7 Tips to Look More Attractive, But Not Provocative, at Work

Ladies, if you want to be taken seriously at work it's important to look attractive and put-together, but not sexy or provocative.  Here are 7 style rules that will create an attractive professional image:

Tip #1:  Your skirt and dress length

The style rule is to wear a length that is proportional to your height and appropriate for the situation.  The professional "power woman" rule is for your skirt and dress length to hit just above your knee.  The reason is when you sit down, your skirt hikes up naturally, and you don't want to cause a distraction.  A tasteful maxi skirt is fine as long as your top is more fitted and conservative; add a belt and a short jacket over it to create a complete outfit.

Tip #2:  Neckline cleavage

Where would you like someone to look when he or she is speaking to you during a business meeting? If the answer is "your eyes," then your neckline should not reveal any cleavage.  There is a way to determine the most attractive neckline that balances your face -- it's called a Balance Point.  Artists use balance points when painting portraits.  Measure the distance from the top of your hairline (if you wear bangs, your hairline is where your bangs end) to your chin.  Then take that length and extend it from your chin down to your bodice.  Wherever that measurement falls on your bodice, that's the most attractive neckline opening for you.  If it's too low, and would show cleavage, then place a necklace at that point.   

Tip #3:  Tight clothing

Most people wear clothes that either too big or too small, thinking it makes them look thinner.  That's a myth.  Squeezing into a sausage casing will only make you look...well...you get the picture.  Clothes should skim your body and fall naturally. Clothes that are too tight actually call attention to your body flaws, or worse, create body flaws where you have none!  Dressing in overly tight clothes sends the wrong signal at work.  

Tip #4:  Amount of skin showing

For women, the more skin you show, the less influence you have. Do you really want to work harder to earn the respect of your co-workers and boss?  A good rule of thumb is to divide your body into thirds:  one-third on top from shoulders to waist, one-third from waist to knees, one-third from knees to feet.  Show skin on one third only.  If you have a skirt that ends above the knee, then wear a conservative blouse with long sleeves.  If you're wearing a cowl-neck top (no cleavage!), this calls for long pants.

If you wish to be seen as a professional, limit the amount of skin showing.

Tip #5:  Color and fabric

Of course, the best way to make a statement about who you are is to wear colors that make you look radiant and energetic, and wear the highest quality fabrics you can afford.  It's better to own a few memorable pieces than a closet full of forgettable ones.

Your best colors are determined by your natural skin coloring, eye and hair color, and even your personality.  I can do a virtual color consultation for you, determine your colors, and provide a color card with your color palette. It's a great way to create a mix-and-match wardrobe that brings you confidence and joy!

Tip #6:  Shoes

We ladies love our shoes!  Shoes make a statement.  They complete our outfit.  Of course, close-toed shoes are the most professional style.  A trendy bootie, loafer, or gladiator shoe is the perfect accompaniment for pants, dresses, or skirts.   Sandals that reveal your toes are becoming more acceptable especially in hot climates.  Here are some things to avoid:  lack of pedicure, worn out shoes, too high (4" and higher), too strappy (those are for date night), and flip flops are out.

Tip #7:  Bare legs

The good news is unless you work for a conservative office that specifically calls for them, pantyhose and stockings can be left in your drawer.  Bare legs are work appropriate.  Fall and winter bring with it the opportunity to add colored tights into the mix, which are a great way to get a put-together look.

What do you think?  What does the line between looking attractive and looking provocative mean to you in the workplace?

How Women can Look Attractive, But Not Provocative, at Work

Women in leadership positions, as well as future leaders of tomorrow, want to be taken seriously.  One of the first things we notice about a woman is her clothing, and we quickly form a first impression.  The same is true for a man, but men have more of a professional uniform that is relatively easy to identify.  There are so many clothing and accessory choices for women to make, that it's easy to miss the mark!  Women can easily project something with their appearance that goes beyond attractive into the realm of sexy and desirable.

Back in our grandmother's generation women were subject to stringent rules regarding what a woman could or could not wear.  Many of our grandmothers didn't work outside the home, so they weren't subject to issues of how to dress in the workplace.  My grandmother never wrestled with intractable problems as she stood hesitating in front of a rack of clothes.  Can you wear a sleeveless shirt dress without a cardigan or jacket to cover your arms?  How much cleavage is permissible to show without looking sexy?  How short is too short for a skirt? Is it ever okay to show your tattoo at work?

