I went out with friends to a high-end Chicago restaurant for a New Year’s Eve celebration. Most of the men were wearing either a suit or a blazer with an oxford dress shirt and no tie. One out of 15 men might have worn a tie. Also, the men chose a shirt varying from light to dark colors. Ties can appear too worn when seen at official events and observed on television anchors and doctors.

The color black is on the rise again. I think it is because there are many new variations and that a backlash is growing against bright colors in jackets and other clothing. I see more men wear black shirts with a print. Women are opting to go with the black jacket on a dress with color. I also thought bright colors were becoming harsher and a black jacket on a woman seemed more elegant. Dark, warm grays and berry colors also have a graceful vibe to them.

Leggings hug the legs almost like a second skin. There are some leggings made in a heavier weigh knit but they are still leggings. Instead of the skin tight look, opt for a pair of pants that have slim legs. The real good ones on the market are comfortable and will add a polished look to your business casual appearance especially when worn with polished boots. Also, the new shorter boots are becoming more of a traditional look than a trend.

The holidays are a fun time to be more creative with wardrobe choices including the famous ugly Christmas sweaters. They have become a bold fashion statement to wear on casual days. For those who love the holiday spirit and but might not want to wear the ugly Christmas sweater, opt for wearing holiday colors in accessories, necklaces or a touch in a scarf for women.

Men can add holiday colors in ties or an outer wear scarf. If you chose to wear a Christmas sweater, choose one with one design and color. Try to stay away from printed words or jingles. Santa hats are also fun for weekend wear and parties.

What you wear to holiday parties depends on the event itself. For holiday weeknight evening parties it is generally acceptable to go directly from work in business dress. You change an item of clothing to give it a fresh look and feeling.

Weekend evening holiday parties tend to be more formal depending on the location of the event. Women wear cocktail length dresses and men a suit or jacket combination with or without a tie.

Open houses at the home or office of a business associate or a senior leader depends on the hosts. Take direction from their typical clothing styles. If they tend to be more formal, use that as an indicator on clothing choice, do the same if they seem to prefer the casual look. Use these guidelines to help make it easier to decide what to wear for those holiday work-related events!

The fashion industry for men used to change styles once every eight years. Now it changes on a daily basis. One interesting noticeable change is the width of ties. They range from very narrow to mid width. The younger man tends to wear the narrow tie.

The width of the tie that looks best depends on body shape. The slender man can wear a narrow tie while the heavier man will look best with a wider tie. Proportion is key to a smarter and neater look on a man.

In 2016, Michele Obama wore gray nail polish for her speech at the Democratic convention. This color seemed to have disappeared for a while but it is back big time now. I have seen blue, light and charcoal grays.

The darker grays seemed to be worn by women in the fashion industry and the lighter grays worn by folks in business. Darker gray is the color to be careful of. It can make the skin look older and harsh. In choosing gray, opt for the lighter one. You still will be in fashion.

Clients who are on the road 24/7 and continue to look great usually use these tools along with one key strategy. The tools include:

• A full length mirror in their bedroom or dressing room
• Good lighting
• A portable clothing rack
• A suitcase packed with toiletries that are replaced regularly when supplies get low
• A portable umbrella
• Several zip lock plastic bags in several sizes and some rubber bands

The strategy is that on Sunday pull out the portable clothing rack and begin to assemble the wardrobe, including shoes and accessories, for the whole week…just like if you were going to pack a suitcase for travel. If you are getting ready to travel, pull items that you can coordinate around three colors. Also, pack one backup outfit for emergency or unplanned events. If you follow these guidelines, you will be prepared for all situations and for meetings in and outside of the office.

When choosing eyewear follow these steps:

Decide on the occasions when you will wear your eyewear, e.g., for business casual or for weekend sports

Comfort is critical – with the right fit you won’t even know you are wearing them

Round faces will look better with more angular and defined shapes

Oval faces can wear almost any frame shape

Frames should not appear too wide on your face

Black and tortoise shell frames have been longstanding successful staples

Frames are getting smaller and rounder according to Garret Leight of California Optical — www.garretttlieght.com

In recent years, the classy way to wear rings meant that less is more. One or two on each hand was the norm. A few years ago, a Chicago fashion setter was featured in many articles wearing three to four rings of varying sizes on each hand.

When shopping at a high-end store, I noticed the sales person waiting on me wore two rings (designer with the initials DY) on each finger, plus she had a ring on her middle toe. Because she was in the fashion industry selling jewelry, this was acceptable. In everyday business settings my recommendation is to use jewelry as an accent, not as a main focus.