You absolutely want to look great at work. A solid professional image can boost your self-confidence, gain the respect of others, and even lead to a promotion. Looking good makes you feel better which makes you “do” better.  Whether you’re on the young side of the average employee in your company, one of the oldest, or right in the middle, here are some ways to look current and get the respect you deserve.

The following information will help you make important spending decisions regarding your career wardrobe

Splurge on the basics

If a suit is a much-used item in your work wardrobe, whether for a man or woman, then a well-tailored suit is an important splurge. It’s especially useful if you’re someone who doesn’t go up and down in size on a regular basis. This one great suit can be put together with a variety of shirts and ties or blouses and knit tops to change up the look week after week.

Don’t splurge on the basics

If you’re going for some basic core pieces for work – slacks, trousers, blazers, skirts – and you’re looking at neutral colors (brown, black, navy, charcoal), why spend the big bucks? Look at moderate-priced lines and look for very clean details. The simpler the pieces, the easier it is to make them look expensive if the outfit is well put together.

Or if you’ve embarked on a weight-loss program buy less expensive basics until you reach your goal.

Splurge on the accessories

If work outfits are classic, accessories will bring the magic to your wardrobe. Buy lasting pieces of jewelry in colors and metals in which you always look great. To get more use from pricier accessories, consider bringing them over to your weekend upscale-casual wardrobe as well. Quality handbags that are well proportioned to your body can be a great investment as well as great quality leather shoes with clean lines.

Don’t splurge on the accessories

Can you tell real pearls from fake ones? Most people can’t. You can buy “diamonds or pearls” that have the look you want at a very low cost compared to the real ones. Costume jewelry is a great way to add a lot of variety to simple work outfits. They can make you feel current, modern and in style. If you’re someone who gets bored easily, a lower price point is great for experimenting with different looks.

Splurge on color

Someone who wears color well can really stand out in the workplace. If you’re that someone special who wears plum, aubergine, coral, or turquoise better than anyone, it could be part of your brand. Brighter colors look best in quality fabrics so be prepared to spend money to get the best you can find. Brighter colors in cheap fabrics look cheap.

Don’t splurge on color

Keeping to a neutral color palette may seem boring but in most business settings, your clothes shouldn’t be shouting at others. Small splashes of color in items like ties, scarves, the stripe in a shirt, the color of a shell, can be perfectly adequate. Neutral colors can look more expensive in work pieces, saving you money to spend on accessories

Splurge on details

Certain symbols carry a lot of prestige in the work world. A leather briefcase, a gold watch, expensive shoes can send a signal that you are highly successful and competent at what you do. Splurge on the details that send the message of success that you want others to notice.

Don’t splurge on details

Expensive watches can’t hide incompetence for long. If you’re using symbols to provide something that isn’t already there, you’re wasting your money! Get the experience and education you need to be great at what you do and then reward yourself with those symbols of success. In the meantime, keep your modestly-priced shoes polished. Wear appropriate watches to work that don’t get undue attention for color or style.

It’s hard to make these spending decisions alone. Email me at info@powerful-presence.com and I’ll help you discover the right mix of splurging or conserving as you build your work wardrobe. Or, join the next class of Virtual Style School starting on June 11.   To learn more, please go to http://www.powerful-presence.com/vss.

marion Image and Style Workshop, Style

Some trends this season will absolutely make it to the streets and be enjoyed by many while others should never leave the runway. Here’s your heads up guide for what to look for – or look out for – this spring/summer.

Be aware that there’s a floral print explosion going on for this season. If you’re a minimalist, choose a solid-colored dress that has only one or two discreet flowers adorning it. Floral prints can be very colorful or they can be more simple in neutral colors like café au lait and white. You take control. Floral can border a hem on a dress or you can mix it all up and wear it from head to toe in a blouse, jacket and pant. How will you bloom this spring?

Beware of the bra as outerwear. The bra went from underwear to an actual focal point of an outfit in several runway shows. The bra was peeking through sheer tops or worn as a standalone garment with a high waisted skirt or pant. This look works best in a magazine ad with a lot of airbrushing. Avoid!

Be aware of beautiful color choices this season starting with bright, energetic and optimistic hues. Tangerine orange is this season’s showstopper followed by lemon yellow, cherry red, and many shades of green. Opting for something a bit toned down, check out this season’s pastels of lilac, chalky pink, mint green and baby blue. White also is a great staple in crisp tailored tops or eyelet lace dresses. Feeling more classic? There’s plenty of black and the combination of black and white is a great theme for spring.