Here's the rub:  women still have to be attractive in order to make a good first impression.  However, women must not look provocative because that is sending the wrong kind of attractive signal.  Women should get noticed because they look put-together and because they communicate confidence in their professional skills, ideas, and expertise.

Let's assume you want to express something of who you are in your clothing, not too trendy as to look like everyone else, while concealing your flaws and accentuating your assets.  Whew!  The good news is you can create a powerful first impression without total conformity or losing your individuality. It's all about dressing appropriately for your coloring, body shape, and the situation.

My suggestion is, when in doubt, dress like a Parisian woman.  That's right.  They would never, ever, ever leave the house in sweatpants! Leaving the house calls for dressing up.  If you look like a slob in Paris you let down the whole city.  Take a look at the average Parisian woman....her skirt is the perfect length, her jacket is beautifully tailored, and she spends money on her undergarments to flatter her shape.  Her outfit is pulled together with a colorful, but tasteful scarf.  Her look is brilliantly balanced.  She does this because she believes in good taste -- it's a way of life for her.  She loves to look unique and she loves what she wears.

I've put together 7 fashion tips for professional women who want to look attractive, but not provocative.  See my next post for 7 style tips that will keep you from crossing the line between looking attractive and looking provocative at work.

Busy Woman's Guide to Natural Beauty and Style

 Wanting to be attractive is a natural instinct. Women have been moisturizing, plucking, adorning, coloring and fluffing to look beautiful for all sorts of reasons.  And it seems the more beautiful we make ourselves on the outside the more confident we feel on the inside. We may not all be raving beauties, but every woman has the potential to look beautiful on the outside and feel beautiful on the inside.  All it takes is a little self-care, knowing what looks best on you, and the effort to put it all together.  When you walk into a room feeling confident and looking put-together, people notice and respond in a positive way.  Your put-together appearance tells the world you have confidence, credibility and self-worth.

Since ancient civilizations, natural beauty has been considered a sign of one's balance with nature and the universe.  This makes sense.  A healthy body and beautiful inner spirit shows in your face! 

Today, we are reinventing the meaning of beauty and attractiveness.  No longer is there an age limit to beauty -- quite the contrary -- as baby boomers glide gracefully into senior status looking even more vibrant and glowing with confidence.  

No longer is there one standard to achieve beauty.  The good news is we are removing the shackles of what it means to be beautiful; the bad news is there are so many beauty trends to choose from (largely fueled by the cosmetics and fashion industry) it creates huge opportunities for fashion faux pas!  It's difficult to know what looks best on you, let alone walk the tightrope of dressing appropriately for every occasion.

So, how do you achieve natural beauty, make good fashion choices, and juggle a busy life? 

the answer lies in knowing yourself

Knowing yourself and expressing who you really are in the way you dress and accessorize, confidently communicating and nurturing relationships, and caring for the health of your body is a way to achieve natural beauty on the outside and inside. 

Loving yourself and appreciating your natural assets (including your flaws!) creates a beautiful glow.  One way to stop being so self-critical about your body is to

picture your body as a work of art

Think of your body as a sculpture that an artist drapes with flowing fabric. An artist sees your body as lines, shapes, shadows, and would create a pleasing silhouette by nipping the fabric here and there to call attention to an area, and flowing the fabric away from an area he/she wishes to hide. The result is a beautiful image!

Being a busy woman is no excuse for ignoring your personal style and natural beauty. In the next several articles I'll explore tips and step-by-step ways to transform into the most remarkable YOU. Some of the topics I'll explore:

• Create a Beautiful, Easy Wardrobe that Builds Confidence
• Accessorize to Always Look Put-Together
• Nourish Your Body Naturally Inside and Outside
• Know Your Strengths and Develop a High 'AQ'  

Men and Women Fashion Tips -- Dress From the Inside Out

The best fashion tip I can give you is something I tell my clients. 

"Fashion is not about the clothes you wear.

It's about expressing who you really are.

So, dress from the inside out."  

When you dress from the inside out, it's important to ask yourself: what do I want people to know about me without saying a word?

