Winter is awful on our skin. In a recent meeting, I sat across from a person who kept scratching their arms and then their neck. Pretty soon I wanted to start scratching (him and myself!) even though I take precautions not to have dry skin by:

• Using Neutrogena, Rainbath® Refreshing Shower and Bath Gel to shower in warm water not hot and then using their body oil before I dry.

• Drinking plenty of water

• Only wearing natural fabrics (cotton and very fine wools) for those allergic to wool, then only cotton.

Evening business award events generally occur at the beginning of the year which is when questions are often asked about what is appropriate to wear.

Business folks dress in many different ways for these events. I’d rather be a bit underdressed than overdressed. Women, leave the sequins at home. Men, you cannot go wrong in a dark suit (black or dark navy) and a white shirt with a dark tie. If the event says black tie option, men can wear a dark suit or tuxedo. For women, a dress or an evening suit will fit the bill.

In the Midwest, a black tie event for men means a tuxedo. However, the trend has been moving toward an evening jacket in a color other than black. For the conservative man who wants to stand out, navy and burgundy have become options.

A good friend of mine who is very fashion forward wore one in a gold (not shiny) material. What is not recommended for a black tie event, is a plain black suit, even though I have seen some men wear them.

A black tie event for women does not always mean they have to wear a floor length gown. Tea length (slightly above the ankle depending on the height of the women) have become popular as have cocktail length (below the knee) dresses. A trendy option is the dressy top with a pair of palazzo pants but a dress will always look more elegant for a black tie event.

Awful Christmas sweaters have become a hit at social functions and even during in-season business casual days. My thoughts are if you are in a creative culture, advertising or the arts, it might work and be appreciated.

Men have been wearing patterned, fun socks so you will see many with holiday patterns. However, ladies wear with caution the patterned white stockings with candy canes or ornaments. This also goes for the sweater vests, jackets and ties with Santa Claus or snowmen on them.

It is fun to wear a touch of red for a jacket or sweater. A handmade piece of Christmas jewelry in a necklace or pin can also be sharp, especially if it is contemporary.

I was just recently at a client for a workshop and it was on casual day. The women who wore leggings that appeared appropriate for the day were:

• Wore leggings in heavy dark fabric

• Wore leggings that appropriately fit (not too tight)

• Wore high boots (sometimes the same color as the leggings)

• Wore a long knit top that covered their hips

These women, tall, short and of varying physical shapes, looked very sharp on this casual day.

In a business casual setting, men may not have to necessarily wear a suit jacket all the time, though they might be wearing a shirt and tie most of the time.

Many men in a workshop setting will ask if they can wear a mixed or patterned shirt with a patterned tie. Yes, of course. However, there are a few guidelines to ensure the right mix to look really sharp:

– The shirt stripe must be smaller than the tie pattern

– The tie pattern must be smaller if the shirt stripe is wide

– Make sure there is a similar color in both the tie and shirt

– A tie can be a totally different color than the shirt if the shirt is a non-patterned one

Of course, all of these rules can be broken if you have a dynamic eye for style or a work with a personal stylist!

For women:

• Jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings, that appear too big or too small.

• Purses that are too small for a larger women or too large for a petite women.

For men:

• Ties that are too wide or too skinny.

• Skinny pants that belong on slender men worn by men with ample builds.

• Tee shirts that show bellies.

There are some proportion mistakes folks make because they want to make a fashion statement. If that’s the case, just be sure your audience understands that.

I see many women wearing long skirts with heels and I don’t believe the look is flattering, especially if the skirt is a bit flared. Flats, loafers, pointy shoes, clogs and sneakers do not work either. These combinations makes the wearers look, at best, matronly and at worst, too dowdy. It’s not a look for the office or even for a business causal setting.

The majority of your body is covered with a long skirt, so to create a flowing look (as opposed to an unbalanced one), what you wear on your feet needs to visually become a part of the skirt. That’s why a boot that is covered by the hemline of the skirt usually works. In fact, long skirts with high boots and a shorter jacket can look smart if the colors are matched appropriately.

This is the time of year when the temperatures can wildly fluctuate, sometimes by 30 degrees, in the course of just one day! It could be 40 degrees in the morning and 70 in the late afternoon. To cope with this clothing wise (and to avoid looking like Frosty the Snowman) try wearing close fitting, thin layers. This provides the option to remove layers as the temperature rises.

Generally, it’s best to use three layers (especially in the winter):

– An inner layer that keeps the skin dry (like silk or soft wools)

– The mid layer (wool, fleece, down, cotton, synthetic polyester) which provides additional insulation and helps keep you warm. It should be looser fitting to allow for insulating air between the layers.

– A shell layer (plastic raincoats, water resistant materials) that prevents moisture from entering.

However you layer, layering makes efficient use of clothing and also allows you to make use of clothing to produce different looks and mix colors in a stylish way.