Beware of sportswear items being sanctioned for day or eveningwear. This season’s nod to jock fashion is just too far out for most people. Pretend you never saw it. Wear your sports clothes while playing sports and don’t try to turn them into high fashion. Heels with football jerseys or track pants won’t make street sense.

Be aware that all skirt and dress lengths are a go! No matter what length you settle on you won’t be worrying about whether it’s current or not. From mini to mid-knee, or from mid-calf to floor length, it’s all in fashion this spring/summer. Wear your most flattering length and feel confident!

Beware that embroidery or macramé are great details to enjoy this spring. However this might be best left to teens and youthful girls. If you wore this trend back in the 70’s consider enjoying it once again in small doses like details in handbags or shoes.

Be aware that I am available to help you sort through all this season’s trends and selections. You’ll never have to wonder if you look appropriate or not because I’ll use my style eyes and professional image knowledge to help you get it just right! Please join Powerful Presence’s Style dialog on at https://www.facebook.com/PowerfulPresence.

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Transitioning from one fashion season to the next can be challenging and October is one of those months that can be unpredictable. It’s hard to decide when to pack up your summer gear when the weather continues to play tricks on us. We face unpredictable patterns, like when it’s chilly in the morning, feels like summer by noon, then temperatures plummet again by dinnertime. What do you do? The solution lies in layers.

1. A legging as pants is a no-no. However, a legging as a layering piece is a great solution for warming up your summer dresses and bringing them into colder weather. Wear calf-length or ankle-length leggings under your dresses or skirts with cute closed toe flats. Be careful if you’re over 45.  If the temperature climbs up unexpectedly, go into a bathroom and take that layer off.

Extra warmth: A pair of thin leggings can be worn under a pair of jeans or trousers and won’t create extra bulk.

2. Leather jackets don’t scream winter the way thick wool plaid ones do. They can be that extra layer that turns your transitional outfits into fashion hits. If you can’t get enough of your favorite fitting short-sleeved t-shirt, there is no need to pack it away just yet. Wear it with that lightweight leather jacket on warmish days. If the weather dips, exchange it for a long sleeved t-shirt or a cashmere sweater.

Extra warmth: Have a tube scarf or a small woolen scarf ready to wrap around your neck.

3. High Boots are a great way to keep your legs warm while wearing a dress, skirt or even over skinny jeans. Keep a second footwear choice in your car or at your office in case the temperature rises.

Extra warmth: Add warm wool socks underneath your knee or thigh-high boots for extra insulation.

4. Capes can be your go-to item when the winter winds blow your way. They are easy to throw over an outfit and are as efficient as a blanket for keeping you warm. They can be great over a sleeveless jersey knit dress. If it’s colder, pair with camel trousers, oxford shoes and socks and a classic white blouse.

Extra warmth: Get a great pair of to-the-elbow gloves and make this outfit look 60s chic.

5. Thick shawls are a transitional necessity. Have a go-to shawl that stays in your car. It’s your backup plan for when you forget to layer.  Keep it in a solid color so it can go over anything. This shawl will be the one you grab and use when you go to a movie, stay late after work and go for drinks with colleagues, find yourself at a high school football game or share with a friend.

Extra warmth: If you really were at that football game, you’d love to have two shawls—one for over your shoulders and one for over your lap. Go ahead and pack two. Better to be prepared than not.

I’d love to help you become confident in choosing and wearing layering pieces and accessories. I want you to be getting the attention you deserve, for all the right reasons. Let’s make an appointment today! Or, please join me for my upcoming November 13

3-hour workshop entitled “Accessories are…a Woman’s Best Friend.”  Special early bird pricing offered through October 30.  Click here to learn more…

marion Fall Fashions, Style accessories, fall fashions, trends

Most of the time, size of clothing is what guides our purchase decisions.  Size matters, but not the way you think! The right fit is what matters most – no matter what the size.

To create flattering fit, some things are best worn tighter while other items could stand to go up a size to look best. Here’s a guide that will help you look “just right.”

Tight is just right when we’re talking about jeans

Most jeans have Spandex added to them. It’s what makes them fit snugly and show off your curves. As soon as you wear them, they’ll stretch. The best pair to buy is the one that fits the snuggest. As long as you can zip it up, button it and still be able to breathe, you’re most likely in the best size. If you normally wear a size 10 pant, try on jeans in size 8s as well as size 10.

Bigger is better when we’re talking about white tee shirts

If you normally wear a medium in tee shirts, go for it … except when you’re buying a white one. Dark colors recede and you’ll look smaller in them. White and bright colors advance and you’ll look bigger in them. Any kind of tightness will be exaggerated in a white tee shirt. Try the large!

