In the working world, understanding the subtle art of a properly put together appearance can help you get hired, fit in, and move ahead. Everyone knows that one fashion faux pas is all it takes to take you out of the running for that job or promotion.
That’s why there are rules. Understanding and implementing the rules of grooming, clothing, and accessories will increase your chances of making a great first impression and will make you known for your high standard of personal excellence.
Your professional appearance is your most powerful business tool. It signals to the world your character, success level, income, and level of sophistication.
Here is a list of what every well-dressed professional should know:
- There is no such thing as a short-sleeve dress shirt. Never, ever wear one with a tie. Unless you are Dwight Schrute.
- On a single-breasted suit or sport coat, always leave the bottom button unbuttoned, though it’s becoming more common to button only the middle button on a 3-button coat.
- The tip of your tie should reach the middle of your belt buckle.
- Collar stays are those little pieces of plastic (or they can be gold or brass-plated) that keep your shirt collar pointy. They get lost easily, so keep a stash of them around.
- Don’t wear a button-down collar shirt with a suit. They clash with the formality of a suit – save them for sport coats or days where you don’t wear a coat.
- Most men choose to steer clear of pocket squares - they’re those little pieces of linen or satin peeking out of the chest pocket of a suit or sport coat. They may be seen as a little pretentious, but if you’re comfortable with them, by all means go for it!
- Always match your shoes and belt.
- Your sock color should tie your pant leg and shoe together. For dark pants, typically match the pant leg. For lighter pants, match your shoe color.
- Your work clothes should only be for work, your evening and weekend clothes should only be used outside the office.
- Your whole appearance will fail without impeccable grooming. Fingernails. Hair. No scruff on your face. Watch the cologne usage.
1. Sometimes one strong statement is all you need.
Simply. Gorgeous.
2. Don’t look for the wrong kind of attention.
Did Charlize and her stylists really think this kind of weird risk would work for the Oscars? Check out its, er, "inspiration."
3. Throw them a curve.
We are used to edgy red carpet fashion from Cameron Diaz. Last night, it was elegant classic Hollywood style, from head to toe.
4. You can look beautiful at any size.
So stop hiding.
5. Color can make all the difference.
(I never did care for that pale pink dress)
6. You can look sexy and age-appropriate at the same time.
Meryl finally hit the fashion bulls eye!
7. Horizontal lines are not our friend.
Especially if they look like they are strangling us, SJP.
8. If it works for you, stick with it
Maggie Gyllenhaal (lt) in the color palette (black & blue) of a past Oscar gown (rt).
9. Darker skin looks gorgeous in pastel shades.
I swear the Queen has never looked better.
10. When in doubt, go all out.
Vera Farmiga in a bright and wildly ruffled gown. She has the coloring and the stature to carry off such a dramatic dress. Plus she's a nominee! This may be the only chance she has to make a splash!
Stay tuned for my official Oscar gown recap! Muppets will be involved. That's a promise!
I have been through a lot of women's underwear drawers. I have also been in the dressing room with a lot of women. Needless to say, I have seen more than my fair share of ratty old panties and bras.
One of the hazards of my job, I guess.
In my estimation, almost all of the women I have been around keep their basic day-to-day undies around for far too long. At least 85% of them are wearing the wrong size bra. Many are also wearing the wrong size and/or style of panties as well.
One of my clients, I will call her "B." actually said, "I'm the only one who knows my bra is probably too small, and no one else cares about my underwear anyway."
Not quite, B. First of all, poorly-fitting underwear IS noticeable. And it's precisely what we don't want to see! People don't notice properly-fitting undergarments, but they can't help but take note when they're not quite right.
From pantylines cutting into your backside to "spillage" in front, underwear that fits properly is our greatest ally. Underwear can also be our worst enemy when we disregard its importance.
It is a sign of respect for yourself and your body when you choose to wear the right size and style of underwear that not only flatters your shape, but is also comfortable. And yes, it IS possible to have both!
Underwear is indeed a very important facet of a woman's wardrobe. It can make a distinct difference in the way your clothes fit, in your perceived body proportion, and even in the sizes you wear! It can also make you look 10, 15, even 20 pounds lighter! Imagine that!
