance of ‘The American Cousin.’ It was announced in the papers that Gen. Grant would also be present, but that gentleman took the late train of cars for New Jersey.

In the second paragraph, a kerfuffle takes place ...

The theatre was densely crowded, and everybody seemed delighted with the scene before them. During the third act and while there was a temporary pause for one of the actors to enter, a sharp report of a pistol was heard, which merely attracted attention, but suggested nothing serious until a man rushed to the front of the President’s box, waving a long dagger in his right hand, exclaiming, ‘Sic semper tyrannis,’ and immediately leaped from the box, which was in the second tier, to the stage beneath, and ran across to the opposite side, made his escape amid the bewilderment of the audience from the rear of the theatre, and mounted a horse and fled.

... and in the third paragraph, we learn that President Lincoln was shot.

The groans of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the fact that the President had been shot, when all present rose to their feet rushing towards the stage, many exclaiming, ‘Hang him, hang him!’ The excitement was of the wildest possible description...

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?

I'm postponing my in-real-life birthday celebration until tomorrow, but because my birthdays demand some kind of fashion photo, allow me to re-share my lewk from exactly 40 years ago today.

Now that I have your attention, here's a special birthday request for donations to to help my friend Nadine Seiler start life over in Trinidad and Tobago by donating to her GoFundMe. Nadine (aka Warrior Goddess for the Resistance) is an absolute dynamo who has spent the past eight years devoted to anti-MAGA activism, bringing spectacular visuals, energy, courage, intelligence, and good humor to her relentless protesting.

USA Today did a great story about Nadine in August. Alexandra Charitan wrote about her here. This interview with Feminist just came out and includes advice about overcoming apathy and much more. (Read the articles and you'll fall in love with her, I promise!) The problem is that Nadine is a naturalized citizen, and the MAGA government plans to strip citizenship from and deport people just like her. Nadine has lived in the U.S. for 40 years, but she now wants to leave her own terms, rather than waiting for the government to target her.  She stood up for all of us who didn't have the nerve to protest like she does. Now I feel like it's time we stand up for her.

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The post Blogversary 17 first appeared on Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog.

Better late than never: My dear friend and groundbreaking rapper Gangsta Boo was recognized in the "In Memoriam" portion of the Grammys tonight. I guess the Recording Academy became aware of the outrage after she was left out of last year's February broadcast even though she died on January 1 . Thank you to my friend Tina for getting this shot of the screen, because I was too busy screaming to operate my phone.

Here's a close-up of the beautiful photo used.

This was the second Boo surprise I got in a week. Earlier, I discovered an Instagram photo she'd shared of Rihanna back in 2020. Somehow, it wound up in that SpaceNook folder that's like the Bermuda Triangle for random messages.

My heart skipped a beat. I remember this from Instagram, but I had no idea it was lurking in that strange Facebook folder. Boo always did like to tell me when she spotted someone else with a mullet haircut in the wild. Now I feel like I got to say hi to her twice -- and like I might have to tell my hair guru Keith Carpenter that I'm not ready to move on from a mullet after all.

In case you missed it, here's the tribute I wrote to Boo (aka Lola Mitchell) for her birthday last year.

I've always been interested in the story-telling aspect of fashion -- on the societal level as well as the personal one. As I debated whether or not to write one of my old-school "What Wendy Wore" year-in-review posts in the midst of what's happening in the world, I realized that a lot of what I wore in 2023 reflected all my concerns and what I was doing to try to make a difference. So consider this a peek into the world as I experienced it through how I dressed for it.

To be blunt, the year started in the worst possible way. I had been pleased with the #SlowFashion quality of my look for last New Year's Eve's dinner with MrB. I even thought, "This is going to get me back into blogging more regularly."

What Wendy Wore on January 1, 2023
Bodysuit: Commando (2019, previously seen here.)
Skirt: Libertine (2015, first seen here)
Jacket: Zang Toi (2009)
Purse: Louis Vuitton (tracking down the year!)
Shoes: Vivienne Westwood (2011)
Headband: Champagne-themed thing from a stationery store.

On January 1, I honored that resolution and began working on an outfit post with a special focus on the animal-toe “Never Is the Next New Thing™” Vivienne Westwood shoes.

