The manner in which a jacket fits on the shoulder is critical because it proportionally balances the way the rest of jacket looks. The seams need to align at the spot the shoulder connects to the arm. The jacket model must have the appropriate design.

If a person has a full chest, it is better to choose a garment which offers the fuller chest fit. In suits for men, the model is an athletic cut where the chest area is ampler. There are many styles today that satisfy all shapes and sizes.

Recently, a colleague requested an opinion on several new professional photos she just posted. Most of the viewers were friends plus a few clients. The picture that received the most likes was the one I would have picked for her website.

The audience she solicited the opinions from is very similar to the market she is targeting. This brings us to the critical concept in selecting a professional photo: know the main goal of the photo other than personal preference. It is important that the photo fully represent the person in it.

The clothing elements, color, and style also worked for her. She was smart to take some photos with different color and style choices. The photographer was also wise to use different lighting to enhance her approachability in the photo.

A current trend is wearing beige or nude pumps with dark dresses. The beige or nude pump has been worn in the last five years with colors in the same family of neutral tones.

Recently, Megan Markle wore a Navy dress paired with a nude pump. Yes, the nude pump will make the leg look longer in some cases. In other situations, the outfit will appear lost. The bohemian look of very loose clothing in various prints and patterns combined is a fad. It will move into a trend only in a modified way.

Another trend is that opposite patterns are being introduced in dresses, shirts, and blazers. This fad is an attention getter where the clothes become the statement. My number one motto is that the person wears the clothes, not the other way around. The clothes need to reflect you and complement the body, enhancing the positive impact you want to project.

Build confidence by doing it. Practice bolsters confidence even when there is failure. In the early stages of my work, whether speaking to a group of 20 or to one thousand, it took constant practice to fortify my confidence.

Go to different events to study the styles of those who are really the best. Watch Oprah or Zig Ziglar and note their speech patterns and talking points. Receiving feedback, good and bad, will always help you improve as it did for me.

The suit is back. It began last year with the blazer worn with skirts, dresses, and companion pants. In 2018, we see the suit surging. Fabrics and colors have become bolder. Shoulders for women look much more pronounced. For men the move is away from the soft shoulder.

In recent fashion magazine and red-carpet show openings, suits are being shown more often with women wearing them. The cuts of jackets appear closer to the waist for men and women.

Truth will always matter. Once, during a television makeover show twenty years ago, the host asked me what I would never do. I replied that I would never lie to a client or audience. Truth can be told in a way that is not hurtful. For example, instead of saying that the suit looks awful, one might say it does not do the person justice.

In the second season of the television series, “The Sinner”, a young boy decides not to run away. He chose to face the consequences because lies eat away at integrity. And a very good friend and outstanding psychologist said, once integrity is gone, there is nothing left. Being truthful is not always easy but it is the right thing to do.

Years ago, at a Fortune 100 company, I was asked to spend a day working with high potentials candidates for management. There was a woman in her mid-thirties, in accounting, who was constantly overlooked for the next level position. In my first meeting with her, she walked in with pink hair!

Naturally, the hair came up for discussion. I learned that she changed her hair color every week because her evening job required it. However, it appears to be hindering professional advancement in her day job because it comes up often in talks with management. The problem is that her hair has become more of a talking point than her professional qualities.

Hair is the frame of the face. For some it is glaring statement of identity. A crowning glory. Take Kim Russell, the star of Americans and before that, Dawson’s Creek. She has long and spectacular curly hair. One day, she cut it very short. It almost cost her career! Her long hair had become her trademark.

Then you have Halle Berry as a completely opposite example. When she was starting out, she changed her long hair to a short pixie cut which ended up defining her brand. The bald head on Bruce Willis has made him more distinguished. So, the crowning glory can sometimes make or break a personal brand.

In today’s work and personal environments, to accomplish all that is needed, we can easily become overwhelmed. This sometimes lead to anxiety. Harnessing the anxiety to shift it into motivation, is the best way change the emotion needed to move toward accomplishment. Taking note of the anxiety triggers will help turn the it into motivation to achieve the goal.