Real People, Real Style: Wendy

Wendy, on her way to a fancy baptism

Wendy describes her outfit this way:

We had a baptism at the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter. If you have never been you wouldn't understand; you really have to plan your outfit. The FQ is full of old uneven cobblestone streets, pee-pee puddles, drunken tourists from the night before and on this day it was very cold. I never wear heels in the FQ for the reasons I mentioned, but I felt it appropriate on this day.

I normally wear skirts whenever I need to dress up, but with the cold and need to walk about 6 blocks I thought pants would be necessary. My outfit is from the Limited and is about 5 years old. I am on the short side and hate to have things hemmed so it is hard to find pants that don't drag on the ground. I always wear heels with these pants and fold up the cuff. If the cuff is not folded, the pants just barely miss the floor. The sweater is great, because it has the fake shirt underneath. I don't layer much because I am on the chunky side and I think it adds bulk.

I really like the shoes. I tried them on for the hell of it at TJ Maxx. I didn't think I liked pointy shoes, but these were comfortable and the right price. I usually get compliments when I wear them, so that doesn't hurt either. After being out all day and walking the Quarter my feet hurt a little, but nothing like some of my other shoes. You know when you just want to cut your feet off at the end of the day?

I wore my cape, because I don't have a nicer coat. I rarely buy coats because we don't usually have many cold days and I am not outside much. I really like my cape. It is like a warm blanket that you can wear out. Although, I do get some stares and some not so nice comments when wearing it, but I just ignore them. My daughter wore her cape, too, which people thought was cute. We did not plan it, she just had to wear hers when she saw me put on mine.

One last thing: I took the Coach diaper bag out today. I rarely use it because it is uncomfortable and a bit bulky. However, I begged and pleaded with my husband to get it for me. He got it as a Christmas 05 gift and I didn't have the heart to tell him how much I don't like it. I simply say that it is too special for everyday use and bring it out on special occasions.

I like Wendy's outfit a lot, but I really love her narrative. She's doing so many things right here: she is dressing for the weather and the situation without sacrificing style, and she started by shopping her closet rather than running out to buy something new. The monochromatic look gives her a long, sleek line and emphasizes her curves in all the right places, and "layered" shirt and sweater is brilliant, particularly for a curvy girl. And of course the shoes are FABULOUS; the pointy toe and little strap adds just the right element of chic to this outfit.

I would suggest that Wendy take the pants to a tailor, though, because a tailored hem (or cuff) is a neater look. If you are on the petite side, you need to get used to the idea that pants (and most likely skirts and dresses) will often have to be shortened. Actually, ALL of us should get comfortable with tailoring, because very few garments will fit perfectly on the first pass. Buy things that fit properly through the waist and hips and THEN deal with the hem. But do deal with it; you will be glad you did.

Finally, I would tell the rest of you to heed Wendy's story about the Coach diaper bag, because the moral seems to be this: if it is beautiful but not practical, it will wind up being beautiful in your closet, which is really a bummer.

Wendy looks so lovely here. Now she needs so show us her cape!

YOUR turn! Show us what you're wearing! E-mail a photo and description to fridaystyle.susan AT gmail DOT com.