Rare Form

I don't really post about fashion often, but these were too lovely not to share...



Pages scanned from the February 2008 issue of Interview Magazine.

Wendy Brandes

Our favorite local blog queen, the immensely talented jeweler Wendy Brandes, has suffered a blow at the hands of blogger!

She received the following notice from Blogger, and is therefore unable to post....
This is a message from the Blogger team.

"Your blog, at http://wbjewelry.blogspot.com/, has been identified as a potential spam blog. For an explanation of what spam blogs are, please see Blogger Help: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42577
You will not be able to publish posts to your blog until we review your site and confirm that it is not a spam blog. To request a review, please fill out the form found here: http://www.blogger.com/unlock-blog.g?lockedBlogID=2660258807099414939
We will take a look at your blog and unlock it within four business days. Please note that if we do not hear from you within 20 days, we will remove your blog. If this blog does not belong to you, then you do not have to do anything. Any other blogs you may have will not be affected.
Since you are an actual person reading this, your blog is probably not spam. We find spam by using an automated classifier. Automatic spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and occasionally a blog is flagged incorrectly. We sincerely apologize for this erroneous result. By using this kind of system, however, we can dedicate more storage, bandwidth, and engineering resources to users like you instead of to spammers. Thank you for your understanding and for your help in our spam-fighting efforts.
Sincerely,

The Blogger Team"

Wendy can be found at Wendy Hates Blogger, as she waits for the Blogger team to realize their error. We stand behind you, Wendy!

In a Box

I've found [German jeweler] Anne Gericke's designs captivating since I first saw them almost a year ago. It's not often that a jeweler uses a piece to literally tell a story... Here are some works from her "Snapshot" series.

Young Couple on a Bench Pendant, $405



Old Couple on a Bench Pendant, $456



Bathing Women Necklace, $504




Three Men and a Woman Necklace, $505

And some more from her website:

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Today's Jewelry features a tired girl with a much-loved Hammer Bubble Necklace bought for $10 at Urban Outfitters.

Also, some shiny silver studs... I've had to buy more since a fair portion of my tiny earrings have been lost to the bathroom drain monster, who is presumably now very well accessorized.


(Monster pic from Bill Casselman's website. Earrings from Peggy Li, Refinery29, Madame Bijoux and Erie Basin.)

Like Advil, but Shinier

Stuff that is making my vile headache ease up a bit...



Tiny Chain Rings, $60 (at Catbird in Brooklyn, NY)



Jane Hollinger Freida Necklace, $330



Silicone Rubber Jewelry from Nervous System (totally digging that cuff), $55



My Obsession Garnet ring by Artisan Impact, $216
(January's Birthstone!)

Everything at Once

Okay, time to catch up around here.

First, the stunning WendyB tagged me for that purse content thing that's been going around like the flu. Here we go:

Black bag from H&M--my in between bag until I decide where I want to waste $200 on a purse. The Lucky bag is going back. I just don't love it. (Also, I have no idea what happened to the plant. It just started to go downhill.)


Inside you will find...
One or two books depending how far into the first I am (in this case I am just finishing up Beginner's Greek and will begin--re-read-- A Prayer for the Dying on my train ride home), sunglasses, keys, phone (more for Scrabble than phone calls), iPod, pen, Sweet Mint Orbit Gum (the only kind I will chew), Aveeno lotion, wallet, earmuffs (the big white cotton ball thing), glasses that I never wear (Prada), lil' brush, mittens, red cosmetic bag, and some assorted lip stuffs (Smith's Minted Rose balm, Neutrogena lipstick, etc.)


Next. Anna Maa Designs is having something of an awesome sale.

Green Flourite Cocktail Ring, $106

Green Amethyst Necklace, $89

Smooth Chalcedony Necklace, $62 (!)

On to number three... lovely reader Sharon (of the excellent blog The Back Story) left this comment the other day:
"Do you know Moss Mills? (I'm sure you do, I only just discovered it). I like their stuff, wondering if you know of any other designers in that price range who do similarly styled precious-y stuff -- I'm especially in love with the various heart necklaces. Please advise if you can! "
Now, since I fancy myself a sort of jewelry advice columnist, I am, of course, thrilled to assist. But I thought it might be useful info for quite a few of you.

Moss Mills is a rather trendy brand with simple gold and silver image jewelry--trees, hearts, birds and the like. The jewelry is unique in that it is fairly well-made, affordable, and interesting. Here a few more sites that offer some of the same (you will be able to find lovely and unique pieces for under $200 at all of these places):
Indie Shopper Stars and Infinite Darkness
Etsy (if you have patience, you will prevail--I promise!)
I've mentioned them before, but I love Pyrrha

(Sharon, I think Pyrrha is the closest to what you are looking for, in terms of similarity to Moss Mills style.)
Trunkt has a collection of great designers
Phoenix Roze varies in price, but they've got beautiful jewelry
Tina Tang has some ridiculously cute hearts, and bows, and flowers...
I really like Greener Grass Design for some modern pieces

I don't want to replicate my bookmarks page here, but I hope this gets some of you interested in worthwhile independent designers...

Lastly! We haven't done a Today's Jewelry in a bit, and I'm not actually wearing much jewelry today anyhow, but I wanted to show off my new Brooklyn Industries dress (on sale for $22!) worn with black bangle and black rhinestone studs:
*And really, truly last! I'm having a thing where I need to buy dresses. It isn't a new thing, but even less practical in winter. Here are my two most recent purchases:

Free People La Isla embroidered dress, $118 (And I have to say, this doesn't happen often, but the dress actually looks way better on me than this model. Too much stuff going on there. Anyhow, my birthday is in March, and I have talked my BF in to giving this to me then. I won't be able to wear it now anyhow.)


Vintage Peach Slip Dress from Bona Drag, $25

UPDATE: Was just informed that some other girl got to this dress about an hour before I did. Darn that Agathe and her gang of readers!

Phew.

Das Rheingold

I've lately become a little bit obsessed with Wagner's The Ring Cycle thanks to a kick-ass episode of Radio Lab. Rings, rings, everywhere...


Miss Bibi White Stiletto Ring, $196




Kasmir Ring by Tracy Matthews, $206




Princess Cut Ring by Day C, $159




Miss Rose by Line & Jo, $480

Unreasonable

My upcoming Monday will be filled with financial scrutiny (at work, nothing personal--thank goodness), which, as you all may know, is much better than some sorts of scrutiny, and much worse than others. Anyhow, I don't know if I'll be able to sneak in a blog entry while some auditor is breathing over my shoulder, so here's a partial that'll have to do.

These are all from one extraordinary site; the kind of site that makes me wonder about the woman who would wear these...
Icy Diamonds Ring, $50,950

Emerald Ring, $192, 750 (such a completely bizarre ring, no?)



Turquoise, Ruby and Emerald bead ring, $79,300



with matching bracelet, $399,250




Moonstone, Turquoise and Calcedony Ring, $13,200
(I actually kind of like this one, but it's a touch out of my price range)