Three-quarter sleeves are pretty much the norm when looking for a long sleeve shirt, especially in the summer time. They are a great alternative to short sleeves. The best three-quarter sleeves are when the width of the sleeve is not tapered. It conveys a more professional look. Nordstrom’s Foxcross label is a favorite of mine, especially in white when paired with black linen slacks.

Men’s styles used to change every eight years or so. Today, that’s not the case, they change as we speak!

Most men are comfortable with the blue button down collar oxford shirt for business casual and for a dress shirt, a blue fine pinpoint one. Now, men are becoming more fashion conscious and are willing to move away from the blue shirt.

White and blue shirts now come with various stripes, wide and thin. Shades of blue, red and burgundy are just a few color variations. For the man who tends to be a bit laid back, a stronger color will help set the tone of a meeting. For the man who tends have a great deal of influence and who can be intimidating without saying a word, a soft color will work best to make him more approachable. Use these guidelines and you will get more impact on how color choices can make any situation work best for you.

I help clients prepare for “the interview” for a promotion or just a “look see” in some cases. Basic critical elements for the interviewee are dress, behavior (body language, facial expressions) and projecting confidence. However, the talking points and engaging the interviewer so they want to help you get promoted is just as, if not more so, important. You want to create a winning interview so you will be recommended, or at least be considered, for the next position. Also, ask probing questions. This way, for the second interview, you will be able to provide your insights on issues that are not common knowledge for the role.

The phone interview for some folks is less nerve racking than a personal talk. However, it might be harder to stay focused because you do not have a face to engage the interviewer. Keep centered by having your talking points in front of you. Make sure you are not distracted. Really listening to the tone of the voice and questions on the other end will the keep interaction strong and help you respond appropriately. 90 percent of my engagements come from conference call interviews. I always pause to give the interviewer time to respond. I also clarify by saying- this is what I hear you are saying. In addition, I always follow-up by proposing a day and time to reconnect.

The question often comes up about whether or not you should color your hair. Coloring hair has become very popular for both men and women. And it is not just about covering the gray. Recently Michelle Obama was on the cover of Parade Magazine with golden highlights in her hair. Years ago, it was considered a theatrical move when an Asian or African American that colored their hair blond or red. Today it is just about a variety of looks.

The color one choses for the conservative environment is best when it is close to the natural look. For those who want to be more fashion focused, chose a color close to your color temperature. If you tend to be warm, going jet black may not be favorable to your skin or clothing choices.

Another example is that if you are very cool in color temperature, selecting a very warm hair color may look cheap. When Elizabeth Taylor when blond for a short period it did not enhance her natural skin tone or the color of her eyes.

It can be difficult to purge when we hold on to clothing pieces because they may bring back good memories or we think they are in good condition and we will wear them again. My rule of thumb is that if you have not worn piece of clothing in the last three seasons, it may be time to say goodbye to it. The only exception is formal wear.

Pack your clothing items for the season and then review them the following year. If you have not worn a piece – get rid of it. I took my own advice, cleaned out my closets and gave way numerous pairs of pants, tops, sweaters, coats and handbags. Goodwill cried because many were on hangers and in great condition!

Now, instead of crowding my closets, the clothing and accessories are going to hopefully bring success to those who end up owning them. It was not easy to do and it took two people to help me. But in the end, it felt wonderful. I even created an itemized list with pictures so I can claim a deduction for them.

Recently I was involved in a project and the coordinator corresponded with me via e-mail. The e-mails were less than friendly. They were quite terse and in some cases a bit accusatory when answering my questions. For example, one comment was- why are you asking these questions – did you not read my last e-mail?

I was shocked when meeting her in person. She was a very nice person, very sincere and quite helpful. My point is that it may be a good idea to read your e-mails out loud before sending. Is the tone reflective of your intent? This is why US Today has said so many problems are caused by e-mail. Maybe had this person and I had a face to face meeting or even a phone conversation, I would not have developed a negative perception of her.

There are folks in this world who like to throw you off with the “gotcha” question or comment. It comes out of the blue and the purpose is to show power. The way to protect yourself is to ask questions to help you get grounded without sounding defensive.

A gotcha moment happened to me recently and I was totally unprepared. Now, I would begin the conversation by asking the question – can you clarify this for me? This would have not only have helped me stay grounded but it would have added balance to the discussion. Putting this tool in place creates a win for you as well as a strong show of confidence.

There are few terms related to color mixes that you may want to be aware of:

• Monochromatic: Using the example colors black and white to create this look, it would be wearing a cream color top with white or dark gray with black. This creates an elegant and stylish appearance.

• Complimentary: Using 75% black and 25% white, for instance, might turn out to be a white shirt and black pants or black shirt and white pants—low key and smart looking.

• Analogous: Using three shades of black, black pants, shirt and sweater. It is also called Asymmetry. An example is what you sometimes see on the red carpet— a black tux, black shirt and black bow tie. This tends to be very dramatic whether using darks or bright colors.

When you put colors together you can have them create the statement you’re seeking to make.

Summer is upon us and the capris are shown everywhere as an alternative to shorts and skirts. My opinion is that capris can be very unflattering. They cut your legs off and can make you appear short and stumpy. I think the slim ankle length pant is much more flattering and smarter looking than capris.

If you must wear the capris, then pick a length that ends at the smallest part of your leg width and one that is closer to your body as opposed to the looser fitting, wide leg ones.

Remember we always want to be comfortable while at the same time enhancing our body shape. We want to avoid making ourselves appear larger and/or wider.