Contrary to popular belief, undies don't have to be boring or binding. And you don't have to be built like a lingerie model to wear underwear that looks beautiful on you and that makes you feel good about yourself every single day.
I would like to cordially invite you to join me in the Underwear Drawer Revitalization Project!
Here's what to do:
STEP 1: Throw out your underwear!
If you spill out over the top or sides
If they have faded or turned gray from washing
If the elastic is loose
If the underwire is sticking out and poking you (owwie!)
If any of the straps or elastic cuts into your skin
If they are uncomfortable in any way
If they cause any unsightly bumps or rolls under your clothes
STEP 2: Buy new Stuff!
Bras!
Fit is everything, ladies. Go to a lingerie boutique for a professional fitting! (Nordstrom is a good bet – they have professional bra fitters on staff)
For a smaller bust - choose a padded bra (okay, this seems elementary, but it will help balance and create proportion and your clothes WILL FIT BETTER!)
For a larger bust - wearing a full-cup underwire or a minimizer will again create balance and make your clothes fit better. Also be aware that you will have to spend more on your bras. Having two bras that really fit well instead of ten mediocre ones is clearly the way to go.
My famous "path of least resistance"? Only buy black or nude-colored bras for day-to-day. White works too, but is more detectable under certain colors. Nude fades into your skintone, which creates the desired effect.
Be sure to have an unseamed "t-shirt bra" for wearing under clingy knits.
Panties!
If you have a flabby midsection, the worst kind of panties you can wear are ones where the waistband cuts right across your stomach. The answer? Wear high-rise shaping panties that end around the ribcage. (Bridget Jones did get it right, but wore the unsexy undies at the worst possible time.)
Somewhere, a smarmy Hugh Grant is saying "Hello, Mummy!"
If you are wearing tight or light-colored pants, beware of the dreaded VPL (visible panty line). This is why thongs were invented. Seriously. Try a silk one for comfort.
Boy shorts accomplish the same as above.
Keep in mind, "the flatter, the better". Rouched and ruffly, even lace panties, can create strange ripples and patterns under your pants and skirts. Wear fabrics that are matte and unembellished. Save the fun stuff for other occasions.
If you find a style of underwear that is wonderfully comfy and flattering, don't be afraid to buy a lot of it. Maintaining a stash of safe pieces sure beats hit-or-miss underwear buying!
As with bras, life is easiest if you keep your everyday undies to a minimum of colors - again, try black and nude here as well. Easier to wash, easier to organize. Just easy. Gotta love that!
Spanx. Use them. Love them. (Also try Assets from Target, made by the Spanx people and costing just a fraction of the original product.)
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Get inspired to create the lingerie drawer you deserve, ladies! It's magical when you can feel beautiful and comfortable with the knowledge that you look totally fabulous in your clothes.
Underneath it all, you know that you are dressing your unique body to look its best.
Now banish those rogue underwires and that stretched out elastic to the trash!!!
Have you ever been in a dressing room trying something on that looked great on the hanger, but when you put it on your body, you literally felt like literally leaping out of your skin?
Maybe it was a frilly dress you wanted to wear to a wedding, when you’re really a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Or you may have tried on a classic suit - because everyone is "supposed" to have one, even though you are naturally more of a fun and trendy dresser.
Perhaps it felt so wrong on you that your body was completely rejecting it!
Now think about your closet for a second. Is every article of clothing, every accessory, every single item in there a true reflection of YOU - not only does it flatter the way you look - your coloring and body shape - but does it also honor who you are on the inside?
Does it feel right when you put it on, or do you feel like you are wearing someone else's clothes? Is your style consistent every day? And does it reflect who you truly are?
Make no mistake about it, discovering your own personal style is empowering. It will save you time and money and will make every day a pleasure to get dressed. It turns simply wearing clothes into a true expression of who you are now and the person you want to be.
Fashion personality is what separates the style icons like Jackie O., Princess Di, and Audrey Hepburn and even fictional characters Annie Hall and Carrie Bradshaw - from the wannabes.
These are people and characters who understood themselves and found their true style. It became a manifestation of who they were. Whether through simplicity or creativity, they knew themselves and how to express their personality traits on the outside. In other words, they were comfortable in their own skin.