Color Speaks

Use color to highlight your best features and send a message that you know yourself well enough to pick the best colors.  When you wear colors that complement your skin tone you will look:

• Younger
• Healthier
• More Energetic

How many times have you asked someone if she is feeling ill, when in reality, all that is wrong is the color she's wearing!

Here's an example of the wrong color 

Here she is wearing the right color, looking radiant and confident!

Style Matters

"A man has his clothes made to fit him;

a woman makes herself fit her clothes." -- Edgar Watson Howe

Women, we can learn something from men's fashion.  Men keep it simple and stylish. What's simpler than a suit?  Tailoring a suit to make it fit a man's body is a given.  Make a statement with the perfect fit, fine fabric and a pop of color in the shirt and tie.  

Quality, color, fit, and style.

Accessories Polish Your Look

What can you do with a scarf?  Hmmmmm.....let's see:

• Keeps your neck warm on a frosty night
• Adds a punch of color to an otherwise neutral outfit
• Good for hiding a drip of salad dressing on your blouse
• Wrap it around your face to create mystery and allure

A good accessory for a man is a tie that marries his suit to his shirt, and provides a pop of color and sophistication.  For a woman, shoes can express her sexy, fun side.  An artfully crafted wide copper bracelet says artsy and interesting.

Confidence Pulls It All Together

"Knowing others is intelligence;

knowing yourself is true wisdom."  -- Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching

How do you start gaining confidence?

• Trust your gut -- do you rely on other peoples' opinions or do you follow your instincts and do what feels right for you?
• Self knowledge -- the more you know about your coloring, your body shape (without judgment please!), and more importantly, what matters to you and brings you joy, the more confidence you will gain.
• Be authentic -- no more faking it!  Be exactly who you are twenty-four hours a day and you will decrease your stress and increase your joy.  Celebrate who you are.
• Dress from the inside out -- learn about the colors and styles that create a harmonious look and express who you really are. Then, walk into a room and OWN it!

Men's Fashion Tips - How to dress like you own the company

If you are Mark Zuckerberg, and worth $10 Billion you can show up for work in a worn t-shirt and jeans. 

The Borowitz Report, The New Yorker

But you're NOT Zuckerberg, so you will have to try a little harder to create an impressive image.

Style can be transformative.   One day you're a slob, and the next day you're a dashing head-turner.  This can be accomplished with a colored tailored shirt (your best color) underneath a great jacket, worn with a pair of wool slacks and a pair of leather shoes (your belt and shoes are the same color). Style is a form of communication. You are telling people what you think of yourself. A put together appearance tells the world (whether it's true, or not) you have confidence, credibility, and self worth. It will give you the edge every time!  When you know you look good, you feel good.

Best Way to Look Like an Executive

http://pinterest.com/fabuliss/men-s-executive-style/

Own your own style. Be consistent.  Always wear your colors and well-fitted clothing.  Create an image for yourself and buy clothes and accessories that reflect that image.  Be yourself -- you don't have to conform to the latest trends.  When you dress one step better than everyone else, you will get noticed when you walk into a room.


When you wear the colors that make your skin look radiant and healthy, you're going to look younger, healthier, and more energetic.

www.fashion-for-mens.com

Buy Fewer Pieces, Spend More Money on each Piece

• Cashmere sweater

• Leather-soled dress shoe - streamlined sole or chunky sole, your choice! Keep your shoes polished using Kiwi cream polishes. It's a time-honored ritual for good reason.

www.GQ.com

• A polo shirt underneath a suit jacket -- wearing a polo shirt in your strongest color underneath a suit is surprisingly, casually elegant

• Streamlined, pin-striped suit

• Dark-wash jeans

Shop at a Trendy Menswear Store to Find Out What's In This Year

You can always buy your clothes at H&M if you are on a tight budget, but if you want to look hip and turn some heads, walk into the more expensive men's stores and note the styles and colors they're showing this year. Then, go buy some lookalike, less expensive pieces. However, I'm still a big believer in the classic, timeless styles of good taste.  So, go easy on the trends!  If you look terrible in a fedora hat, don't wear it.  

How to start living the life you love,

Fall in love with yourself.

Nurture your body with love, nutritious food, and exercise. 