That's exactly when I learned, from social media, that my dear friend Lola Mitchell -- aka Gangsta Boo -- had died. I started pouring all my memories into writing about her instead, but I found the tribute too painful to finish until her birthday in August. Because I felt like I couldn't blog about anything until I wrote about Lola, I left the blog mostly alone this year. That's not to say I wasn't writing anything! I published over 52 activism newsletters this year -- more than one a week -- which you can see here. Please sign up! It's free and I include a lot of virtual actions that you can take from anywhere in the country. One favorite recommendation of mine is contacting your elected officials daily through the free, 24/7 Resistbot service. Text the word RESIST to 50409 to get started.

In February 2023, the only things that got me out of the house were pole-dancing classes and protest actions. My one head-to-toe outfit photo -- most of which is obscured by my giant sign -- was taken at the weekly Rise and Resist protest outside Fox News.

What Wendy Wore in February 2023
Hat: Fox Lies hat (2021)
Sweatshirt: Megan Renee (2001)
Parka: Moose Knuckles (2017)
Jeans: Frame (2018-ish)
Boots: Ross and Snow (2022)

A photo from that action was used by ABC News in an article about Democratic politicians calling on Fox's billionaire owner Rupert Murdoch to stop his propaganda network's lies. If you're ever in New York City on a Tuesday, you can join Rise and Resist's Truth Tuesdays action at 1211 6th Avenue (between 47th and 48th Streets) from noon to 1 PM. As I'm always telling people about this and any other protest action, you don't have to stay the whole time to be an important part of it! Come late, leave early, or just walk by to take photos and amplify the action on social media. We welcome any kind of participation at all.

In March, I was thrilled to play lying Fox News host Laura Ingraham at another Truth Tuesdays protest. Most of my activist friends hadn't seen me in my previous-life wardrobe, so I had a good time with their "How do you walk in those?!" shoe questions.

What Wendy Wore in March 2023
Jacket and skirt: Versace (2004, seen in 2007 here and 2008 here)
Top: No idea what I had under there.
Shoes: Prada (pre-2005, previously seen here)
Bag: Prada (Don't know when I got it, but there's a photo from 2018)

A lot of people have expressed a dislike of my hairy purple jacket over the years, but I still love it. Variations on that look also came in yellow that Fall 2004 season, and I had to take a screenshot when Brent Edward Vintage listed a skirt on 1st Dibs this summer.

April's best head-to-toe outfit photo -- and its context -- is certainly something I wouldn't have imagined a few years ago. I didn't foresee us losing our right to have an abortion, and I didn't envision myself organizing and leading a pro-abortion protest on the steps of the New York Public Library.

What Wendy Wore in April 2023
T-shirt: "I Will Aid and Abet Abortion" (2023)
Jeans: Frame Denim (2022)
Sneakers: Brooks (2022)
Belt bag: Proenza Schouler (2021? I need to look this up)
Posture: Borrowed from Mick Jagger

In May, I organized a group of activist friends to go to the Night of a Thousand Stevies Stevie Nicks tribute. (Our group chat is still called "the Stevies.") That's me with Sonni's white wig slapped on my head. On my right is Jen Shoemaker, who made her own fantastic headpiece and sells her work on Etsy. Check her out here. Jen is also the owner of Krewe de Fromage catering. I recommend her highly!

What Wendy Wore in May 2023
Bodysuit: Poshmark (I think it was $7! 2023)
Layering top under the bodysuit (Versace, 2001-ish)
Skirt: Paris Cabaret style from Shrine of Hollywood on Etsy (2023)
Boots: Fluevog (January 2023, thank you to my friend Yajna for helping me find them)

Interestingly, I've worn this exact same ensemble enough times that it deserves its own post. I'll put that on my to-do list.

For June, I'm a bit spoiled for fashion-activism photo options. Orange was never a color I wore much of for most of my life, but it's the color of the anti-gun violence movement. I started with a small scarf in 2018, and now I'm a walking construction cone keeping my friend Jenny safe from traffic.