I know, for instance, that when I go into a department store, there may be ten clothing items in the entire place that will truly clothe both my body and my personality. When I'm not wearing what I feel my best in, I don't feel quite as "me."
That's what the concept of fashion personality is all about. Once you figure out the colors that harmonize with your unique coloring and after you learn to respect your body - the good, the not-so-good and the stuff you cannot change without a major investment in cosmetic surgery, the next logical step is to understand how to buy what expresses you.
Think about it this way - rebellious teenagers do this naturally."I'm gonna wear what I want, and if you don't like it, tough!"
So why is it that as we get older, we become more afraid to be unique? We are all individuals, so why not celebrate those differences in the way we dress? There isn’t anyone telling you that you cannot wear a colorful or funky pair of shoes that you love or a fun top or earrings. If it feels right, doesn’t offend anyone and maintains your dignity, who says you can't go for it?
So what is YOUR unique fashion personality? Most of us are a combination of at least two of them.
Alluring - Love to wear body-conscious shapes, low necklines, sexy shoes, etc.
Classic – Gravitate toward tailored lines, are conservative and polished
Dramatic - Like bold clothing, like to draw attention to themselves!
Romantic - Soft and feminine, they love how fabrics feel!
Natural - Minimal in approach, they tend like functionality and tend to gravitate toward texture
Creative - Anything goes, mix and match – they value creative expression
How do you determine your own personality? Well, you probably know yourself pretty well already! But ask yourself these questions:
1. How would you describe your current fashion style?
2. Who is your style icon?
3. If you could have only two things in your closet, what would they be
4. How would someone describe you in terms of your clothes?
5. What would you never be caught wearing?
6. If you had unlimited store credit, where would you shop?
7. What do you wish you could wear, but can't seem to pull it off?
Perhaps the easiest way to figure out your own fashion personality is to take a look at your accessories.
Dramatics like accessories that make a big statement. Classics love traditional pieces like simple pumps and a pearl necklace. Naturals like to keep it simple – maybe a pair of hoops and a functional shoe. Romantics love soft textures, feminine swirls and sparkle. Creative personalities tend to wear whatever they feel like wearing, and Alluring women wear accessories with sex appeal – whether showing off sexy red toenails or a Y-shaped necklace worn with a plunging neckline.
Can you figure out what fashion personality would wear each of these shoes?
Remember, your fashion life is an adventure. Celebrate it! Nothing is right or wrong if it expresses your personality and makes you feel amazing!
Answers
a) Classic d) Romantic b) Alluring e) Creative c) Natural f) Dramatic
I have found repeatedly that both men and women are prone to color ruts. I see it in nearly every closet I enter. The most common color offender is the ubiquitous black, of course, but I also see gray and the beige/oatmeal family catching up these days. And do you know what people tell me? "Well, at least I'm not wearing black all the time." True. And what do I tell them? "You're color choice is probably even less flattering than basic black!"
People in my industry aren't going to love this post. Where I was trained, in the image consulting world, there is only one way to wear the right colors - and that is by having your undertone, hair color and eye color analyzed and obtaining a palette of your own personal best colors to choose from.
While I still believe this is the right remedy because of the results I have seen over the years, the truth is that not everyone is going to invest in color analysis. Sometimes they invite me into their closet and out to shop with them and that is the extent of our work together.
I felt like unless I was the one hand-picking colors for them in the store and choosing from colors they already owned, they would go right back to their 'safe' choices.
Regardless of people's coloring, I have found myself recommending the same five colors to them year after year. I picked these colors because wearing a pop of color is better than dreary black, gray or beige. At least three of them can be found in the stores regardless of the season's trends.
These colors are better for the workplace and interpersonal interactions as well as better for the spirit. Wearing color is an immediate shot of energy for you and makes you visually more attractive to others.
These colors work on brunettes, blondes and redheads for different reasons. But they work.
So if you are stuck in a color rut, the first way to climb out is by adding some new "safe" colors to your closet. If you already own some of these colors but aren't wearing them, you will get extra points if you dig them out and add them to your clothing rotation. You will feel a difference!