"I fall asleep feeling beautiful," she said to me. "Then, in the morning, before I leave the house I say five things I love about myself, like, I have really pretty eyes, or, those sit-ups are really working!"  That way I can go out into the world with that little bit of extra confidence. It's a feel-good protein shake that fortifies my soul in case someone messes with me."

Try eating mostly vegetarian for one week. See how creative and fun it is to fill your shopping cart with colorful vegetables and then roast, stir fry, steam, or eat vegetables raw.  This plate above is 3/4 vegetables with roasted potatoes and asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, sweet peas, asparagus, and sliced hormone-free beef tenderloin filet, served with Dijon mustard for zing.

Love your job with all of your heart. Have pride in it, do it 100%, and keep growing in it. If you hate your job, change it. Start something new, create it, market it, perfect it, and love it with all your being.

Build the life you desire by starting with small ‘dough ball’ changes so it's not so overwhelming. For instance, if you're a writer, a colleague of mine, Adele Sommers, recommends writing small metaphorical dough balls of content that you can stack in the freezer to be pulled out later when you are ready to create something like a book or workshop. By creating small dough balls one at a time, you are not faced with preparing ten loaves of bread all at once, and the task doesn’t feel so overwhelming.  

This also applies to lifestyle changes, and your dough balls could be things like starting to walk for twenty minutes every day, cutting out soft drinks, or writing short stories that will one day turn into a novel. The point is start out with small accomplishments that turn into the life you love.  What begins with a dough ball could end as a multi-tiered wedding cake!

   

Is your image helping or hurting you?

What does your image say about you?  Think about the last time you met someone for the first time.  What kind of impression did you make?  Some say it's wrong to 'judge a book by its cover.' Yet we all do it.  For good reason!  Our tribal ancestors had a few seconds to judge whether a stranger was friend or foe. If they judged incorrectly, they were dead within seconds!  We evolved this ability to judge quickly, mostly based on a stranger's size and clothing.  The size thing is obvious, and the clothing indicated whether he/she was a member of the tribe. Clothing still plays a significant role in our first impression -- the way you dress tells the world how you feel about yourself, so show the world you care.

Your image on social media is also important.  Social media gives you a voice.  Use it wisely. It is a powerful connection to the world.  Become a thought leader and change the world one thought at a time.  

Pay attention to your personal brand. Everything you say and do reflects who you are.

Create balance in your life by nurturing personal relationships, taking breaks and vacations often (short 1-day excursions revitalize your spirit), fitting exercise and quiet time into your daily schedule.

   

Enjoy the arts. Go to free concerts, attend art openings at your local galleries, take an art class even if you cannot draw a circle, or learn how to throw pots. Here's my sister, pictured below, throwing a pot for the first time.  She has always talked about getting a hobby, and one day suggested maybe she'd like to learn ceramics.  So, this summer, while we were visiting a pottery store, the owner asked if anyone would like to try the wheel.  I pushed my sister forward and said, "my sister wants to try it!"  Reluctantly, she sat down at the wheel, and proceeded to create a very nice vessel. 

Stop thinking. Start doing.

How to Mix and Match Colors

The feedback I hear most often from my clients is that they're saving money on clothes because when they buy just one new piece of clothing, like a skirt or pair of pants, they can make seven NEW outfits!  That's because all the clothes in their closet are in the same color palette, so the colors can easily be mixed and matched.

If you're concerned about limiting your choice of colors, and you think it's boring to have all your clothes revolve around one color palette, I will tell you that when when I look in most womens' closets these days, I see mostly BLACK!  How boring is that?

When you build your wardrobe around the neutrals, basics, and accent colors in your color palette, you will be able to have a relatively small wardrobe and still have a huge number of potential outfits.

And, the best part is opening your closet to see a mosaic of colors woven together in harmonious patterns.  Here's a friend's closet, who is a COPPER (Autumn), with her neatly arranged sweaters that look like geological layers of the earth, and a work of art!

Her commitment to buying sweaters in her colors has resulted in a very pleasing collection of sweaters that must make her smile every time she opens her closet.  It's the simple things that really make a difference in our lives...

The color palette for SILVER (Winters) looks like a box of Crayola crayons with all its bold, dramatic primary colors. 

These clean, intense colors include neutral colors of White, Black, Navy, Gray, Taupe, and a collection of light, "icy" colors that can be paired with the basic colors of True Red, True Green, and Burgundy, and accent colors like Hot Turquoise, Lemon Yellow, and Magenta. 