Tight is just right when we’re talking about bras

Bras have rows of hooks that allow you to make adjustments. Bras also stretch out with wear. Be sure when you buy your next new bra that it feels best on the very last row of hooks. A bra specialist or an image consultant can help you get this right.

Bigger is better when we’re talking about leggings

Leggings continue to be popular. You’ll probably want to wear a pair this fall with a long cardigan or sweater tunic. Don’t hesitate to try leggings a size larger than your pant size. They already are super snug and a little more ease may make you feel less self-conscious wearing them in public. They should look like street wear, not like gym wear.

Tighter is better when we’re talking about tops worn under a cardigan or jacket

Many jackets or blazers are cut to fit close to the body. You want to eliminate as much bulk under the jacket as you can. Get a top for underneath it that will fit you fairly snuggly. Then the lines of the jacket will be smooth and you’ll feel more comfortable. If you’re wearing a loose cardigan over a top, having an inner piece that fits more closely is perfect. It’s nice to see some definition of the body especially if a fair amount of your outfit is oversized.

Bigger is better when we’re talking about opaque tights

If you read the graphs on a pair of opaque tights, checking your height and weight against their suggestions, consider going up a size. If tights are too snug, they start to pull down in the crotch area. Tights that barely stretch from toe to waist will be sheerer over the calf area where your leg is fuller and then denser behind the knees. A larger size will provide all-over, even coverage and be more comfortable.

marion Style appearance

There is something really comfortable about having routines in your life. Are you ready to take on a couple of new ones that might make your days run a little smoother and be a little brighter? Take a look at these easy-to-do routines and see if they inspire you to action.

• Makeup Routine – Think about creating a Zen-like atmosphere when applying your makeup. Instead of reaching through a makeup pouch that may be filled with powder residue, last seasons colors mixed with this seasons, just pull out the items you are currently using and lay them out on a pretty tray at your makeup application station. Lay items in the order you’ll be applying it. With the easy visibility and everything you need positioned in the order you need it, you’ll be creating a routine filled with serenity.
• Morning visualization – Have a short but sweet moment to think about what you may need. Extra pair of shoes to go from daytime to nighttime wear? A shawl or sweater to prepare for an unexpected chill? Your gym gear to avoid an extra trip home? If you are ready for what may come your way, the day might find you more time to play.
• Night to day planning – Preparing an outfit for the following day can prevent a morning disaster. Take 5 minutes at night to pull tomorrow’s outfit together. In the morning, you may make a few edits but at least you’re starting with a plan.
• Nightly skincare routine – Everybody suggests it but have you worked it into a routine? Taking off makeup is crucial to keeping your skin at its best. Cleanse and hydrate with NuSkin’s Galvanic Spa (call or email me if you’d like to know more).  Add a moisturizer or serum and enjoy your coming-down-off-the-day routine.
• Clearing the closet clutter – Make a habit out of taking off your dry-cleaning plastic bags and putting your clothes back on their matching hangers. Get rid of all the extra shoe boxes that waste space. Leave the non-clothing storage out of your closet and only have stored in there the clothes you wear. Does this sound like a huge project? I can help beautify your closet and make it a place to create great outfits. Call or email me…I am ready to help.

marion Style

11 Affirmations to Get Dressed By

1. I owe it to (fill in the blank with loved one’s names) to have their memory of me be of a woman who respects herself.
2. It’s so therapeutic to dress in line with my personality and my values. I am so essentially me!
3. Looking confident in a well-put together outfit that fits and flatters me opens doors I never could have dreamed of!
4. I work from home, so really, looking good matters to no one but me. By looking good, I’m telling myself I matter. Isn’t that what self-care is all about?
5. When I walk through a door, I want to feel I look the best I can for right now. Sure I need to lose weight or get a manicure but I still can have charisma with my attitude, my style and my smile.
6. Style needs to be a part of who I am. People form opinions instantly based on how someone looks. What is inside should be the most important part of any relationship, but in reality, that is completely influenced by how we look on the outside. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money – just a little thought and effort.
7. Paying attention to how I look shows that I respect myself and that I respect you. I believe we owe it to ourselves to show up in life, and the benefits are tangible. Not only do I feel better and have more confidence, but also I’m amazed at the response of those around me.
8. People are often complimenting me on the way I dress and it makes me smile. It clearly makes them smile and we’re all just generally nicer to each other.
9. It makes it easier for me to accept myself when I dress my body well. How bad can wobbly thighs be when you have a flirty tunic on with lots of fun accessories over jeans and killer heels?
10. I like being surrounded by color, texture, and interesting details. This is a place where I can be creative and it pleases other people when I do.
11. I’m only living once. I’m going to go for the gusto and put on something I love.

marion Style professional style, professional wardrobe, trends

Dressing up doesn’t have to be hard to do when you identify 10 glamour pieces that can live in your wardrobe and be ready for quick, fun outfits. If these items aren’t there, they should be!

