Tattoos came up in a recent workshop. The main question was- Should tattoos be displayed or covered up? Tattoos are attention getters and very personal to the folks who get them. In most business settings tattoos are not acceptable unless it is in a very creative environment. Even then, they must be fairly non-religious, non-political and not too graphic. My recommendation is that if you want to get a tattoo have it applied in an area that is visible only to you. You do not want to be recognized just for your tattoo.

It is interesting that male TV news anchors are always wearing a suit with shirt and tie. The women, on the other hand, often wear sleeveless dresses or blouses. Does this mean sleeveless is acceptable for women in a professional setting?

For a board meeting or while in public representing your company, wearing a sleeveless dress or top is not professional. Does this mean a professional woman should be wearing a jacket at all times? Not necessarily.

Jan Fields, President of McDonald’s USA, was recently interviewed wearing a navy dress with short sleeves. She looked very professional. (See her on this YouTube link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymuEvvyKoiE.)

Save the sleeveless tops and dresses for less formal settings. Note that Michelle Obama has begun wearing a jacket or sweater over her sleeveless dress or top in conservative settings.

Dress shirts for men have come a long way from the typical cut. In fact, shirts had only one cut not too long ago. Today, men’s shirts may not necessarily come in the variety of sizes that women’s tops do with petite, misses and women sizes. But, a man can buy shirts in slim, athletic and a full body cut as determined by the chest, sides and waist sizes.

The differences are as follows:

Slim (Extra trim): Trim through-out with higher arm holes and narrower sleeves
Athletic (trim): Fitted through the chest, arm holes and sides
Full: Cut with extra room throughout the body of the shirt
Using these guidelines men should never have to worry about looking too sloppy when wearing the right shirt. They might even end up looking as elegant as Cary Grant!

Today, one of the biggest challenges for a woman is making sure she is not wearing too much or too little make-up. Not every women needs to wear foundation. Instead, a touch of blush on the cheek bones will add a finished look. The key is that the blush must look natural and not artificial.

Recently, I saw a lady wearing too red of a color. What happened was that the blush ended up forming round circles on her cheeks.

Here are some tips to help ensure blush will look natural:

• The color needs to be just like you pinched your cheeks to get a rosy glow
• Stay away from colors that have a daytime shimmer
• Remember that very few women can use red on their cheeks

A few of my favorite brands are Bobbi Brown and Mac. Their professional make-up specialists will always have you looking very natural.

In our diverse culture, many names are not easy to pronounce. I think it is absolutely wonderful when a writer writes out pronunciation in an article or story.

I think it’s also important that if you have a difficult to pronounce name, you help people you meet pronounce it. It is a very gracious act and demonstrates elegance and empathy in handling difficult names.

For example, I always pronounce my name twice and in some cases spell it out. Wil-der-muth. It also has the side benefit of quickly engaging the other person.

ow can you update a professional image and wardrobe with limited funds? To create instant impact, add a new color in accessories or with makeup (for women).

Here are a few recommendations:

Women:

Wear shells, blouses, necklaces, scarfs and shoes in a fresh color. Green, coral and yellow are some of the latest ones.
Makeup: Select a new lipstick color, blush or nail polish.
Either one will update your image.

Men:

Change your shirt color or wear patterned shirts. It will add a new look to your suit.
Different ties and a belts will give a new, fresh look to a shirt and slacks.
Update your hairstyle.

To get ideas, look at In Style, men’s health magazines or clothing catalogs. You can also search the web for ideas on what is available. Make it fun!

Because we are not perfect human beings and business is so fast paced, it is easy to make a mistake. The real key is how you recover from a mistake.

It is hard to apologize and own up to a mistake, especially when the person pointing out the error act obnoxiously. However, this does not change the fact that we must apologize or admit we were wrong when that is the case.

It is best to admit you made a mistake sooner rather than later. Depending on the mistake and how it is pointed out to you, it can be done via a phone call, face to face or with an e-mail. Do not defend it and then apologize. The key is to admit it and move on. When you can do this it shows professional grace under fire.

People like smart people only when the smart person tells them they are smart. A new series called Suits on USA, showcases a hotshot Harvey Specter attorney with his new associate. The new associate, Mike Ross, is brilliant. He gets more done and is accepted better by being low key and unassuming.

Here are some tips:

• Ask the question instead of telling them what you know. This will enable them to circle back to you.
• Never say I told you so.
• Even if you know it, let them tell you the answer. Then agree with them.

Follow these simple tips and you will earn more respect and be considered inclusive instead of intrusive.

The 64 million dollar question is should business women wear pantyhose in business settings? It depends on the culture of the organization and the dress policy. If there is no dress policy, these are the guidelines for hose whether panty hose or stockings:

Do:

• Wear hose (pantyhose or nylons) in conservative business settings like a board room meeting or for presentations in a professional setting
• Choose natural color hose that is close to your skin tone
• Stay away from any suntan or fashion color hose
• Wear black sheer hose when wearing a black skirt or dress
• Wear patterned or fish net hose for evening events

Don’t:
• Wear white hose
• Wear hose with open toe shoes or sandals
• Wear opaque hose in a warm weather climate
• Wear patterned hose with patterned skirts or dresses

If you chose not to wear hose, your legs must have a smooth appearance. A self- tanning spray will give your legs a finished look.

Ten years ago, it was a mandate for all women in business settings to wear hose with a skirt or dress. However, since then it has changed dramatically. But you still do not want to spoil your look with bare, unfinished legs.

Handbags have been essential to fashion history ever since people have had something precious to carry around with them. Over time, only the items in the bag have changed.

The first handbag in Fourteenth Century Egyptian hieroglyphs show pouches carried around the waist. Bags were attached to what were called “girdles” which were fastened to the waist. Embroidery and jewels adorned these pieces and were used to show status – the richer the person, the more elaborate the bag.

Today, the younger women are carrying smaller purses (wristlets) and the older women are carrying larger and more elaborate handbags. Designers have even caught on that the handbag is back. They are designing them in different colors.

For example, Louie Vuitton bags used to be available in shades of brown and with camel leather. Now, they come in all colors and shapes. Women are using the handbag to make a statement.

However, always keep in mind that the person makes the statement, not the bag.