Fashion Fridays: Styling Ponchos and Capes

Y’all have no idea how much I miss Fashion Fridays when I don’t have the time to write them.  But they take me HOURS to write and find all the right images, so this has just been one of these work seasons where the posts don’t get written unless it’s midnight.  This Fashion Friday request came in weeks ago, and I’m finally getting to it!

How do you style ponchos and capes? 

I actually really like ponchos.  Not the rain ponchos you get on a Duck Tour if it starts raining but the smart and stylish poncho or cape you wear when you’re not in the mood for something fitted!  (Am I the only one?!?!)

My uber favorite go-to way to wear a poncho is with skinny jeans and boots.  I know it’s downright hot down here in Texas this spring and this style may have done passed us by until November, but you Northern friends have a good solid month plus to try this out and imagine the steal of a deal you can get right about now.

However… I think a poncho can be hard to pull off for work.

That brings us to the CAPE!  The way capes are currently being styled, they are easy and sophisticated options for the office.  Some of them are downright killer.  I like pairing them with straight leg trousers, minimal patterns/color (it’s a bold look on its own), and high heels.

If a full blown cape look is too superhero for you, then cape jackets, which are essentially sleek blazers with oversized sleeves, can be a nice foray into the style trend.  Or a black cocktail dress with cape sleeves.

A cautionary note though on these fun fashion items.  They can quickly overwhelm a petite woman.  A poncho can make you look homeless and a cape may make you look like a schoolgirl playing Batgirl.  Watch proportion carefully.  Also, if you carry a lot of weight in your upper body, ponchos can emphasize the weight and make your body look out of proportion.

If you’re worried about proportion, you can belt a poncho if the fabric isn’t too dense to incorporate the look without overwhelming you.

This is why you should always shop with a girlfriend.  Because we all know it’s more fun.  Plus, you have a fresh set of eyes.  (Though I’ve been known to text girlfriends photos from the dressing room when in a pinch!  Only honest girlfriends!)  However, with many of these newly cropped and sleeked-down capes, there are more options regardless of your body type.

Do you own them?  Do you like them?  How do you style them?

And what should we tackle for spring?  I feel like I’m constantly solving shoe dilemmas – I need new outfit dilemmas!

Photos, in order, courtesy of, ShopDailyChic, JustMarvelous,  GlamourParis, BeDazeLive, OutfitID, WhoWhatWear