The following items would be great to have when you get the urge, desire, or invitation to “glam it up”!

With the holidays just around the corner, get in your closet to find:

1. A flashy, but not gaudy, belt – patent; metallic gold, silver or copper; a decorative buckled belt; chain belts that are Chanel classic.
2. A higher-heeled pump or strappy heels, only if you’re not standing on your feet all night; festive comfortable flats are a good alternative if you will be.
3. A sequined anything – top, purse, heels, skirt, dress, bags.
4. A sexy, dressy jean.
5. A luxurious shawl that screams elegance – it could have metallic details, a great pattern, be lacy, or have fringe.
6. Fur trim – on sweaters, coats, handbags, or gloves.
7. A grand entrance coat – something that isn’t the everyday trench coat.
8. The going-out handbag.
9. A cocktail ring.
10. A little black dress – short versus long – or the LBD alternative – a dressy skirt or a dressy blouse.

If you come up empty-handed, I recommend that you make an investment in a couple of these items to get you kick-started for your upcoming social events.

marion Fall Fashions, Style accessories, appearance, fall fashions

Concerned about your 401K? Wanting to keep your clothing expenses to a minimum this year? You don’t have to go in debt to look like you hit the lottery or secretly indulged in some good old-fashioned splurging. Your key fashion hits may be living in your closet already. Here are some items that were seen on the runway for Fall/Winter 2010. See if you can pull them out of storage and wear them again, or in some cases, just transition into the new season in last season’s accessories.

1.    The fur scarf. If you have a fashionable aunt or grandma, this vintage version is living in their closet. Invest a little time in searching for it.

2.    Camel is a hit color this year. And if you go for the menswear look, a slouchier shape (like from past seasons) is just right. Look for this shade in your closet. It’s a classic and you may have some items that are already perfect or just in need of slight alterations.

3.    Floral prints are unexpected in a fall/winter season but they showed up on designer lists this year. The important detail to look for is the dark background color behind the flowers. Do you have a floral print skirt or dress with a dark background color like black, eggplant, navy, deep olive, or brown? You might have purchased it this spring. Pair it with tights and a chunky boot to look current.

4.    Long wrap belts were big hits in the late 80s. If you have some in like-new condition, pull them out and wear them. They’re in again!

5.    Anything that shines, glows, or shimmers is in. Look in your closet for a spot of copper, gold, silver, pewter or bronze. Also look for anything with sequins or crystal beads. But remember, a little bit of this trend can go a long way. Too much of glimmer and it starts to look trashy, not trendy.

6.    Still “in” from spring are big cocktail sized rings, chunky necklaces and wide bangles. Keep wearing them into fall!

marion Fall Fashions, Style fall fashions, jewelry, scarves

By Carol Hymowitz

In a tight job market, appearance is everything.

They say that appearance is everything. And in a world where jobs are few and far between, never has office attire been as important as it is now. But office dress codes have never been more confusing.

Sharon Napier, chief executive of Partners + Napier, a Rochester, N.Y., advertising company, recently called two interns into her office–one was wearing short shorts and the other had piercings in her nose and mouth. She told them outright to go home to change what they’d worn to work. “I [said to] them, ‘I’m not making judgments about your fashion choices, but you need to look professional if you want your talents to be recognized. I can’t put you in front of clients the way you’re dressed now.” She advised the interns to look at what the supervisors at her firm were wearing before they went home, so they’d know how to alter their appearances.

Instances like this one are more common than you’d think.

10 Office Fashion Don’ts

Napier’s company, like many others these days, allows employees to choose between traditional and business casual attire and doesn’t have a formal dress code. But more choices have led to greater confusion about what’s proper to wear to work and how to communicate this to employees. Does business casual mean neatly pressed pants and a collared shirt or cut offs and T-shirts? If bare legs and bare arms are allowed, what about bare backs or bellies? Where’s the line between business casual and weekend casual? And just how short or clingy is unprofessional?

“The problem is business casual means something different to employees at different levels of every company and in every industry–and ‘dress down Friday’ has become dress down every day in many workplaces,” says Marion Gellatly, president of Powerful Presence, a Pebble Beach, Calif.-based image consultancy. “It was easier when the suit was the business uniform because everyone knew what it looked like.”

