Known for her provocative, no-holds-barred personality, Wendy Williams segued from her 23-year radio career to TV with the nationally syndicated Wendy Williams Show in 2009. Seven hundred shows later, this wife, mother and best-selling author attracts viewers in 52 countries who adore her celebrity guests, “Ask Wendy” advice segments and juicy “Hot Topics” commentary.
This Ocean Township native, noted for her figure-flattering dresses, sky-high heels and wigged-out wigs, invited us to poke around the famous pink closet at her Chelsea television studio:
Your closet is chock-full of shoes and dresses. Where do you shop?
I live a stone’s throw from the Short Hills Mall. It’s heaven. I window shop there, and then come back to my stylist and tell him what I need. In real life, I’m frugal. And, yes, I do love to shop at Marshall’s.
Tell us about your shoe romance.
I have about 125 pairs at home and 125 at the studio, but the ones at the studio are high-end. My favorites for this spring are my spiky Louboutins. I also like J. Crew, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo. But for simple pumps for less, good sources are Victoria’s Secret and Frederick’s of Hollywood.
Why don’t we ever see you in slacks?
I don’t wear slacks, but I Iike jeans. I love dresses best because I enjoy being a woman. Boys are wearing so many of our looks now…the only things we women have for ourselves is periods and wearing dresses.
You like to wear fishnets. Is that to show off your legs? Yes, I wear caramel-colored Nude Barre fishnets August through June. Especially with shorter dresses, at age 48, they give my legs a nice finish.
SHOE OF THE MOMENT: Among the 125 pairs of shoes in Williams’ s studio closet are her fave spiky Louboutin platforms. “I don’t wear as many flats because they’re just not sexy, especially when you wear a size 11 like I do,” she says.
WENDY’S WORLD: At her Chelsea television studio, Williams’s “glam squad” works magic with fashion, wigs and makeup. “I’m constantly taking stuff from this studio closet to my home,” says Williams. “I’m very fortunate.”
Williams is the author of the New York Times best seller The Wendy Williams Experience (Dutton Books) and several novels. Look for her next book, Ask Wendy (Harper Collins), this spring. The Wendy Williams Show airs Monday through Friday live on Fox at 10 am and on BET at midnight.