BUT TAKE IT EASY PAIRING THESE COLORS!  Limit bold colors to one or two colors in any one outfit, and use neutral colors as your foundation. 

Imagine having all these beautiful, color-coordinated SILVER colors in your wardrobe, and you purchase a Brown sweater.  Other than pairing the brown sweater with jeans or neutral black pants, it will clash with most of your clothes.  Not to mention how washed out and pale you might look! 

Bottom line:  when you buy clothes in one color palette, you will be able to mix and match more easily, and you'll end up with more outfits!

Are You Making a Great FIRST IMPRESSION?

5 Things You Can Do to Guarantee a

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

Are you making a great first impression every time you meet someone new?  Did you know that we make a judgment about a person within the first 10 seconds? 

Here are 5 easy tips to get you back on track to making a positive first impression.

1. Wear a color that always gets you compliments. We all know what those colors are, and if you don't, you need to find out!
2. Pick out one or two accessories that pull your outfit together, such as a necklace, scarf, or bracelet.  Even if you're wearing a t-shirt and jeans, a necklace will give you a chic, artsy appearance. And I guarantee people will notice!
3. Wear shoes in a bright color that POPS your outfit -- try red, green, or gold!
4. Put makeup on -- even if it's just mascara, or blush, or a colored lipgloss.  It will make your face look more expressive, and we all know that the eyes are the windows to the soul. 
5. Smile at a stranger -- did you know that the human brain prefers a smile?  A smile actually changes our brain chemistry in a positive way.  It makes a great first impression, as you appear more open and engaging.

The TRUTH About True Colors

How many of us know our TRUE COLORS?

By knowing your True Colors, I don't mean knowing whether you like to wear the color blue or green better. I mean knowing who you really are -- at the soul level, at the deepest knowing-ness place -- and presenting your authentic self in the way you dress, communicate, make a living, and share your gifts. Feeling the confidence to say what you feel, expressing your opinion in a positive and strong manner, and walking into a room and OWNING it. 

Our physical appearance is just a small fraction of who we really are, but it's a good place to start. First there's our physical body. Most of us aren't blessed with a perfect shape (which is entirely subjective and cultural anyway) so it is best to accept our physical form and find the beauty and strength in it. Look at your body as an artist does -- finding beauty and strength in the form, the lines, shadows and textures.

Then, there's the clothing that we drape over our bodies to provide protection from the elements and also show the world a hint of who we are. We indicate the "tribe" we belong to with our dress -- conservative, hippie, edgy urban, artist. Your clothing tells people how you feel about yourself and how you fit into the world. The care you take in dressing yourself makes a statement about your economic status, your job, artistic flair, how well you take care of yourself, and all sorts of other assumptions. If you think this is a superficial way to judge people, you may be right, but we do it every day intuitively!

Many of us spend our entire lives searching for who we are, why we are here, and pushing the limits of what we are capable of doing (I am speaking about myself here). Along the way, some of us receive answers and experience the joy of finding our passion. I have found that dressing in a way that brings out my inner confidence and authority, and tells the world who I REALLY am is a HUGE ASSET. It has opened many doors, creating many opportunities, and always serves to light the path for me to meet the most interesting people.

Taking the first step of dressing in a more confident and authentic way may just lead you to the self-discovery and joy you've been searching for your whole life!

Does Your Closet Bring You Joy?

Do you open your closet door and feel joy, excitement, clarity, and peace?  Okay, you can stop laughing now....

Here's the truth:  your closet should bring you JOY.  You deserve to feel happy, excited, prepared for any occasion, and organized when you look in your closet.

I believe that our closets are a reflection of our lives.  At the most extreme, your closet reveals how you perceive and value yourself -- the idea being that you don't take the time to create an organized, functional closet because you feel you don't deserve it.  At the very least, your cluttered closet slows you down getting dressed in the morning, or causes you to waste money buying clothes you already have, but couldn't find!  

Is this your closet?
Do you hold onto old clothes like old memories?
Do you hold onto your Size 6 clothes hoping they will fit you again some day?
Do you buy clothes that look good on the mannikin but not so good on you?
Do you have clothes with the tags still on?