What Wendy Wore in June 2023, Part 1
Jeans and t-shirt: Frame Denim (2023)
Prescription glasses: Prada (2011 sunglasses purchased from Poshmark in 2021)
Boots: Fiorentini & Baker (bought secondhand in Paris in 2013)

But my most amusing fashion choice in June was what I wore to the annual NYC drag march. I thought, "What a great moment for a tuxedo look with my beloved top hat." I found a $30 dress on Poshmark (have you figured out I'm obsessed with Poshmark?) Then I had regrets because everyone else dressed like a fabulous rainbow.

Photographer Diane Greene Lent later caught me standing near the one other person who made my aesthetic choice, and I 100% remember this moment! I was admiring everyone's lewks and wondering, "Why did I wear black?"! Little did I know this out-of-step fashion choice foretold another, even more comical wardrobe selection in October.

However, you're going to have to wait until 2024 for the wrap-up of 2023's fashion. I don't like delaying Part 2 because (a) who cares about a year-end wrap-up after December 31 and (b) every time I say, "I'll be right back" something awful happens and I don't feel up to blogging for months. And right now, the level of awful is unmatched. Well, I'll just have to try my best. I do find if I make time for something that gives me some personal satisfaction -- whether that's going out with friends for non-protest activities or just, you know, brushing my teeth once in a while -- I have more energy and hope as an activist.

Let's all work towards better things in the New Year, shall we?

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The post A Birthday Wish first appeared on Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog.

I'm devastated that Michael K shut down his long-running celebrity-gossip blog Dlisted this June. First, because Dlisted WAS the Internet for me from 2005 to 2010. Second, because he would have covered the hell out of today's wall-to-wall media coverage of Pamela Anderson's makeup-free face at Paris Fashion Week. Michael K was on the SANS FARDS (no makeup) beat (pun not intended, but it's staying) since at least 2009, when French Elle put an un-made-up Monica Belluci on its cover.

By April 2012, Michael K was writing, "It seems like every month some magazine is stripping the coats of lacquer off of the faces of celebrities and semi-celebrities to show regular women that these famous hos look just like you in their natural states ..." Basically, the excitement over a makeup-free celebrity has been going on a long time.

I first commented on the trend 13 years ago -- almost to the day -- when I wrote, "Last month, I skipped participating in No Makeup Week. It seemed unnecessarily puritanical and you know how I feel about Puritans. ... Personally, I have no fear that I am so dangerously addicted to makeup that I need an intervention. I often spend all day with no makeup on." As do a lot of women, without any fanfare. Don't get me wrong: Pamela Anderson not only looked good, but she was brave, because she had to know that tout le monde was going to be commenting on her face, and that's a hard thing to take. It's intrusive. Especially because Pamela was previously traumatized by the unsympathetic and very public reaction to the theft and sale of the intimate tape she made with then-husband Tommy Lee.

Maybe I'm projecting though, because I feel intruded upon by the reaction to Pam's bare face! There's so much commentary, and often the enthusiastic approval comes with a side of judgment. The sweeping statements I've read about "This is how a woman should be" -- well, what if some of us don't want to be just one way or another? I'm not wearing makeup now, and I haven't worn it all week, but maybe I'll wear it next week.

Why can't I have options? Why can't we all have options? Why can't we have true bodily autonomy as long as the decisions we make don't threaten another living, breathing person? The deadly attacks on trans rights, gay rights, and reproductive rights -- and the brutal policing of Black bodies -- it's exhausting. And that's just in the U.S. In Iran, the government has killed over 500 people since September 2022 for protesting the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini by literal morality police who attacked her for revealing some of her hair. Compared to those issues, of course, the latest way of judging female/femme faces seems petty, but who among us needs even an iota more of devaluation on top of all the violence? This comment about the body-positivity movement, shared by FinleyForever on Instagram, really stood out to me today:

I would tweak that to say "physical features" rather than flaws, because one person's flaw is another's ideal. But the gist of it is that you don't have to like another person's presentation or sympathize with it. In fact, you can be totally bewildered and/or bothered by how someone looks. That's still not an invitation to ascribe a certain morality to them or suggest unasked-for "improvements." Just ... find somewhere else to put your energy. If you need some ideas, start here.

