In stressful times, when projects do not go smoothly, someone may get thrown under the bus. If you happen to be this person, here are some critical tips to ensure that it does not turn fatal:

1. Stay calm

2. Do not interrupt when being spoken to

3. Ask questions to get details to either deflect blame or fault the situation

4. Accept responsibility

5. Offer solutions to fix the problem or make sure it never happens again

1. Do you find that you have things in your closet that you have not worn because you don’t have anything to wear with them? Never purchase anything unless you have three clothing items in the closet to go with it or buy at least two items to wear that work with the garment.

2. Purchase items in three colors only. Most folks have black pants or skirts so the key to purchase shirts, jackets, sweaters in three colors in addition to black.

3. Last, but not least, only purchase items that fit in the shoulders, chest and jacket/sweater length. It is easy to shorten sleeves but tailoring in these other areas can be very expensive and tough to pull off properly.

In all fabrics, from knits to denim, leggings are back. Wearing them smartly depends on your complete look. (No matter what, do not wear leggings at work.)

From the top of your garments down to the shoes or boots you wear, leggings cannot look like exercise or yoga clothing. They have to complement the rest of the clothing to form a complete outfit.

The number one offense with leggings is wearing them with thin tops that barely cover your hips. The second one is wearing thin leggings that are so tight they look like a second skin.

When does too much skin show? Cleavage for women can be challenging as can tops that are too tight.

Men who wear an open shirt collar may have their chest hair show. Shirt sleeves that bunch up and cap sleeves on blouses that are cut too short on fleshy arms also show too much skin.

Here are some rules to help you ensure you are not showing too much skin:

For women:

– Cleavage: The rule of thumb for cleavage is to make sure your top starts no more than four inches from your chin.

– Arms: Sleeveless tops can be attractive if your arms are toned.

For men:

-For men who prefer not to wear a tee shirt, be conscious of chest hair

– Buttoned shirts should not have gaps. Otherwise too much skin may be revealed. Wear a shirt cut larger around the stomach.

A glimpse of skin is a good thing; too much is best left for private moments and on the weekends.

Full rimmed black and colored glasses have replaced the rimless glasses. The key is finding the right frame size and shape. Your eyes should pop in the frames.

The thickness of the frames looks best when they balance the shape of your face and hair. If your face and hair have a lot of texture, then narrow frames would be best. The opposite is true if your face and hair are very sleek. Then a heavier frame would add character to your face.

Rimless glasses look okay on wide faces because the side pieces will narrow the face.

Be sure to take your time in picking out your frames. They must feel comfortable and you want to feel confident in them. You also should consider having more than one pair.

A sign of a well-organized professional is what they carry when going into a meeting or on the road. It should be one brief case or a backpack and not be over-stuffed.

For women, if you carry a handbag plus a brief or laptop case, the handbag should be no larger than the case you carry.

Remember that a handbag will add weight especially if it is oversized. Less is always more elegant.

The face is our main attention getter. Our hair is a frame around it so it should look as good as possible. Here are some dos and don’ts for both men and women:

Men:

Do: Think balance. Your hair style looks best when it is age appropriate and balances your face with the rest of your body.

Do: Clean it up. If you are bald (bald is beautiful) make sure it is completely clean – no fuzz on the back of your neck.

Don’t: Wear a hairstyle meant for an age 10 years younger than you are.

Don’t: Over spray. Your hair should not glisten.

Women:

Do: Wear a contemporary hair style. You can do that just by updating the style you have worn for the last three years.

Do: Have movement in your hair style – it will give it a modern feel.

Don’t: Wear a spiked hairstyle unless you are in the arts and/or advertising field.

Don’t: Over hairspray your hair so that it is as hard as a football helmet.

Follow these do’s and don’ts and your hair will not be a distraction but your crowning glory.

The trend in women’s clothing for tops has been moving toward three-quarter length sleeves instead of full length ones. The reasons are because it saves money, starts something new and helps women for whom sleeve lengths are a problem because they do not have the flexibility of getting sleeves shortened without an added expense.

Three-quarter length sleeves can be wonderful solutions for women who always seem to have sleeves be too long on them. However, make sure this length does not make you look wider, matronly or old lady-like. Suit jackets should come with a full-length sleeve unless it is a summer suit.

Give it to the fashion industry for always wanting to revolutionize how men and women wear jeans. Here are some guidelines:

Straight leg jeans are the modified skinny jean and easier to wear. To pull off the skinny leg jeans you must have very slender legs and the pant leg should not bunch up. The traditional style where the leg is wider but still straight will work well for women with larger legs. Also, the boot cut is coming back. If you were to purchase a new pair today stay with the straight leg one and you will be contemporary.

Sometimes, folks who tend to want the work they do to be perfect, say no too quickly. What happens then is that others stop asking them to take on special projects which, if taken, may help advance their careers.

You can say yes to reviewing the project; say you will think about it and get back to them. If you do turn it down, let them know that you still want to be considered for future projects. Keeping the communications flowing is the key to your career. Never give an instant no, say you will think about it.