The Pathway to Joy

If you want to open your closet and feel excited to get dressed in the morning, then you need to do a few simple things:

1. Hire a style consultant to find out what colors and styles look best on you.  The only way to weed out the bad clothes is to know what works for you!  The money and time will be well spent and it will last a lifetime.
2. Clean out your closet. Take everything out of your closet, and only put back the clothes that fit you, look great on you, coordinate with other clothes, and are ready to be worn (no holes, tears, broken zippers).
3. Organize your clothes by function and color. Hang the tops together, pants, skirts, jackets, etc.  And group everything into similar colors.  That way, if you have a pair of brown pants and you're looking for a gold or off-white top to match, you know where to look!  Makes getting dressed quick and effortless!

Promise yourself that you will start the new year with an organized, beautiful closet that brings you joy and happiness!

Do you have a story about a closet transformation that you would like to share?  Questions about closet organization?  Send in your comments and questions!

How To Buy Clothes on a Tight Budget

If you have even LESS money this season to spend on new clothes, here are some tips to stretching your dollars and still enjoying a fresh, new wardrobe:

1. Add some trendy pieces to your wardrobe, like a faux fur vest or a long cardigan sweater, that cost less than $40.  Stores like Gap, Marshalls, and if you must, Kohl's, are showing all these trendy items that will add a little chic to your outfits.
2. Find your local clothing resale stores (consignment) and stretch your budget.  It is amazing how many pieces you will find with the tags still on the clothes in consignment stores.  You're buying someone else's mistakes!  For at least 40% less!
3. Buy a scarf or two, in your colors, to add a POP to your wardrobe.  A scarf, tied in a new way, can make a plain white blouse look completely new!
4. Buy a new purse or a fedora hat to make a new statement.
5. Layer pieces that you already own in a new way -- make sure the pieces are made of light fabric so you don't look too bulky. 

Enjoy this beautiful Fall season!  Write me and tell me what you're doing to stretch your budget.

Fall 2010 Fashion Trends for Women

The fashion industry comes out every year around this time with their runway looks for the Fall Season, and the fashion magazines are two inches thick with "What to Wear Now" advice for women.  They want to get you excited to go out and buy NEW clothes
and accessories, and you can do exactly that -- even on a tight budget!

Not all the new Fall looks and colors (cobalt blue, shimmery gold, and camel) are going to look great on you, so you need to be selective when you adopt the new trends. 

And if money is a little tight for you right now, here are some looks that won't cost you:

Colors
Fall fashion colors range from camel to bright purple to metalic.  For those who are familiar with the True Color palettes, camel looks best on GOLDS, purples look great on everyone (depending upon the tone). Bright red and cobalt blue are best on a SILVER.  Military olive green is a great COPPER color.  Metallic gold will make a COPPER pop!  So all you Autumns out there are going to LOVE the Fall trends.

Belts

Wide animal print, Wide Leather with Metal Clasp, Skinny patten leather or studded leather.

All belts are fashionable this season, and they can define the narrowest part of your body.

Chic Sunglasses

Check out Marshalls or Ross for chic styles at $5.  No one will know the difference!

Be aware of your face shape, and match the shape and size of the sunglasses to your face.

Military Look

The military look is on the runways this season.  Double-breasted jackets, olive green pants, olive green chambray blouses, etc.

If you are on a tight budget, check out your local surplus store for military clothes and accessories.

Faux fur vests
They're everywhere!  Check out Express, Old Navy, Piperlime, and even your local thrift store (I picked up a short faux fur vest at my local Goodwill in perfect condition!).

These animal-friendly vests can be layered over t-shirts to dresses and keep you snuggly warm!

Pea Coats

They're baaaaaack!  Pea coats are everywhere -- check out Old Navy, Gap, and thrift stores for cute shorty peacoats
reminiscent of the good ole days and channel your inner school girl, preppy look.

Men's Fashion Tips -- What Colors Should Men Wear?

You know it when you see it – a sexy man walking down the street with confidence and swagger. His clothes are impeccable and he is well groomed. How does he do it? Did he spend a fortune on his clothes and hair stylist? Not necessarily.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to dress well. You just have to know what colors and styles look best on you, buy quality pieces that will last, and know how to combine pieces to look put together and sexy at any age. There are plenty of affordable, style-centric stores and there is always eBay!