Post-Covid, I can't write or even think about 9/11 as I once did. I see that many people feel the same -- these comments were among those that caught my eye:

On 9/11 in 2020, I wrote of my horror at this lack of perspective when the Covid death toll passed 200,000. A piece Jon Schwarz wrote for the Intercept resonated with me.

Little did I know that three years later, the Covid death toll would be 1,140,278 in the U.S. alone, and we'd still be arguing over vaccines and masking.

This comparison does nothing to diminish my personal grief over 9/11, of course, or the grief of everyone individually affected -- whether they lived through that day or had their lives permanently altered by it even before they were born (at least 100 children were born after their fathers died in the attacks, and an untold number of people who died in the post-9/11 wars weren't alive on 9/11/2001). Instead, that pain increases my compassion for anyone suffering a tragedy. But I don't see that happening on a societal level. What do words like "Never Forget" mean when there's a percentage of this country that responds to any other mass death with defensiveness, victim-blaming, and willful amnesia? Whether the death toll from a particular incident is much smaller than 9/11 (like the 19 children and two teachers murdered in Uvalde, Texas, last year) or much larger, like the Covid death toll or the annual gun-violence death toll (2023 currently stands at 30,111 deaths from both homicide and suicide), nothing unites us in an effort to challenge the status quo.

Even American deaths related to 9/11 are given short shrift compared to the deaths suffered that day. There were nearly 7,000 U.S. military deaths in the post-9/11 wars waged upon Iraq and Afghanistan (countries that had nothing to do with the terror attacks but which lost hundreds of thousands of civilians due to American wars). The Uniformed Firefighters Association says that 341 New York City Fire Department firefighters, paramedics and civilian support staff have died from post-9/11 illnesses -- almost equaling the 343 first responders killed that day. Civilians have also suffered fatal illnesses. One of them was someone I knew: Wall Street Journal editor Rich Regis, who was standing next to my husband as the Twin Towers collapsed. Regis suffered dire immune-system problems for nearly 20 years; it was only shortly before he died in 2020 that doctors found small silicone tubing from the World Trade Center in his airway. Yet Republicans have repeatedly voted against funding health care for 9/11 survivors, saying the $10 billion cost was too high. For comparison, a study at Brown University put the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan at $8 trillion. It would be laughable if it wasn't completely tragic.

Today, I've been wondering if the nation only cared about 9/11 because it was so shockingly visual and public. Property was destroyed -- people always care about the well-being of buildings in America -- and "foreigners" were conveniently to blame. An attack from the outside was and is a massive affront to our pride. But when we cause our own less-televised disasters and have no scapegoats, we as a society seem to decide the victims don't matter as much as our comfort.

I feel like I wrote about the nuances of 9/11 more eloquently for the 20th anniversary. (Here are Part I and Part 2 of that piece.) As a result, I wasn't planning to write anything today, but I looked at the anniversary blog and decided the way I ended the second part is worth repeating now:

"... despite everything, the righteous thing to do is never give up. Don’t give in to the prevailing attitude that other people’s lives don’t matter. Do what is within your ability to set a better example. As lawyer/activist Florynce Kennedy said, 'You’ve got to rattle your cage door. You’ve got to let them know that you’re in there, and that you want out. Make noise. Cause trouble. You may not win right away, but you’ll sure have a lot more fun.'

We can do better. We must do better.

It's been a long time since I did an outfit post, but glimpsing my all-time favorite supermodel, Linda Evangelista, gave me some fashion-blogging inspiration.

Linda was signing copies of Linda Evangelista Photographed by Steven Meisel at Marc Jacobs's Bookmarc store on Thursday, and the line to see her wrapped around the block. I got there early, so I never dreamed I wouldn't get in. But after I stood three hours in 90 degrees, the books ran out when I was two people from the door. OMG! The best I could do was take a photo of Linda through the window, stalker-style.

I had hoped to quickly thank her for the just-published interview she did with the Wall Street Journal, in which she revealed for the first time that she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer twice. After a double mastectomy, the cancer turned up again in her pectoral muscle. I thought that was an important experience to share, so that people who have been treated can better advocate for themselves if they notice further changes in their body. (Linda says her prognosis now is "good" but not "great.") I had dressed for my message, wearing a t-shirt that showed my late friend Chiara flaunting her post-op chest.