Some companies, especially financial services and law firms, have written dress codes that offer precise guidelines. Barclays Capital, for instance, requires employees to wear suits or traditional business attire when they are meeting with clients. Barclays also defines “inappropriate casual dress” as “denim items of any color, shorts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, any sports footwear such as training shoes, any items of clothing with slogans and beach style footwear.” Appropriate casual dress at Barclays includes “blazers, sports jackets, collared shirts, pressed trousers, casual skirts and smart casual trousers,” among other items.

But who’s to say exactly what constitutes a “casual skirt” and when said skirt crosses the line? This means, at many companies these days, it’s up to individual managers to set fashion guidelines and enforce them–or hire consultants like Gellatly to offer counsel. “I’m called in when companies have a problem that they don’t know how to deal with,” she says.

The problems she sees most often are employees who dress in clothes that are too revealing or too sloppy. She cringes when she sees a woman at a business meeting whose cleavage is showing or whose mini-skirt is exposing most of her thighs, or a woman whose hemline is torn, or a man with a crumpled shirt that isn’t tucked into his trousers.

“Even though there aren’t many hard and fast rules anymore, you need to scrutinize your image because that’s the memory you leave behind when you leave the room,” she advises employees who want to get ahead or just keep their jobs. “I ask employees, ‘do you want to be remembered as credible and authoritative, or sexy, or disheveled? If your sweater is cut so low that everyone can see your bra, how seriously are you going to be taken? That’s a problem not just for your company but for you,” she says.

Napier says she must speak up more often and remind employees to dress professionally in the summer when the line between business and weekend casual often blurs. She tells women who wear sundresses to the office to keep a cardigan or jacket at their desk that they can throw on if they have a client meeting. And when a male employee once showed up in flip flops and cut-off shorts, she told him he shouldn’t come to work looking like he was about to cut his lawn.

Her employees listen, she says, because they realize that what’s good for the company is also good for their careers. The intern who had a lot of piercings removed them after Napier talked with her, and later wrote her a thank you note. The intern who’d worn short shorts started wearing slacks and skirts.

And when Napier’s 21-year-old daughter landed a business internship in New York this summer, she gave her the same guidance that she’d offered to her interns. She took her daughter shopping and helped her choose a few basic office fashions: a black suit, black dress, a gray skirt and a few solid colored shirts.

“I told her ‘if you wear open-toed shoes or sandals, make sure your toes are manicured.’ I said, ‘no matter how good a job you are doing, looking the part is very important. People will never forget if you look sloppy,’” she says.

While some fashion faux pas–such as flip flops or see-through shirts–apply to all workplaces, each company has its own fashion culture. “It’s important to learn what that is because you don’t want to stick out, you want to be part of the team,” says Jill Wiseman, who until recently was a director in the brand management group of American Express Co. “If you’re working in an image-conscious industry such as advertising or fashion, you have to make sure your wardrobe is up to date,” she says. “If you’re on a trading floor of a bank, you’re going to have to dress more conservatively.”

Wiseman is glad women are no longer expected to dress like men in boxy suits with floppy bow ties, as they were when they first began climbing the corporate ladder 30 years ago. But she consciously dresses differently for work than she does on weekends or for evenings out with her husband and friends. In the winter she opts for navy, gray and black suits–often wearing them as separates. Come summer, she wears brightly colored shirts and jackets. “Within the confines of dressing professionally, I like to express who I am by wearing clothes I love and playing with colors and accessories,” she says.

Gellatly advises women who want to be perceived as strong and capable at work to choose a dark navy over a peach-colored jacket. “Dark colors project more authority,” she says. So do lightweight wool or cotton fabrics that are firm, vs. soft and pliable jersey fabrics, she believes. “If you take a monochromatic sleeveless dress and throw a solid-colored cardigan over it, you’ll look a lot more professional than if you wear a flashy, floral pattern,” she says.

marion Professionalism, Style appearance, first impression, professional style

Welcome to 2010…a year poised to bring you success and prosperity if you’re ready and well prepared.  With that in mind, in February I’m kicking off several great Image and Style workshops.

My work is dedicated to presenting you and your message professionally and accurately.  If you’ve been struggling with this and could use my expertise and support, I invite you to join me for the upcoming workshops.  Or, if you’re looking to join a fun group of women to gain new inspiration from one another, I welcome you too!

Check out the calendar of events.  Then join me to gain clarity, consistency and improve the quality of your image.  When you invest the time and energy to discover your unique personal style and show up as your personal best, you will live the life of your dreams.

I hope to see you at the Carmel Mission Inn, Carmel, CA for one of these great workshops.  Please feel free to call me with any questions you may have.

Click here to download the PDF schedule of my upcoming workshops.

marion Fall Fashions, Image and Style Workshop professional style, professional wardrobe, spring style, travel packing, travel wardrobe planning