Why Color Is Important

The most important element of dressing to impress is to get YOUR colors right. Wearing the right colors can make the difference between:

• Looking healthy vs. looking sick
• Looking old vs. looking young
• Making a lasting impression vs. being forgettable

If you wear the wrong colors, you will drain the natural color from your face, make dark circles and blemishes appear darker, and your clothes could attract more attention than you do. I tell clients “…If your clothes show up before you do then you’re wearing the wrong colors!” People should focus on you, not your clothes.

Men’s Fashion Tips

Tip #1: Find out what your color palette is. Your colors are based on your hair color, skin color, eye color, and even your personality. I have created a color system of four different palettes called Gold, Platinum, Copper, and Silver metals. If you send me your photo (send to truecolorsbylinda@gmail.com) I will help you choose your color palette. You can purchase your own color card on my website http://www.TrueColorsByLinda.com.

GOLD
You are Gold, if your skin tone is ivory, peachy pink, or golden beige. Your hair is golden blond, strawberry red, or golden brown. Your eyes are blue, green, teal or aqua, with a “sunburst” around your pupils. Think golden tones, bright, clear coloring.

PLATINUM
You are Platinum, if your skin tone is fair and pale with visible pink coloring. If you are African American, your skin will have a grayish tone. Your hair is ash blond or ash brown – ash is a mix of gray and brown. Unlike Golds, your hair will have gray, not gold undertones. And your eyes are the color of the ocean, blue-gray, green-gray, hazel, or gray.

COPPER
You are Copper, if your skin tone is a warm creamy peach to golden to copper. Your hair has red, golden brown, or dark tones. Your eyes are usually golden brown, olive green, or even steel blue.


SILVER
You are Silver, if your skin tone is either pale gray-beige, olive-toned, dark black, or sallow (yellow-toned). Silvers may have extremely white or light skin and dark hair – a study in contrasts. Your hair is brown, dark brown or black, and you may gray prematurely. Your eyes are black-brown, red-brown, green, or blue.

Tip #2: Use clothing to make a statement about yourself, increase your self confidence and increase your bottom line. We all know that business attire has become more relaxed, but that doesn’t mean you should wear baggie shorts and flip flops to work! Instead, wear a nice button down shirt with a coordinated t-shirt underneath to give you a pop of color and style.
 
Tip #3: Buy clothes in your color palette and you will be able to coordinate more outfits and define a powerful image. It makes shopping easier and faster when you know exactly what colors to buy.

Is There an Age Limit on Wearing Short Dresses?

I was in San Francisco this weekend with my husband.  We checked into our Union Square hotel and headed straight to Nordstrom's.  While my husband sat in a comfortable chair, I tried on a beautiful Robert Rodriguez belted, twist silk dress -- short.  It hit me about mid-thigh -- officially short.  I borrowed a pair of Cole Haan black patent-leather pumps and walked out to get my husband's reaction.  He was speechless -- he clearly liked how I looked.  The short dress flowed effortlessly over my curves and the pumps stretched my leg muscles upward as I glided across the room like a model.  I looked HOT!  And I felt HOT.  I wanted the dress.  And then I thought, "...am I too old to wear a dress this short?"  And I talked myself out of buying it.  I've been thinking about the dress ever since. 

Did I make the right decision? 

I'd like to know what you think.

Can a woman over 50 wear a short dress that hits mid thigh, even if she has the legs to pull it off?

What would you have done?

This isn't me -- this is a young model wearing the same dress....

Clean Out Closet Clutter -- Organize Your Life!

I devoted my newsletter recently to the concept of cleaning out your closet.  How many of you actually did it?  If you haven't done it yet, ask yourself --

Why Not?

Because it is hard to let go!

I know it is difficult to get rid of clothes that you purchased and had a good reason for the purchase at the time.  It's the money you spent, the time, the memory of wearing the clothing, the attachment, etc., etc.

I had a girlfriend come over to my house and help me remove the clothes I never wear.  I'm going to sell the clothes at a local resale shop.  Do I miss the clothes?

Not one bit!!

Why?

Because I wasn't wearing the clothes anyway!!! 

So, start today, make a plan, set a date and time, grab a girlfriend or boyfriend who will tell you the truth, and

Just Do It!!!