Like I said, it was in the 90s and humid, so I put on shorts and an open-weave beret to hide my humidity-caused hair unruliness. I felt sweaty and like I was wearing "shorts and a t-shirt," same as always, but I guess the accessories gave me an upgrade, because WHY is this one of the best photos I've ever taken?

What Wendy Wore
Beret: No-name brand from Poshmark (2023)
T-shirt: Chiara tribute shirt (2020)
Shorts: Levi's from Poshmark (2023)
Belt: From I Need More (2020)
Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana (2015)
Bag: Telfar (2021)

I mean, the dreary hallway and neighbor's door aren't picturesque, but I really had it together, outfit-wise. That encouraged me to continue making an effort. To amuse myself, I decided I'd stick to a black-and-white theme.

What Wendy Wore
Dress: Alyn Paige from Poshmark (2023)
Shoes: Jil Sander (2008)
Bag: Telfar (2021)

I wore the zebra-striped dress to see the play "Job" at the Soho Playhouse. The play is by Max Wolf Friedlich, the son of a friend. Sydney Lemmon and Peter Friedman (Succession) play a distraught young woman and her new psychologist, and the script is darkly funny and thrilling. The play runs till October 8, and I urge you to get tickets before everyone finds out how great it is and the run is all sold out.

On Saturday, I went to a panel about jewelry at Sotheby's, the auction house. My black-and-white theme got me to reach for some "I should wear this more often" accessories.

What Wendy Wore
Dress: Gap Factory (2023)
Shoes: Gucci (2007 or earlier)
Bag: Prada (2008)

The Sotheby's panel was linked to the publication of Linda Kozloff-Turner's epic book, 100 Women of Jewelry. I'm proud to say I was interviewed for the book, but that emotion doesn't compare to the awe I have of Linda K-T! This is the culmination of years of work; Linda started this project in 2016. Think of the effort that goes into conducting, transcribing, and editing 100 interviews! Then there's the photography and layout to take care of -- it's mind-blowing. By the way, Linda's history is as impressive as her book project; she was the first woman bench jeweler in Boulder, Colo.

I started this post with a Linda so it's tempting to end with a Linda, but I have to share something from an exhibit I saw while I was at Sotheby's: Princess Diana's famous black sheep sweater from 1981! (She was Lady Diana then, actually, and only 19.)

In a case to the left of the giant Diana image were two letters written by Diana's staff to Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, who designed the sweater under the name Warm & Wonderful. The first letter requested a repair or replacement because the "much loved" sweater had been damaged. The second letter thanks the Warm & Wonderful designers for knitting a new sweater. In the letter, Diana's secretary Oliver Everett apologizes for his delayed response to getting the sweater, citing the hectic atmosphere around the royal wedding.

WWD has a great little piece on all of this here, which explains how the company named Rowing Blazers revived the sheep design: Jack Carlson, the creative director of Rowing Blazers, was also a partner in Warm & Wonderful. You can buy the sheep sweater here. I've thought this sweater was adorable for decades, but I never craved it at all. Now I kinda do, just because I enjoyed those letters so much. The fact that Diana cared enough about the sweater to contact the original designers and ask for repairs is something I could relate to. It's always the story behind a piece that gets me.

Well, maybe I'll find the sheep sweater on Poshmark. If you checked the outfit details above, you'll notice I have a bit of an obsession with Poshmark lately. I like to window-shop for various designers on the app -- I browse much more than I buy -- but sometimes the deals are irresistible. I initially turned to Poshmark for a solemn reason. I often play the role of a Human Being -- representing someone lost to gun violence -- in demonstrations by Gays Against Guns. The Human Beings wear all-white, and that wasn't a color I had a lot of, so I would put random bits and pieces together and wind up with a "struggle outfit." I finally realized that, tragically, my need for white clothes wasn't going away. My budget was minimal, but thanks to Poshmark, I found an off-white sweater and parka for $10 and $20, respectively. You can find a lot of fantastic secondhand clothes in that range, in all sizes too. The zebra-print dress -- which I've worn three times already -- was $20. I swear this isn't a sponsored post -- I'm just addicted!